Tag: Poetry

Posted on

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.

Related articles
Posted on

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

Related articles
Posted on

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

 

Posted on

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

 

Related articles
Posted on

Words


Words…  As you probably know, I started another blog on January 1 of this year – a year-long challenge of myself to write haiku and other related poetry and publish on the blog every day of 2012.  Not sure, at all, why I endeavored into this commitment, but I did, and I am having so much fun learning to write minimally, to have “haiku mind”, and to connect with others all over the world.

“Haiku mind” is my segue to what I want to talk about here.  To quote Patricia Donegan in her book, Haiku Mind, “Haiku, the Japanese form of poetry written in just three lines, can be miraculous in its power to articulate the profundity of the simplest moment.”  Words are powerful, and more words do not necessarily create more power, we know that in theory, and we know that from traditions such as Haiku.  I don’t know about you, but even though I know that in my head, my words run away from me sometimes.  I was in discussion with someone recently, commenting on how many more followers I have on my haiku blog compared to what I have on this blog, and she quickly commented, “That is because people don’t want to take the time to read something so long, you lose them.”  Ok, so, already I have written too much probably, right?

So I will end for now, there is much to be said…but this is what I know about words:

  • They speak for themselves
  • They are powerful
  • They are more powerful in fewer numbers
  • When I use too many, I am not confident in what I am saying, and am either trying to convince myself and/or you

 

Related articles
Posted on

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.

Related articles
Posted on

Kindness


Kindness Overflowing, Right?

As I mentioned the other day, in the previous blog post, I read Ransom by David Malouf.  I found the book fascinating and sought to read some of his other books.  I just finished reading An Imaginary Life.  As a writer of both poetry and contemplative thought, I was very much inspired by Malouf’s keen sense of communication through a poetic and contemplative voice.  I literally wrote pages of quotes in my journal, not so much for the content, but more for the style.

An Imaginary Life is a fictitious interpretation of Publius Ovidius Naso, a first century A.D. Roman poet who was banished to a small village away from his “kind” and allowed to exist in a barbarian community who showed him kindness.  Let me quote the description: But then he becomes the guardian of a still more savage creature, a feral child who has grown up among deer.  What ensues is a luminous encounter between civilization and nature, as enacted by a poet who once cataloged the treacheries of love and a boy who slowly learns how to give it.

I have been pondering this quote from Malouf: Kindness, I know, is the way – and time [speaking in regards to civilizing The Child].  To reveal to him first what our kindness is, what our kind is; and then to convince him that we belong to the same
kind.  It is out of this that he must discover what he is. (77)

The latter part of that quote, “it is out of this that he must discover what he is” has been really challenging me.  I think how often I do something for others out of kindness – give a hug, buy something, carry a burden for, or intercede in some way.  Is it really kindness?  Or is it easement of my own feelings?  Is it enabling?  Is it allowing her to discover for herself who or what she is?

Integrative thought:  I do not wanting to negate kindness.  I know it is one of the Fruits of the Spirit.  I know we are to be clothed in kindness.  I have to at times, though, do a self-check as to my motivation regarding my kindness.  My desire is that my kindness is without strings and not for my feel-goods.  Nor is it to stand in the way of someone discovering who/what she is.

Kindness is not so much about how I feel as it is as Maya Angelou says: “People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” Go, be kind today, but let it overflow out of the kindness you honor you with in your own self care…and periodically check to see if your kindness is standing in the way of someone discovering who she is.

Related articles
Posted on

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

 

Posted on

Authenticity: Being Free to be You


Poetry Books
Image by chillihead via Flickr

Authenticity is being free to be you; genuine.  Many of us struggle with authenticity because we actually don’t know who we really are.  We have been groomed, trained, and encouraged by the different cultural units in our lives to be what is necessary for the circumstances, environment, or needs at the time.  Just reading this last sentence may scratch you and stir up a little emotion of some sort because we have become so adept at role playing that we no longer see the definition of ‘authenticity’ in our functional dictionary.

I have been reading a great book, Saved by a Poem: The transformational power of words, by Kim Rosen.  I found her thoughts regarding authenticity very challenging.  She states that there are two keys to being freely authentic when speaking a poem
(The premise of the book is that the integration of poetry into our lives is healing and peacemaking), “The first is a willingness to welcome feelings of being unseen, unheard, and misunderstood” (p. 186).  She continues to say that “it is only when you are willing to be unseen that you can be truly visible.” (p. 187).  If we are not willing to be unseen, then much of our energy is put to either being seen or protecting ourselves from
judgment.  I don’t know about you, but that can be a consuming energy.

The second key is to be willingly seen, as you are – all of you.  Again, if we stop and think about it, so much of our energy is put towards controlling what we want to be visible for others or hiding what we don’t want others to see.  Making a mistake in front of others can be devastating.  How we present ourselves is so often based on hiding the blemish, squeezing behind the control panels, or wearing what others are wearing even if it isn’t our style, just to fit in.

People are going to see what they want to see, no matter what.  The integrative thought I continue to dabble with and encourage you to do so as well, is: Am I willing to be
authentic to me, for me, and in me?  Am I willing to be visible in my beauty and  imperfections?  Am I willing to be ‘not seen’?  Am I willing to be me, because I am me,
inclusive of good, not good, and in-between?  Lots to ponder!

Posted on

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.

Related Articles