tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-89717576308670963232024-02-19T02:29:16.115-06:00Kreative JooseEscaping Into Books & Finding InspirationRebekah Tellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17380990103636006172noreply@blogger.comBlogger156125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8971757630867096323.post-55495464267784669322023-03-19T16:07:00.001-05:002023-03-19T16:07:39.562-05:00A Long Time Ago<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">I'm not sure how small I was</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Big enough to raise my hand</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">And stand</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Small enough I could still hear </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Animals talk </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">I was with a group of girls</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Maybe Brownies</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Maybe Daisies</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Maybe something before Daisies became a thing</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Maybe some kind of church youth</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">I think it was before Daisies</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">We were in a field</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">With two grown ups and a ranger</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">And the ranger had brought an animal</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Today you are here to learn about the buffalo</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">This is a buffalo</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">This one is a child</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Just like you</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Even though it looks big</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">The grown up buffalo</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Are much much much bigger</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Buffalo are sacred to the native people of this land</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">The buffalo and the people have a sacred relationship</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">The buffalo know the people need them to survive</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">And this is a sacrifice they are willing to make</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">The people honor this by using every bit of the animal</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">When they hunt</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">They don't just eat the meat</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">They use the bones for tools</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">They use the internal organs as pouches and bags</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">They use the hide for blankets</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Every single part has a use</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Nothing is wasted</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Everything is honored</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">And because of this</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">The buffalo trust the people</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">It is said</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">That if a warrior is pure in heart</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">The buffalo will stand still</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">And let the warrior walk right up to it</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">And take its sacrifice</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Now listen close</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">You should never try walking up to a grown up buffalo</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">But this is a child</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">And it knows to trust people</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">And today</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">If anyone here is pure in heart</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">You can walk up to this buffalo</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">And pet it</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">And feel its soft fur</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">So close your eyes</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">And focus on your heart</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">And you can pet it</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">If the buffalo decides</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">And I got so excited</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">I don't know how to explain this right</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">But I know my heart is made of light</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">So I closed my eyes</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">And shined so bright</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Good, the ranger said</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Now open your eyes</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">And if anyone feels like they can touch the buffalo</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Raise your hand</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">The buffalo met me behind my eyes and said</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">You can</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">So I raised my hand</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Stand</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Said the ranger</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Are you pure in heart? </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">I nodded</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Then slowly walk over here</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">And if you're feeling brave</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">You can pet its soft fur</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">I kept looking at the buffalo's eyes</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">He was quiet</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">I walked up and in my head said</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Hello Mr Buffalo</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">And he said </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Go ahead</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">So I petted his fur</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">He was soft and warm</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">And he said</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">In my head</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">You are pure in heart</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">What are you doing here?