Earth Day
It’s simple. We are nature. To love her is to love ourselves. The more we feel this, the easier it becomes to fight for her. Happy Earth Day.
A poem from EVERYDAY MERMAID. A collaborative poetry art book I created with the artist, Deidre Scherer.
A WOMANS JOY
Supporting a juicy spring.
Press play to listen to audio of me reading A WOMAN’S JOY… and scroll down to see the whole poem.
MORNING
A groggy mind can take you into different experiences.
Press play to listen to audio of me reading I MORNING… and scroll down to see the whole poem.
A poem from EVERYDAY MERMAID. A collaborative poetry art book I created with artist Deidre Scherer.
A FAIRYTAIL
This poem begins the book. It came after months of feeling hollowed out, burnt out. I was producing, directing, and choreographing the first play I had written. Tragedy struck. One of the leads had a stroke weeks before showtime. We pulled it off, but I was left dead inside. Then one night in the bath I felt the water. I moved in a new way. A poem and a new me began emerging from the water. I listened. Poem after poem came and by the end of that year Everyday Mermaid was fleshed out in poetry and I emerged as a poet. Poetry became my teacher.
My wish for all of us for the holidays and for next year.
Press play to listen to audio of me reading a holy night… and scroll down to see the whole poem.
HOLIDAY (ENFORCED)
Describes the emotional and physical difficulties of being sick. It also shows a gift that can be tucked away in it. Hopefully, the humorous light touch can lessen the worry a bit with Covid.
MAGIC IS WHERE YOU FIND IT
A magic moment from the past.
Press play to listen to audio of me reading MAGIC IS WHERE YOU FIND IT and scroll down to see the whole poem.
From our book, EVERYDAY MERMAID. A collaborative poetry art book with artist, Diedre Scherer.
UNDERCOVER
When fear runs your path.
Press play to listen to audio of me reading UNDERCOVER… and scroll down to see the whole poem.
From EVERYDAY MERMAID, a collaborative poetry art book with artist Deidre Scherer.
I KNOW NOW THAT...
A poem about fear. We all have to figure out our relationship to this basic emotion rooted in our survival mechanisms.
Press play to listen to audio of me reading I KNOW NOW THAT… and scroll down to see the whole poem.
MUSINGS OF A MORNING
Morning musings straight from the unconscious.
Press play to listen to audio of me reading my poem, MUSINGS OF A MORNING, and scroll down to see the whole poem.
MUSINGS OF A MORNING from our book, EVERYDAY MERMAID. A collaborative poetry art book with my poetry and Deidre Scherer’s art.
LATE NIGHT
The night sky is constantly changing.
Press play to listen to audio of me reading LATE NIGHT and scroll down to see the whole poem.
LATE NIGHT from our book, EVERYDAY MERMAID. A collaborative poetry art book with my poetry and Deidre Scherer’s art.
Bittersweet
Several days ago the light changed. It was fall. Transitions are complex.
Bittersweet from our book, EVERYDAY MERMAID.
CRY JOY
This poem is the second in a two-part series on water. It actually started out as one and after continuous rewrites, it kept ending up as gobbledygook. I stopped. Realized they complemented each other, but could not be united. Happy now they are on a full spread talking to each other. OCEANS, the first poem in the water series to follow.
CRY JOY is from my book, EVERYDAY MERMAID. A collaborative art/poetry book with artist Deidre Scherer.
All Week
The unknown can be scary. A week of summer nights give comfort and opportunity.
From our book, Everyday Mermaid.
The Miracle of Water
Enjoying a glass of water’s deliciousness on a hot summer day brings you back to joy.
YOU MUST WALK THAT LONESOME VALLEY
A timely poem based on a hard-won Black People’s spiritual: You Must Walk That Lonesome Valley. This poem interwoven with the song asks that you face your fears and loves, your darkness and light, your griefs and joys. Doing that you can be uplifted, comforted. Then, you can open to this walk we ALL are doing. You can feel its communion, its support.
We can claim this walk to walk through these complicated, demanding times. We can get to the other side becoming stronger in heart and mind.
I learned this spiritual at summer camp when I was eight. I am grateful for the wisdom of this song that goes back at least to the Civil War. It has been teaching me my whole life.