“Just Because,” a poem I wrote in celebration of a life teaching, has been published on MasticadoresUsa. Thank you to the editor, Barbara Leonhard for giving it a home. I hope my words will inspire others to consider stepping into the field of education.
“Just Because” I teach them about the magic eraser of fresh starts far more valuable than double-digit multiplication or how to identify an adverb. You can read the full poem HERE
Planting a tree with my 5th graders back in 1994.
"Happiness held is the seed. Happiness shared is the flower." -John Harrigan what sweet relief to witness the majesty of bloom on blue background bright with multiple openings of pinks possible a sigh of cold escapes me, finally evidence of arrival in the air I smell aliveness and again, I have survived winter © Alicia Grimshaw 2023 Photo taken this afternoon in Portland, Oregon. Just a regular walk.
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
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?
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.
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.
“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.
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.
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
“Choosing to live and love with our whole hearts is an act of defiance. ”
– Brene Brown
flashlight batteries - Ali Grimshaw 