Category: Art

How Do You Talk To God?

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A Book Review

When We Talk To God: Prayers & Poems for Black Women by Sharifa Stevens. Photo Credit: Tremaine L. Loadholt

You know the saying, “Don’t judge a book by its cover”? So, I’m judging, but positively, though. When We Walk To God: Prayers & Poems for Black Women by Sharifa Stevens is the book I didn’t know I needed. The cover is a perfect gateway to phenomenal content.

This is a necessary book for Women of Color. How we talk to God is, as I’ve witnessed and experienced, extremely different from how other women talk to God. I connected with this book in a way that has brought me unmitigated peace and comfort, and I’m happy to express that.

Here’s the review I shared on Amazon and Goodreads:

Talking To God Is a Form of Art

At least, this is what I gleaned from the prayers, poems, and notes shared by the indomitable Sharifa Stevens.

There are books that sneak in when you weren’t expecting to be fulfilled or touched by spirits and there are books that pull you from dark places and remind you of your worth… “When We Talk To God: Prayers & Poems for Black Women” encompasses both of those descriptions.

There are pieces within this offering that read like sermons. Some feel like testimonies. And others swim across the page, reaching out at just the right moment to grab ahold of the reader and remind them that they are and will forever be God’s child.

I am a sinner, yet I love. I am a sinner, yet I feel. I am a sinner, yet I have solid friendships. I am a sinner… I am a sinner… I am a sinner… Yet, God will never stop loving me.

In the midst of the turmoil and chaos of this wretched world, I cracked open the spine of this gift and found solace.

“When We Talk To God…” offers hope, reflection, strength, encouragement, and the reality that I am not alone on this tedious journey of life, and I am blessed to be able to say that I read it.

And I will, without a doubt, read it again and again, and maybe a few more times for sustainability.

There’s a prayer in this book for you, Black woman. There’s a prayer in this book for you.

When I find a book that makes me feel good about myself and less alone, as well as hone in on biblical scriptures that can motivate, encourage, strengthen, and engage my mind, I am completely satisfied.

And, I am.

Scattered Words: Poems for Jernee Timid Loadholt is available now! Have you gotten your copy? Hardcover|eBook

Gianna, the Winter Storm Who’s Leaving Her Mark

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“Oh Lord… Purify me.”

Gianna, Winter Storm #1.
Gianna, Winter Storm #2.
Gianna, Winter Storm #3.
Gianna, Winter Storm #4.
Gianna, Winter Storm #5.
Gianna, Winter Storm #6.
Gianna, Winter Storm #7.
Gianna, Winter Storm #8.
Gianna, Winter Storm #9.
Gianna, Winter Storm #10.

I hadn’t played in the snow in about four or maybe five years. When Jernee was alive, she loved the snow. She would stick her tongue out and call flakes to her mouth. It made her happy to be in it.

Yesterday, I mourned her some more, but it was the cleansing and renewal that I needed.

We ended up getting 11 inches of snow here in Winston-Salem, North Carolina with Gianna. Our last snowfall that accumulated over 10 inches was December 09, 2018, Diego. He dumped 14 inches of snow in my area alone.

*All photos were taken by Tremaine L. Loadholt, on Saturday, January 31, 2026.

Scattered Words: Poems for Jernee Timid Loadholt is available now! Have you gotten your copy? Hardcover|eBook

Mythomania & What Was I Thinking?

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Two poems shared via Substack notes

Mythomania

Back when I didn’t
overthink things, I
loved a woman who
lied so much,
mythomania could
have been her
middle name.

We were never going
to make it.
I made up stories
for entertainment;
she made up stories
to cover her ass.

Eventually, one of us
was going to break,
and one of us did.

Baby Tre in a fighter pose. I have no clue who took this photo, perhaps one of the hospital nurses or a family member? April 17, 1980.

What Was I Thinking?

I must’ve known the
world would be a
battlefield.

At a few hours old,
I’d already prepared
myself to fight;
hands squared into
position of
protection.

What was I thinking
as I dreamed
alongside a mother
who pushed me into
being?

Could I have been
dreaming of ways to
right wrongs without
a working definition
of them?

Did I know about all
of the nastiness
dripping from the
hearts of men, and
how that coldness
would shift God’s
creations—morph
them into living
devils?

Many ages passed
me by, and now, I
find myself standing
atiptoe, waiting for
change that doesn’t
look like it’s going
to come.

Scattered Words: Poems for Jernee Timid Loadholt is available now! Have you gotten your copy? Hardcover|eBook

Scattered Words Is Making Its Rounds

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A review by Candice Louisa Daquin of ThisKeptAche

Scattered Words: Poems for Jernee Timid Loadholt

I am not one to push grief and loss onto anyone. Compiling poems for this book was cathartic for me. I needed to do this. It has been helpful for my grieving process and the appropriate mourning of a dog who meant the world to me. She was such a lifesaver for me; my calm, my peace. I am certain there will never be another like her.

To know that this work is not only helping me but also others in their grief is the icing on the cake of creativity. This work was not produced in vain. Candice Louisa Daquin, a long-time friend and fellow creator/writer, reviewed Scattered Words: Poems for Jernee Timid Loadholt, and what she said about it made me truly see that I have given the world some magic, even in my sadness.

A snippet of her review is below:

It says a lot about how much animals can impact lives, including the lives of those around us, who understand they are family and the loss is incalculable and akin to losing another human being. Jernee’s life will never be forgotten and this is where Scattered Words comes into its own. To say this is a eulogy isn’t sufficient. This is a testament to love. It is also filled with light and love, because Tremaine knows, Jernee is waiting for her and not far away.

