P: Poetry

In my younger days, I loved writing poetry. Poetry was a wonderful outlet for me and I think I wrote poetry well. My staccato voice and love of powerful words found a great home in poetry.

When I divorced, my sole request was to have all of my belongings returned to me. Unforunately, my ex-husband did not fulfill my request. Instead, he held on to a few of my most prized possessions including books I had been published in and my beloved blank journal in which I wrote my poetry.

I have not written poetry since. That was thirteen years ago.

Thirteen years of no poetry. In fact, it was at that point that I had really focused my attention on the sciences and any writing I did was non-fiction. Facts were my life; creativity eluded me greatly.

In 2006, I began writing fiction just for myself. I enjoyed it tremendously. Pushed by my publisher, I submitted it and have been writing fiction ever since.

Still no poetry, though.

That is until recently.

A dear friend of mine is a writer in The Netherlands. She recently discovered the Dutch form of poetry known as Elje.

An Elfje is a Dutch poem of consisting of 11 words. The stanzas are broken down such as this:

1
23
456
78910
11

So it's one word, then two, then three, then four, then back to one.

I don't know why, but something about Elfjes appealed to me. They weren't intimidating. They seemed like a fun form of poetry.

There are rules for writing these, but I (along with my friend), have decided that rules are simply meant to be broken! :) I have no idea what the rules are, I just write them as I see/feel fit.

And they are. Since I started, I have written several elfjes (I average about one poem per day). I cannot describe how cathartic these poems have been for me. They free me, cleanse me, heal me. Most importantly, they challenge me. It's a new genre. There are so many ways to write these, so many different ways to express one's self just through elfjes. I simply love enfjes!

Poetry takes on many forms and are a wonderful way to express oneself. I highly suggest writing in any form of poetry that appeals to you. Elfjes are just one wondeful form of self expression. :)

APA: Ya Ya

Good morning, everyone! Today is a special day. I'm featuring young author, Ya Ya on today's blog as a part of the APA tour. She's young, but quite talented! I really think you'll enjoy her work. I know I did! :)



As well, at the end of the blog is a link as I am a guest blogger today! LOL. Busy, busy, busy! So please check out Ya Ya's work and my guest blog! :) Thanks! :)





A quick bio from Ya Ya: I am a new author. I write poetry, and my book is, "Reflections: Thoughts, Passions, and Truths". My poems are about a little bit of everything. I talk about sex, love, society, and education. I am a full time student and writing is something that I've always done. I recently got published, and my book was released March 24, 2010. It's available at www.passionatewriterpublishing.com










Reflections: Thoughts, Passions, and Truths is a collection of poems with eclectic themes. These poems are a mirror image of the author's most personal thoughts and most intimate moments in her life. This book gives the reader a front row look into the life of Ya Ya Z. Badasu. These poems are truly a reflection—a mirror image of her life, and they will allow you to see what she sees.



'Thoughts' gives the reader the ability to read right into Ya Ya's mind. No secrets are hidden and all of her desires will be known to the reader. ‘Passions; is full of sex, lust, and love. Her 'R' and ‘X’ rated poems are not for the readers who are bashful or ashamed of sex. These poems are purely sensual, and the language what goes along with them is dirty and hot. Finally, the 'Truth' is a collection of poems that tell the reader the plain truth about her life, her society, and her family.




Regardless of the style, Ya Ya shares her inner, most personal thoughts with her readers. These poems are Ya Ya's thoughts, passions, and truths and they are all reflections of her. Every thought, every idea, and every emotion that comes into her head goes onto the paper; thus, her book of poetry.


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Check out my guest blog spot at walkermuse.blogspot.com

Thanks so much & happy reading! :)

Oh, so you're the girl from Vegas who...

My reputation preceeds me, and not in a way I would like.




Let me take you back to Friday night. It had been a long week for both of us, and the Mrs. and I decided to blow off some steam. We ate at a beautiful log cabin restaurant and then we went over to a small local bar. I'm not one for the bar scene, but it was karoke night, and some of her co-workers and friends would be there, so we went to meet up with them. It was a typical small bar.






While we were there, she saw a man she had gone to school with. He was busy talking to other folks, so I figured it would just be a "sighting."


