Monday, December 13, 2010

Called to Do

I've always been the type of person to try to accomplish things. I have many diverse interests, and (neither you nor) I never what hobby, project, idea or endeavor I will want to try next! I usually just go for it. I don't really believe in the word "can't" unless I've actually tried it and found that I absolutely CANNOT accomplish the mission at hand! Here's the thing...my mind is pretty much non-stop, and there are always ideas brewing in my head, so I am pretty much always into something! Once I get an idea/thought, I go full-on. The project I am currently so passionate about is starting this group called Journaling Army Wives! I'm incredibly excited about it and believe in the good it will do. But, I truly feel that this idea found its way to me, from somewhere, someone higher than me. I feel so compelled to bring this to success and fruition. I believe we, as humans, are here to execute master plans, details great and small. Every incidence of progress, creates the space for change and advancement of human kind. No one who does something from the goodness of their heart should feel like their contribution is too small, because all of those small things add up to something grand. So people I urge you to go, do, try and don't submit to thinking you can't before you've attempted. Wishing everyone success in any endeavor they are passionate about!

MG/LPS

Monday, December 6, 2010

Journal Grp For Deployed Spouses-HELP~

Hello all! I will be creating a journaling group at my local installation here. My intention is to facilitate a group with journaling prompts followed by coffee & tea. It will be a way to meet & bring together women who are going through a deployment, and a way to realease some of the stresses related to it. I am quite excited and passionate about this project & I think it will do a lot of good! Here's how YOU can help the spouses of deployed service members!



***I would like for these spouses to be able to come in with nothing but themselves; I'd like to be able to provide a journal to start with, for each participant.
**If you want to or know someone who may want to donate a simple blank journal, please get in touch with me.** It does not have to be fancy, and every little bit counts. Even if YOU cannot, you may know somone who can donate a journal. :-)



Thank you so much in advance to everyone! Spread the word!



You can reach me here or via email, poeticseamstress@gmail.com

Wednesday, December 1, 2010

Tomorrow (A Military Spouses Poem)


TOMORROW (a military spouses’ poem)

Tomorrow, we'll be up before dawn
Tomorrow will be the morning that haunts me
Tomorrow I'll go numb
Tomorrow, the color of my world will be grey
Tomorrow, I'll wish you could stay

Tomorrow, I'll lose my crutches
And it will take me a while to learn to walk correctly
Tomorrow, I'll walk on stilts while holding a weight in each hand
Tomorrow, my toes will be pricked with pins
And my finger tips will become needles
Tomorrow, my wingspan will grow
To cover and protect our nest
Tomorrow, I'll try my best

Tomorrow is the opening day
Of The Year of Loneliness
Tomorrow, I must put on a grand show
For the miniature spectators need to believe
It will all be okay, because every play
Should have a happy ending

Tomorrow, I will be impermeable
Tomorrow, I will shun the voices
Of soothers, and the well meaning kind
This pain is mine
One I refuse to share
And have a right to bear

Tomorrow, I'll start drawing X's in squares
And filling boxes with care
And I will wash my pillowcase every day
To wash the tearful mascara marks away
And I'll pray
And pray
And pray

Until tomorrow becomes the day
When I can
Stop counting
Stop crossing out squares
Stop carrying weights
Stop buying Kleenex in bulk sizes
Stop trying to stuff my love in a box

And have my toes and fingers back
And exhale
And you
Come back
To Us
To me.

~M.G.~

Monday, November 15, 2010

Writing through it...

My mentor and fellow writer, Alicia Anabel, took some time to workshop with me. We worked through my writers block. What did I realize? I write; it's just what I do. Sometimes I write from my own perspective, my feelings. But, a lot of times I try to put myself in the shoes of others and write from how they may be feeling. Or, I write from my experiences and how they affect and inspire me. My block was writing from MY pain. Writing from and through a painful feeling or experience leaves one incredibly vulnerable. It's like having a huge gash and leaving it open, susceptible to all kinds of mess. I tend to close the painful things off, not open them, not allow any mess in. It always heals, but it also always leaves a scar.

Today, I wrote a poem about deployment. My soldier is preparing to deploy to a not-so-friendly area, and I am not one bit excited about that. He's leaving, I'm staying. Each aspect of the transition carries stressful experiences. I decided to write through it, or at least scratch the surface of what I am feeling. A comfort in the whole matter is knowing that for each line I type, I KNOW there is some other military spouse out there who is feeling the very same way. It is a thread that weaves us all together, regardless of race, religion or region. So I write for myself, to purge and heal. I also write for my fellow spouses who feel these same things, but maybe cannot put it into words.

~LPS~

Monday, October 18, 2010

Instant Gratification


I like things like the quarter machines, where you put a quarter in, turn the dial and out comes a prize or gumball or whatever. Instantly, bam! There it is! I love that! But of course, most of real life is not like a quarter machine. It takes a grand amount of patience sometimes. Tying this into my writing...I'm blocked. Actually, it feels more like stalled. Perhaps it's even sidetracked. There is a lot going on in my life. That is NO excuse. I need to learn how to manage my time and focus more clearly. I want to write, so I want it to come out NOW! The words, the stanzas, the rhymes, but they won't. Here is one thing that I have learned though, through the years. I cannot will the words. They come when they are ready to come, when the words are clear. This is true in every day life as well. When we obsess over wanting things that we don't have at the moment, it makes all of things we DO have pale in comparison. What is meant to be ours will make its arrival into our pocket of the universe when it is our time to receive it.

