Category: Words of Wisdom

Categories
Poetry Topic Words of Wisdom

Hanging Onto Ifs

Questions of uncertainty
Hanging onto ifs
Restricts growth
It constrains

Hanging onto ifs
Breeds uncertainty
And doubt

Hanging onto ifs
Robs you of exploration
Stalls curiosity

Hanging onto ifs
Builds rifts
Stalls shifts in creativity
Takes all the lifts out of the sails

Hanging onto ifs
Can foster inner tiffs
Let go of the ifs

It helps to sift
Sift away fears and doubts
Lift hope and confidence

Let go of the ifs

The poem, Hanging Onto Ifs is about how our mind plays on us. It can let doubt creep in and stop us from pursuing our dreams. We question ourselves and ask, “what if it doesn’t work?” Well, what if it does. Injecting hopeful thoughts and believing in ourselves is a positive alternative.

The mind is very powerful, and it is important that we guard our thoughts. Every action starts with a thought. If we question and overthink, it stalls growth.

What do you think about the what ifs?

Thank you for stopping by to read.🙏🏽💞

Photo by Laurin Steffens on Unsplash

Categories
Info Poetry Topic Words of Wisdom

30 Years Turns the Art of Poetry

April is National Poetry Month. The year 2026 makes 30 years of this celebration of art.

What does poetry mean to you? What is your favorite poetry form?

Is there a special way you like to commemorate the art form of poetry and writing? If so, share the most meaningful way you choose to celebrate.

Words are very powerful. They can inject joy and adversely, bring about feelings of hurt. The way we choose our words is very important. Words can be used to compose a song, convey an idea, express thoughts, and a plethora of many things. Both spoken and written words carry weight.

For National Poetry month, I have tried writing my first Trenta-Sei poem. Not an easy feat.

What is a Trenta-Sei poem?

-Created by John Ciardi, the Trenta-Sei poem is a poetic form that contains 6, six-line stanzas for a total of 36 lines.
-A rhyme scheme of ababcc.
-Lines 2-6 of the first stanza will be the first line of the stanzas to follow, in the same order.
-The cascading repetition adds to the complexity of this style.

Sounds simple, right? I’m joking. It was challenging for me but nonetheless, it was fun writing.

30 Years Turns the Art of Poetry

Artistry comes in many forms 
Creating ways to move 
Motion in strokes not the norm 
Writing that transforms and grooves 
Rhymes skillfully arousing the senses 
Poetry and prose in many tenses 
 
Creating ways to move 
Your mind drifts afar 
Riding words feeling the groove 
Inspiration shining like a star 
Don't stop, ideas abound, keep up the flow 
Intricate words flood the brain, page aglow 
 
Motion in strokes not the norm 
Acrylic, watercolor or oil 
Brushstrokes haphazard forming a storm 
Circular and abstract like a coil 
Collage of fabric in Pink, Yellow, Green 
Blending media, asking what it means 
 
Writing that transforms and grooves 
Taking you on a wild ride 
Explain the meaning a pen behooves 
Awing the reader, mouth open wide 
Scanning the page, delight and disbelief 
Vivid, exact, succinct and very brief 
 
Rhymes skillfully arousing the senses 
Cadence so crisp and clear 
No more dis songs, time to mend fences 
Harmony is music to my ears 
An art form transcending generations 
Lyrics infused with deep revelations
Categories
Topic Words of Wisdom

Trust the Waters, Secluded Not

the middle of the ocean
all alone it seems
no one in sight
east west north south

the sun is turning down
darkness on the cusp
pitch black abyss arriving 
deathly dark will soon settle

fear tries to hijack your thoughts
suddenly you remember
Isaiah forty-one, ten
slowly breath returning again

fear now ejected from your body
comfort and assurance ushers in
weakened sense of loneliness
sailing away and strength comes again

you see, being the lone ship in the sea
is not what it appears to be
just because the eyes can't see
doesn't mean his presence is absentee

the Creator is always there
no need to cast a life preserver
he is near to catch you
trust the waters

Trust the Waters, Secluded Not was written for the WDYS prompt by Sadje.