He actually came over a little while later. He greeted and hugged her, and he even hugged me as we were introduced.


This is where it gets good. As I was being introduced, she said, "You've probably heard about her." To which he said, "yeah."





Yeah.



Yeah?



Yeah!



Lovely. Just freakin' lovely. We often joke about how I need to get a tee-shirt that says, "I'm the girl from Vegas who..." The sad part is, that's how I'm known around here.




This is why I prefer larger metropolises. There's anonymity. You don't have a label before you have a name.


I've already had some rather "interesting" welcomes to the area, most of which were not warm. They don't know a thing about me. They just know one tiny piece to a VERY large puzzle and they assume based on that one tiny piece.




Here's the thing about me: I pride myself on my diversity. I love the fact that I am multifaceted. I also LOATHE prejudice, discrimination, ignorance and assumptions. I was a co-president of my high school's anti-bias committee. Yeah, I hate hate that much.




So, this man, not meaning to, REALLY got under my skin. It's not his fault that the locals are talking. It's not his fault that I am the new face around town. He has no control over what he hears. It's local gossip. But it bothers me to no end.




Now mind you, he was very polite and cordial. We had a very pleasant conversation, so I do not hold him at fault in any way. I'm just bothered by the fact that people are saying and assuming things about me when they may not even know my name. Ugh.




So here it is folks: the run-down on yours truly.



Yes, I came here from Vegas, but that is not where I am originally from.




Yes we met out there, but I did not "corrupt" her as so many of you like to think.




I am a writer, not a free-loader.





No, I am not here just to make a political statement (I was seriously asked if that was my only purpose to moving to this locale. Amazing what people assume, isn't it?).





No, I am not the anti-Christ.


I am just a woman trying to live her own life.







There is tremendous depth to me, far more than you may ever know.







Before you start talking about me like I'm a thing (say a hurricane or tornado), why don't you ask my name first.


It's Lauren, by the way.

A tribute to my homeboy

Hello, internet world. Today, I need to pay homage to my homeboy, Willy. Sometimes I call him Bill. Sometimes I just call him! ;) LOL. Just kidding! In all seriousness, I'm talking about the one and only William Shakespeare.



Now don't go rolling your eyes or sighing heavily. I know that some equate him to torture, but in actuality, Willy rocks! :)



On my facebook status, I quote him a lot. He's amazing with words. And if you took more than a nano-second to read it, it would, in fact, make sense! Gasp!



Anyhoo, I think that in order to show you just how cool my dude is, I am going to show you some of the phrases he coined that we still use today. Ha! Take that cynical people who say Shakespeare is out of touch with modern times! :)



We'll start off with an easy one. "Be not afraid of greatness: some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon 'em." This quote is from Twelfth Night. That's right folks. Not FDR or Patton or anyone else. This one came from Willy. Mad props to my main man! ;)



This next one is from one of my personal favorites: Othello. Ever hear someone say that it'll either make 'em or brake 'em? Wanna know where that came from? Check this out: "It makes us or it mars us." Seem WAY too familiar? It should! That's W. S. 2, World 0!



Ok, on to number three. This one is often confused as being coined by Dickens, but it is not. It's from Bill's play, Richard the Third. "Now is the winter of our discontent..." Surprised? You're not the only one, I'm sure. ;)



Have you ever heard someone say, "something smells fishy in Denmark?" Chances are, you have. I know I have. I never did quite understand, but I've also never been to Denmark so why would I get it? LOL. Check this out: "Something is rotten in the state of Denmark." Marcellus says this in Hamelt. Food for thought. ;)



Another favorite coined a tremendously famous phrase. "All that glisters is not gold." This saying is from The Merchant of Venice. Pretty cool, huh? ;)



"The course of true love never did run smooth;..." I'm sure we've all heard this one quite a few times. It's from A Midsummer Night's Dream.



I have OFTEN said that there is a method to my madness. In most cases, that's true. Though I'd like to take credit for that phrasem the real credit goes to William. Check out this quote from Hamlet: "Though this be madness, yet there is method in't."



