Thank you for this space as I journey to reclaim my own creative self as a writer, a part and dream of my younger self lost to expectations. This space has been rejuvenating, divine intervention, and has had such a profound impact on me 💗
Both your note and this sweet poem! <3 A remarkable transformation and process. I honor and witness your journey, relating very much to the weight of expectations. Thank you so much for sharing all of this, and your whole self this entire month - it's been deeply rejuvenating to experience :)
Wow. This hits to close to home Kaitlin. I’ve had very similar revelations in therapy and, ironically, I coined a poem after one of the sessions. I share it with myself often.
Since the month is over, for anyone interested, I have decided to publish here on Substack. I'd be happy to have any of you who want to see more of my writing subscribe. Right now there's just a bit of an introduction, but I'm planning to post once a week once I find a rhythm.
A., your wisdom and the breadth of the big picture vision never ceases to amaze me. You close this month so beautifully well in this poem.
This month, we all truly created legacies, whether we started them or built upon existing ones, in whatever form. That's beyond beyond precious. Thank you, as ever <3 Hope to see more of you in my own poem-a-day journey, and beyond! :)
"simple, steady stim," "rejuvenation of repetition" - I see you! ;) One of my own favorite parts about this whole thing.
Thank you, Jillian! It's a wonderful feeling to have you notice what I put into every poem.
I'm so looking forward to joining you for your poem-a-day journey, and also embarking on my own journey of publishing that likely wouldn't be happening if it weren't for your kind words.
This is so lovely, A. A wonderful cap to a beautiful month of poetry. Your poems have helped me soar, have lifted me from low points, have amused, pierced, evoked and surprised me, and have been one of the things I look forward to each day this month. You are a superb writer and your words have found resonance in me. Thank you my friend!
I'm so grateful for your continued encouragement, Larry. You have such a way of making people feel seen. This process has even more fulfilling being able to share it with you.
Thank you for crafting this space, Kaitlin. I hardly ever wrote poetry, and I found the practice deeply sacred and settling for my soul. I have loved reading everyone’s work, and been so encouraged by the ways everyone has interacted in these comment sections. It’s been truly beautiful.
Thank you for sharing this poem. We owe our younger selves our life and I’m reminded of a time in college when I thought about ending mine. Even though I’d never want to return to that time, I have to be grateful to that version of myself for her grit and determination and raw survival that felt like wading through dense fog on bloody knees.
My life has bloomed in unimaginable ways in the last decade + of life and I would have never gotten here without my younger self hanging on through it all. 💗
Thank you so much, Kaitlin, for creating and offering this space. I love to write, but my poetry writing was sporadic and blocked for a very long time. I have to create a lot for my work and also grappling with many things that rose to the surface, much like you name and describe in your poem. This month has truly been a rejuvenaton journey for me, and I feel rejuvenated in my writing and in my being. Sharing this space with so many gifted, kind and talented writers, and watching the power of love, compassion, affirmation and kindness at work, is rejuvenating. The child in me, still healing and growing, is rejuvenated as well. Thank you for this remarkable experience, the gift of so much splendid poetry, and the opportunity to let go and let be. Many blessings to you in the trails ahead!
Thank you Larry! I'm so glad you're opening up some blocked spaces, and also thank you for the generous spirit you've had here. I've seen the way you're encouraging others, and I think it's meant a lot to all of us.
Thank you Kaitlin for your note. I have loved thie experience, and been sharing my joy with folks and family. The way you have structured this, a word with a poem to share, has been perfect for me. Thank you does not fully represent my gratitude!
I will share my poem shortly but I wanted to thank you first. This journey has meant a lot to me. Writing every day for a whole month has shown me I can write, and helped me get in the habit. Some of my poems are mediocre, but some I love. I can’t believe that stuck with it and now have 31 poems to show for it!
Liz, so glad you were here! Many of mine felt mediocre too, and some I'll never forget writing. It is such a gift to return again and again. Thank you for joining me!
It's really good to hear both of you say this. Definitely for me too, some days were like, "what the hell did I just write?" Some days were tough; some were life-altering. I dearly appreciate the longevity of this challenge, because no matter how some days landed, it was still clear that nothing would stop me from showing up again and again if I wanted to <3
This is wonderful poetry, Julie! I can feel your joy and excitement as you embrark and mindfully embrace these next steps ahead. In sharing your lovely poem, you are also sharing the joy and jubilance that comes with it. Peaceful journeys to you.
Firstly, thank you so much Kaitlin for this space. I am an occasional poet and the discipline of writing every day has opened my mind to new ideas and given voice to thoughts and emotions I was not aware of. I have loved every day.
This is nice work, Jane. I like the questions you pose, and pondering if your experience is rejuventation. I like the sense of retunring and cycling that you invoke. Thank you very much!