~LPS~

Wednesday, October 6, 2010

Not all Hearts & Flowers, USA!

Let's get it straight from the first sentence. I am a VERY proud military wife, proud of my soldier, happy to be an American family supporting our service member. I LOVE what the military stands for and am patriotic. Just to be clear, I am not bashing the military in any way! Now that I got that off my chest...

It is my opinion that the voice of the military spouse is not being heard on many issues. People hear that it's hard for us to go through deployments, and it is. People watch shows like Army Wives (decent show) which does portray some of the issues, but it is not the REALITY of how we live, what we go through, our daily struggles. WE have many concerns. The public hears about the things that are affecting the soldiers. Who is telling our story, how those very same issues affect the spouses?? This is where I come in! I am quite passionate about the things that affect military spouses and families, and I intend to work on raising our voice!

This is an effort in steps. I am currently gathering opinions of other military spouses to share our thoughts. If you are a military spouse interested in sharing your thoughts, please contact me. I am looking forward to this project!

~LPS

Monday, September 20, 2010

A mother's protective instinct...

I was going to write about birds this morning. I had a bird chirping at me, getting my attention. Then I read a status of someone on my Facebook page. She'd shared that her son was ill, someone commented something to the effect of "how could she let that happen", and she went OFF on him! I applaud her for that, and told her so. There is very little that can hold a candle to the might of a mother's instinct to protect and care for her children. I was told by my mother-in-law, after expressing how much I looooooved her son, that I wouldn't truly know what love was until I had a child. Three years later, I gave birth to my first child and found that she was absolutely correct! As soon as a child is born, that child that has either grown from our own womb or that child that one was blessed enough to have found her, and that she adopts, we change. A deep love manifests and courses through our veins, mind & body & soul, we LOVE this child and want nothing more than to see it thrive happily and live healthy. We will fiercely protect that child, even if it is not in our nature to be aggressive. We would run into a burning building, jump in front of a car, dive into an ocean, anything it would take (even if it risks our own lives) to ensure that child is safe and well. I am not naturally aggressive or argumentative. That changes when it comes to my children. I advocate for them, I stand up for them and I make them feel protected. To say to any mother, even in a casual or joking manner, that she allowed some harm, even in the smallest degree, will activate a ferocious maternal protective instinct. Keep in mind this is not only a human trait. Many species in the animal kingdom share these instincts. Motherhood is the most challenging and most rewarding job (gift) a woman will ever undertake. Speaking for myself, it's is the most precious gift I have ever received. Thank you God!

~LPS~

Monday, September 6, 2010

It was there all along~

I knew I wanted to open my mind to writing something today. For me, that means waiting. It's kind of like knowing someone is going to call, but they didn't tell you exactly what time. I didn't have to wait very long and it was while I was doing the morning dishes. I have three children so every morning there are usually three cups, three bowls/plates and three utensils to wash from breakfast. (I like the #3, btw.) This morning, there was a fourth cup. These particular cups came in a set of four, but I usually only see 3, as I said. {I'm guessing hubby drank something before PT.} Anyway, as I washed them, I said to myself, "Where'd this fourth cup come from?" Then I answered myself, "It was there all along, I just never used it." {And yes, I do converse with myself in this way regularly. P.S. I wasn't speaking aloud.} So this got me thinking.

We all posess skills, talents, gifts, traits, etc., that are within us that we do not use or tap into. When one lacks confidence, it is not because they truly lack it in the sense of absence, they just have not made the choice to exercise it, for example. We are all masses of energy, wonder and unlimited potential! How energized we become, how wonderous we turn out and how much of our potential we reach is in OUR hands. The Creator (whichever name you choose, for me it's God) did not put a cap on our potential. What a gift! Just to know that if I want something, if I dream of something (as I often do), I DO have the power to make it reality because the tools to the pathways of success are built right into me! I tell my children all the time, usually when they are being unruly and tell me they can't stop misbehaving, that we, as human beings were given great power. We can control our minds and bodies. We COULD have been created as robots, but instead we were given emotions and free will, and it is that which allows us to decide for ourselves how we will behave/act. It is a great responsibility, but also a powerful gift. {They like that part.}


So today I challenge you to tap into your own ability and power. For the things that you desire, want to achieve, look within yourself to find the pathway. Reflect inwardly on all those things that have been there all along. They await your beckon.

~LPS~

Thursday, August 26, 2010

Texas, I have arrived!

After a grueling trip (LONG ride, our car completely fell apart in TN, we had to get Red Cross to help us get a tow and a hotel room, had to junk our car and get a rental from an airport an hour and a half way), we FINALLY made it to TX. The best part was as all of this insanity was happening to us, we kept strong as a family and none of us had a nervous breakdown. I try to be thankful of all of the good that we have. Even though it is a difficult patch, we are all being optimistic and upbeat. We have a home, we have our things and we are working on getting a car. The kids are in school and I've even had a chance to meet a group of really friendly and cool wives. Here are my initial observations about Texas:
#1 ~It's HOTTTTTT!
#2 There are huge, icky crickets out here.
#3 ~The walk, in total to & from school to take my kids will total about 4 miles daily!
#4 ~This installation is HUGE!
#5 ~People really DO wear cowboy boots on a regular basis out here!