When people feel that the world is in their hands; that they can have anything they want, they'll often say that the world is their oyster. That may be true. What's also true is that that phrase can be found in The Merry Wives of Windsor. Look at what Pistol says: "...the world's mine oyster,..." Crazy, huh?



We all know that people can become green with envy. Sometimes jealousy or envy are referred to as the green eyed monster. Where did that come from? Quite possibly the one and only Shakespeare! "O, beware, my lord, of jealousy; It is the green-ey'd monster, which doth mock The meat it feeds on." Iago says that in Othello.




Have you ever been REALLY excited about something? Ever wait for something with "bated breath?" Take a look at a quote from Shylock from The Merchant of Venice: "...With bated breath and whisp'ring humbleness,..." What's interesting is that here, they're actually talking about whispering. We've turned that into great anticipation. Interesting how words and phrases change meanings over time.



We've all cracked or heard someone crack a joke about lawyers. We've heard people say that they're crooks or whatever have you. Ever hear someone say that we should kill all the lawyers & that will make for a better world? Whether or not that is true, Shakespeare suggested that in Henry the Sixth. "The first thing we do, let's kill all the lawyers." Good old Dick says that in that play. Funny, huh? I guess some opinions never change! :)



Polonius says in Act I of Hamlet, "Neither a borrower nor a lender be,..." I've heard this umpteen million times. We all know how mucky waters can become when dealing with lending or borrowing from someone else, don't we?



Othello once said, "O farewell,
Farewell the neighing steed, and the shrill trump,
The spirit-stirring drum, th' ear-piercing fife;
The royal banner, and all quality,
Pride, pomp, and circumstance of glorious war!
And O you mortal engines, whose rude throats
Th' immortal Jove's dread clamors counterfeit,
Farewell! Othello's occupation's gone."


I am going to borrow the summation from http://www.enotes.com/shakespeare-quotes/pomp-circumstance for this one.


"If there were one speech that revealed Othello's "tragic flaw," this would be it. The noble Moor, who has led a life of astounding exploits and military glory, has ultimately staked his self-image and peace of mind on his marriage to a Venetian woman of privilege. When the villain Iago craftily persuades Othello that his wife has been unfaithful—a highly improbable event—the general bids farewell not just to marital bliss, but to his livelihood ("occupation"). No longer, he cries, can he experience "all quality,/ Pride, pomp, and circumstance of glorious war!"


Othello obviously isn't talking about his high school graduation. "Pomp and circumstance" (and "quality" and "pride") are the glories and ceremonies of warfare. In war's splendid rituals, Othello has forged his identity. Although we often use "pomp and circumstance" negatively, to denote affectation and overwrought exhibitionism, the Renaissance would have been more generous: pomp and circumstance were considered inherent, positive duties of the exalted classes."





Pretty cool, eh?




In "The Scottish Play," Willy writes: "If it were done, when 'tis done, then 'twere well
It were done quickly. If th' assassination
Could trammel up the consequence, and catch
With his surcease, success: that but this blow
Might be the be-all and the end-all—here,
But here, upon this bank and shoal of time,
We'd jump the life to come."


Once again, e-notes comes up with a great explanation. "We use "the be-all and the end-all" in two rather different ways, neither of which pays much respect to Macbeth's intention. On one hand, the be-all and the end-all is something superlative in its category—a paragon or an extreme. On the other hand, the be-all and the end-all is an all-consuming project or passion—an idée fixe. Both uses, which meet somewhere in the vicinity of "the last word in the matter," pick up on the literal meaning of Macbeth's words while slighting the context. Macbeth speaks of an action, not a person or thing; he wonders if that action will be all that is required and end all that he must go through to be king. We refer to what is all it can possibly be and ends all competition, or to something that overrides all the normal limits. Macbeth would like his deed to be limited, while we admire a nearly unlimited excellence, or a passion without bounds." (Sorry about borrowing these explanations, but the little one is becoming impatient with me while I try to type this!)




There are COUNTLESS more quotes that have weaved themselves into the fabric of our culture. Personally, I think it's fantastic! We are carrying on history and heritage. As a writer, I could only hope to be quoted once, let alone an infinite number of times!



So folks, I hope this made Shakespeare slightly less intimidating, and perhaps even understandable. :) Enjoy his works. I think that without literary greats like Shakespeare, we as writers, would be lost.