Image by softcodex from Pixabay

Categories
Poetry Topic Words of Wisdom

Sidelined Sadness

Sadness be gone

A Triolet poem

Laughter cradles when sadness weighs 
A good belly roll brings oxygen to the brain 
endorphins stick around for days 
Laughter cradles when sadness weighs 
stimulating feel good pathways 
shifting mood to a higher plain 
Laughter cradles when sadness weighs 
A good belly roll brings oxygen to the brain

Thank you for stopping by and taking the time to read Sidelined Sadness.

Image by Sergei Tokmakov, Esq. https://Terms.Law from Pixabay

Categories
Poetry Topic Words of Wisdom

Horizons of Light

Lighthouse shining over the horizons
Standing quietly, alone
No one in sight, solo
Commanding stance over seas
Views of water for miles

Alone, until people drift by
To and fro, ebbing with the tides
Suddenly you are called upon
Memory jarred that your light is shining

Light that draws them near, curious
Wonderment in their eyes as they pause
Pause, hesitant to ask 
How do you do it?

Ask, how do you continue to shine light
All while being alone, present
Day in and out, rain, fog and clouds
Hovering over your crown of light

Difficult task that takes patience
Being constant no matter what comes
Knowing that light is a powerful force
Drawing people into a place of safety

Sound the alarm only when danger lurks
Silent, stationary even when water murks
Pulsating light comes with many perks
Structure standing tall and firm
Navigating shores, signaling when to turn

Horizons of Light was written for the W3 weekly challenge. Unfortunately, I missed the submission deadline. The challenge was to be a lighthouse. You can choose to be a literal, metaphorical, delusional, illusory or false lighthouse.

The piece I wrote is from a metaphorical standpoint.

Standing quietly but not lonely. Drawing people in with your inner light. Just when you think that people do not see you or know you are there, it strikes you. Yes, they see me. It’s like the saying, ‘being seen and not heard’.

Only speaking and/or making noise when necessary. A lighthouse that is like a quiet force. Still standing even when the heavy tides of life roll in.

Thank you for reading Horizons of Light. 💕

Image created by AI with Copilot

Categories
Poetry Topic Words of Wisdom

To Be Called Mom

motherhood grows the heart and the mind
birthing a love like no other
do I deserve this bundle
a blessing to behold
small eyes so bright, pure
her smile, her laugh 
so tender
loving
sweet

To Be Called Mom is written for the Tanka Tuesday challenge.

Thank you for stopping by to read. 🙏🏽💛

Categories
Self Awareness Topic Words of Wisdom

Why Question It?

You are exactly where  
you need to be.  
When you land in a place  
that looks unfamiliar,  
why question it?  
 
You think you should  
be somewhere else. But  
in reality, the place you are  
today was destined for you,
only you. 
 
If you see a friend and  
they are ahead of you in their 
career, don’t fret. Go at your  
own pace. Maybe you are going  
slower but your reward will be  
greater when you arrive.  
 
We all have those years of  
progress, slow but steady.  
Bumpy roads that feel like a  
stop sign. The bumps are a  
test to see if we will 
keep going or quit.  
 
You are exactly where  
you need to be.  We  
can make all the plans in  
the world but, we are not in  
control; no, the Creator is.

You are exactly where 
you need to be

Thank you for reading Why Question It? 💖🙏🏽

The writing is in response to the prompt by Sadje.

Image credit: Nir Himi on Unsplash

Categories
Poetry Self Awareness Topic Words of Wisdom

Fighting the Feeling; Stage Fright

A Shadorma

you're up next
smiling and sweating
is this real
on the mic
speaking word my thighs trembling
snap, snap my smile grew

I knew then
I can't mess this up 
ankles weak
lights blinding
just who do I think I am
calm down, you got this

Thank you for reading my poem, Fighting the Feeling; Stage Fright. It is a Shadorma written for the W3 prompt. 🙏🏽💖 This is the first time writing this poem style. I’m not sure if it is right, but I enjoyed it!

Speaking in front of a crowd can be a scary thing. The physical things that you feel standing up there. It’s amazing how the body responds and the thoughts that run through your mind. The inner ‘prep talk’ is what helped me get through the recital of Until That Day.