</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">We don't get many of you around here anymore</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">I'm looking for a friend, I said in my head</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">He's lost</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">They think he may have landed here</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">He's in danger</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">He doesn't belong here</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Everyone is looking for him</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">And I have to find him</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">You do have to find him</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">He said in my head</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">I want to help you</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">I can't give you a sacrifice</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Would you take a piece of wisdom? </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Yes, yes I will</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">I'll take whatever help you give</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Don't give up and don't lose hope</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Don't let this world change you</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">You are here to change it</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Remember that</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">That's very important</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Even if you don't remember me</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Even if you don't remember where you heard it</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Remember this</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Don't let this world change you</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">You are here to change it</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">I will remember</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">I promise</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">You probably won't</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">It will be very difficult</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">You might remember if you tell someone else about it</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">So try that</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">It will help</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Okay, I can tell my mother</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">But, um, buffalo is a hard word to say</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Do you have a different name? </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">He smiled inside</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">You can call me Buff Buff</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">That's close enough</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Tell your mother</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">She won't believe you</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">But telling her will help you remember</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">I promise</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">I promise to tell her</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">I promise to remember you</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">And he said</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">You don't have to remember me</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Just repeat this</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Repeat it over and over</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">As many times as you can</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Don't let this world change you</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">You are here to change it</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Don't let this world change you</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">You are here to change it</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Don't let this world change you</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">You are here to change it</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">————</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL1MBKcIaVtvsh21qXsw1GfY1Nv0yS623ZpxVKFdXv_Te898shaW7WARUt8YQ3uJ7JE7IcxYXa-cWe--9h7MXWxXS60jBO0o-XBQoIXlWUfrCV-xohR0GTxhTS4-msYEcOPMZ-mbcfMsnnjDgkzqfNnGxJkHoBdz6ckq7dIBJVkfOTfHvIN3VI6GxG/s1200/Composing-cover11-01.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="751" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL1MBKcIaVtvsh21qXsw1GfY1Nv0yS623ZpxVKFdXv_Te898shaW7WARUt8YQ3uJ7JE7IcxYXa-cWe--9h7MXWxXS60jBO0o-XBQoIXlWUfrCV-xohR0GTxhTS4-msYEcOPMZ-mbcfMsnnjDgkzqfNnGxJkHoBdz6ckq7dIBJVkfOTfHvIN3VI6GxG/s320/Composing-cover11-01.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br />The above is an excerpt from my upcoming book <i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Composing-Ripples-Flowing-Trenches-Book-ebook/dp/B0BJQRZQQG/" target="_blank">Composing Ripples</a>,</i> currently available for pre-order <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Composing-Ripples-Flowing-Trenches-Book-ebook/dp/B0BJQRZQQG/" target="_blank">on Amazon</a>.