Why Blog About Writing?

Recently, I was asked why my blog is aimed at writers, writing and readers. Good question. My answer was, "I don't know."

LOL. Sad, but true.




The truth is I love writing about anything & everything. There is so much that goes on either in my head or in my life that I'd love to share with the world, but most of it stays just with me.





Why? Here's my take on things: I have a family. I have a personal that needs to remain...well, personal! :) I don't think it's appropriate for strangers to know my daily routine or to find out the details of my life.




Don't get me wrong. I have an amazing partner who I could go on about for ages about how smart, beautiful, talented and wonderful she is. And no, I don't get paid for saying those things. They just happen to be true! LOL.








As much as I would love for the entire world to know how great she is, I do need to respect her privacy, and our privacy. I don't think it's a good idea. Romantic relationships are supposed to be private. I'm not going to risk what I have just to gain readers who are interested in our "alternative" family.





There is also a little one involved. I love that little girl, and I definitely do not want to do anything that could possibly jeopardize her in any way, shape or form. Except for maybe sharing the occasional moment she just makes you laugh your arse off when she says things like, "that's how I roll," or "Dude, I'm hungry!" LOL. Gotta love three year olds! :)




Plus, I write my blogs to help gain readership. Yes, I'll admit it. I'm a writer, and I want to reach as broad of an audience as I can.





I also have so many friends who are readers and writers, and we're all at different places and levels with our writing. I think it's a good idea to help contribute what I can. Granted, most of my blogs are generalized because everyone is in a different place, but what I discuss are good building blocks for every writer.



So there you have it. That's why I write about writing. Sound good?

Hope you all have a great day, and happy reading & writing! :)

All I want for Christmas is...

Not my two front teeth. I already have those, but thank you any way.



No, what I want is PROPER GRAMMAR!

That's right folks, the grammar nazi in me is coming out.





Grammar is a pain in the arse, I know. It's annoying to have to remember different rules, tenses, pronouns, adjectives. YUCK! I know. It's boring.

It is important to remember, though, that proper grammar is the foundation for any good story. Now granted, in our modern society, we do actually end sentences in propositions. Even I have done that. Especially when in the context of dialogue, that's fine! I think it's important to remember rules like that, though, so you don't end every sentence on the word "to." Oooh, I just got a shiver. LOL



Grammar does not have to be boring, believe it or not. I'm gonna use a football analogy here, ok? Football is great. It's a fun sport, it's intense. It just rocks. But, there are rules in football, aren't there? Haven't you ever heard of "holding," "unnecessary roughness," and all those other glorious football terms? We've all seen those stupid little yellow flags go flying onto the field. Why? Because the players have to go by the rules.




Writing is OUR game. But we can be called out on a foul if we use improper grammar, people. Just like the players know what they can and cannot do, we need to be aware of the rules of grammar so that we keep our game honest. Fair?

When I was in college 100+ years ago, we got a small spiral bound book. "A Pocket Style Manual" by Diana Hacker. this little book is our play book, folks. You need help with sentence structure, vocab, anything? This book has it! I have held on to it all these years because it is key to writing GOOD stories. I also have a dictionary of synonyms, antonyms and homonyms. Your desk should not be cluttered with reference books. Just have a dictionary, the pocket manual & perhaps the book of synonyms, antonyms & homonyms like I do. Those are really the only three things you should ever use regularly as a writer. Don't dimsiss these play books. They can REALLY help you to improve as a writer.



With the new year fast approaching, make a r4esolution to improve your grammar - and your writing! ;)

Boundaries and Writers

Good morning, internet world! :) Today, I want to discuss a rather unusual topic: writers and boundaries. Since I discussed emotional writing yesterday, I think it's important to remember that there need to be boundaries when it comes to that emotional writing.



Why do I want to talk about that? Well, writers are basically geysers of words. Like "Old Faithful," we regularly errupt with words and emotions.



I don't know if the same can be said for other art forms or not. But we as writers absorb so much. We are trapped in our minds which are endless stories and words. It's great because that gives us the creative juices we need to create wonderful stories. It can be bad, though, because sometimes we just errupt without thinking of the consequences on those around us. We REALLY need to be mindful not to hurt the people closest to us. I have seen it happen SO many times. So I decided to take a stand against it today!


