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H2O – Poem by Ali Grimshaw

~ Ali Grimshaw ~ 16 Comments 

water is love

with spoiled sleep 
a handful of sand between the sheets
you wake up thirsty

luckily you're 10 steps 
from a faucet
from the sound of life filling a cup
tasting your beginnings

rain continues in Portland, Oregon 
while citizens dream dry skies

drought continues in Ethiopia
while 24 million cry for water

love isn't always water
sometimes love is listening longer than
you have before
especially when you think you already know 
pushing your ego aside to make room 
for hearing
free like the bubbler on the street corner

giving water to an urban camper is kind
but could be a solution to a problem
that doesn't exist
no necesito agua

"I always leave the faucet running."
how lucky to be ignorant
how unlucky to not know the smell of drought
when water tastes of life

determined tulips of hope whisper to her
she tethers huge rainclouds to her belt
walks her way to the parched

the future hasn't happened yet
anything is still possible

like the yellow umbrella leaning
next to the open door
suggests sunlight in raindrops

© Alicia Grimshaw 2023
Photo taken on one of Portland's classic 
summer bike rides. Pedalpalooza! 

Inspired by National Poetry Writing Month's 
writing prompt for today
"Twenty Little Poetry Projects”
See all the prompts HERE

Promises – Poem By Ali Grimshaw

~ Ali Grimshaw ~ 10 Comments 
moleclues of motion 
have never known the word obstacle

green going with the flow
happily not seeking separation

a sorrowful lament or joyous naming of aliveness
birthed from the diaphram

like eyes from above emulating possibility
of sight through darkness

and they continued to create, even when
they couldn't feel hope 

beating the odds
one heartbeat at a time


Photo taken in Portugal 2017.

Day 2 of National Poetry Writing Month

Check out the prompts HERE.

The questions I chose to ponder were: What is a river?

What is seaweed? What is song? What is an owl? What is a miracle?

Morning Forecast – Poem by Ali Grimshaw

~ Ali Grimshaw ~ 22 Comments 

The wordclouds hover above
to make a shadow on my morning.

Looking up I wonder, how am I to decipher
which are fact or which are fiction?

Layered marks of truth and dare
like a novel netted weather pattern

and I am no meterologist,
just someone looking

for a small clearing in the sky.

© Alicia Grimshaw 2023

Join a welcoming community of poets
for Open Link Night on 
dVerse Poets Pub, HERE.

Revisiting Beliefs- Poem by Ali Grimshaw

~ Ali Grimshaw ~ 29 Comments 
Your belief in aloneness
is your greatest mistake.

You were born into the hands 
of the world, for us 
to sing you through.

Mountains to call you upward
rivers to bring forth and release.

For what you are made of, I am made of
elements of rock, sky and sea.

Your error is not that you are broken
It is that you have yet to see
your wholeness.

© Alicia Grimshaw 2023

Join a welcoming community of poets
for Open Link Night on 
dVerse Poets Pub, HERE.

Coddiwomple – Poem by Ali Grimshaw

~ Ali Grimshaw ~ 24 Comments

“Turn and go back to the last thing

you remember doing

with your whole heart.”

– Joyce Sutphen


Even without a roadmap
I can follow the song
of my heart's direction.

Sing along while keen 
to its increase.

Turning in time
so as not to lose 
the melodic trail.

Ears intent on my 
wholeness of being

Filtering freefalling notes
once lost
easing my ache
of confusion.

© Ali Grimshaw 2023

Coddiwomple (v.) Origin: English Slang Word.Definition: To travel in a purposeful manner towards a vague destination.

earthweal open link weekend
Join us to share and connect.

Time Zones – Poem by Ali Grimshaw

~ Ali Grimshaw ~ 2 Comments 
I run from myself
catch a corner of feeling
accept this moment of liberation

as skin of bruised clouds darkens
a prickling tingle goosebumps my arms
airwaves gather energy sparks

our tilted world revolves
a turning we have never
been able to feel
yet know as truth

a shift occurring between/from
who are the others
who are the us

we ride around the sun
evolving regardless of our position
or noticing

recycled drops of rain.

© Ali Grimshaw 2023

First published on MasticadoresUsa 
Thank you for giving my poem a home.

Photo taken in San Franscico. 
A luscious sunset in February of 2023.

Laundrying Hope – Poem by Ali Grimshaw

~ Ali Grimshaw ~ 48 Comments 
It gets dirty over time
soiled by history, upturned endings, 
unexpected overflows into tomorrow.
Stains of resentment, practiced disbelief,
and heartbreak headlines get into the fabric.
It loses it's luster with living.

Launder your hope often
with practice you will begin to notice
when it's time for cleansing 
a cycle of care
soaps of forgiveness scented 
rinsing of kindness 
freeing the unneeded past
in a small, generous bucket.

Let it line dry
on its own sunlight time 
without watching your clock 
returning to softness, colors revealed 
by evening's renewable breeze.

And now I wonder why
there isn't a small label with clear directions
for it's care?

What information could be more important 
to keep your heart open?

© Ali Grimshaw 2023

Join us for Open Link Night 
at dVersep Poet's Pub - HERE

Earthweal Open Link Weekend #157

Undressing Mistakes – Poem by Ali Grimshaw

~ Ali Grimshaw ~ 14 Comments 
is it's weight worth 
carrying forward 

does waking up to it
spring you forth

have you noticed
that you stepped into it
again

it is never too late
to go barefoot

fresh starts are free
don't believe me

go toe testing for yourself

I dare you to show up
differently

bare yourself

© Ali Grimshaw 2023

Undeniable – Poem by Ali Grimshaw

~ Ali Grimshaw ~ 30 Comments 
how many days can you claim
bold aliveness

kindergarten eagerness
ignited intentions

bright contagiousness of
shared lifting

sky-filled unerasable strokes 
readable by all

baring yourself beautiful

with each word from your mouth
skinny-dipping freedom

because words of love
deserve all capitals
sing unification

undeniable

© Ali Grimshaw 2023

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Photo taken in Puerto Vallarta, Mexio.