Still so much to learn, so many people to meet, places to visit and things to do! Forwarrrrd, MARCH!

~LPS~

Thursday, August 5, 2010

Bitty ponytail, Spare Change & Cleaning persons

Jobs...endless options! Meaning, you can seek out jobs in any field provided that you are qualified. I want to take this moment to say how much I appreciate all of the people in the world who are OCD about cleaning. These are the people who excel and enjoy the job of being a cleaning person. I am totally serious too! As I mentioned, I'm moving. I have spent the past week, scrubbing, bleaching, scraping, wiping, washing rinsing....and I'm tired and my fingers are peeling from Clorox & all the other cleaning products. (Even though I love the smell of cleaning supplies like Clorox, Windex & Pine Sol!) This is another opportunity to state how much I appreciate my husband. Even with all the cleaning I have done, there is still a lot to be done!! So my hubby has agreed to hire cleaning people to clean the house to clear for our move!! Woot-woot!! I have done so much already so it's pretty much easy, but I almost teared up at the thought of cleaning blinds again!! So that makes me a really happy camper! Oddly enough, I DO have several OCD tendencies, but they mostly stem from my obsession with order and doing things "just right". About my ponytail...I HAVE ONE. It's a little itty bitty one, but it fits in a pony tail holder!! I am growing my hair out. I've considered getting extensions in, but they are SO expensive. I'll have to see if I can get a good deal!! It would be a change. Speaking of change....I am saving all of the loose change and singles I am finding around the house! I can't wait to see how much I gather! I told the kids we'd have a pizza party with the $ we collect!!

Thursday, July 29, 2010

Message for me...




It's been a while since I've posted. I'm not one to ramble about what I did or ate today. It has to come to me, that "thing" that I want to share, to say. As I was scrolling through my FB page, it was like someone said "pssst". The message...it was for me, not about me at all, but for me. The phenomenal Raven posted "I'm running late but I'm on my way." And at that I instant, I said, "me too". Just to myself, I said it. That's exactly how I feel. This, of course, is in regards to my writing. I am in the middle of moving just about cross country and there's a LOT to do. I have had very little time to write. Aside from moving prep, my mind has been on trivial things, that really should not consume so much mental and emotional energy. Today, I decided to release it all. I cannot carry the weight of it, like hooks pierced through the flesh of my back, dragging heavy chains, and I am trying to move forward. Today the chains are gone, the flesh is healing, and the mind is freeing. I probably won't get to do very much writing until I actually arrive at my new home, so it may be later than sooner, but I AM on my way, and I WILL get there. My destination awaits!
{P.S. ~I can't figure out how to take off that second picture! LOL Ooopsie!}

Thursday, July 8, 2010

Music as Inspiration

I'm not talking about Inspirational/Religious music, although that can certainly provide a source of inspiration... My horoscope told me to find my creative inspiration in music today. So I had my coffee and plugged my earphones in and started listening. I have listened to many songs, many genres. What usually happens to me when I listen to music for inspiration, did happen once again, and that's this. I listen. The songs vary greatly. But what happens is that a recurring theme resounds to me. There is a message that is being conveyed to me and it's said to me in different ways each time, fragments of words that all belong to the same thread of thought, message, that is for ME today. I've been in a funk once again, just regular things in life that irritate me more than usual lately. I crave order and structure so when I don't have that, I get a little cranky. I'm smack dab in the middle of getting ready to move half-way across the country and it's a bit stressful, to say the least. (although in all honesty, I am SO excited about it and ready to start the new adventure) The message I keep getting is simple. Shut up, stop complaining, you have the power to change, to make different the things that displease you, you have the power to move mountains if you really wanted to, you are a winner, you've done this long enough to know how to brush it off of your shoulders and rise above. My confidence slightly gaining, I keep listening. I expected "inspiration" to be tied to my writing. But what I needed was a swift kick in the a$$ telling me to get over it and get above it. So that is exactly what I am going to do. YES, I have to convince myself, force myself, but I will. How does that saying go? "Fake it 'til you make it" Something like that, I am not at ALL about being fake, but I guess if I smile enough, strut enough, I'll remind myself there is too much to feel GOOD about and all that is weighing me down is incidental and unimportant. Off to strut!

