#DarkLines prompt – doorway to the end
He did not want to walk through
The doorway to the end
He held my hands, pleading for time
But he had to let go!
Old man, I whispered, years later
Nothing’s changed – still no Utopia
We have a war, a recession
False prophets, greedy men
The plague and climate change
We haven’t learned – it’s all the same!
This Thanksgiving, I woke up to some heartwarming news. One of my favorite poems, written with much tenderness, has found a special place in a book. My poem is now a part of this collection of writings and illustrations from over 160 creatives inspired by the opening line “If I were a house.”
This fourth collection of #FromOneLine writings is a collaborative project with Sleep Pod – All profits raised from the sale of this title will go to Sleep Pod, to support the incredible work they do in helping keep rough sleepers and refugees warm and dry.
FromOneLine – If I were a house, anthology is now live on Amazon and available to purchase in the US and UK. An eBook version will be available in the next couple of days. In India, the book is also available on pothi.com.
“Thank you so much for being part of this book. I hope you are as pleased with the end result as I am, and I hope that together we can raise lots of funds for Sleep Pod, whilst also giving your words and artwork extra wings to travel around the world.”
Note from Meghan Dargue of the Kobayaashi Studios
As I rejoice for being a part of this global community of creatives, my heart is filled with gratitude for the day, I discovered the #FromOneLine prompt on Twitter. I loved the writing challenge and it soon became a part of my creative routine. I admire Meghan Dargue’s artwork, as I get the first glimpse of the book in this video. She is a talented artist and a wonderful person. I want to give a loud shoutout to Meg for not only bringing the creatives together but for always being kind, gentle, and encouraging in her communication. She helps us make the world better with words and drawings.
In the morning solitude
The frost slowly melts
On cold glass doors
Touched by the first rays
Of a subdued winter sun
You can almost hear it;
The crunch of breaking apart
Atoms split, dreams depart
Just pale lonely droplets
Sliding down the panels
Gently trickling into oblivion!
I am back after a hiatus, during which I fulfilled some family obligations, celebrated festivals, and went on a vacation (more on that soon). I started learning Spanish on DuoLingo and am now exploring other sources to build on my interest. My other literary pursuits also slowed down in the past 2 months though I did read and review some great books on Reedsy. In the meanwhile, I got news that one of my poems will feature in an upcoming anthology.
When I finally decided to return to the world of micro poetry, I checked my favorite prompt masters on Twitter. The first one I read resonated with my current state and I penned down words that I share in this post. I hope to return to writing with more frequency but here also I may just stop and wander a little, and come back with words that help me write better.
Another chance at hello
To greet myself
For I have been lost
In the maze of daily runs
From pillar to post
Wanting just a bit more
Out of life, never satisfied
Until I took a moment
To stand by the window,
A warm cup in hand
Wrapped in thoughts
That whispered,
‘It’s time to slow down
It’s a reminder to stop!’
Reading and reviewing books for ReedsyDiscovery has become an integral part of my daily schedule. I don’t give it a thought and yet my reading game seems to be spot on. I get the Reedsy Discovery top book reviewers for the month badge when I am least accepting it. I do not count the books I read in a month or compete to get this badge. I just pick up a book that draws me in – be it the book cover or the back cover blurb.
I read parts of a book throughout the day. Each weekend, I carve out a good 3-4 hours to write and publish book reviews. I always have a read and review task on my to-do list. Honestly, it requires discipline, dedication, time, and effort. Yet, it comes effortlessly because it is a cherished interest. It has helped me grow in so many ways.
I have read some brilliant books this year and the stories have stayed with me. I often ponder over the stories or the lessons I garnered from the non-fiction book I consumed.
The most endearing part is that the authors are also thinking about my review of their work. I receive comments and emails from authors and it warms my heart. Many request me to read another of their work or contact me with advanced review copies (ARC) when their new work is ready to be unveiled. It’s a symbiotic author-reader relationship – unique because we only know each other through words.
We build bridges across the world with our words. I can only stand in awe of all the brilliant talent out there and gaze with greedy eyes wanting to consume the brilliance of these works of art and creativity.
Blue Pen Strokes 