Category: Being Creative - Everyday Art Every Day

From my Sketchbooks...

1/18/2019

Teaching Art from the Heart and Soul

Poetember Challenge - Start....

9/3/2018

Need a creative boost? I do! I love Kick in the Creatives...

#Poetember ... For the poets out there, this month we are introducing the brand new poetry challenge, ‘Poetember.’’ We are challenging you to write and share a poem every day throughout September!

Guidelines:

Write a poem every day in September.
You can write a poem about any topic you like, but we’ll provide optional prompts if you need them.
If you choose to share your work on social media, don’t forget to link and tag us in your post (details shown below) We might even feature your work on our blog!

Prompt #1 - Calm

Stormy Weather

Crow caws the alarm,
Flapping ferociously.
Gales grab at fancy flyers;
End is nigh.

Thunder grumbles cuz it knows.

A calm and balmy, sultry breeze;
Allure of safety - falsely so.

A power-hungry forceful fork
Explodes its light upon
The dead still
Of a break in putrid heat.

Bird song resumes.

First round results:
Victory to the light.

Dark recedes, for now.
Though its presence duly noted
By the mammoth rain drops splatting on my screen.

Prompt #2 - violet

Violaceous Amethystine

I saw her there
in a room:
livid lavender in the canister
smells all purple and lilac-y
a plum petunia,
Violet vavoomed a violent viola
she, Violaceous Amethystine,
a mauve orchid, and
I, a hyacinth painted pansy magenta,
crouched next to the Spider lighter
sitting on the floor, fallen

a note on method - I looked up the prompt word in the thesaurus and combine words based on sound; ‘spider lighter’ is a random pleasant sounding object that was part of my physical world at the time; gradually an image appeared in my mind, and a mood...
Violaceous Amethystine is a viola-playing beauty. The narrator is a mere common man, crouched low on the floor, watching his love perform.
It is unclear as to whether she even knows he exists...

Prompt #3 (waiting)...

#NaPoWriMo2018 - Day #10 (Poem #7)

4/10/2018

Operation Library/Afternoon Adventure

There were distractions galore
So I moved out the door
And down the street
I moved my feet.
I heard a tweet,
Louder than the others,
A message just for me.
So I seek out the strange staccato sound,
Which is a little like laughter.
Maybe they laugh at me, or with me.
I’m giggling at the mad squirrels
As they dash to and fro
And those chickadees are getting frisky.
Spring is in the air,
So many robins in the grass there.

Oh, right...
Operation get me to the library...

Here, at the library, all cozied up in a nook
(a book nook, if you like).
I hear papers rustling;
Some people still read paper.
Voices murmur in muted whispers.
The bookcart creaks across floor.
There is always work to be done.
Hushed laughter indicates pleasure
In a world of words.

Words in books.
Numbers to show the way.
There is order, here.
Dewey liked everything in its own place
As peaceful as it is upstairs,
Downstairs, the squealing, singing and playing tots enjoy the day

Some folks choose magazines,
Others head to bestsellers to see what’s #hashtag #trending,
Some, to new releases, with old endings.
My mind wanders. I wonder:
how many books have
ever been written? and have
they all been read?
Is that even possible? I ponder.
There are way too many books to count,
Let alone read... and if a book is never read is it still a book?

Anyway,
Just hanging out in my library nook
Trying to write for 30 minutes.
It’s not so hard, surely.
Surely, it’s not so easy.

I look, I watch, I’m hungry.
Need food to sustain brain...
I brought lunch.
No excuses.
Keep writing.
Explore.
Love. Learn. Adventure.
Embrace the magic;
Endless discoveries...

Putting the pen to the paper: This poem was created out of my 30 minute ‘Free Write’ at my local library. I noticed my prose was poem-y, or my poem was prose-y, so I did a quick edit as I inputted the words into the second draft. ** It is still a work in progress.

