many of us perform
on stages of our
own making which later
become our undoing,
yet we wonder why we
falter.
my new neighbor has
a funky attitude but
she owns a dog, and I
find that mysteriously intriguing.
how can you be callous and
care for something the
complete opposite of that?
I speak when I see her,
acknowledge her curt stares,
and nod to display kindness,
and that is the extent of
our exchanges.
I miss my old neighbor.
she moved about two months
ago to be on a stage
that life planned for her;
homeowner . . .
she doesn’t like her new
neighbors, either.
says they let their Pit
run amuck and loudly
bark at the comings and goings
of others.
she sends me text messages
saying she may have made
a mistake.
and I don’t want to agree, but
I don’t like this new neighbor,
so in my heart of hearts,
I secretly concur but instead
say, “Give it a bit more
time. It may end up surprising
you. None of us really ever
loves change.”
and on this stage I’ve
built for myself, I’m patiently
waiting for a future that
could lend me more
happiness.
of late, I’ve been searching
for it and it has been elusive.
but there’s always tomorrow.
Month: July 2024
Running With the Clouds Part IV
Miranda’s Suicide Letter (Microfiction)
Here is my end-of-life note. Please give it to my brother, Jake, once it’s been manhandled & pondered over by authorities.
I, Miranda Charlley Powers, offer the organs in my body to anyone in dire need & waiting for a transplant. My heart, lungs, kidneys, & liver, please distribute accordingly.
But my bone marrow . . . this is for Jake. There’s a Bone Marrow Specialist who believes his method of application can save my brother. See to it that he’s contacted immediately.
More than anything, I want Jake to live.
–MCP
Part I, Part II, & Part III
Two Things Thursday #24
1. Small Hours is a short mix of nothing but goodness from Amber Navran, lead singer of the group Moonchild. Even though she isn’t a wailer or a singer with deep lungs like Jill Scott or Algebra Blessett, she can definitely hold her own against them.
She is a beast behind massive beats and stellar production with her variations of scatting and rhythmic tuning and vocal tones. I love how she can interchange jazz vocals with a bit of pop and bop, too. When I listen to her, I can hear so many vocalists chiming in through her voice from the 60s, 70s, and 80s.
It’s odd to see/hear her performing alone. Apparently, she has dropped an entire solo album recently, and I am so far behind on this, but I shall be sitting down one day to give it the listen I’m sure it deserves.
I hope you enjoyed the above YouTube video share of Small Hours. I love everything about it! I just hate that it’s not long enough. A song like that should LEGIT be three minutes (at least), IMHO.
2. Jamaica Kincaid Quote is the second share for today. Jamaica is an author, gardener, and a Professor of African American and African studies. She is the author of the following books: Annie John (one of my favorites), A Small Place, and Lucy. And this list does not even begin to cover her achievements in the writing world. I own all three books and I thoroughly enjoyed them. I’ve read Lucy and Annie John twice.
The above quote hit home so hard that I had to share it. Many of us believe we know who we are. We believe we have gotten ourselves down to a TEE. But really, do we? As human beings, we are constantly evolving and growing, so it’s almost impossible to truly know who we are. Therefore, emerging as this mystery Ms. Kincaid refers to.
The question is really, how many of us are willing to admit this?
Reading Is Still Fundamental
A few Amazon reviews for your reading pleasure
Pooja Gudka, at LifesFineWhine, first book of poetry was recently published, and I knew I would enjoy the content.
I read it in one sitting; took me about an hour to absorb everything and connect with a few of the gifts she has given us with this debut book of authentically vulnerable & expressive poems.
Below is the review I left for it on Amazon:
“First, I’ll say if you have a problem with the explicit truth about depression and anxiety, and how the two combined can be incredibly damaging to a human being, this is NOT the book for you.
However, if you can appreciate someone digging deep within themselves to bring you the most vulnerable parts of themselves in the form of poetry, then sit back and revel in the short ride of a most exquisite debut book of poems.
I felt so many emotions while reading ‘All The Words I Kept Inside.’ Pooja did a phenomenal job with the placement of the poems in every section of the book. One thing is for certain, you WILL FEEL something.
And however you feel afterward, will stick with you for years to come. It is as though the depths of her very soul lie in the lines of this book.
You will walk away embracing the damaged version of yourself.
And that’s an incredible accomplishment.”
After I read Pooja’s book, I dove into Michele Lee Sefton‘s first two books of the “Being a Woman” project: Overcoming & Becoming.
Both are light reads with just under 18 and 25 pages, so consuming the content was not a time-eating issue.
Below is the review I left for the first offering on Amazon:
“The author, Michele, is intentional with this book about her message. She is free to be who she is regardless of what society and the many men who make the rules believe she should be.
Her coming of age and into the human being she wants to be took place during the rise of a global pandemic in 2020. Not only was she able to still be creative, but she produced this work of art.
My only dislike is that it’s much too short.
If you’re looking for a quick read, with poignant poetry and brilliant artwork as an accompaniment, I recommend Being a Woman: Overcoming.“
As I stated above, after I finished the first book, I thumbed through the second one and knocked it out as well.
Here is the review for the second offering of poems by the writer:
“Michele has a knack for tackling tough subjects without making the reader feel burdened. As the second body of work for the “Being a Woman” project, “Becoming” isn’t what I thought it would be, but definitely what it should be.
It is a compilation of tiny reminders, cultural embraces, and acknowledgment of the women who make this world go ’round. The accompanying artwork by her daughter, Sammi, is also something to be admired.
If you’re a stickler for completing serial works just as I am, you’ll want this book to add to your collection.”
We are surrounded by a deluge of talented writers and thinkers in this WordPress community, and I’m happy I have a chance to delve into the words of so many of your productions.
Peace and blessings.
My Youngest Nephew, Thyrie Says “Hello.”
My brother TJ sent the above video to me last night, and I couldn’t help but to smile while viewing it. Thyrie sounds like a grown man and is my little “Uncle Grandpa.”
He’s only two years old yet one would think, upon hearing his voice, he’s older.
I haven’t seen him in person, yet. With them living in Jacksonville, Florida, that distance is a bit of a hike for me. But my brother and I agreed last night, we’ll have to make some time next year for us to all hang out together.
And honestly, I can’t wait for that to happen. It’ll have to be early spring or in autumn because I DO NOT do the deep South in the summer months. No, thank you!
I hope this video put a smile on your face just as it did mine.
Happy Sunday!
**Special thanks to my kiddo brother, TJ, for giving me permission to share this video.
Running With the Clouds Part III
Jake’s Pain (Microfiction)
He answered the call at 12:47 AM in a panic. “Next of Kin” meant waking up at all hours of the night when your big sister has done something unthinkable.
“Can you come in to identify the body?”
Can I do what?! She did what?! How was her mental health?! If she jumped from the 14th floor of her building, what is left for me to identify?!
Thunder roared, and the midnight rain poured like it would be the last.
Maybe she wanted to die first . . .
Maybe that’s why she did it.
A Cornered Gurl 
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