Category: Poetry

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Sketchbook Project 2013 – Go In


sketchbook project

Have you heard of the Sketchbook Project?  The Sketchbook Project Library is coming to a location near you – if it comes to a city near you, I hope you take the time to support the library.  This past year I participated in the Sketchbook Project through the Art House Co-Op.  If you haven’t heard about them, check them out.  They provide wonderful opportunities for art, writing, and creativity with people from all over the world.  What a great way to experience community.

I would love for you to go and check out my sketchbook/chapbook at the link below . . . and while you are there take some time to look at all of the wonderful creative energy.  Be careful, you might find yourself wanting to dabble and join the play.  Many of their projects are free, I hope you do desire to get involved.

http://www.sketchbookproject.com/library/12246#slide_1

I included several of the photos and haiku from last years daily blog project for me, along with other poems and art.  I hope you enjoy.

If the link doesn’t work, go to: www.sketchbookproject.com, click on “digital library” and type in “Kris Kennedy”, and then press search.  It should bring up my book.  Thanks for enjoying this project with me.

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Love Is My Community


DSC00852Thought I’d share a poem I recently wrote after a week of seeing, hearing, feeling, and knowing love.  I interact with so many people who, whether spoken or unspoken, question love.  I help some to see that “love gets in” when we begin to show that love to ourselves.  But love is a community, it comes from within, it comes from above, it comes from the arms, neighbors, family, friends, and strangers around us and so this poem:

Love Is A Community

Love is a community

A heavy blanket becomes

A playful hideaway with the lift of a friend’s arms

Scary monsters shadowed on the walls become

Characters in a tale when a friend sees them with you

Sounds of voices – noises become

A lullaby in the protection of a caring embrace

Love is a community

The scatter of papers, clothes, boxes, clutter become

A possibility with the hands of friends

A can of soup, a box of crackers become

Gourmet when not eaten alone

A lament becomes

Poetry when read by another

Love is a community

Love is not a battlefield,

A torture chamber,

An asylum

Love doesn’t profess lies,

Judgment,

Superiority

Love doesn’t promise to stop,

Then forget

Love doesn’t promise to give,

Then change the rules

Love says, I am sorry,

I am sad,

I was wrong

Love takes the first step

In making amends

Love waits,

Stays present, sits quietly,

And trusts

That there will be a time

When words will come

Love is a community

My community

Love

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Go In


 

Go In

 

look beyond the knowings of your mind

go in

look at the ancient, timeless truths

drawn on the walls of your soul

don’t let darkness shroud your knowing

go in

it is there that the eyes of your soul will adjust

sit, listen, wait

for the walls will speak

of stories, truths that transcend

man’s need, attempt to control truth

feel

the energies of endless time

generations, lives, civilizations before you

ripples of knowing

as endless as the drops in the ocean

don’t move

let the vibrations of knowing move in you

let it pulse that you may become one

with every reverberation

now move

touch, taste, feel, see

explore the remnants

the artifacts, the truths

touch the stones of sacredness

the voluptuous beauty of her power

left for your knowing

stories inscribed in stains

uncorrupted by the feebleness of man’s tainting

now bathe

bathe in truth

cleansing the lies, beliefs

and crustings of pain

yours, of the times, and lifetimes

adorn, now

the fragrance of all that you are

clothe yourself in the power and majesty

of grace, light, love

but don’t stop there

take the hand of the person next to you

dance for them

celebrate you that they may see

the eternal being that you are

take them to the entrance of their soul

hold the door, invite them to go in

embrace them with hope and courage

invite them to learn the sacredness of who they are

that they too might dance

lastly, resume

delight in you, eternal you

yes, you

dance

© Kristin Kennedy, 2012

 

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The Alphabet of Self Care


"Mother Earth" by Ballance from Vancouver Island, Canada
One of my favorite paintings.

I have been working on writing different types of poetry now for years.  At the end of last year, I wrote this “alphabet poem” about self care.  Included in this poem are the foci of what I believe and share about self care.  I hope you enjoy!

