poem

My (Not Doing) List – Poem by Ali Grimshaw

~ Ali Grimshaw ~ 36 Comments 

feed fear with unreal reels

worry about my forgetfulness

get rid of the unwanted flab under my arms

build my knowledge of astrophysics

whiten my teeth or make my oven sparkle

catalog boxes of dust collectors

perfect the way I manage my time

hesitate to sing regardless of location

find a way to get him to talk to me

obsess on how to be better balanced

wait for better weather to begin

© Ali Grimshaw 2025

Join us over at dVerse Poets' Pub for Open Link Night. Link one poem of your choice and have fun reading the poetry of others in this welcoming community. - HERE.

One Day They Knew – Poem by Ali Grimshaw

~ Ali Grimshaw ~ 17 Comments 

and they signed up to become listeners for the collective
pledging their ears to receive the full telling of each
without rejection of a single tale or truth

a willingness to learn this craft of the heart
essential for survival of the whole

most understood this was more than an occupation
it would become their way of being for a lifetime

to cradle the words of each speaker
holding tender the unthinkable

without judgement 

© Ali Grimshaw 2025
Photo taken in Croatia 2023.

Could it be this simple? – Poem By Ali Grimshaw

~ Ali Grimshaw ~ 46 Comments 


Dancing across language barriers
hands collectively repair.

We reside just a hoot and a holler away
from each others' doorsteps.

We are Team Earth,
shining golden against gunmetal gray.

Let's shovel out resignation 
plant a tree, then another.

I will bring the watering can.

©Ali Grimshaw 2025

I created this small artwork based on my love of trees. Team Earth, I am always on your side.

Join a friendly community of poets HERE
at dVerse Poetry Pub for a fun quadrille challenge.
What do you give a hoot about?

And if we did – Poem by Ali Grimshaw

~ Ali Grimshaw ~ 19 Comments

A big thank you to editor Barbara Leonhard for publishing my poem, And if we did. This poem came from an inquiry about what I assume and the power of sitting with the question, “What am I assuming to be true?” I invite you to visit MasticadoresUsa to read the poem, enjoy the poetry of others, and share your thoughts.

Thank you to the many, many poets who keep our hearts alive during challenging times.

Join in Open Link Night at dVerse Poets’ Pub HERE. Share a poem of your choice and meet a friendly community of poets.

Remember when we used to call each other? – Poem by Ali Grimshaw

~ Ali Grimshaw ~ 12 Comments 



soft
giggles
like crumbs of encouragement

warm
murmurs
like holding a shaking hand

pillows of 
intention
there to catch you

if,
just if.

©Ali Grimshaw 2025

Photo of a happy summer memory and young lovers. 
We are stronger together.

The Noticing – Poem by Ali Grimshaw

~ Ali Grimshaw ~ 23 Comments 

In the grocery store parking lot I stopped.
I stopped when I saw her shining above.

What glory, she captivated the sky 
and the cold felt fresh, an awakening to

the noticing. The beautiful that no one 
can ever take away. The moon, a bright planet

accompanying her, together in the dark
stilled my breath. How lucky that the noticing

still lives within me. So many have forgotten
to look up.

© Ali Grimshaw 2025

In these dark times it is more important than ever to share you light. Sending you mine.

What will you pair together? – Poem by Ali Grimshaw

~ Ali Grimshaw ~ 15 Comments 

teapot with toaster
smokey skies, lost hope
bridges, boundaries
hints of forgiveness, open passageways
returning again to locked doors
rainboots greeting purposeful puddle stomping 

associations that may or may not 
be related depending on who is listening

what will you put with that word?

© Ali Grimshaw 2025

Visit a friendly poetry community at dVerse Poets’ Pub for Quadrille Monday.

Join the fun HERE.

Photo taken of the St. John’s Bridge, Oregon.

How might you join another? – Poem by Ali Grimshaw

~ Ali Grimshaw ~ 18 Comments

Inosculation, a natural wonder, encapsulates the extraordinary process where parts of two distinct trees, often of the same species but not exclusively, grow together, forming an intimate bond through self-grafting and the sharing of life-sustaining nutrients. This botanical phenomenon, with roots in Latin—ōsculārī, meaning “to kiss”—brings to life a narrative of mutual support, resilience, and interconnectedness in the realm of nature.  from – Nature’s Eternal Embrace: The Extraordinary Bond of Inosculation

by Hasan

togetherness
makes the impossible 
look like magic

lean in to believing
reach with both hands
trust in love

© Ali Grimshaw 2025

Studying the Landscape – Poem by Ali Grimshaw

~ Ali Grimshaw ~ 12 Comments

“The storm’s ravages had not only opened her eyes, but her heart and mind as well. What mattered was the present moment. The people she was with. She may never be fully free of the past, and the future might bring more struggle. But the here and now wasn’t a place to hide. It was hers to live.”

– from The Medicine Woman of Galveston by Amanda Skenandore

Distant views calmed her mind
these cliffs, twisted roads, rugged mountains were relatable.

A smooth life could not create this kind of beauty

and once again nature was teaching her how to navigate sorrows.

What remains an obstacle may depend on the point from which she observed the landscape.

Photo taken at Colorado National Monument 2024.

Today in the U.S. we honor Martin Luther King, Jr., and in his honor, I am reflecting on perseverance.

Poetry Has Arms – Poem by Ali Grimshaw

~ Ali Grimshaw ~ 7 Comments


Poetry has arms
to reach beyond borders
stretch across isles
swim channels of shame
while handing our fresh hankies
for tears of lost love.

Poetry has arms
to hold, comfort, and allow
for all to be felt
the sharp, the cut wide open
poetry pushes no one away.

All are welcome
through this doorway.

© Ali Grimshaw 2025



I started writing circles with the desire to reach just a few, share my flashlight, and listen with compassion. The last four years have brought your voices on the breeze, across seas stanzas sailed, flew and walked themselves beyond boundaries. I have heard your hearts.
Throughout my facilitating of writing circles I have witnessed authentic sharing and heartfelt listening. I believe the practice of writing and reflecting together is a powerful agent of change. At an event I attended recently Mark Nepo said, “Global humanity’s health depends on healthy souls keeping the literacy of the heart alive.” This resonated with me. Let’s come together and do this in the writing circle.

Are you curious about exploring possibilities through poems? Are you seeking a sisterhood to write and reflect? Are you wanting a loving space to purposefully pause?

Listening for Possibility – Writing Circle Series With Ali

Three Saturdays: January 25, February 8, February 22, 2025
9:30 – 11:00 am PDT on Zoom

During each session we will listen to poems and each other, listen inward for the needs of the heart and explore the doors we want to open next.

This group will be held to six participants to allow deep listening and sharing.

$75 for the series

Payment through PayPal paypal.me/LIfeByDesignOR or Venmo at Alicia-Grimshaw

Whether you are inspired to join me or not I would love to hear from you. I am looking for ways to be of service to others through writing.

Wishing you wellness and peace,

Ali