Dec
10

So went the Wind

We clamored over one another
in hopes of seeing the face of him
more incredible than any other man
through the hallowed halls
of our all girls high school.

The things I saw gave me pause
at the ways of “good Catholic” rearing.
Skirts’ hems climbed the thighs
of nubile, hormone-gorged adolescent girls.
Suggestions at him, in gestures and unheard whispers
elicited blushes and frustrated discombobulation.

Even daily was not so bad
as the true frequency of it all.
I only witnessed moments in a day.
But legend had it that the assailants acted
continually daily almost in relay
and regardless of nuns’ admonitions.

So went the wind, as if in a season.
I looked up one day and the beauty
was no longer among us.
His good-bye to us came in a polite letter
which I dismissed
and knew his girls were grateful for,
as it said nothing of the true pressures or full names
that dispatched this almost-priest so hastily.

©2009 Shari Lynne Smothers

This is my climbing poem for prompt 069 at Poetic Asides. I’m not sure what made me recall this episode. It’s actually the first time I saw that sexual pressure can affect a person. And I’m still amazed at the story, and still feel an odd empathy for the girls and the young brother; so it still matters—even though my high school days happened a century ago.

Dec
09

What are You Reading?

I have a lot to read, including learning more about web design. It’s all a pleasure, to be sure. Learning this stuff and getting good at it, competent even, is a joy because I like it so much. Still, it’s work.

Poetry: A Given

Reading poetry is a pleasure. I read from a lot of different writers. And with all the great blogs I’ve discovered since participating in poetry writing projects, I’ve tapped into even more writers who express themselves in most intriguing and entertaining ways. It’s a great deal of fun, and I learn a lot from their styles, presentation and promotion.

You can check out some of the great poets I’ve come across by visiting my blogroll in the “All Thins Poetry” section. And this resource is deep, as you can explore the poets’ blogrolls to see who they’re connected with.

Read more…

Dec
05

Photo: Backyard Snow

Backyard Snow

This is one of my favorite shots from yesterday. And thankfully there are many that I really like, which I’ll make use of. And apparently the cold and snow didn’t kill my cameras, which was amazing. And fortunate for me because a new camera is not in the budget. I took the chance and it paid off in great photos, and I get to shoot more stuff another day.

The Adventure of it All

The snow fell and, on contact with the camera, started to melt. I was constantly wiping it off, and trying to cover it with my hand. When I wasn’t using a camera, I stuck it inside my jacket to protect it. I just couldn’t stop shooting.

I switched between two cameras, my still shot camera , the Fuji FinePix 5200 and the video camera, JVC Everio. It was a lot of fun.

Now, I’ve heard that it may be fun for us (my mom and brother, nephew and niece had fun in it too) because we don’t get a lot of snow. I can’t say. All I know is I had a blast. And the next time it snows, if health and time permit, I’ll be out in it again. Although, I may try to see some other places too instead of staying at home.

Once I figure out how to adjust the size of my photos, I will be able to post more directly from my Flickr account. Sometimes, I’d really like for the photos to take up the full width of my post column. Until I figure that out, I’ll just set the size using my Corel® software.

Dec
04

2009 First Snow 12/4/09

First Snow


Mom watching the Snow
Originally uploaded by ShariLS

This year the snow came early and it fell in abundance. It makes me feel hopeful about EVERYTHING!

As soon as I heard it was snowing, I was ecstatic! It doesn’t snow often here in Missouri City, Texas. And this is really early in the year for it too. I captured some really nice shots that I’ll be uploading to my Flickr account over the next few days.

Where the Inspiration led Me

It made me think of the possibilities of all that I want to accomplish in the coming year. I was inspired to increase my probabilities of success, just because it makes sense today. I want to start out aggressively. That way if I taper off (as I usually do) I should have moved forward quickly enough to be able to coast a bit.

Read more…

Dec
04

One Aspect

I looked at my words
The mirror showed me my fear
When did I know this?

©2009 Shari Lynne Smothers

Dec
02

November Activity Results

I finished the month only on a partially successful note. Both ventures were a great deal of fun, and brought me some valuable insights. I even learned from trying to do them in the same month. One thing I took from November’s activities is that they are do–able in the same month.

NaNoWriMo: My Incomplete Success

First the bad news: My novel remains unfinished. I didn’t meet my goal of 50,000 words by November 30. And I’m alright with that. In fact, I’ll be fine with it but not yet—hat’s coming.

Read more…

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