As for your lovely poem, a thousand wows! Your phrasing and lines dive deep into my heart, soul and spirit.
"Not speaking but fully sharing the experience,
Both of us wise enough to know
The story is still being told,
Even beyond our words."
Oh my gosh, yes. The story is still being told--I love the connection you make with a younger self, still a primary part of you, and so formative to the person you are this day and will be in the years to come. and these lines:
"Proud to be the dreamer in a dreamcoat.
And she always reminds me, most importantly,
That I didn’t lose it, but gave it to her for safe keeping
So that in times like these,
When I close one chapter and begin the next,
I can come slip it on and snatch colors with her,
Staying as long as I need
To feel a rainbow dreamer again."
This connects directly to my heart. What beauitful words. I sense and feel that Rainbow dreamer in the words you share and the spirit you put forth, and you are making rianbows for the rest of us. Lastly the ending:
"But my heart is on fire, gasping with new life.
I sigh a second time,
Vivid and inspired,
And as I go to pour the water into my cup,
I catch a tiny sliver of turquoise in my reflection,
Just above my left eyebrow."
What an exceptional ending. Your poem, start to finish, is a delightful journey, one I want to come on as you graciously and generously share the trail with us. Your poem not only rejuvenates, it restores and renews. Thank you. You are a blessing.
This is absolutely beautiful Jillian! Your last poem of the month is as the first and each afterwards, full of depth, insight, wisdom, wonder and grace. You have a remarkable ability to phrase things so afrtfully snd beauitfully, able to inspire and enthrall, to tell a tory and to draw a picture, to create song and a space to be held, embraced, comforted and treated with loving kindness. This month long journey would have not been the same withoiut you, and I suspect wanting to read your contribuions each day and have a chance to interact kept me coming back every day. I have immense gratitude for you and for your wise and open heart.
That is just amazing. Your writing was taking me there visually, like watching a movie unfold as you remember. It was so, intimate, I almost feel like a voyeur. Thank you for sharing such a personal poem.
This is an epic end to the month, Jillian. I think I've mentioned an aspect of this before, but I really enjoy the way you personify and write so intimately about abstract concepts. That stream of consciousness style is really inviting.
May's poetic works
Rejuvenation station
Kaitlin's gift to all
Bob! Thank you so much.
Agreed and amen and ase Bob! It has been a blessing to journey with you!
Thank you for this space as I journey to reclaim my own creative self as a writer, a part and dream of my younger self lost to expectations. This space has been rejuvenating, divine intervention, and has had such a profound impact on me 💗
Words carry me
through a wordless journey
where every thing
is connected
My inner Self, so many parts
takes shape out on the page
From this different vantage point
I can see my whole
a part of creation
I’m restored
Rejuvenated
Both your note and this sweet poem! <3 A remarkable transformation and process. I honor and witness your journey, relating very much to the weight of expectations. Thank you so much for sharing all of this, and your whole self this entire month - it's been deeply rejuvenating to experience :)
Very nice Sarah! Your poetry is a rejuvenating force for me!
Wow. This hits to close to home Kaitlin. I’ve had very similar revelations in therapy and, ironically, I coined a poem after one of the sessions. I share it with myself often.
I Love you
I Love me
I Love us
I Love we
This is so beautiful Jimmy. Thank you for sharing with us!
P.S. For me , this was your most impactful share of the entire month and I’m very grateful.
This is wonderful Jimmy! Beautiful mantras!
Wrapping fiber around fingers,
holding knitting needles,
I settle into the slow rhythm
of quiet crafting, and
I think about the way
I have been brought back to life
by the pure pleasure
of this simple, steady stim;
the rejuvenation of repetition.
.
I think about the way
I am connected to creation
by the sheep, and the spinners'
and dyers' devotion;
the totality of tenderness.
.
I think about the way
I am leaving a legacy
by joining generations
across continents;
the solidarity of stitchcraft.
Since the month is over, for anyone interested, I have decided to publish here on Substack. I'd be happy to have any of you who want to see more of my writing subscribe. Right now there's just a bit of an introduction, but I'm planning to post once a week once I find a rhythm.
https://writingwilder.substack.com/?r=pfigt&utm_campaign=pub-share-checklist
A., your wisdom and the breadth of the big picture vision never ceases to amaze me. You close this month so beautifully well in this poem.
This month, we all truly created legacies, whether we started them or built upon existing ones, in whatever form. That's beyond beyond precious. Thank you, as ever <3 Hope to see more of you in my own poem-a-day journey, and beyond! :)
"simple, steady stim," "rejuvenation of repetition" - I see you! ;) One of my own favorite parts about this whole thing.
Thank you, Jillian! It's a wonderful feeling to have you notice what I put into every poem.