The Alphabet of Self Care

Accept all of you – you will teach others how to do the same

Breathe – it expands your consciousness and awareness

Crying is cleansing – don’t let anyone tell you differently

Deliberately live – choices are in every experience

Experience life – it is going to happen anyways

Filters protect – but listening without them reaps better connections

Gift yourself with the journey – it is worth it

Honoring self is a gift to you, others, and the world

Intuition and intellect go hand in hand – you have both, honor that in you

Journey into the above and below – you can’t know you without knowing all truth

Kindness with others is easier – how about kindness with self

Laugh when you are able – it does more than feel good

Moment by moment is always a new beginning

No good, bad, right, or wrong – judgment leads to shame – shame keeps you stuck

Overflow grace to self – self criticism serves no purpose

Practice patience – patiently practice

Quietly listen – the heart will speak

Rest – nothing to fear…and it brings rejuvenation

Singing brings a new vibration to the soul

Treat yourself as if you have all the time in the world for you

Upstream doesn’t get you there

Validate and honor actions – there is always a reason

Worth is a man-made concept – accept that you are worth it and move on

Xenial – be hospitable to self as you would a stranger

You, you, you  – it is all about you

Zero in on the things that are important to you – so much time is wasted on what we think is expected

©Kristin Kennedy, 2011

 

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New Blog: Haiku 365


Did you see my new blog yet?  I accepted the challenge by WordPress to launch a 365-blog – a blog that I contribute to for 365(6) days of this year.  I thought about photos, recipes, inspirational sayings, and I settled on Haikus.

Haiku, a Japanese poetic form, paints pictures through a structured, yet simplistic, word form.  I have both studied and admired, haiku for some time.  Like you, perhaps, I was introduced to haiku as a child in school, and more recently started to find pleasure, meditation, and sometimes solace in its form and style.

Writing haiku is nurturing, and yet stimulating.  My desire is to write and share my own haiku,as well as share the work of modern and classic haiku poets during this year of Haiku 365.   I would also love to share your haiku as you become inspired.  I hope you join me on this journey.

The RSS Feed for Haiku 365 will always be available on the right column of this blog, so you can click on it to get to the other blog anytime you would like.

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Poem: “I Get To”…& Thoughts on Suffering


Have you ever been stuck in a “case of the need-to’s”?  Yesterday I was sitting with people and listening to their words, and I heard myself often in their words: “I need to do this…”, “I think I am supposed to head in this direction, but I don’t know…”, “I still feel sad, I just can’t get it to go away…”  I heard them.  I understood them.  I have said those words often, and many more.  These sentiments are perhaps a part of your daily rhetoric as well.

…And then a poem (sentiment) came over me – (that is how so much of my poetry comes to me)…  These words left me to ponder – still am – so I thought I would share them with you:

I Get To…

The world doesn’t need me

…I get to live in it

Love doesn’t need me to go ‘round

…I get to accept it and give it

Life doesn’t need me to do anything

…I get to honor it

Suffering doesn’t need me to obliterate it

… I get to express it

Joy doesn’t need me to master it

…I get to discover it

Truth doesn’t need me to justify it

…I get to rest in it

                                                              ©Kristin Kennedy, 2011

What struck me in these words was the fact that so often we try to wipe out suffering whether it is in ourselves, or causes, or in the world.  I do think we get to “love into” suffering, and I think that is powerful, purposeful, and known to be effective, but I think there will be suffering.  Arrival is not the elimination of suffering, but the expression of it, the acknowledgement of its presence, the concept of bringing it into the light – normalizing the reality of it versus trying to conquer it.  There is freedom in that.  When we set ourselves up to the impossible goal of “arriving” and not experiencing suffering, then we set ourselves up for perpetual failure, self-criticism, under/over achievement, and so often that perpetuates emotions and physical dis-ease.  When we eliminate the concept of arrival equals success, and martyrdom in our suffering, and when we give freedom of expression with it (different from complaining), then we invite healing, unity in the cause, unity in the journey, understanding, camaraderie, acceptance, love – all the things that would nurture us and others in our suffering.

It would be great to hear your thoughts.  Let’s dialogue.  Integrative thought:  We don’t “need” to do anything to impact this world, but we “get” to…and the circle is that when we realize the “get” to’s, we impact those around us in very powerful ways.

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Hay(na)ku


Rainy Day FunRain, Rainy weather
Image via Wikipedia

If you dabble with poetry, you might want to check out Robert Lee Brewer’s Poetic Aside Blog…each week on a Wednesday he gives poetry prompts to stimulate ideas with opportunities to share with the poetry blog community.  Periodically there are challenges and contests that are fun to try as well.

The current challenge is to write Hay(na)ku, 3-lined poetry with one word on the first line, two words on the second, and three words on the third line.  I thought I would share a few that I dabbled with, with you.  If you get stimulated to be creative, I would love to read your Hay(na)ku, please share…and go to http://www.writersdigest.com/editor-blogs/poetic-asides and submit your poetry.