~La Poetic Seamstress~

Monday, June 28, 2010

Wounded Wiser

WOUNDED WISER

I must be confessing
That I have been stressing
My wounds all need dressing
And it’s been messing
With my head

I gotta get right
Not everything is a fight
It leads to losing sight
Of what is right
In front of me

Not just giving away status
Because that is
Just plain madness
Recognizing that it
Must be earned

Not looking for highlights
In my life
As mother and wife
In plain eye sight
They find me
All day

In the smiles on their faces
In the peaceful places
In the familial embraces
No need to chase it’s
Right here

I’ve refocused my mind
Making the most of time
Chasing the dreams
That I am meant to find
And leaving behind
Baggage


~La Poetic Seamstress~

Sunday, June 13, 2010

Moving (on) New Chapter

Moving. It can be a dreadful process to some. As a military family, we are somewhat accustomed to it, and come to expect it. The only part that I really dislike is packing and unpacking; the rest, I really don't mind. This move, however, is a little harder than previous moves. Only because my children are older and are leaving friends and what they know. We have been here for eight years. That's a lot of time. I am not apprehensive though. We have had great times, met great people and created fond memories here. But, I have also had the displeasure of encountering less than likable characters. Even if I don't associate with them now, the shell remains. I am ready to shed all of the disdain that I have come to acquire while here. I am ready to embark on a NEW chapter, and move on, move forward. I have learned much and grown incredibly in the eight years we have spent here. I am a stronger woman, a better mother and have a solid marriage. Priorities are clear and I am taking what I have learned about myself, and about people, with me. It gives me a greater sense of who and how I need to be as I plant my feet on new territory. On a side enote, I have a terrible headache, and it's probably the anticipation of 8 years of stuff that I have to rummage through, and throw away. You can accumulate a lot in 8 years, in a family of 5!! Wish me luck!

~La Poetic Seamstress~

Friday, June 4, 2010

The Universe

I'm no Zen person, whatever that may be, but I often hear and read about people being in touch with the Universe. I still don't know what that means, but I decided to try and figure it out. What does getting in touch with the Universe mean? If anyone has any insight, do share. For me, I decided to take cues from life, from nature. I am embracing the positivity in my life and shunning negativity. I am embarking on all things positive. I am making things happen instead of waiting for them to land in my lap. The saying is true that Time waits for no one. As most know, I love to write and always have. I've never considered it as a profession because I can't imagine imposing deadlines on my creative process. But I started learning more about freelance writing. (Yes, I write more than just poetry.) I've begun to expand my horizons. I am working on several writing projects and submitting work for publications. I am writing on my terms and it feels great! I was working on an article yesterday and my son said to me "Watcha doing Mom?" I told him I was writing and article to submit to a magazine and he replied, "Wow Mom, that's really cool!" What I am hoping they (my children) learn is that passion is a powerful driving force. So I am opening my senses. I am accepting cues from the Universe. And when things don't go the way I imagine them, I believe it's all part of the grand scheme of things. Maybe I'll start doing more Yoga!

~La Poetic Seamstress~

Sunday, May 23, 2010

PROJECT: Views of American Women

ATTN: WOMEN

I am working on a project about the views of today's American Women. I'd like to incorporate/represent all walks of life, race, creed, sexuality, etc, (ALL American Women. ) If you'd be interested in sharing your views via a questionairre, please PM me with your e-mail addy. All participation will be voluntary and without compensation, and any responses you provide will be anonynous. (your personal identifying information & email will NEVER be disclosed) Thanks in advance ladies, & feel free to share this with the women you know!!

~Making a difference, one word at a time.~

Maralis
"La Poetic Seamstress"
poeticseamstress@gmail.com

Saturday, May 22, 2010

Find me on FB!

For those of you I'm not connect with on FB, find me on there. I've posted a video link on my wall of me reciting a freewrite on feminism. I can't figure out how to post it on here though.

Search me by email: poeticseamstress@gmail.com

See you there!

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Fall of the King-Part I

FALL OF THE KING-PART I

I'm having trouble writing (about You)
No words
Seem
to
Suffice

Your memory is much too precious
To taint with the wrong
Choice
of
Words

Perhaps I can't find the words
Because I still haven't come to terms
with
Losing
You

The savage Beast stole You from me
-Annihilated our bond
-Indiscriminately slayed the King
-Destroyed my world
-So completely

That no words in my vocabulary
Carry enough weight
to
Pay
Tribute.

~La Poetic Seamstress~

Monday, May 17, 2010

NYC & Limited time

I've just returned from a visit back home, to New York City. I knew I need to get out of VA for a little bit. It was well worth it. I had great family visits. My kids were happy. And I had a great little personal journey along the way. I attended a writing session with NYCLWG, and it was just what I needed. My pen was my friend, and I wrote, and wrote, and wrote! But mostly, my mind and thoughts were stirred, and I was inspired. We wrote about feminism, and I'll come back to that. I also attended a performance by a group called El Grito de Poetas at the Nuyorican Poets Cafe. It was my first time at the Cafe, and that alone was exciting. This performance was even more special in my heart because it was to benefit AIDS, the demon that took my father from me at the tender age of 16. Another inspiring experience! On Feminism...what struck the chord with me was equality. We all strive for equality. And the message was a good one, to come to me. Why would I give so much more than is given to me? I have to learn to stop being so giving, because it all too often backfires. We should strive for equality in life, and in friendships too. We all want to be treated as well as we treat others. So I'm refreshed, renewed and reminded of things I am sure I had once learned and then forgotten. I'm reminded of my own personal value as well. It's a new day, and rain or shine, I'm smiling!

