Tag: Poetry

poachers & the first home

trE

Two poems shared on Substack notes

poachers

I’m so tired of loose
lips sinking ships—of
human cannons
shooting us with
lies, and creating a
mass of loblollies
with the full intent to
bury us alive.

we’re more than
flesh & bone, we’re
heart & mind, and
they must’ve forgotten
we can fight when a corner
is the place they
push us in.

a faulty administration is
running a nation,
betting with money
from people who’ve
poured their last into
a country they once
loved.

they have no clue of
what they’re doing,
yet they do, and
we’re the ones dying
a long death.
but, we’re the ones
fighting to stay
alive, too.

the first home

a short workweek
ahead for me—taking
pto for a trip
back to a place that
hasn’t been home in
21 years, but it’s still
home.

I’ve been eyeballing
the weather, got my
hawk’s view on 10,
monitoring changes to be
sure travel plans won’t
meet their demise.
I need to get away.

my mother will be in
tow—my nerves will work
overtime to keep her
anxieties at bay.
I’m craving fresh seafood,
familial hugs, and time spent
with people close to
my heart.

a quick mini
vacation to recharge
my energy—strengthen my
bones. prayerfully, none of
them will break from the
weight of the pain
that the first home
can bring.

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

better at home & we all feel, and he didn’t + Jill Scott

trE

Two poems shared on Substack notes

Homemade salad: diced chicken tenders, cucumbers, onions, tomatoes, blueberries, spinach, & Colby Jack cheese. I drizzled the ranch dressing onto the salad after I took the photo. Photo Credit: Tremaine L. Loadholt

better at home

fresh fruits and veggies
diced chicken tenders with cheese
creamy ranch dressing

AI-Generated Image: A Black man dressed handsomely in a jean jacket, cream-colored shirt, and jeans, standing on a porch in front of a door. He has a pensive look on his face.

we all feel, and he didn’t

he was too
equanimous. you
maybe thinking,
“that’s not a good thing?”
and I’m obligated to tell you
that I needed someone who
would explode with anger if
the world caved in on him…
eventually.

I needed to know that he could cry,
would cry if his heart
were crushed with grief.
but he didn’t know
tears—he hadn’t been open
enough to let them cleanse him,
and I couldn’t continue to love a
man who wouldn’t emote.

I understand strength, the rearing
of holding back emotion when you
can release it was
always weakness to me.
I wanted to know that
if I broke down, he could break down
with me, and we’d lift each other up.

but in a world that
tells a man to be
stone in order to be
loved, he couldn’t
hear my cries.

Jill Scott—Pressha

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

Collaborating with David at The Skeptic’s Kaddish Again

trE

Rengaying through this tumultuous life

David, at The Skeptic’s Kaddish, and I have collaborated once more using the Rengay form of poetry. It is always a pleasure working with a talented writer such as him, and I was happy to take part in this ongoing series once again. A snippet of the poem is below.

db-razor at my neck
each scrape both threat and comfort—
smooth with tiny bumps
tll-      risky weather won’t stop me
      money doesn’t grow on trees
db-bank notification—
I pretend not to see it
until tomorrow
tll-worry doesn’t rest
I’m in a headlock
adulting is trash

You can read the poem in its entirety by clicking on the link below. Thank you again, David! It’s always a blast!

Rollercoaster ride; Adulting, or: A rengay

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

Scattered Words Is On Amazon and Goodreads!

trE

Grief hasn’t made me hollow; it’s helping me grow.

Scattered Words: Poems for Jernee Timid Loadholt, next to a painting of The Little Monster by K. L. Laettner, on one of my bookshelves. Photo by Tremaine L. Loadholt

I did not think this would happen as quickly as it did, but here we are… Global distribution of Scattered Words: Poems for Jernee Timid Loadholt has been approved and is now available to purchase on Amazon and for review on Goodreads!

I had prepared myself for a long wait; however, I did not have to wait incredibly long to see the book I produced from pain, sorrow, grief, and joy for my beloved Jernee Timid.

About the book:

In Scattered Words: Poems for Jernee Timid Loadholt, the author wants you, the reader, to experience Jernee in totality and understand why she has lost the greatest companion she has ever known. If you have ever grieved the loss of a pet, many of these poems will not only resonate with you, they will set up holding spaces in your mind, crawl into your heart, and retreat only when they have been commanded to do so.

You will laugh, cry, nod in agreement, and reminisce about your furry family member(s) and how they have become your strength. Grief is not linear, and every creeping moment it decides to invade your heart, there is a poem in this book to greet it.

In Scattered Words…, Tremaine celebrated, lamented, grieved, loved, and released Jernee Timid Loadholt. Every day, she will probably do these things again—not necessarily in that order.

If you have never met a dog who had the uncanny ability to be more memorable than some of the people you know, with this book of poems, you will have your chance.

The photography is in color and cartoonized. The font is big enough for those of us with visual impairments and aging eyes to see. The cover is a hard one… I want this book to stand the test of time and any possible minor damage that could occur to it. It is 8.5 x 11, durable, engaging, and one you can share with your friends, family, children, grandchildren, and students.

Thank you so much for your undying support. However you wish to purchase it, if ever you wish to purchase it, I am forever grateful.

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

Motivation You Can See

trE

A Book Review

Girl & Dog Alone Together by Gail Boenning. Photo Credit: Tremaine L. Loadholt

I am an avid reader of Gail Boenning’s work. I miss her daily missives on Medium (I am no longer active there, and I believe she stopped posting there shortly before I did), but I can keep up with her through her books. And I appreciate this more than I thought I would.

With everything taking place in our world, a bit of light-hearted reading was what I needed.

What Gail has given the reader in Girl & Dog Alone Together is a work of original paintings and motivational tidbits that will settle in your mind gently and peacefully, too.

Here is my review on Amazon and Goodreads:

Bite-sized Motivational Tidbits That Make You Smile

Gail Boenning has a knack for churning out work that encourages various age groups. Girl & Dog Alone Together is another example of her versatility.

I thoroughly enjoyed every motivational tidbit shared between the girl and her dog, and how they seemed to face all odds in adult-like ways.

Girl’s approach to life was to lean on Dog. Dog’s approach to life was to take care of Girl. They make the perfect team.

From playing in the park to taking piano lessons, sinking the perfect basketball shot, and learning in school, the advice given is notably intelligent while being rhythmic as well. These life lessons will be easier to remember and digest for a younger audience.

The paintings bring a full view into play for the reader also. I found myself smiling from ear to ear as I read each page, knowing that much of the advice given, I’ve shared with my siblings, nieces, and nephews, and with myself whenever necessary, too.

If you’re looking for a light-hearted reminder about life’s small obstacles or you need a book that’s age appropriate for a few children in your life, I recommend Girl & Dog Alone Together.

I enjoyed this book a lot more when I read it because I actually needed a pick-me-up, and this was it.

Maybe you’re in search of one, too?

*Previous book reviews for Gail Boenning: Flit Flutter Float, and POISE.

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

Doing Nothing Is Hard Work

trE

A Senryu

I snapped this photo of Zumi Tye while it chomped down on its dinner for the evening. What’s in Zuse’s dinner tray? Blueberries & turnip greens. Photo Credit: Tremaine L. Loadholt

long day of nothing
bathing in humidity
waiting for Mommy

We called him Tortoise because he taught us. —Lewis Carroll

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