I'm so looking forward to joining you for your poem-a-day journey, and also embarking on my own journey of publishing that likely wouldn't be happening if it weren't for your kind words.
This is so lovely, A. A wonderful cap to a beautiful month of poetry. Your poems have helped me soar, have lifted me from low points, have amused, pierced, evoked and surprised me, and have been one of the things I look forward to each day this month. You are a superb writer and your words have found resonance in me. Thank you my friend!
I'm so grateful for your continued encouragement, Larry. You have such a way of making people feel seen. This process has even more fulfilling being able to share it with you.
Thank you A. I agree 100%!
You two are among the most precious lights I've met this month; none of this would have been the same without you <3 Big love.
Absolutely the same to you, Jillian! ❤️
I feel very much the same, Jillian! Thank you so much!
Thank you for crafting this space, Kaitlin. I hardly ever wrote poetry, and I found the practice deeply sacred and settling for my soul. I have loved reading everyone’s work, and been so encouraged by the ways everyone has interacted in these comment sections. It’s been truly beautiful.
So glad you showed up here and joined us!
It hs been a joy to read what you share, Akexandra! You are a fine writer and your poetry resonates with me! Many blessings to you!
Thank you for sharing this poem. We owe our younger selves our life and I’m reminded of a time in college when I thought about ending mine. Even though I’d never want to return to that time, I have to be grateful to that version of myself for her grit and determination and raw survival that felt like wading through dense fog on bloody knees.
My life has bloomed in unimaginable ways in the last decade + of life and I would have never gotten here without my younger self hanging on through it all. 💗
What wonderful insight and reflection Mariah! I am so grateful you are here.
Thank you so much, Kaitlin, for creating and offering this space. I love to write, but my poetry writing was sporadic and blocked for a very long time. I have to create a lot for my work and also grappling with many things that rose to the surface, much like you name and describe in your poem. This month has truly been a rejuvenaton journey for me, and I feel rejuvenated in my writing and in my being. Sharing this space with so many gifted, kind and talented writers, and watching the power of love, compassion, affirmation and kindness at work, is rejuvenating. The child in me, still healing and growing, is rejuvenated as well. Thank you for this remarkable experience, the gift of so much splendid poetry, and the opportunity to let go and let be. Many blessings to you in the trails ahead!
Thank you Larry! I'm so glad you're opening up some blocked spaces, and also thank you for the generous spirit you've had here. I've seen the way you're encouraging others, and I think it's meant a lot to all of us.
Thank you Kaitlin for your note. I have loved thie experience, and been sharing my joy with folks and family. The way you have structured this, a word with a poem to share, has been perfect for me. Thank you does not fully represent my gratitude!
I will share my poem shortly but I wanted to thank you first. This journey has meant a lot to me. Writing every day for a whole month has shown me I can write, and helped me get in the habit. Some of my poems are mediocre, but some I love. I can’t believe that stuck with it and now have 31 poems to show for it!
Liz, so glad you were here! Many of mine felt mediocre too, and some I'll never forget writing. It is such a gift to return again and again. Thank you for joining me!
It's really good to hear both of you say this. Definitely for me too, some days were like, "what the hell did I just write?" Some days were tough; some were life-altering. I dearly appreciate the longevity of this challenge, because no matter how some days landed, it was still clear that nothing would stop me from showing up again and again if I wanted to <3
I will dearly miss the daily poem and thank you for inspiring us all to think and write and share.
Your poem of this day is beautiful and so appropriate to the end of the exercise, which has helped to create a daily discipline for me.
Blessings
What a beautiful journey you’ve taken us on. Thank you so much!
This is beautiful! Thank you for the inspiration all May long. 🙏🏽💗
Thankful for this poetic journey through the month!
It has been a wonderful poetry filled month! I have loved it. Thank you, Nya-weh.
Migwetch Lydia! thank you for being here with us.
REJUVENATION
.
Drinking in vibrant
waters of this sacred moment
Fluid oceans washing
over exhausted spent energies
.
Breathing in life giving
air swirling in and around me
Sweet winds on my face clearing
away what is finished, rebirthing anew
.
Rooting deeply within solid
ground as this precious body
Welcoming cherished nourishment
replenishing lost reserves
.
Stoking the passionate
fires of visions to come
Embers rekindled into dancing
fresh flames of enthusiasm
This is wonderful poetry, Julie! I can feel your joy and excitement as you embrark and mindfully embrace these next steps ahead. In sharing your lovely poem, you are also sharing the joy and jubilance that comes with it. Peaceful journeys to you.
Firstly, thank you so much Kaitlin for this space. I am an occasional poet and the discipline of writing every day has opened my mind to new ideas and given voice to thoughts and emotions I was not aware of. I have loved every day.