One,

Two, Three

Make a Community

 

Cart

Before Horse

Means Extra Work

 

Go

Go Inward

Light Illuminates Way

 

Spice

Brings Joy

To My Tastebuds

 

Rain

Gentle Rinse

Feels So Good

 

Tail

Wags Dog

Usually Means Accident

 

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Kindness and Sorrow


Green Shadows

I have been studying poetry and found this poem to be not only enriching, but challenging.  One does not normally connect sorrow and kindness, but when I read this poem it made total sense…I hope you find the beauty and truth in this poem as well.

Kindness
by Naomi Shihab Nye

Before you know what kindness really is
you must lose things,
feel the future dissolve in a moment
like salt in a weakened broth.
What you held in your hand,
what you counted and carefully saved,
all this must go so you know
how desolate the landscape can be
between the regions of kindness.
How you ride and ride
thinking the bus will never stop,
the passengers eating maize and chicken
will stare out the window forever.

Before you learn the tender gravity of kindness,
you must travel where the Indian in a white poncho
lies dead by the side of the road.
You must see how this could be you,
how he too was someone
who journeyed through the night with plans
and the simple breath that kept him alive.

Before you know kindness as the deepest thing inside,
you must know sorrow as the other deepest thing.
You must wake up with sorrow.
You must speak to it till your voice
catches the thread of all sorrows
and you see the size of the cloth.

Then it is only
kindness that makes sense anymore,
only kindness that ties your shoes
and sends you out into the day to mail letters and
purchase bread,
only kindness that raises its head
from the crowd of the world to say
it is I you have been looking for,
and then goes with you everywhere
like a shadow or a friend.

—Naomi Shihab Nye from Words Under Words: Selected Poems

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National Poetry Month


You may not know it, but April is National Poetry Month.  I have been following Robert Lee Brewer’s blog Poetic Asides and have been actively involved in the 2011 April PAD Challenge.  Each day he gives a topic to write on and everyone shares some of their writings.  I thought I would share a few with you, just for fun.  I hope you enjoy.

The Biggest Piece of Pie (Day 1)
Momma sent us to the store
“Listen now, before you’re out that door.
Johnny get a dozen eggs.
Sally buy some chicken legs.
Suzy pick up some loaves of bread.
Michael find a cauliflower head.
Georgie pick out some red tomatoes.
Franny buy some sweet potatoes.
Gather your coins, don’t forget your shoes,
Be polite, and mind your p’s and q’s.”
Suzy in her roller skates,
Went over curbs and under gates.
On the red scooter, Johnny went,
Rattled and rolled to his content.
A blue two-wheeler with a basket went Sally,
She raced through every back road and alley.
Georgie rode his sleek skateboard,
Pushing along, no time to be bored.
Michael donned his running shoes,
He ran through the woods and across the mews.
Frannie was wise, she saddled her horse,
Sturdy and steady was Ol’ Bessie, of course.
They raced, and they galloped, rolled, and ran
Everyone with their secret victory plan
To get to the market, and back on the road,
And home to Momma, their goods to unload.
First in the house, gets to cut the pie
The biggest piece goes to the victor, of course, that’s no lie.

Postcard Poem – Day 2
The seas wash on the sandy shores
Filling in all the empty spaces
From above and below
As my soul
Is bathed in the energy of the wind
A cherished day on the beach

A Serious Goofy Poem – Day 5
Sail close to the wind…not under false colors
Eat like a bird…no eat like a horse…no eat like a pig…just don’t eat crow
Rake over old coals…raises eyebrows…and rains on my parade
I may be daft, but not stupid…I’m just in a pickle…not in a jam…I just don’t want to be in another’s shoes
Off the cuff…off the grid…off the mark…off the scale…off the hook…I’m glad I’m not off my rocker
Under your nose is better than under your thumb which is better than under your skin, she said under her breath
Say uncle…on second thought, see which way the cat jumps, so the scales fall from your eyes
…a seriously goofy poem about words.

You are always invited to share some of your writings as well…I love to hear from you.

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Contemplation at the Lake


さざなみ　golden ripples
Endless Movement

I spent some time writing at the lake the other day and while there, I took a few minutes to breathe, ponder, and observe.  This poem tells about the experience…It was much more than just watching the water.  I hope you get to take a moment and contemplate…of course, only if you want.

The Lake

There is containment.

Yet in that,

There is infinite movement,

Ripples, waves, undulations,

Never ending.

The edges contribute to endlessness,

Of movement, not space.

Illusion?  Physics? Reality.

Without boundary there would be no freedom,

No flow.

An oxymoron of sorts,

Yet freeing.

Such is life.