I know you're looking at your monitor with your head cocked to the side thinking, "Say what?!" Yeah, I've got x-ray vision! ;) LOL.



I've seen so many writers just vomit out words endlessly.
(I'm sorry, but this picture randomly came up in an unrelated search, and I thought it was just too funny NOT to post! LOL)


Sometimes it's vague, but sometimes they just go right for the jugular forgetting that the world can read it, and that the pen is in fact mightier than the sword. It may not even be intentional, but it's a common problem in the scribe community.

We express ourselves through words. That's what we do. So of course we'd clear our minds and our souls with words. But sometimes we forget that those words may have people attached to them. I've seen so many writers just blurt stuff out, then look back & say, "oops!"

Oops is not a good thing for us. Nor is it a good thing for the people who are being affected by the oops.

Countless writers love to do what's called free-writing. With that, you just spew and spew whatever thoughts, feelings, emotions, and images come to mind. It is such a great release! I'm a big fan of free writing. BUT, free-writing has its consequences if you're having an arguement with your spouse and you write things like "she is so stupid" or "he is so inconsiderate" and then publish it for all the world to see. Oops? Oh yeah! MAJOR oops!

So, what is a writer to do when you're flooded with emotions and you need to write to keep your sanity, but you dare not risk making a bad situation worse? It's called...drum roll...EDITING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!




That's right folks. Editing. We writers have a love-hate relationship with editing. Sometimes editing is the polish that gives our words that extra shine. Sometimes, it seems more like censorship.

Editing is in fact your friend, fellow bibliophiles! Editing is the fine tuning that every work needs. Just as an artist draws out the main sketch first and then puts in the details later, so must we write and then edit. It really helps to hone our skills, but also to be sure that we are truly saying what we need to say. Plus, it gives us the opportunity to kill the oops before it's out for all the world to see. Editing is a phenomenal tool for us! USE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

For myself, I also love using what ever is close by. I frequently use my phone for writing. Whether it's one thought or a story idea, by using my phone I can just say what is in my heart or on my mind, but it's just for me. It's GREAT! Oh, I LOVE the release it gives me, but I don't need to worry that I may offend my readers. Come on, I'm a loud mouthed, bisexual Puerto Rican from Queens. My EXISTANCE offends people! LOL.
(Yep, that's me! Are ya scared yet? LOL)



So, this gives me the opportunity to quietly scream. I love it. I'll also use paper and a pen/pencil if that's more readily available. Whatever is around. I HIGHLY recommend it for you as well. You're still doing what a writer does, but you're also writing for yourself. Let me tell you something. Writing for yourself is FAR more rewarding than writing for an audience.




Again, I see tilted heads and I'm hearing, "Say what?!" Ok, let me explain. My publisher told me I should try to write a suspense novel earlier this year. I was thinking, "oh hell no!" I'm not good at twists and turns and intrigue. Again, Puerto Rican chick from Queens. We're direct. We speak directly and we write directly. How was I going to write a full length novel that was the antithesis of my normal voice? It took a lot of work and digging, but I did it. Now, I am EXTREMELY proud of the fact that I did actually write a full length suspense novel. It's a great feeling to actually accomplish something outside your norm. But, I was doing it for some one else - my readers. So, what did I do? I created the epilogue just for myself. I don't care if people like it or don't. It's there - think of it what you will. But it's MY epilogue. That is the one thing I feel I truly own because I wrote that epilogue just for myself. Selfish? Maybe. But I sure as hell enjoy it and revel in Unbreakable Hostage that much more!




Ok, I got a bit side-tracked there. So, what I'm saying is this, folks: write, write, write. It's what we do. It's how we express ourselves. It's how we allow ourselves to heal. It's how we allow ourselves to grow as people. But, just like your first draft of your novel is not ready for the public, the same goes for most of your writings. It's true for all of us. Read, re-read, edit and write for yourself. Yes, you need to express whatever it is you're feeling or experiencing. You just don't have to let everybody and their mother know exactly what is going on in your personal life. Whatever and whenever you write, make sure you're doing it for yourself & not for any other reasons, ok? You will end up SO much happier with your final product if you do! That is a promise! :)

Poetry (gasp!)