~La Poetic Seamstress~

Wednesday, May 5, 2010

ADVERSITY

ADVERSITY

As difficult as it might be
I must fly in the face of adversity
Because it’s not like me

To let something keep me down
To bear a permanent frown
To feel lonely when no one is around

I’m never really alone
And I would never condone
An action I would not own

However

Sometimes the path becomes hazy
I become lazy
But before I go too crazy

I always return
(to my senses)

Ready to learn
(opportunities are endless)

And stoke the fire that burns
(no longer feeling defenseless)

~La Poetic Seamstress~

Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Quiet Time

That's where I'm at...in my quiet zone. I think that every now and then, we all need some time for reflection, for looking to where we are and where we want to be, want to go, what we want to do. I've always been a multi-tasker. I'm rarely doing just one thing at a time. I kind of thrive in a pressured environment. But this past weekend, even still today, I am in quiet mode. No projects, no hobbies, not even writing (well, this, but not writing poetry as usual.) I think my mind and body sense that I am at rest, mentally. Maybe I just need to recharge my batteries. {A day at the spa sounds magical! -especially since I've never been to one. OR MAYBE...what has me so quiet is my upcoming birthday. Yup! Think I've got the birthday blues. My nine year old asked me why I was more excited about his concert that day (how lucky am I? A special concert on my bday) than about the fact that it's my birthday. I told him it's not that exciting as you get older. Why is that? It should be, right? So maybe that's part of what I am pondering. In the meantime, if you wonder where I'd slipped off to, why my words aren't dancing on my blog page, I'm in my cave...pensive and hopefully growing optimistic. I also need to dye my gray roots while I'm in there!

Toodles!

~La Poetic Seamstress~

Monday, April 19, 2010

RESOLUTE

RESOLUTE

Dodging daggers
I skillfully avert disaster
and Death

Flames burn
finality impending
A little smoke in the lungs
can't keep me down

My survival surprised YOU
not ME
Because nothing has ever kept me down

for long

Too many

roads left to travel
words left to write
lives to touch
flowers to smell
wonders to see
sweetness to taste

To let something incidental
Take me down

Not for very long.

~La Poetic Seamstress~

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Vote for MEEEE! {...please}

So... I've entered a Poetry Contest for my local paper here. Firstly, I am impressed that the paper is even hosting something like this, albeit just online! Still, it's great! I entered my poem, "Comfort of Silence", which can be read on this blog as well, but I'd truly appreciate it if you go to the website and VOTE! Trust me, the "prize" is not my motivation, it's just knowing that people read my work and enjoy it! Thanks so much in advance, and as we say in say in Spanish, "pa'lante"! (that basically translates into moving forward)
When you get to the page, you vote by going to the upper right hand side of the screen and click RATE HERE. Here's the link fab peeps & thanks a bunch!

http://www.dailypress2.com/forums/showthread.php?p=45317#post45317

~La Poetic Seamstress~

Thursday, April 8, 2010

~Spring Haikus~


SPRING HAIKUS

I.
Killdeer Plover born
Wobbled legs learn ground and flight
Fly, baby bird, fly

II.
Film of green powder
Blown by wind, from Natures' palm
Sieze, sneeze, tear filled eyes

III.
Tiny butterflies
In my belly, you're dancing
He is approaching!

IV.
Open up to bloom
Welcome the glorious new
So much is in store

~La Poetic Seamstress~

Wednesday, April 7, 2010

Spring “BREAK” & Bye-Bye Birdie

SPRING BREAK: Yup, I’ve been out of the loop…because it’s Spring Break! A poem a day…HA! NOT during Spring Break! Let’s define “break” because it’s not the same to everyone. I am a mother of three, so in my house, it really means kids break. It’s a good thing though because it’s preparing me for the Summer; a much longer break in which I will have to find a slew of ways to entertain and delight my twitter bugs, and all by myself I might add (deployments suck!)! So, since the kids are on break from school, I am on break from writing. By the time I’m done filling their days, I’m pretty pooped. I just want to shower & relax & watch ANTM, Survivor, Project Runway, V…whatever is on the (blank your mind out) tube. I’ll have to wait until next week to really get into writing. A break is good sometimes though, relaxes your mind, let’s you absorb things around you and hopefully by the end, you are refreshed and recharged.

BYE-BYE BIRDIE:
For about a month now, my children and I have been keeping tabs on a Killdeer Plover that was nested in the mulch under a tree, by the kids school. We have visited, seen the eggs go from 3 to 4, watched the bird parents take turns sitting on the eggs and even named the family (Gloria & Stanley Killdeer). We got a little attached to this little bird family, even though she’d shrill at us sometimes. Spring Break came and we hadn’t visited in about 4 days. We had researched this bird and knew that it took about 26 days for the eggs to hatch and the baby birds could not fly on their own the first day or two. We knew their birthday was close… WE missed it! Today, we went to visit Gloria & Stanley and see if the babies had hatched. Much to our disappointment, the eggs were gone and there was barely an indentation where their nest used to be. We’d spent so much time being concerned about these little birds; my kids would get really sad when it got too cold or rained because they felt bad for the birds & eggs. We’ll have to keep our eyes opened for another nest. I think it was a good Springtime experience for us, though. Bye-Bye birdies!

Thursday, April 1, 2010

1/30 National Poetry Month

*A poem a day, for thirty days. Here is 1 of 30. I am going to just write off the top of the head, here.