Rejuvenation
Just a few days ago
I reflected on wisdom
Am I becoming old and wise?
Or is this strength
I am finding
As I discover myself
Really a return to
The essence of
Who I was
Who I am
Who I can be?
Is this change in me
actually rejuvenation?
This is nice work, Jane. I like the questions you pose, and pondering if your experience is rejuventation. I like the sense of retunring and cycling that you invoke. Thank you very much!
Rejuvenation
.
As I bring this chapter to completion
And start more words afresh,
I take a break,
To stretch my legs, grab a cup of tea,
And take in the bright scene outside my window.
While my water boils,
Content, I stand watching the steam rise
And decide to pay my young friend a visit.
With a sigh, I step into the portal
And travel back, to a time
Where 15 year old me began to have stirrings
Of an exotic and exciting kind.
As I approach her, I see the colors flying
Around her head, lifting her up,
Enticing her; she is eager to reach out
Her delighted hand to try and capture one.
Successful in her quest,
Though what to do with it now
She didn’t know,
She meets my eyes and smiles, knowing
I know how important this moment truly is.
She smiles knowing she sees an ally,
A comrade in her games
Even better, one who has already walked where she wishes to go,
And she leans in, waiting for a story.
Laughing, I only run up and squeeze her hand,
At the same time snatching a lemon yellow out of the air;
It comes wriggling and shrieking, delighted,
Like a friend tagged on the playground.
Gleefully, 15 and I play a while yet,
Not speaking but fully sharing the experience,
Both of us wise enough to know
The story is still being told,
Even beyond our words.
It’s our deal - every now and then,
I come to visit her, teaching her
While she teaches me,
Rejuvenating me, restoring the
Sparkly rainbow tapestry I always used to wear
Around my shoulders,
Proud to be the dreamer in a dreamcoat.
And she always reminds me, most importantly,
That I didn’t lose it, but gave it to her for safe keeping
So that in times like these,
When I close one chapter and begin the next,
I can come slip it on and snatch colors with her,
Staying as long as I need
To feel a rainbow dreamer again.
.
I close my eyes and sink further into the down of the coat,
Her hand in mine,
And awake with a start, breathless, in my kitchen.
The water’s still boiling,
The sun’s still shining,
The leaves on the trees are still bouncing in the breeze.
Nothing has changed,
But my heart is on fire, gasping with new life.
I sigh a second time,
Vivid and inspired,
And as I go to pour the water into my cup,
I catch a tiny sliver of turquoise in my reflection,
Just above my left eyebrow.
As for your lovely poem, a thousand wows! Your phrasing and lines dive deep into my heart, soul and spirit.
"Not speaking but fully sharing the experience,
Both of us wise enough to know
The story is still being told,
Even beyond our words."
Oh my gosh, yes. The story is still being told--I love the connection you make with a younger self, still a primary part of you, and so formative to the person you are this day and will be in the years to come. and these lines:
"Proud to be the dreamer in a dreamcoat.
And she always reminds me, most importantly,
That I didn’t lose it, but gave it to her for safe keeping
So that in times like these,
When I close one chapter and begin the next,
I can come slip it on and snatch colors with her,
Staying as long as I need
To feel a rainbow dreamer again."
This connects directly to my heart. What beauitful words. I sense and feel that Rainbow dreamer in the words you share and the spirit you put forth, and you are making rianbows for the rest of us. Lastly the ending:
"But my heart is on fire, gasping with new life.
I sigh a second time,
Vivid and inspired,
And as I go to pour the water into my cup,
I catch a tiny sliver of turquoise in my reflection,
Just above my left eyebrow."
What an exceptional ending. Your poem, start to finish, is a delightful journey, one I want to come on as you graciously and generously share the trail with us. Your poem not only rejuvenates, it restores and renews. Thank you. You are a blessing.
This is absolutely beautiful Jillian! Your last poem of the month is as the first and each afterwards, full of depth, insight, wisdom, wonder and grace. You have a remarkable ability to phrase things so afrtfully snd beauitfully, able to inspire and enthrall, to tell a tory and to draw a picture, to create song and a space to be held, embraced, comforted and treated with loving kindness. This month long journey would have not been the same withoiut you, and I suspect wanting to read your contribuions each day and have a chance to interact kept me coming back every day. I have immense gratitude for you and for your wise and open heart.
That is just amazing. Your writing was taking me there visually, like watching a movie unfold as you remember. It was so, intimate, I almost feel like a voyeur. Thank you for sharing such a personal poem.
You are an amazing poet.
This is an epic end to the month, Jillian. I think I've mentioned an aspect of this before, but I really enjoy the way you personify and write so intimately about abstract concepts. That stream of consciousness style is really inviting.