Tag: art

blog, poetry

I Am Possible

Lisa Tomey-Zonneveld

staying on task 041219

I did it! We did it! It’s May 1 and every single day of National Poetry Month I was successful at writing a poem. It wasn’t easy. Some days I have a hard time getting that gray matter to work with me. Coffee induced labor may have been my guilty pleasure. There are things about me that you may not know. It’s hard for me to be creative on a consistent basis. It’s important to balance my life so that I have enough spoons to get through the day. Just the other day, I was trying my darnedest to create what some found to be a fun activity with art. What I ended up with, after several frustrating tries, was a mess. I threw it away. Yesterday, I tried again. While I did end up with something, it was not the same as others did for the assignment. This is what I had to tell myself: You are who you are and they are who they are and don’t you be comparing yourself to others! I have had to have that talk often, in my life. For years, I allowed myself not to create consistently because of letting negativity get in the way. It is very important for me to Stay on Task! If it takes me all day and then some to accomplish what it may take others a few minutes to a few hours, it’s on me to do me. I need to just focus on doing what is the essence of me. It’s my heart and my soul and my life and my own ways of expression.

Today I started thinking about what I would now do since the National Poetry Month is over. I like writing poetry every day. Know what I did? I went to Robert Lee Brewer’s Poetic Aside’s Blog and looked at today’s prompt and I wrote this poem:

Impossible

It is impossible
to stop
to go
to sleep
to concentrate
to function
IF
my whole world
depends on this belief
So
I will do the impossible
making it possible
by doing one thing
changing the way of looking
at impossible
changing it to
I’m possible

*****
Here was his prompt:
For today’s prompt, write an impossible poem. Write about something that’s impossible to do. Or write about something people once thought was impossible to do. Or write about something that’s impossible to NOT do. Whatever you decide, I hope it’s not impossible for you to poem along!

I won’t guarantee that I will post a poem a day. I will be writing behind the scenes. There is a big project I am starting today and that one requires me to write a lot of words. And I will continue my weekly Six Sentence Story and Ten Things of Thankful.

Here’s to a happy May! May your May memories be positive and turn into June possibilities. Thank you for listening to me.

I am in this:

spoons

TTOT

Ten Things of Thankful – April 26

Lisa Tomey-Zonneveld

My Post (20)

Ten Things of Thankful

It’s that time again to ponder on all the gratitudes for the week! This is possibly one of my favorite things to do as it affects my whole week. You start looking at the silver lining of each cloud and start seeing the goodness. So, without much more ado, awaaay we go!! If you don’t know where that came from, then I think I will be nostalgic and start with that one!

1. Jackie Gleason was one of the best comics from my age. I have many fond memories of watching his show and our father saying “Away We Go!”

2. National Poetry Month has gotten my poetry flow going. Today is day 26 and I am still in the running! Here’s probably my favorite so far. Check it out HERE

3. Earth Day – we need this day 365 days a year, if we are going to make a difference. I did a little poem for the earth.
My Post - 2019-04-22T172900.951.jpg

4. Triangle Association of Freelancers Conference is tomorrow and I am over the moon at being able to be in North Carolina Poet Laureate Jaki Shelton-Green’s class!! She was just given an amazing honor. Read about it HERE I hope to learn about her documentary style poetry and more.

5. Joy Prom is provided annually in Raleigh and dear daughter will be attending this year. She last attended several years ago and decided she wanted to go again. I think she will have a great time.

6. Six Sentence Story is still going strong, for me. This week I wrote something that cuts close to my heart. It is likely going to be developed more, as it came to me with more information than I shared. It’s about The Last Haircut I gave my father.

7. The weather has been amazing!!! We did have a storm and today we are expecting another one, but it’s just nature doing what it does. It’s been nice to be able to start wearing shorts. If the pool was open I would have jumped in!

8. The library is something I am super thankful for. We walked to the library last night and picked up three books I had on hold. It’s nice we live so close and I love how they can get the books I want, pretty much. I also request that they buy certain books and many times they have followed though. The librarians are super nice and it’s cool how they are so eager to assist.

9. Art has infiltrated my brain! I am an artist, but I go in spells with creativity. I started doing some mindfulness art with a free class and now I am slowly going through another series for your sketchbook. It can be challenging to try new things, but it’s also fun. Here’s one item I made.
staying on task 041219

10. Accomplishment. I worked on a special project of which was a new challenge and it is complete and I feel a little bit more experienced and that’s all can say about it. It’s a secret…shhh

10.1 BONUS!! I lost 4# since my last report and I forgot to report last week.

So, there you have it! One more week of yahoos!! How about you? Do you feel yahooistic? Go for it and share. The more, the merrier!!