FUNERAL


We relived losing You again
I went to Your funeral, knelt with my children
I asked that they thank You

I went to Your funeral today, knelt with my children
I thanked You for each one, thanked You for your sacrifice
And for my heartbeat

I asked that they thank You
It is my job to teach and guide,to lead them to Your light
And bond, soul to soul

~La Poetic Seamstress~

Tuesday, March 30, 2010

My DREAM body (*almost) at 35!

I'm sore, I'm sweaty, my knees are saying "whyyy", my shins burn and I don't even know HOW I am going to make it up the stairs to shower! But it feels SOOOOO good! I am finding the lighter I get, the easier it is to do the exercises! I'll be turning 35 next month (yes, 35). One of my goals is to create the best body I have ever had, this year, hopefully by my Birthday. In March I had surgery. I had my gall bladder removed which spurred me to really pay attention to what I was eating. About two weeks after surgery, I started exercising again, regularly, and for real. I have lost ten pounds in a month! Another ten would be nice, fifteen would be a bonus! So I am getting closer to what MY dream body is. As a young lass of 20, I was basically a waif. I am 5'5 and at that time, weighed 105 lbs. I used to try to gain weight but couldn't! As the kids came, so did the weight. After my first one, my body changed, my hips widened and my tummy got flabby. LOVED the hips, hated the flab! Having children has definitely given me a more womanly shape, so I love that. But it's been cruel and unkind to my midsection! I am finally trimming down and so is my midsection, but I think that piece won't be complete until I get a tummy tuck! Some things just don't go away on their own! (Gotta cut-it-out!) But that's later... I'll just be happy not to wave to my kids on the bus and have the arm flab still going after my hand's stopped, to have shapely legs with nice calves and mostly, to get rid of my muffin top, and I am about 90% muffin top-less. {Please read that again, I am NOT topless!} I am getting closer to having the womans' body that I've always wanted. The only thing I am trying not to lose is my booty! Gotta have the booty! What do you think made J-Lo so famous? {And I'm from the Bronx just like she is. Must be something in the water!}

~La Poetic Seamstress~

Monday, March 29, 2010

Parental Bribery!! (The Back Pocket Plan)

Kids are supposed to just LISTEN, right? I say it, and so it shall be done!! Umm...not really always the way it goes. I would say I am moderately firm with my kids. We don't spank in our household. Ok...a little pat on the bottom here and there which is NEVER effective, because there's never enough impact (from me) to intimidate. My kids actually chuckle after, which usually results in, "Oh! You think that's funny? Go to your room! In the old days, kids had to pick their own twigs for their spanking, you know!!" And they run to their rooms, covering their chuckling mouths. I am just not made to be a spanker! That's probably because I never got spanked (yup, I said never) growing up. So I had to have a plan B. My usual punishments involve taking away the things they value most (ie., Nintendo DS, Television privileges, playground privileges) and when I really want to stick it to them, I make them read books, and if I feel really froggy, throw in a book summary! Yeah, I know, I know...not that scary, but it works for the most part, in our home.
~PARENTAL BRIBERY~ This is usually a tactic that I keep in my back pocket for emergencies! I am sure some people think it's not a good idea, think that kids should just do what they are told to do. I know that personally, knowing you can earn something is a great motivator! I am participating in a 12 hour dance a thon because I know I will be earning donations from sponsors that will go towards a Children's Hospital. It doesn't have to be a tangible thing that you "earn". And the key word here IS earn. So how does Parental Bribery work in my house? I'll tell you. Today's example: My weather anxious child refused to go to school because of pouring rain, thunder & flood advisory. (serious weather anxiety!) So I let him stay home and explained to the teacher, who knows how weather conditions trigger him. The teacher explains that he's missing a test and major review. I don't mess around when it comes to education, but I am a compassionate mother; in this case, I had to get him to go. So I tried a stern voice...no go. I needed a back pocket back up! Aha! LARGE Milkshake if he gets the courage to overcome and go to school. DING DING DING! It was a winner! What harm am I really doing? In my book, he's earned it. Scenario two: "Kids, if you all clean your rooms, we'll have pizza & sundaes for dinner!" Earning Reward is the key here. They are learning to work to earn things. The fine line...getting them to do things from the heart, being self motivated. So there's a balance. Now, I don't offer a reward for everything they do. But every now and then, I reach into the back pocket!