#NaPoWriMo2018 - Poem 6

4/6/2018

The One In the Window

In certain slants of light, she looks
like that dude from Metallica (in his younger years).
Everything was happening in Hollywood.
This ain’t Kansas anymore; it’s real,
And my favourite ruby shoes
have a broken heel.
I don’t like how it feels.
And nobody wants to
have anything to do
with a girl and her guitar.

It occurs to me I’m in a dead trade.
I can’t find work so I cant get paid.
And it seems to me,
Everybody does it all for free.

And you realize, as you roam,
that there’s no place like home.
But your home is someone else’s couch.
And it’s do, or don’t;
Not a question of won’t

Truth resonates
The universe inspirates.
Failing to find love and happiness;
Falling fully and flailing completely;
It’s all in the rewrites.
Through it all, you gotta keep on keeping on.

#NaPoWriMo2018 - Day/Poem 5

4/5/2018

Flare (I’m Fine)

(I’m fine.)

My neck
feels like a car wreck.
Bruised from hip
to toe to tip.
It’s more like a Mack truck
got stuck
After running over me.
And I couldn’t get free.

Though I don’t like to pout,
I’m all inside out.
I’ve been sucked through a Hoover
in some fancy maneuver.
I’ve got that run down,
might drown,
dragged out feeling once again;
Feeling far from Zen.
Please note,
I’m wearing a 100lb coat
and heavy lead boots
to match my mean moods.

I’ve been plugged
into a socket
Now I’m all tingling
and zinging.
Fire demons are gnawing
on my insides, pawing,
Burning knives stabbing me senseless;
I’m defenceless.

Is what I mean
when I silently scream,
“I’m fine.”

#NaPoWriMo2018 - Day 3

4/4/2018

Angels Told Me

Divine guidance manifested through music and meditation
Ideas and inspirations
in abundance
in Nature’s Serenity;
Enchanting harmonies
Forgiveness is freedom
Trust time to pass so celebrate successes
Of a creative spirit awakening

#NaPoWriMo2018 - Day 4

4/4/2018

Festival Girl

You're my festival girl
I always see you on the summer track
You're my festival girl
You keep me coming back
You're my festival girl
You know you'll be in my sack
Tonight

You're my festival girl
Honey
With your skirt all a'twirl
Tonight

But maybe not for the next festival
Honey
But as long as we're clear
And you blink and you nod
But I know you don't hear
We carry on
with the dance and the drugs
For right now, I'm giving away hugs

You're my festival girl
I always see you on the summer track
You're my festival girl
You keep me coming back
You're my festival girl
You know you'll be in my sack
Tonight

(Aug. 2015)

#NaPoWriMo2018 - Day 2

4/3/2018

Too Much Not Enough & Not Enough Too Much

Too much not enough
And not enough too much...

I’m trying to do it all
Spread myself too thin
Gets me each and every time

Running nowhere
fast;
Gonna get there
tired.
Life is loud
and you realize
the noise is all in your head.

I’d like to put a pittance in your cup
But all I can spare is my smile.
Just maybe it’s enough
to rip the hurt from your hate.

When you walk in another’s shoes,
You know things you never knew you never knew.

Poem #10, NaPoWriMo, I'm texting on eggshells

4/13/2017

You have nothing else to do but dwell
And twist mole hills into mountains
That rise into insurmountable peaks
If you seek conspiracy and dastardly deeds,
Then that is all you shall find
please,
don't forget the one you leave behind

Poem #9, NaPoWriMo, "I wasn't worried about you, should I be?"

4/12/2017

There are those days when you're just driven to daytime drinking...
You know those days, right?
It's worse when there is actually no drink to be drank;
When things go flying before you can even catch your breath;
You get beat upon by life and also fists;
Your best bud is mad at you;
You got assignments due at school
and two jobs to boot;
You gotta make time for the dentist to do his business.
(I'll have you all know - contrary to popular belief, I do not have a big mouth-
and so it really hurts afterwards, what with the fibro and all!)
My hair is atrocious and requiring attention and care...
You get the picture, I'm sure,
Because I know you feel it, too.