The Sojourn

The Sojourn – double Haiku on mixed media

First of all, let me say a big HELLO!!! I’m back from my travels and looking forward to getting the creative juices flowing again. 🙂

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Would you consider your time here – your earthly life – a sojourn?

Sojourn: A temporary stay (noun); To stay somewhere temporarily (verb)

I love what Temple Grandin (one of the first individuals on the autism spectrum to publicly share insights from her personal experience of autism) said when confronted with the issue of death. A horse had died, and she asked, “Where’d he go?”

It may sound funny, but really is an existential question that we all face. Where do we go when our bodies die?

As for me, I believe that who I really am, returns to my maker once my body dies. My stay here really is temporary.

Unfortunately, we live in a world that is full of darkness. A mountain of madness and a plethora of ugliness happens daily. All-over-the-world.

I am thankful though, that I have big shoulders to rest between. That place of rest is a place of provision and security. My maker remembers that I am but dust, and He is perfect in every way. He provides me with pockets of silence and peace amid all the chaos.

Do you consider your time on Earth a sojourn?

A Beautiful Thing

A Beautiful Thing – Poem on mixed media

Have you ever seen a crimson rose? I have only seen them in photos, but never in real life. They are beautiful and have a deep, rich color. So deep that sometimes they can even resemble the color of blood.

It’s meaning is two-way, signifying loss, death and mourning, as well as rebirth and love. It makes me think of a love that is committed and passionate. One that is willing to sacrifice for the good of another. One that is even willing to die for another. This type of love is a rare and beautiful thing.

Have you ever experienced a love like that?

Color me black

 

Colour me Black – Part 1 of a 9 part poem on mixed media

Black makes me think of death and darkness. The absence of peace and all that is good. It also makes me think of depression and moodiness. Deep inner sorrow and soul emptiness. A few other things come to mind when I think of black are evil, wickedness and injustice. The absence of God and all the contents of a Pandora’s box.

Black, however, is also a colour that is made up of all other colours, excluding white, so its meaning isn’t all bad. For example, black clothing is very slimming for the figure. It portrays an air of sophistication and is associated with elegance and even mystery.

Looking at black on an individual and very personal level, I see black as the dance of death and the dance of life. The song of sorrow and the song that produces joy. My greatest enemy, but also my best friend. As a Christian, I believe in what the Bible says, “suffering produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope.” I see it as a paradox. The death of self actually causes a life that is full and a peace that passes all understanding.

Black is a very real colour in the lives of all people. Suffering, pain and death are inevitable, but white and light makes it all bearable. I am thankful to be under the umbrella that rains white and protects me from pure blackness, without hope.

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What does black mean to you?

 

Killing Me Softly

Have you ever been deeply impacted by a song? I have. The above poem was inspired by the song ‘Killing Me Softly‘. I actually posted this poem recently, but I wanted to put my own mixed media art piece to go along with it.  I had the idea to use a dandelion, because I thought it apropos for the message. Once the dandelion has reached it’s life’s end, the wind comes along and blows its seeds all about, falling where they may. Then new flowers are born. Strong flowers with deep roots. Pesky weeds to many gardeners, that’s how strong their roots are. It makes me think about my own experiences. 10 years ago I sensed that God was sharing a message with me through this song, and just recently I sensed that he was showing me that he has been killing me softly throughout these years. The wind of His spirit came and blew away what needed to die, but those seeds fell and produced new life. New life that has deep roots. New life rid of the old and weak.

Have you ever been deeply impacted by a song? Which song? How did it change you?

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Unfortunately, I don’t have the type of brush to be able to do fine details like the swoops on the dandelion. I guess we can’t be pleased with everything we do. If you would like to read the original post that inspired this poem, you can do so here.

Poetry Form: Gogyohka

Morning Coffee Thoughts – Take 2

I am posting this again, because it seems like WordPress is up to some funky stuff with my posts. Ever since the update, my posts aren’t going into the Reader. Let’s see if it works this time.

Mixed media and thoughts

Just something I wrote during my morning quiet time a little while back. I saw this watercolour technique on Youtube and wanted to try it out. I like to mix art and words.

🙂

Morning coffee thoughts

Mixed media and thoughts

Just something I wrote during my morning quiet time a little while back.

The End of the Line

I’ve reached the end of the line

Say goodbye to space and time

Ran out of gas, broken down

I’m off to meet the renown

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I was invited by Elizabeth from Tea and Paper to join the Five Photos, Five Stories Challenge: “Post a photo each day for five consecutive days and attach a story to the photo. It can be fiction or non-fiction, a poem or a short paragraph and each day nominate another blogger for the challenge”. Elizabeth posts photos, poems, artsy stuff and other things on her lovely blog. Please drop by and check it out.

The above photo was taken close to my house. I thought it was a bit odd for an old non-working locomotive to be hiding away in the trees. The poem is another Tanaga.

I would like to nominate Audrey, from Oldest Daughter Red Headed Sister to participate in this challenge. Audrey finds inspiration in anything and everything.

Power for Living (double Tanaga)

I have been soooooo busy lately. The past couple of weeks we have been renovating, painting and trying to get ready to finally move into our own place. The final lag of our ‘big’ move will be complete.

🙂

From Death to Life

Have you ever considered what it means to live? Did you know that the Greek have three words for our English word, ‘life’? I just recently found that out.

Bios: Physical or biological life.

Psuche: Psychological life of a human. Soul, mind, emotion, will.

Zoe: Absolute fullness of life, spiritual life, the divine life uniquely possessed by God.

Isn’t that amazing? The Greek words go so much deeper. It makes me think about how the physical, psychological (soul, mind, emotion, will) and spiritual are all interconnected. It also seems to answer certain questions I’ve grappled with in the past. Questions about life, death, meaning, purpose, fear of death and what happens when a human dies.

What do you think about these three Greek words, and their meanings?

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Photo taken in Ouro Preto, Brazil

Despair (Loop)

 

This poem is in response to the weekly poetry prompt from The Reverie Journal. Our prompt was the following wordle:

I really like the Loop poetry form, so I thought I’d give it a go with this one.

Although this is in response to a prompt, I would still like to throw some questions out there.

Do you have any regrets from the past? How do you deal with them? Do you let them get the best of you, or do you forgive yourself, try to make amends and learn from them?

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The loop poetry form is exactly as it suggests. The last word of each line becomes the first line in the next.