~La Poetic Seamstress~

Saturday, March 27, 2010

Pajamas...Really? & Unicorns~

PAJAMAS ~ I've tried, for seven months, to ignore this issue. But it irks me! It irks me like when people chew with their mouths open. It irks me like when you are walking along the sidewalk and the idiot driver plows through the puddle, splashing you! It irks me like when people have "private" cell phone conversations so loud you can barely hear your own thoughts! Ok, what is it? Pajamas! (but there's more to it; read on!) I LOVE pajamas. I collect them, I ask for them for birthdays and Christmas, mainly the pants! I have seasonal pj pants, ones with sayings on the booty (bad girl, lol), Hello Kitty ones (my fave), Victoria's Secret (absolute fave) fleece, cotton, silk...etc. Here goes the problem. I would like to officially, publicly state that Pajama Pants are not meant for public wear; they are not a Fashion Statement or Fashion Style! Here's the story. I'm a mom. I have kids that ride the school bus and yes, sometimes I am rushing so much to get them ready (because I iron clothing for three children every morning, style hair and make a good breakfast), that sometimes I don't have a chance to get out of my oh-so-fabulous pajama pants! So...I wear them to take them to the bus. In my defense, most times I drive them to school anyway, so no one really sees me! {Yes, I am getting to the point, right now.} I think that's perfectly acceptable. HOWEVER, when that bus rolls around at 3pm to drop your kids back off to you, and you are STILL in that same damn pajamas...THAT IRKS ME! Once or twice a month, whatever, we are women, we have those days! But every freakin' day?? Come on now? And you want to maintain your marriage? I highly doubt that you wore pajama pants on your dates during your courtship! And what are you showing these kids? That it's okay to loaf around in the same clothes all day, every day? Lest we forget, parents, that our children emulate us and learn by example. Pride in appearance, neatness and cleanliness, healthy self esteem and good grooming habits...very important! Am I wrong? It just irks me! There, I said it!

UNICORNS ~ I've always liked fairies. Something so dainty, feminine, mystical and magical... And then the word Unicorn dripped out of my mind. I was talking about myself, how different I was, how I felt like a Unicorn in a room of people. And then I was captivated. Unicorns are regal, lovely, solitary, magical, a thing to awe at, they hold their own, they are graceful and unique, they represent good and they are pretty quiet (I mean, from everything I've read or seen in movies!)
. And I do kind of feel like a Unicorn, except not as beautiful. {I'm no chop liver, just not Unicorn beautiful!} So, I fell in love with Unicorns, and I don't mind being the "unicorn" in the room. Gives me an idea for my next tattoo...but that's another blog altogether!

~La Poetic Seamstress~

Thursday, March 25, 2010

Music & Lyrics as Inspiration

People may wonder about me...you just can't peg me! I am sitting here, replaying "All of the above" by Maino ft. T-Pain, over, and over, and over again. If you were like me, grew up the projects, for me, in NYC, the Bronx to be exact, and you have dreams, this song would speak to you too! I listen to music for melody, but of course, what usually strikes me first is the lyrics! I recommend, whether you like hip-hop music or not, that you google these lyrics! They are ALL about dream chasing, man! This song makes me lean and rock, and makes me feel like I've got one of my girls at my shoulder, pushing me, telling me, "Go ahead girl!"
BUT I'm the same woman who listens, with great delight, to Kenny G., Pink, Josh Groban, Michael Buble, Michael Jackson, Donna Summer, La India, Daddy Yankee, Michael Bolton, Grateful Dead, Simon & Garfunkel, Green Day, Enya, Jerry Rivera, Ruben Blades, Billy Joel, Elton John, Black Eyed Peas, Tupac, Biggie, Diddy, R.E.M., Rascall Flatts, Lady Gaga... get the point here?
Music and lyrics are a huge influence for me, creatively. Music moves. Music encourages. Music evokes emotion, and lyrics are a huge part of that. I really connect with music, with writers of lyrics, because they are creating, just like I'm creating. One should never close their ears to artistry because of the confines of genre. Listen to it ALL and let it inspire you!

"Tell me, what do you see when you're looking at me? On a mission to be what I'm destined to be..." ALL OF THE ABOVE-Maino ft. T-Pain

~La Poetic Seamstress~

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Name CHANGE & Date with a Mic

Shocking! So after I chose the "name" Poetic Seamstress", I decided to do a google search to see if my blog popped up. Holy Smokes! Nope, I didn't, but A poetic seamstress DID pop up and goodness gracious, she wrote erotica! I scrolled down her page and...I can't even type what I SAW! For the RECORD, I am no prude, however, if I tell someone to find me online and just casually say Poetic Seamstress, I don't want them to find THAT!!! The good thing is that she (erotica woman) has her picture on there and it can't be mistaken for ME! {Again, I am NOT knocking Erotica writers; that's just not ME.} Can you imagine if I hadn't looked and told, let's say, my husbands co-workers to find me online? The palpitations... So, what to do? I am simply going to add "La". That's right. I think it's fitting. I am LAtina, after all! So...name change= "La Poetic Seamstress" Wait...let me google that too and make sure something else crazy doesn't come up! Nope...all clear!

The Mic---Not all poetry is meant to be read aloud. I really came to this realization when I decided to do my very first Open Mic in NYC (w/NYCLWG) last October. As I was preparing and writing, I realized that I had to tweek some things to recite aloud. You have to make it sound different coming out of your mouth. Emphasis has to be placed on certain words or phrases. I still feel though, from my writing perspective, that some poetry (of mine anyway) is meant to be read, off the page, absorbed through the eyes, into the mind. So when I write for an Open Mic, I write a little more lyrically, a little more melodically. AND I am Oh-So excited to be attending my second Open Mic here in VA. I got awesome, helpful feedback the last time that I went, so I am definitely going again, this Friday!! There's nothing like being in the company of people who love poetry and writing just as much as you do! So off to blaze the mic I go!

~M.G.~

Teaching Your Children to express themselves...

