Author: Called to Write - NC Trees Photography

A shared Poem by Naomi Shihab Nye

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Kindness

Naomi Shihab Nye, 1952

Before you know what kindness really is
you must lose things,
feel the future dissolve in a moment
like salt in a weakened broth.
What you held in your hand,
what you counted and carefully saved,
all this must go so you know
how desolate the landscape can be
between the regions of kindness.
How you ride and ride
thinking the bus will never stop,
the passengers eating maize and chicken
will stare out the window forever.

Before you learn the tender gravity of kindness
you must travel where the Indian in a white poncho
lies dead by the side of the road.
You must see how this could be you,
how he too was someone
who journeyed through the night with plans
and the simple breath that kept him alive.

Before you know kindness as the deepest thing inside,
you must know sorrow as the other deepest thing. 
You must wake up with sorrow.
You must speak to it till your voice
catches the thread of all sorrows
and you see the size of the cloth.
Then it is only kindness that makes sense anymore,
only kindness that ties your shoes
and sends you out into the day to gaze at bread,
only kindness that raises its head
from the crowd of the world to say
It is I you have been looking for,
and then goes with you everywhere
like a shadow or a friend.

God whispers

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I’m here

in the breath, in the soul, in the strangers smile, story untold

trust me with everything

the tasks that are before you, your health, happiness and wealth

I love you ..really

not only when you are happy, also when you are sad or mad

don’t wait to talk to me, I’m always here

pray about everything and everyone 

then let it or them go

talk to me

anytime, about anything or anyone

I’m your friend

I do care for you, your friends, family, the earth, the air

you can trust me with everything and everyone

Always,  I am here

@Anita Adams 2018

Memory Balloon

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Unpleasant as it may be, the memories of one’s past can be buried deep inside, and some-

  • thing
  • word
  • one
  • fragrance
  • experience

… can bring a memory to the present

to be healed

to be released …

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*   *   *   *   *   *   *

Imagine a balloon, red, blue, yellow or green.

Open the mind.

Place the memory inside.

Tie the memory balloon with string and knot.

Now, let it go! 

It does not serve me anymore, or anyone I know.

After all, it’s a memory balloon, and must be let go!

©Anita Adams 2018

Breath

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life is breath

not holding the life-force in

letting the exhale out

movement is life

walking in the woods, among the trees

looking up at the sky, and giving thanks that it’s not altered, just a different shade of robin egg blue, perhaps with shades of gray and white, pink or yellow, perhaps a night sky with sparkling lights

breath, the life-force allows one to dance, to move freely, to love, to connect with nature,  clouds and sky, with God, in every being

God, who is breath, in nature, in earth and sky

A Few of my favorite things

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new on Medium

Three things she told me NEVER to do

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Title:  SHE SAID NEVER…

  1. Talk to strangers.
  2. Sit on the toilet seat.
  3. speak up in the presence of adults, unless spoken to first. (Implied not ‘told’)

Let’s examine the NEVERS:

#1. Talk to strangers? If one is lost, you must ask a stranger how to get home.

#2. Sit on the toilet seat. – I TOTALLY agree with this one ~ Never !

#3. Speak up in the presence of adults. – Totally disagree. If I never speak up in the presence of adults, the lesson learned is my value is unimportant and it’s better to remain invisible.

The preceding was a prompt from my latest Writing Workshop with Victoria Fann.

I thoroughly enjoy writing prompts and what comes when I let go. Below is another reply to this same prompt, that manifested itself a few days later.

Title: THREE FEMALE GHOSTS

Who proclaimed the following:

  1. You can’t get up!
  2. You can’t leave!
  3. You can’t go out!

IMG_20171201_110931197

Continue reading →

Dream Seeker

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Dreams, like clouds

visible to the eye

just out of reach

time to pull the clouds down

step on them like a magic carpet

flying high above the pines

to foreign lands and islands

painting rainbows in the sky

smiling all the while

until my heart calls me back to the ground

to play in the sand

find my oak tree

and lay my head down

© Anita Adams 2018

 

Sunset

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Max Patch Sunset

As the hour approaches, the reality of your physical self no longer present here on this earth floods me with memories and tears that know all too well the anguish you must have been feeling before you let go your last breath.

You were loved. You were beautiful. You were admired. You were creative. You were larger than your tall frame. You were Sunset on earth.

I will miss you my friend. My heart aches.

Although I am not there physically with all the rest who love you, Willie sings in the background Stardust.

Rest in Peace Sister Moon.

Love, Anita

Beautiful Sunset

Let’s pretend it’s asleep

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WindowSlowly he smiled as he saw her silhouette across the smoke covered room. She appeared to be drinking a cup of hot steaming coffee.

Just yesterday, they met at the white house. You know, the one on the market soon to be sold? The one  with its ship-lap exterior – circa 1950’s?

As they entered the house, they both noticed the heart of pine flooring. The smell of freshly mopped floors with a bit of apple cider vinegar and water. This combination left behind a sheen on the wood, and the rooms smelled fresh and clean. The smell reminded them both of an earlier summer. It’s as if someone had left the windows open on a summer day and allowed the breeze to blow through the fresh smell of blooming jasmine, honeysuckle and roses.

It was about 3 p.m. in the afternoon and the sunlight filled the living room. All that remained in the beautiful bungalow was a rattan arm chair, white wooden dining table, brass floor lamp with an ivory silk bell-shaped lampshade complete with a foot operated nightlight floor switch. Above the fireplace mantle, a few houseplants – two African Violets, one – white, the other, purple, a small green fern, and a well-tended purple shamrock.

Waltz Clipart

He asked her to hold her arms out as he placed one hand gently on her waist and he began to hum a waltz. Guiding her with his hands, they danced! All other thoughts abandoned, but this one moment in time. Just as they were finishing their waltz, his phone began ringing in his coat pocket. She asked, aren’t you going to answer it? He replied, let’s pretend it’s asleep.

Perfectionism on MEDIUM

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MEDIUM

Perfectionism

View at Medium.com

View at Medium.com