Join us by going to this LINK

poetry

Little Did I Know

Lisa Tomey-Zonneveld

multicolored abstract painting
Photo by Steve Johnson on Pexels.com

Little Did I Know

What you might see
on the surface
is not necessarily
what is so

Little did I know
when they took
an interest
in my heart
the beat of my heart would become their own
the rhythm of my song
would become their own
the splatter of my paint
would become their own

It was only when
I found out
I didn’t know who I was anymore

The light came on

My heart started a rhythm
to the song I owned
my paint became brilliant
to my own eyes

Little did I know
but I know now
it was the rhythm of the rain
that made me grow

…..
National Poetry Month Day 18 has been penned. Thanks to the prompt from
Robert Lee Brewer’s Poetic Asides: “For today’s prompt, take the phrase “Little (blank),” replace the blank with a word or phrase, make the new phrase the title of your poem, and then write your poem. Possible titles include: “Little Guy,” “Little Richard,” “Little Mermaid,” “Little Italy,” and “Little Words That Pack a Big Punch.” I think if you think about it for a little bit, you’ll find a big (or little) poem to write.”

poetry

New York

Lisa Tomey-Zonneveld
buildings surrounded by trees
Photo by Reynaldo #brigworkz Brigantty on Pexels.com

New York

A college student
Midwestern planted
landed in New York
eyes wide opened

Granted a chance
to practicum in the city
of cities
you might say

It was post my mother’s passing
I needed the time
to sort my emotions
and stay focused on studies

Massive empire of buildings
standing tall
sweating from the heat
mixed with pollution

Trekking to the subway
early morning trot
acrid scents of night
lingering in the bowels

Subway to bus
dropping by Little Neck
for my stint
with the agency

Helping little babies
ones who were marked
sadly, but truly
determined to survive

Lives of sweet innocence
have to make it
for sure
and find loving homes

Once back to my temporary abode
clearing my olfactory portals
supping on meager findings
counting myself fortunate

Life has a funny way
of taking you to places
you never thought you
would go

One Saturday
I went to the World Trade Center
all was well
back then

Looking back
how fortunate I was
to have that experience
over seeing Lady Liberty

Many a time
I would go to the Metropolitan
enjoying the vastness
of artists who’ve long gone

Crying tears at Monet
astounded at the colors
the shapes
the sizes

And to ride to the mountains
say I have been to Woodstock
gather with folk musicians
and the scent of the flowers in my room

Life takes us on journeys
never forgotten
this one took me
into a life I own

…..
There you have it! Day 14 of National Poetry Month 🙂
My prompt comes from Robert Lee Brewer’s Poetic Asides “For today’s prompt, pick a state (or province, territory, etc.), make it the title of your poem, and then, write your poem. A few possibilities include New York, California, Ontario, Bavaria, and Champagne. It goes without saying, but I’ll say it anyway: Feel free to bend this in any direction you wish.”

 

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Ten Things of Thankful – April 12

Lisa Tomey-Zonneveld
baby children cute dress
Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

It’s time to reflect on the TTOT gratitudes of the week. I have several gratitudes and will do my best to share.

1. April 15 is 2 days away!!

2. It’s raining. I live in North Carolina, which seems to be the pollen capital of the world. I am grateful for the rain to wash the pollen off the car and clean up the area. Realistically, it’s just going to be more to come, but allow me this bit of joy.

3. Trying new things. I was invited to a virtual art workshop this week and was able to get in three days of the five. In those days I created some artsy pieces. We just took 30 minutes, starting with breath work and then focusing on our individual intentions for the day. It was in the morning, so I was able to start off my day on the right foot. Here’s the link to the website of the leader. I find her emails to be very nice. My intention is to make this a daily practice.

4. National Poetry Month. I have been successful with getting my one poem per day accomplished. Here’s my most recent one: Views of Nature

5. Six Sentence Story has been a fun trial and I am grateful that I am able to keep up with this one on a weekly basis. Here’s the last one I posted. No Contest
6. I lost 2# this week. This is really working!

7. Yesterday, I interviewed a fellow poet. It has been years since I have done anything like that. It went very well as we had a relaxed, conversational tone. Once the video is ready, I will share.

8. Friendships. I have many people I call my friends. Many are nowhere near my location, but I have kept up with them, sometimes for as long as Junior High. How I wish that I could reach out more than I do when I know a friend is in need. There’s something about presence that helps. It’s not always possible, so I reach out as I can and sometimes send a card or gift to let them know they are cared about. I’m often left with feeling like I don’t do enough. This didn’t mean to come across as sad. I am mainly stating that I am grateful for friendships and friends who become family.

9. Birthdays. One of my brothers turned 71 this past week. How is that for one big happy?!!

10. Writing community. It seems that my writing community is growing. I am most grateful as I find that having others sharing in this makes my days much nicer.

What’s happening with your week? Please come share on TTOT!