First off, wow, I can’t believe I have written 300 posts for this blog. A little over a year ago I set out to carve out a space to write, to explore my photography and here it is…carved out and eagerly waiting for me to share with almost 400 of you, my followers.
Thank you for reading my words, for commenting on photographs, poems or stories that move you to do so. I am always so touched to hear from you, to know you have read or looked over something I felt worth sharing. I am growing, always growing and learning so much from so many of you. This community in the blog-o-sphere is quite an interesting place to experience.
Speaking of which, I met Gin Getz, writer, poet, published author, nature advocate and so much more through this blogging realm about two years ago. She was featured on Freshly Pressed and I realized I would need to follow her blog to finish reading the post, it was over 1,500 words. They were not your average blogging words, where you read like you are gulping a cool glass of water on a hot day, quick to sift through and easy-going down. Instead, her words were carefully crafted, like a glass of fine wine that you sip slowly, giving yourself a chance to really taste all of them. You read a bit, then let the flavored words sit within your mouth noticing their essence and intention before moving to the next sentence and the next.
Over the span of these two years she has published two books, I have read and reviewed each. And, we have become friends through e-mail and tales of my dreams of moving somewhere as rewarding as where she lives. She always writes back. When I finished reviewing her first book something happened to my prose, it turned into poetry. I had no idea what to do with it. None. I have never written poetry for any reason or need. So, I turned to her, I love her words and her poems especially. I sent her my words, it was so scary, to send my young words to her. But, she wrote back, she actually read them and she was kind. She gave me some well constructed advice and a little push and I haven’t stopped writing since.
Recently, I received what felt like an urgent request from her, she wanted to write poetry together, with me. A 10 day challenge, to write everyday, send our work to the other with no critique or strings. We alternated photographs, to use as our inspiration each day and every night I got a new e-mail from her with a new poem. I felt so excited and proud that she trusted me with her own young words. I easily trusted her. I made a point to find a quiet moment everyday to write, the days went by quickly.
Last week, she shared 7 of her 10 poems, the ones she felt were ready and she gave me permission to share her photographs here. Although I have shared a couple of my poems I wrote during this challenge already, I want them all in one place. So, I will share my 7 favorite poems as well. Please be sure to check out her post too. It is interesting to see how we each interpreted the same photograph. You can read them all at once, take a peek and come back to visit them at your leisure or read them more than once, it is up to you.
I am starting with Day 10, because it is my favorite of the bunch.
Day 10:
Day 10- Photo By: Gin
Take it in
this
is not a dream
meant to be you
here it is happening
Slowly maybe
but
now you are one
with the beautiful
view you know
The curves of the roads
they wind to a tune
You have been humming
for years and wondered
what it was to
You are now familiar
with the tides
See
their rhythm in your everyday
Life
You dream of your home
the one waiting for you
Here
where you pull up from the day
and are proud of its shape
its roof, the reflection of the redwoods
in its windows and knowing
there is enough room
Ready
For your life to take flight
growing food living free
of the debts beyond your means
Sleeping soundly in safe surrounds
Your land
something to grow into
Bringing the outside
In
Day 1:
Day 1- Photo By: Carrie
Emerald Wings
Forest whispers held in
Raindrop drips waiting
On emerald wings
For the one who looks
Deeper and hears secrets in
The rain
Locked away under the layers
Of loss of seasons
Of past storms
Wrath of decaying
Quietly she lifts
Her veil the trust
Is overwhelming the secrets
Unwrapping themselves eager
To tell to give to embrace
You the one
Who sees details
In everything
Day 3:
Day 3- Photo By: Carrie
Untitled
The need to see beyond
The shore where dreams glisten
In the sun and waves look
Refreshing welcoming the higher your perch
You easily forget
About the work
It takes effort
To swim
Out into the bay of life
Pushing yourself away from
The known into the incoming tide
Head on the voice is clear
As it always is when it is time
To swim
You may need to rest before you even begin
Gaining strength
In your heart for the journey
Ahead there is always a moment
Where time turns over
And you must
swim
No matter the questions
They linger in all circumstances
It is time
To lose sight
Get down from your perch
Your feet are too
Dry
Day 4:
Day 4- Photo By: Gin
**I was stumped by this photograph, well what I should say is I didn’t have a quiet moment on this day 4 to write. So, I did a haiku that I wasn’t happy with and wrote a note to Gin saying I would revisit this poem. She took my words that I wrote to her, without changing a thing except the spaces in between, and created this, a poem that I really enjoy!
