Creative joint venture anyone?

I'm passionate about developing my poetry blog, my grace notes, into a daily endeavor, primarily for expression, but also for exposure. Isn't that where all writers eventually end up… wanting to touch humanity with what touches our own souls? I do. I hope you do too.

And I love what the combination of imagery and words can do to create a feel and to broaden the experience of the reader/viewer.

If you've already been visiting my grace notes, you will know that the photos and the poetry are not always literally connected. I'm more interested in texture, form, colour, design, dramatic impact and creative interpretation in the visual arts. I'd like to continue in this direction.

My focus will be to concentrate on the writing side of things… and so would like to offer this for your consideration;

… an opportunity to contribute photographs to my blog. In return I would provide hyperlinks to your blog/website and give you full credit for your work.


I recognize that I am taking baby steps at this point, but I'm so aware of the potential there is in helping one another along the way.

Does this appeal to anyone?

Please let me know through email to mygracenotes@shaw.ca

Thanks for considering this,

Lesley-Anne

Vacancy

Lost somewhere in my head --
remembrances of places and facial expressions and words
hand holding and hair washing
and uncomfortable conversations
with hidden requests brought into the light.

Trying to work through this…
start the laundry
and write some technical article
also with words
but the brightness is duller
the heart somehow tighter
and I realize it's not
just another day.

I have in my mind some
things to do
visits to make
special projects to undertake
flowers to lay
words to say or write or shout into the wind…

Not sure how long it will take
to get past this
odd, new, vacant lot of a place
where once you were just down the road
a stop along my way
a perceived obligation of need
now you are
free
and I am left
grieving.

What a difference a day makes…

So, it's been an up and down week… and not that one day is up and one day is down, sometimes it's almost an hourly variation. At this point I'm wondering both why it's been this way, and if you can relate? So far today it's been up and the sun has been adding to my feelings of overall well-being, that and some time spent with a good friend over a cup of coffee.

Another friend told me lately that a chemical is released when women are in each others company… something called 'Oxytocin', that actually causes us to feel better in a scientifically proven kind of way. So, with 'O' flowing through me, and sun shining on me, I can say that I'm feeling pretty good as a result!

The other thing that has me up today is being able to recognize how God uses people to do his work. Yesterday someone needed me when I was in an emotional place to give, the day before that the same person drew from their God reserves to lift up my failing spirit. And I see God at work orchestrating it all.

That's it for now… off to walk the dog and enjoy the first real spring day in ages. I know the red-wing blackbirds will be singing in the marsh, and I might just hum along.

See ya!

LA

So yesterday about this time, I was feeling like my world was caving in along with my chest. Perhaps a little over-stressed, I had a feeling of unexplainable impending doom that was physical, and it was beginning to take over my mind as well as my body.

I stood by the sink after a morning of trying to get some of my menial household chores done, and heard a voice in my head say, "maybe you should just go and check yourself into the hospital", as clear as day. So, I thought about that for a little while, wondering how that experience might pan out for me?

Hi, I'm here to check myself in.

What for?

Well, it's that I just can't seem to pull myself up by the bootstraps, you know. I can't seem to find my stiff upper lip and suck it up princess, if you know what I mean.

I'm sorry Ma'am, I don't know what you mean. What precisely are your symptoms?

I guess you could say that I feel like there's nobody I can talk to about how I feel, and that I feel like I'm too much for everyone that I might have talked to if I could have found someone.

Are you in any pain?

Well, if this pressure on my chest, and the heavy thing that's sitting on my head counts, then yes, I guess I'm in pain. But not a sharp stabbing pain, more like a dull repetitive one.

Are you on any medications?

No, and I don't really want to be, and that's why I'm even afraid to tell anyone how I really feel in case they suggest drugs might be the answer. I guess there's the 'Maccaroot' supplements I'm taking… to balance and energize me… but I don't think that's working.

So, what precisely can we do for you ma'am?

Well, I thought maybe I could just sign in and curl up in an empty bed somewhere until I feel better able to cope, find some energy again, and maybe find a friend that I could talk to. Would that be OK……?

At this point I realize that my idea is lame, and I haven't got a chance of convincing medical staff, nurses or doctors that there's something wrong with me any more than I did two days ago when I tried to explain myself to my husband.

So, I continue to stand by the kitchen sink until the phone rings, goes to the answering machine, and I recognize the voice as someone who might just be able to relate to part of how I'm feeling and I dry my hands on the towel and pick up the phone.

Hi……