Categories
Poetry Topic Words of Wisdom

Redwoods and Infinity Covenants

A Triolet

Couple in Redwood forest
Handle with care, don’t beat my heart 
Longevity of Redwoods our love will endure  
Umbrella canopy keeps us from drifting apart 
Handle with care, don’t beat my heart 
Strength for each other, our counterpart 
Guard the covenant, our union will reassure 
Handle with care, don’t beat my heart 
Longevity of Redwoods our love will endure

Redwoods and Infinity Covenants was written in response to the prompt by Sadje. Thank you for stopping by to read💞

Image credit: Brianna Parks on Unsplash

*Poem revised on 3/12/26*

Categories
Diversity Topic Words of Wisdom

Concessions for Endometriosis Sufferers

A win for endometriosis sufferers

Who

Christian “Cece” Worley. A woman who faced discrimination by her employer. Ms. Worley requested time off from her employer when she experienced pain, due to a medical condition called endometriosis. It is a condition affecting women that causes severe pain.

Denied accommodations is what led her to file a lawsuit. She was told that her condition does not meet the requirements for accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

What

Ms. Worley won a case, the first of its kind that now qualifies for accommodations for endometriosis under the ADA. To her surprise, she won the case, against the North Carolina Department of Public Safety, by representing herself. Perseverance and knowing that so many other women experience the same condition is what motivated the filing.

Although, Ms. Worley initially lost her suit, she did not let that stop her. Advice from various legal counsel told her that this was not a case that was likely to win in court. Ultimately, successfully winning a ruling has proved otherwise.

Where

North Carolina

When

December 2025

Image created with AI using Copilot

Categories
Diversity Topic Words of Wisdom

Trailblazer who Helped Shape History

Who-
Claudette (Austin) Colvin was an unsung civil rights activist. She helped to end segregation on public transportation, as one of the four plaintiffs in the federal case of Browder vs Gayle.

No stranger to the plights of Black people in an era when racism plagued the African American community. She was one of the first to protest for her rights. As did Rosa Parks, who also stood up for what she believed in.

What-
As a teenager during a time of segregation and oppression, she bravely refused to give up her seat on the bus.

Where-
Montgomery, Alabama

When-
March 1955

Claudette demonstrated her refusal of injustice by standing up for her rights. She lived until the age of 86. May she rest in love and peace. 🕊️

"I always tell young people to hold on to their dreams. And sometimes you have to stand up for what you think is right even if you have to stand alone-" Claudette Colvin

Categories
Poetry Topic Words of Wisdom

Guilt Free Closet Cleanse

closets overflow
shoes, dresses and jewelry
must haves, impulse buys
space is tight, what can I do
make room for new trends, donate

The challenge this week for Tanka Tuesday is to focus on cleansing/purification. The poem I wrote looks at cleansing from a spatial standpoint. I used this definition as my guide to shape the poem for this week-to rid of something seen as unpleasant, unwanted or defiling.

Cleansing by way of removing clutter is wonderful. Donating all those things no longer needed or wanted, gives those items utility. A second life, if you will. Someone else can enjoy the items rather than throwing them away. Spatial freedom makes way for clarity.

Thank you, Yvette for the prompt this week. Also, thank you to all for stopping by to read. Stay well and be blessed💞

Categories
Poetry Topic Words of Wisdom

Essentials of Humanity

An Etheree

Love
Gives the
Courage to
Hope and instills
Passion to enjoy
Embody, realize
Happiness when it shows up
In your life, it is not luck that
Money flows your way, sheer fruit of efforts

The poem Essentials of Humanity was written for the prompt by Sadje. Thank you for taking the time to read.🙏🏽💞

Categories
Poetry Words of Wisdom

Living with Love

A Haiku

Precious life moments
Cherish capture and relish
In every day laud

Thank you for reading! 🙏🏽

Categories
Poetry Topic Words of Wisdom

Shaping of a New Year

A triolet

Finally a new year is here
With everything you have hold on tight
New goals and ambitions appear
Finally a new year is here
Stopping old habits the slate will clear
Just as day turns into night
Finally a new year is here
With everything you have hold on tight