Cousins

NaPoWriMo #6 An Acrostic Poem

My Little Munchkin Man, Caison Michael, and me. Saturday, April 05, 2025. Photo Credit: Tremaine L. Loadholt

carefree and happy in the glowing sun
our bond is an unbreakable one
united at every turn by blood and genes
safe in my arms – even as he ages
incredibly handsome – puts a smile on my face
never taken for granted
sure of his love for me — today and forevermore


Have you gotten your copy of my new book: a collection of serial tales & flash fiction, Séduire (E-Book and Paperback) yet?

I recently signed up to write on Substack as well. Poking the Bear’s Belly for Fun is a place of healing as I speak about the most recent events with my place of employment as it pertains to racism and discrimination. I welcome your visit.

Left-handed in a Dream: A Haibun

Part II: Running away from fear

AI Generated Image: A Black woman running down a busy street in hip-hugger short shorts, a black halter top, and black heels. The background is a blurry, busy street – much like most well-known cities’ “Downtown”.

Memory shifts from a dream state to a thinking state, and she speaks out loud to herself. “What the hell just happened?” It’s one thing to feel like you’ve been dreaming for the entire night, but it is a whole other situation when everything feels like a dream even when it shouldn’t. Her hands were shaking – the left hand first, then the right. Her husband is still sound asleep . . . unbeknownst to the conjured up drama his wife is experiencing. Crabby night air fills the room, and Memory longs to fade to black and never return to this space and time. Running away from her fears is a welcome reprieve, but what shoes should she wear?

awake at twilight
fear rattling her shaken soul
runaways come back


Part I

Something To Think About #4

Grief is a robber of happiness but not of life.

Christal Luster, on grief. Sunday, March 16, 2025. ©2025 YouTube

“It’s the one thing, I believe, that makes us human . . .
it makes us more compassionate if we let it.”


I will share “Something To Think About” for the next twelve weeks on Sunday afternoons. It may be a quote, a picture, an interesting phrase I heard, artwork, etc. Whatever I share will surely be intriguing or involving enough to spark a casual discussion or in-depth conversation. Stay tuned every Sunday for this feature!

Peace and blessings.


Have you gotten your copy of my new book: a collection of serial tales & flash fiction, Séduire (E-Book and Paperback) yet?

Home To Nowhere: Part VIII

Microfiction: This is life, and it’s not so bad.

AI Generated Image of a Black teenage girl with blue eyes and curly hair styled in a half-bob. She is wearing a soft blueish-grey top with an indifferent look on her face while in front of a colorful background. Created with Canva.

Two years have passed, and Kelsey is enjoying year sixteen under a roof with loving and caring parents and two siblings who swing joy in her direction daily. She is cousin-sister/niece-daughter and a quizzically inquiring teenager who has learned to live outside her shell.

She plays soccer, basketball, volleyball, and runs track. Her world is mythical and magical; therapy is a safe haven for her sleepless mind. She will never know her biological parents. She looks into Kazi’s eyes and sees Kamal. She thumbs through old photo albums of Kimya’s and smiles at Leila.

She can’t change her history, so she becomes it.

“I am loved. I have love. I will be love.”

And so she is.


Thank you for coming on this journey with me for Home To Nowhere. I hope you’ve enjoyed this series. Peace and blessings.

Part IPart IIPart IIIPart IVPart V, Part VI, & Part VII

Home To Nowhere: Part VII

Microfiction: Kelsey’s sister, Miah (My-ah)

AI Generated Image of a little Black girl with green eyes and fiery red curls for hair. She is wearing a dark green top with a smirk on her face and is seated in front of a green background. Created with Canva.

Miah is a sister-cousin/cousin-sister, but she is clueless. She only knows her big sister Kelsey is the light of her little six-year-old world. She is temper-tantrum goodness and field trip busy. She finds Kelsey lying down on their living room couch, softly whispering to herself.

“Kels, you talkin’ to you?”

“Hey, Miah. Yes, kiddo. I’m talking to myself.”

“What you sayin’?”

“Everything’s gonna be all right.”

“Oh . . . Okay, then.”

Miah rushes toward the staircase–her fiery red hair sailing in the breeze. She is clueless, and that’s a good thing.


Part IPart IIPart IIIPart IVPart V, & Part VI

Photos From This Past Weekend

I am finding peace in unexpected places.

Honeycrisp apples, canned with ginger, cinnamon, honey, water, brown sugar, and apple cider vinegar. Photo Credit: Tremaine L. Loadholt
Homemade oatmeal made with the canned apples shown above. Saturday, February 22, 2025. Photo Credit: Tremaine L. Loadholt
My youngest nephew, Thyrie, is currently hospitalized for a sickle cell crisis. He’s been there since Wednesday night. If you have it in you, please say a prayer for my little fighter. Photo Credit: Thyrie’s mom, sent to me by my brother, TJ.
Saturday morning workout. February 22, 2025. Photo Credit: Tremaine L. Loadholt
Sunday morning workout. Sunday, February 23, 2025. Photo Credit: Tremaine L. Loadholt
Stare-off. I didn’t win. Sunday, February 23, 2025. Photo Credit: Tremaine L. Loadholt
Sunday morning coffee. This is one of my favorite creamers to use. It’s dairy-free and has zero sugar as well. February 23, 2025. Photo Credit: Tremaine L. Loadholt
Zumi’s breakfast time: freeze-dried shrimp & cucumber. Sunday, February 23, 2025. Photo Credit: Tremaine L. Loadholt
Sunday dinner: pan-seared lamb, chickpeas, & veggies (onions, bell peppers, 1/2 serrano pepper, spinach, & fresh chopped garlic). February 23, 2025. Photo Credit: Tremaine L. Loadholt

I have had such a relaxing weekend, yet one fraught with concern. I have been in total prayer mode for my nephew. My brother has been keeping me updated. He and my oldest niece have sickle cell anemia. My brother and I have the trait, however, we are not carriers.

I’ve always been mindful of who I dated, when I was actively dating, knowing that I’m 1/2 of a detrimental factor for offspring. My brother, not so much. But . . . he knows and understands what’s at stake now.

Thyrie is such a little man. He’s a ball of joy and curiosity. I have been asking God to keep him around for a very long time. Maybe he’ll answer that prayer for me.

I hope you all have a great week ahead. Count your many blessings and build on them by blessing others.


Have you gotten your copy of my new book: a collection of serial tales & flash fiction, Séduire (E-Book and Paperback) yet?