So, I decided I wanted to do something a bit different today. I thought I'd share some poetry. Now, I am by no means a great poet, but I do enjoy expressing myself through poetry. It's a different outlet. It allows me to create unique visions and emotions that are all subjective. I love subjectivity when it comes to art. Now, some of these are quite old, some are more recent (you'll notice a drastic change in my writing voice. At least I do! LOL). So, it may not be the best you've ever read, but enjoy it nonetheless! :)



Vulnerable
Cut Open
Exsanguination
Intestines dangling
Heart exposed
For all the world to see
Open
Weak
Bloody
I am
Vulnerable.





Home
Crimson red
Cheerful orange
Tranquil beige
Breath-taking green
Blissful circles
Serene lines
Golden reflections
Untouched
Saved just for me
You are my
Home






Black
Sheets of blackness race down my breast.
The darkness is everywhere, it is building up.
Building up.
Lonliness envelops me, as I find my way through the hair and blackness.
I am bald for them now.
None will ever notice.
No one sees me.
I am bald, though. For him, for her, for her, for her, for him...
If they are fortunate, they will see me in my baldness.
If not, it is only hair, it will grow back.
I yearn for your arms to be around me.
For you to hold me.
Hold me.
I do not understand how you can love someone and never tell them.
I do not understand how you can make your love bleed and not be wounded yourself.
I do not understand how a little dye under the skin can release endorphins, and raise
self-love.
I do not understand.
That is why I live in silence.






Suddenly
Suddenly every sound is an instrument in the beautiful symphony of life that is all around me.
Suddenly colors are so bold and bright they are blinding, yet I could stare at them endlessly.
Suddenly, I am weak and light-headed, yet I've never been stronger.
Suddenly, I am overwhelmed with a joyous fear.
Suddenly, all the pieces of my life fit, and I know they will not come unglued.
Suddenly, the sun seems dull comparitive to the brightness I have.
Suddenly, the moon is full, and she will never wane again.
Suddenly, I feel no pain, I can go on indefinetly.
Suddenly, for the first time in my life, I know what true happiness is.





Goodbye
How do we say goodbye to a bright, beautiful, but fleeting sunset? The bold colors blinding us one minute, vanish the next. How do we say goodbye to something we cannot grasp?
How do we say goodbye to a world that moves so quickly, our voices blend in with the blur of life and are forgotten? Can you say goodbye to the wind?
How do we say goodbye when we can hardly say hello? We build giant, impenetrable walls to protect ourselves, yet they only end up hurting us more.
How do we say goodbye when memories are nothing more than pictures with slight warps, holes and deformities in them? They slowly fade further and further, making us squint, trying to see that beautiful image that is lost somewhere in time.
How do we say goodbye to that which we cannot see? As humans, we foolishly only believe in the obtainable, what we can see, hear or touch. Yet, there is so much more that goes on around us, and we lose something great if we do not take the time to see what is invisible.
How do we say goodbye to that which we do not understand? What we see around us is so much greater than our puny minds could ever conceive, and for us to hold it for that moment to whisper "Goodbye...." in an ear that is so much bigger than even a child's imagination.
How do we say goodbye to a piece of ourselves? If we are with ourselves all the time, carry each part of us infinitely, how is possible that we lose ourselves so quickly? How can we let go of that which bears an effect on our soul?
How do we say goodbye and let go of souls that are intertwined with us and still carry on as if we never knew them? How does life continue without these souls? It is never the same. Their beauty, love, life, light is gone. Their energy has swirled, and danced, and moved, and morphed. Their impact on life has changed.
How do we say goodbye to emotions?
How do we just say goodbye?
How do I say goodbye to you, and just continue to walk on?





The Road with No Destination
White shadows consuming me
Light insurmountable
Surrounded by silence
Blackness enveloping me
Hollow are ny
Ears
Eyes
Voice
Spirit
As I wander
The road that leads to no destination





Words Unspoken
Compassion
Comfort
Gentleness
Light
Unconditional love
Joy
Fulfillment
Understanding through
Words
Unspoken