I am in my room,
I have
Day 5- Photo By: Carrie
Growing
Just this morning
I felt it again speeding
Up minutes ticking away into
Half hours then days
Taking flight flying by the morning
Routine a blur as am I
Packing your lunch your backpack
Looking worn I remember
Picking it out sewing
The special monster face pencil bag on its cover
You proudly walked on
The sidewalk to your new
School in new clothes bravely
Waving good-bye as I was crying
Overwhelmed at the moment
I was witnessing your perfect
Round face your charming
Sky blue eyes ready
To fly and in the moments since
Your first Kindergarten day
There have been quite a few
I wish I could have helped
Take away so you didn’t have
To feel so much to start
To think
That you are not enough
Once in a while the world slows
Down enough for me to see
You to see me and I know
That you look into my heart
And pick out the words that you need
To carry on bravely wandering
Learning so much
I am watching your thoughts
And learning too
Seeing inside my heart, you
Day 7:
Day 7- Photo By: Carrie
The Shoreline
When no one is
Looking from any direction
Or aware of my plight towards
The water I go it talks
To me singing in waves
And sea bird songs daring
Me to get my feet wet
The song is a whisper at first
But gradually gets louder with each verse
Pressing me to get there
To the side of the shore to feel
The breath of the mist
The song finds a harmony and repeats
The chorus as I move closer
To the never straight line between
The waves and the shoreline my feet
Are wet
Before they hit the waves
The sounds of my soft sloppy steps begin
To read my mind yet there is always
Hesitation when the waves come in
Do I stand in place and let
The water rush
In cleansing the hurts and frustrations I have
Held to for years or do I
Dive deep and swim
Home
Day 9:
Day 9: Photo By: Carrie
A Work of Art
He is leaving again
Don’t worry
He always comes back as fast
When he leaves I am alone
I fear this feeling, every time
With the kids and their loud
Emotions even my bones
Louder than I remember when
He is around
Sound carries differently in my heart
Settling my mind
Blows calm winds over my surroundings
I don’t spin
Out of control wandering
Circling down rabbit holes chasing
Hollow dreams and worldly worries
He grounds my roots
Waters my soul cooling
My madness softening
My voice holding our seedlings
In his strong arms he knows
Me deeply and admires my
Shadows making light
The night when my nightmares return
Tucking me in to sweeter dreams
Us, we, two intertwined holding
Each other
Life together weathered and knotted
Like a work
Of art
And, there it is. 7 of the 10 days of poems. I would love to hear from you, did you read Gin’s poems as well? Do you have favorites? Would you like to join me in a poetry challenge too? This was beyond my expectations, such a wonderful experience. I can’t wait to do it again.
The Shady Tree 
They were all fabulous – particularly “Shoreline” – it really struck a chord with me! 🙂
Thank you so much for reading, Joanne. That makes me smile! Yes, “Shoreline” is second on my favorites list, tied with “Growing”.
“Take It In” was a close second for me – was that yours or Gin’s?
Actually, all the poems in this post are mine, the photographs are either mine (odd days) or Gin’s (even days). Take It In, is my favorite, it means a lot to me! It is such a lovely feeling to know those words live within me and the truth they express is just what I needed to hear once I wrote them 🙂
You can find Gin’s poems, which I highly recommend, she is a beautiful writer, on her blog, http://www.gingetz.com (I think it is the second post from the top, titled 7 poems in 7 days) OR you can click the link I provided in this post, it will take you right to it 🙂
Thank you so much, again. I am so touched that you read them and enjoyed them too. Yay!
Oh wow, congrats to you then! Not quite sure how I managed to think there were 20 poems written there when obviously there wasn’t, what can I say, it’s been one of THOSE days, lol 🙀 – I’ll most definitely have a look at Gin’s poems later. 🙂
🙂 It’s all good. We each wrote 10 poems, to each of the ten photographs. We both paired them down to 7, some just weren’t “finished” if that makes sense.
It was a wonderful project, I am so happy to hear you will work your way over to her page, it is worth it 🙂 Thanks again!!
Carrie – just wanted to say warm congratulations on your 300th post. I love your work and will come back to read the poems when I have a quieter time so I can savour the words and thoughtsđź’Ś
Thank you, Chris! I really appreciate your comment. You are such a wonderful support and I do hope you find some quiet time to come back and read further. As well as jump over to Gin’s site and take in some of her work as well. She writes from quite a beautiful, raw space that I love! Enjoy 🙂
Such a photographer and poet you are, Carrie; you humble me in the most wonderful way by making me want to try, grow, become more as you have done.
Thank you so much, Janet! Wow. Your comment really touches me.
Congratulations on your 300th post – impressive!
Your photography is so lovely.
I only had time to read one poem so I chose Shoreline.
“Do I stand in place and let
The water rush
In cleansing the hurts and frustrations I have
Held to for years or do I
Dive deep and swim
Home”
Wonderful
Thank you for your kind generous words. I really appreciate it. Yes, “Shoreline”, it seems to strike a chord with those of us who have a deep connection to the sea (which, to be honest, I didn’t learn I had until I moved here less than a year ago). I am happy to hear you do as well!
This was such an inspiring 10 days of writing, Gin gave me such a gift in asking me to participate with her. And, I am so happy you took the time to read any of these, that is just such a gift to me, Laurie! Thank you.