bare feet in the grass

Every day in October, I’m sharing poetry-writing inspiration, exercises, and prompts on jordanelisheva.com for the #31poems challenge. This is the poem I wrote in response to today’s prompt:

When was the last time
your bare feet felt the grass?

Was it when you were a child?
Or have you allowed yourself
this childlike pleasure
recently?

I did just yesterday.
Watering the flowers, weeds tickling my legs.

There’s a reason children like to take their shoes off
and run in the grass.

Do you remember?
Why not try it again?

You might like it
as much today
as you did
last time.

For a behind-the-scenes look at the making of this poem, visit today’s #31poems post.

I must make something beautiful

the pain in the world is great

suffering… misery… torture, even

and here I am making a masterpiece

why even bother?

what good will a painting do
while a child is dying?

how can a poem be worth writing
while books are being burned?

who wants to compose music
while the martyrs are screaming?

my ink is blood, sweat, and tears
my palette holds the colors of fire and water
my notes are the heart-cry of tortured souls
because I must make something beautiful from the pain in the world

  

perspective from a sailboat

Inspired by the song Sailboat, by Ben Rector

I’m on a sailboat

trapped, water surrounding me

water surrounding me with beauty

alone in the silence

enjoying the peace of solitude

insecure, unsure of where I’m drifting

drifting along, excited to see where I end up

no oars to fight the direction the wind takes me

blessed surrender, carried along by the wind

who knows what I’m headed toward?

God knows where I’m going

exposed to the elements

soaking in the mist and the breeze

free to love

a mother’s love
doesn’t just flow from a mama to her biological child
sometimes a mother’s love
flows from a single girl
to a child whose mama can’t hold her today

a brother’s love
isn’t limited to those who share genetics
sometimes a brother’s love
is strongest between those
who share a Heavenly Father

a friend’s love
shouldn’t be confined to relationships that have been proven
sometimes a friend’s love
must be extended to one
I’ve just met

Moriah

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They say missing someone isn’t about how long it’s been since you’ve seen them
oh, but it’s been a long time
or the amount of time since you’ve talked
I hung up, what, five minutes ago?
it’s about the moment you find yourself doing something
and wishing they were right by your side

and that moment has come to me so many thousands of times in the past months

so many times I wanted you by my side
as I had countless new experiences and wanted to share them with you
as I met with exciting situations that terrified me but would have invigorated you
as I wanted your help, your support, your enthusiasm, your joy
I missed you

but today I don’t so much want you by my side
as I want to be by your side
you don’t know how I tried to be there…
but I’m here, miles away
missing you

Happy 18th Birthday Moriah!

see you soon…but not soon enough!

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