From the first page where there is an image of Tremaine with Jernee, and it says, “hello rainbow bridge / treat my baby with kindness / she deserves it all” to the last image, which is more of a portrait of Jernee, there is grief and loss and love and hope all wound together in this brave and honest homage and reflection of a life well spent.

It isn’t fair that we only had 17 years with Jernee, but one thing I know is, every one of those years was filled with meaning and the bond between them, inseparable. I remember seeing the photos of Jernee after she died, and also leading up to it, and it opened wounds in me I had forgotten I had. This is not a bad thing, it is a necessary thing. We do feel. We have pain. To pretend otherwise is foolish. I like that about Tremaine, she is unflinching in her examination of what is real.

These poems were written after Jernee’s death and during her life. They are sometimes terribly sad, but for any pet-owner, animal-lover or really, person capable of understanding the bonds we forge, this is a book we wish we all had someone write about our life.

You can read the review in its entirety by visiting the original blog post for it.

As a writer who depends on emotions, it is encouraging to know I didn’t overshoot this one. I thank Candice for pointing that out, and for giving Scattered Words: Poems for Jernee Timid Loadholt such a remarkable review.

Scattered Words: Hardcover $26.00 USD|Scattered Words: eBook $11.00 USD

Life in Photos #9

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Daily photographic musings

Canada Geese enjoying a sunny day before a M A J O R cold snap! Thursday, January 15, 2026. Photo Credit: Tremaine L. Loadholt
A fake orchid. Taken in the hallway of my apartment building. Sunday, January 18, 2026. Photo Credit: Tremaine L. Loadholt
A hearty meal for an empty belly. Seasoned pork steak, sweet corn, and roasted Rustic potatoes w/ Roma tomatoes. Sunday, January 18, 2026. Photo Credit: Tremaine L. Loadholt
Sunday: a day to wash the locs, and then towel-dry them. Sunday, January 18, 2026. Photo Credit: Tremaine L. Loadholt, enhanced with Google Gemini
Chunky chocolate chip cookies, because YES!!! I shared them with my two neighbors, Nikayla & Herbbie. Thursday, January 22, 2026. Photo Credit: Tremaine L. Loadholt
My tortoise is cuter than yours. Zumi Tye loves to eat, as I am sure you all know by now. LOL! Saturday, January 24, 2026. Photo Credit: Tremaine L. Loadholt
Winston (AKA Winnie) is Jernee Timid’s friend. I speak about him in “smelling death,” which is a poem I have included in Scattered Words. He is such a sweet boy, and he loves to give me full-body hugs. I know he misses Jernee; he looks around me as if he’s searching for her tiny body to greet him. It warms my heart and breaks it at the same time. Sunday, January 25, 2026. Photo Credit: Tremaine L. Loadholt
I’m a little bit Coraline. Sunday, January 25, 2026. Photo Credit: Tremaine L. Loadholt
Snow, Snow, and Ice, Ice Baby #1. Sunday, January 25, 2026. Photo Credit: Tremaine L. Loadholt
Snow, Snow, and Ice, Ice Baby #2. Sunday, January 25, 2026. Photo Credit: Tremaine L. Loadholt
Snow, Snow, and Ice, Ice Baby #3. Sunday, January 25, 2026. Photo Credit: Tremaine L. Loadholt
Snow, Snow, and Ice, Ice Baby #4. Sunday, January 25, 2026. Photo Credit: Tremaine L. Loadholt

Scattered Words: Poems for Jernee Timid Loadholt is available now! Have you gotten your copy? Hardcover|eBook

Art is Poetry and Poetry is Art

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A Book Review

Haiku and Tanka: Lull, Harmony, and Power of Japanese Art by Hikari & Gabriela Marie Milton. Photo Credit: Tremaine L. Loadholt

As a lover of Haiku and Tanka, it was quite the no-brainer that I would purchase this book. From Literary Revelations, the creatively astute publishing house of Gabriela Marie Milton and team, Haiku and Tanka: Lull, Harmony, and Power of Japanese Art titillates and transports the reader to a place of ecstasy, renewal of self, and undeniable peace.

The artwork, produced by Hikari, their Resident Artist, is visually hypnotizing and allows one to enjoy the beauty accompanying every poem. Her art and words, alongside those of Gabriela’s, shine perfectly on every page. This is a masterful duo, and I am truly happy I dove headfirst into its brilliance.

Below is the review I shared on Amazon and Goodreads:

Refreshingly Inspirational

This is how I would describe Haiku and Tanka: Lull, Harmony, and Power in Japanese Art. Every page is a walk along a path guided by impressive imagery expressed in words and tremendous watercolor/painted art that stands out, and is more than luring to the curious eye.

Both Tanka and Haiku read as if they were calculated and meticulously matched with every photo, as well as marked for exemplary collaboration. Hikari and Gabriela did an outstanding job with their verses, and it is evident that care and craftsmanship were at the top of their list regarding creating this masterpiece.

A few lines that stood out to me from several pieces are:

“wounded eyes weep,” page 16.
“tease me
the silence in my voice
flickers in your eyes,” page 28
“like a sublime
and beautiful crown,” page 36
“Yearns for burning love,” page 36
“yet your song grazes my shoulder
brushes softly past my soul,” page 56…

To say that this book of measured and timeless verses is an excellent show of poetry in form is a bold understatement. It is two massively creative worlds morphing into one–a hybrid of synchronized verbal harmony.

I am glad this offering was shared with us, and I look forward to experiencing many more collaborations by Hikari and Gabriela Marie Milton.

Where the world of visual art and Japanese syllabic poetry meet, there is a place for the reader’s eyes and the writer’s heart, and I am so glad I got a chance to rest there.

Take my word, you’ll find a place of solace between these pages. You sincerely will.

Scattered Words: Poems for Jernee Timid Loadholt is available now! Have you gotten your copy? Hardcover|eBook