I have three children. My youngest is 6. The other day, she woke up in a really crabby mood, eyebrows furrowed, huffing... I asked her, "Are you feeling crabby today?" She responded, defensively, "NO!" So as I brushed her hair, I said to her, " you know baby, not every day is sunshine and rainbows. Sometimes, we may feel irritated or annoyed and that's perfectly natural. But, you have to remember not to hurt anyone's feelings even if you aren't feeling so fab. If you feel crabby, that's just fine. I bet as the day goes on, you will feel much better." She just stood there and after a few moments said, "Thanks Mom" She got her jacket on and I could over hear her telling her older brothers, "You don't HAVE to wake up happy EVERY day! Sometimes you just feel crabby, and that's just fine!" My point was really to allow her, allow all of my children, to express themselves to me and feel emotions. Part of my job, as a parent, is to raise kind and caring human beings, not robots!
My 9 year old obsesses about weather conditions. If it rains, the question is always "Will it flood?" If it's windy, "Will there be a hurricane?" If it snows, "Will there be a blizzard?" This is an ongoing thing with him. So what else can I do but listen, tell him it will be alright because we are safe...and encourage him to be a Meteorologist and study weather!!
I walked into my 11 year old sons bedroom this past weekend, and he had a book between his legs and tucked his hands down when I walked in. I asked, "Son, what are you doing? Why do you have that look on your face?" He said, "nothing Mom, just reading." I gazed at him, eye to eye, and said "Ok son. You have a good night and enjoy your book." I knew he was up to something. I just barely turned the knob closed on his door and he shouted, "Mom, come here." I walked in with a smile and he said, "...well Mom, this is what I was hiding and I didn't want to be dishonest with you..." and it was just a pen drawing of a lightning bolt on his hand, like Harry Potter. So I said to him "Son, I appreciate your honesty. Thank you and it means a lot to me. However, skin has pores, and you can get ink poisoning if you write on your hands, so you might want to reconsider it." His response...he followed me out and washed it off immediately.
My point here is that it's important to create an atmosphere with children where they can express themselves. It may be bad moods and ink drawings on the hands now, but if I let them know, teach them, that they can always express themselves to me, freely and that I will listen, I think I have a better chance when we get to the bigger things! TALK to your kids about everything, and just as important LISTEN to what they have to say!

~M.G.~

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

COMFORT OF SILENCE

Comfort finds me, in silence
When I take refuge
When human voices sound like buzzing bees
Except for the symphonic twitterings of cherubs-
my own.

Faces are replaced with
Mindless, aloof question marks
And I have no inclination to answer.

I have a love/hate relationship
With loneliness and reclusivity.

I cast my umbrella
To shield me from the pelting hail of eyes
Their reasons of no concern to me.

I long to lay, face up to the sun
In a field of fellow wildflowers
Where imperfections
Are thought of as beautiful and rare.

I thinks me too colorful and curious
For this grey world outside
So mostly
I conceal it
In silence
Where comfort finds me.
And only the cherubs
dance
to my multi-colored medley.

~M.G.~

FORBIDDEN

How shall they look upon us?
As two lovebirds, fluttering inseparably in bliss?
Or as two sordid creatures, gnawing at the rope of indecency?
As my lips glisten with the dew of your parting kiss
Can it be seen, the innocence in this?
No malice or indecency, rather, the intent
The desire to love and be loved
The want to be in union, forever betrothed.
Or is it a vision of obscenity?
The blood-lust dripping from my lips
As if I had feasted on flesh of a mortal.
The only crime is in the line
Drawn between us
Creating a sea of separation, where wanted
Is a path of reunion.
Who alive should deem themselves worthy
To govern and impose rules of the heart?
Yet, they do, and we must
Defy
Even if we be shunned.
For there is no more cruel a death, I fear
Than that of a life, forced to live
Without you by my side.

~M.G~

BLACK CROW

Pull back the curtain to smile at the sun
Instead I see you, first
Not the sunbeam or the dew gleam
Blackest crow, what message do you bring me?

Approaching the crux of seasonal change
Peering around the corner for a preview
I see you
But I fear not your message

You stay but for a few moments
Standing on grass half wheat, half green
Just to be admired
And I look at you, but you do nothing
Just show yourself, provoking some thought in me
That is yet to be revealed

You take flight with your fellow messengers
This mornings' work done and on to the next recipient
I feel warmth and softness at my side
And my black cat watches you flee too
The proclamation is but a sensation
Stirred in my mind

My eyes are a little wider
My hearing a little keener
Listening for the whisper in the wind
Looking for the glimmer in my periphery
And I wait for it

~M.G.~

I AM

Come, and hold your ear to my wrist
Oblige me. Close your eyes

I dare you not to tap your feet
When you hear the beat, feel the rhythm
The pulse…pulse…pulse
Of my people

Then, look at my face, my body, my hair
And dissect me
Can you see the Indian in my hair?
Do I have a Spanish complexion?
Have I fully grown into my African curves?

It is in my blood, all of it
My DNA will tell the tale
Seers will grab my palm and see it
The land, stolen, the people taken and transplanted
The innocence lost, the blood shed, the cultures infused

Now open your new eyes and see, how it is all a part of me.

~M.G.~