<br /><br /><i>This poetry traces a personal narrative back in time to explore the spirits of our nature, cycles of abuse, and the river that runs through us. Delve into getting lost and finding the way home. </i><div><br /></div><div><div><div><div class="gmail_signature" data-smartmail="gmail_signature" dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;" /></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Rebekah Tellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17380990103636006172noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8971757630867096323.post-52245207562321283292022-06-11T12:00:00.006-05:002022-06-11T12:00:36.503-05:00Find Her<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5Q1urWiO-8K6J3BqEotjxrFITdltwef0AzXDebF0pfsgG_I6qY98iWCTyr-OezRSHcNnaj-Bzj0KqPb2NYW7xpSrSvThNjbWg7f-L4xCuMCsiR_iEpQoXZ_nZ4tIVY0iKxxqCRIaAJwTVynl2eNZmcUc-P2Xu2rIEq3LKgABvJOLKdCkUidW8C7mJ/s4032/FindHer.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1920" data-original-width="4032" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5Q1urWiO-8K6J3BqEotjxrFITdltwef0AzXDebF0pfsgG_I6qY98iWCTyr-OezRSHcNnaj-Bzj0KqPb2NYW7xpSrSvThNjbWg7f-L4xCuMCsiR_iEpQoXZ_nZ4tIVY0iKxxqCRIaAJwTVynl2eNZmcUc-P2Xu2rIEq3LKgABvJOLKdCkUidW8C7mJ/w640-h304/FindHer.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>That girl who aches for pencil and paper<br />the one who swings her feet<br />and looks up at the stars</p><p>That girl who demands cold pizza and soft hands<br />the one who brushes her hair<br />and shops for empty bottles</p><p>The one who strips off her clothes to sleep because she understands body heat<br />The one who says yes to the candy aisle because a dollar is nothing to pay for a smile</p><p>That girl, that girl<br />the one who says yes<br />the one who gives no fucks when she's getting dressed</p><p>She'll get you out there<br />She'll get you free<br />She'll get you everything you want to be</p><p>That girl, that girl<br />She's waiting inside<br />And you'll find her when you have nothing to hide</p><p>So tell us your story<br />pull out the pain of<br />every time your heart felt nothing but rain</p><p>'Cause that girl is waiting<br />and she wants to breathe<br />She wants to make wishes on dandelion weeds</p><p>That girl, that girl<br />She's what you need.</p><p><br /></p>Rebekah Tellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17380990103636006172noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8971757630867096323.post-54621257790678071922022-01-28T21:59:00.003-06:002022-01-28T21:59:49.238-06:00Cover Reveal: Seeds of Revenge by Jesse Teller<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhcGXifNZT7MuO-KEbYPlmVsPWPBH7wR-5x-jCecFK-j_PbG1C_Kp_lXbbZCbitZbTJzth8GDBBRNiAG9vze6ZHi3Xf1QU-0zWQl1h8NFZCoFomdMFHsz-zALc3MB_UKUUHBWTr9FTiZ9M2ucjL2nn8sbAISYLtql7KHtJkSu9Knk9usx60GmFXS6Zj=s750" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="479" data-original-width="750" height="204" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhcGXifNZT7MuO-KEbYPlmVsPWPBH7wR-5x-jCecFK-j_PbG1C_Kp_lXbbZCbitZbTJzth8GDBBRNiAG9vze6ZHi3Xf1QU-0zWQl1h8NFZCoFomdMFHsz-zALc3MB_UKUUHBWTr9FTiZ9M2ucjL2nn8sbAISYLtql7KHtJkSu9Knk9usx60GmFXS6Zj=s320" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p>Easily the most enigmatic character in any of my work is a woman named Revenge. The first time she shows up in a book I've released is <i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B079SG8L1W/" target="_blank">Hemlock</a></i>. She marches in with the most deadly, vile, dangerous group that my world knows, in soft black silk slippers and a black evening gown. She is a gorgeous woman covered in fine black fur with long, gleaming black hair covering one eye, exposing her other red appraising eye. The men around her are all large and vicious, are magically powerful beyond comprehension, and then you have her. And nobody can understand why she's part of the Hoodsmen. Her name is simply Revenge. </p><p>She is sexy, uses her womanly wiles, yet at the same time will boil a man alive for laying an unwanted hand to her. She is the very essence of a powerful woman, and all of the Hoodsmen fear her. There are theories that say she sleeps with one or the other as she pours her teasing affection through the group. And as you read her stories there are nothing more than questions forming in your mind. The more information you get about Revenge, the more mysterious she gets. </p><p>She's first seen in <i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B079SG8L1W/" target="_blank">Hemlock</a></i>, makes an appearance again in <i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07FC9FBZ3/" target="_blank">Crown</a></i>, becomes a pretty prominent character in <i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08CN2T5PM/" target="_blank">Plight of Madness</a></i>, a point of view character in <i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08V4QQY2F" target="_blank">Fate of Madness</a></i>. Yet in all of these books there are just too many questions and the reader is left desperate to know more about the deadly beauty, feared only by the most powerful, who the world knows as Revenge. </p><p>I'll be releasing on a semi-regular basis a series of novellas called the <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09DR3TPPN" target="_blank"><i>Garden of Infamy</i></a>. All will be stories of the backgrounds of important characters we will see more of in the future. <i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09DQYXN8T/" target="_blank">Seeds of Revenge</a></i> is the first of such novellas. At 42,000 words it dances along the edge of the novella cliff. A breath would push it over into novel. But I refuse to beef up the story just so I can label it a novel. I would tell more of her secrets but if there is a character in my world that I fear, it's Revenge. Because here in this room, with two dogs, a son, a wife, and a vodka and soda, she's just a character. But tomorrow night, after being awake for 32 hours, I will be going to sleep. And in my dreams there is nothing that can protect me from the wrath of Revenge. So I will tell only the secrets she wishes the world to know. It will stay a novella. I have written enough novels anyway. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09DQYXN8T/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="2400" data-original-width="1500" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi4bJrNNa-TKRfpa5-nKIwDYpybblv_Y1WJXd5k4GyshRmu8NDnuon30v0mwZbTApD2GYsLAg-Pb2EVjZDojqDh6JiU_CsgosY29A3fRqm_pHoRx9PMxBjz_a3PSQpiM0hjIKUKdHXZFiGhP-Q9Ch-VHzmhV61T9qRWyVCzfNWRFf6hOE0YEvKxo2ga=w400-h640" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i>Seeds of Revenge:</i></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09DQYXN8T/" target="_blank">Amazon</a> | <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/59987366-seeds-of-revenge" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Jesse-Teller/e/B01G0ZB7JG/" target="_blank">Jesse Teller Amazon Author Page</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://jesseteller.com/" target="_blank">jesseteller.com</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p>Rebekah Tellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17380990103636006172noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8971757630867096323.post-2144762345899807422021-12-25T14:47:00.001-06:002021-12-25T14:47:28.194-06:00Seasonal Blues<div class="separator"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiMEE6ONFhkEMgP6QZDYeu5AMLYfZaXeQoUKfIKQiYHMMh3fw4uh448pASdPNhqKsca1VxlJM9skq9uGvHHJrGTdCKtV8r_Qvx5m60NG_lAMPKuRUSxIvTg-LCj8iJHwBlL_y10havlTbjyRYBN-Y6iAy5ojlIrJrKwc5UVYz55v6vgj7_zOTpc9fso=s541" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="541" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiMEE6ONFhkEMgP6QZDYeu5AMLYfZaXeQoUKfIKQiYHMMh3fw4uh448pASdPNhqKsca1VxlJM9skq9uGvHHJrGTdCKtV8r_Qvx5m60NG_lAMPKuRUSxIvTg-LCj8iJHwBlL_y10havlTbjyRYBN-Y6iAy5ojlIrJrKwc5UVYz55v6vgj7_zOTpc9fso=w640-h426" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator"><span style="text-align: left;">Today I'm thinking about a harmonica. </span></div><p>When I was seventeen, my mother got me a harmonica for Christmas. Blues Traveler was blowing up and I had been listening to them all the time, learning the lyrics, dancing to their rhythms. Christmas morning my mother gave me a harmonica. It was a gift. It was an apology. It was a peace offering. She was desperately trying to say she cared what I felt about music. </p><p>I wasn't ready to surrender. I'm still not. </p><p>Three and a half years earlier, I had been at a camp for gifted kids. I was in a class about leadership and risk taking, and toward the end we had a session where we shared our talents. The camp took place at Drury University. The class met in the chapel on campus. The chapel part is important. Remember I'm in a house of God. </p><p>I read poetry. Some people sang. One juggled. One played guitar. And here's where I long to linger. I think his name was Nathan. He brought an acoustic guitar and sang Closer to Fine by the Indigo Girls. It was the first time I'd heard anything like that. This was 1992. I hadn't heard the Indigo Girls before. The strumming filled the chapel, echoed off the heavens, and I <i>was</i> closer to fine, for the first time in a long time. It touched my spirit and soothed me, gave me peace and gave me hope. I felt God's love. I felt excited to be alive. </p><p>I came home and told mom I wanted to learn guitar. </p><p>"You're too young to learn guitar."</p><p>"No I'm not. This boy was my age, and he was really good. He'd been playing for a long time."</p><p>"You can't play guitar. You play clarinet."</p><p>"Then I'll quit clarinet."</p><p>"You can't quit the clarinet. Look, if you don't like it then you can pick any other instrument that is in band or the piano. But you can't play guitar. It's not classical."</p><p>"There is such a thing as classical guitar. We can do it formally. I'll take lessons and everything. This is important. I have to play guitar."</p><p>"You can't play guitar. You are not playing the guitar. Do you know who plays guitars?"</p><p>"Who?"</p><p>She steamed for a beat before erupting. "Hobos! Hobos play guitar! No daughter of mine is playing the guitar!"</p><p>And she thought that was the end of it. I couldn't get around it. So, I went a different route. I'd claim what little part of it I could. I decided to dress like a hobo, if that's what she thought. I started wearing thrift store clothes, hand me downs from aunts and grandparents, anything ragged and used I could find. She didn't try to stop me. I don't think she realized at first what I was doing, and she had always prided herself on letting us pick our own clothes. I went from a gypsy style to a hippie one. Then I just started wearing torn up jeans, t-shirts, and old flannel. Then grunge hit and everyone dressed that way. My war disappeared in the camouflage of trend. </p><p>But it still bothered her. She wanted me to stop. My senior year, she bought me a harmonica, as if the Hook could make up for it. </p><p>When that didn't work, she started giving me new clothes for Christmas. </p><p>When I fell in love with a guitar player, she attacked that, too. But that's a different story.</p><p>This is my harmonica story. What I wouldn't give to hear the story of why my mother hates guitarists. </p>Rebekah Tellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17380990103636006172noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8971757630867096323.post-26089476243029945862021-11-17T15:51:00.001-06:002021-11-17T15:51:40.383-06:00Made Out of Love<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/jcnSyaTEz1E" width="320" youtube-src-id="jcnSyaTEz1E"></iframe></div><br /><p></p>Katherine's a warrior<br />Who's made out of love. <div>Her clear cut devotion </div><div>Came straight from above. </div><div>She studied humans </div><div>Like never before. </div><div>She kept her sharp eyes </div><div>On our windows and doors. </div><div><br /></div><div>And when she met Jesse, </div><div>Somehow we all knew, </div><div>Anywhere he would go </div><div>She would go too. </div><div>She watched every movement, </div><div>The dip in each mood, </div><div>And most of the time </div><div>She knew just what to do. </div><div><br /></div><div>She knew him in heaven. </div><div>She saw him through hell. </div><div>In heartache and torment </div><div>Her wisdom grew well. </div><div>And when it was over, </div><div>When Jesse was hers, </div><div>She spent all her days </div><div>Being what he deserved. </div><div><br /></div><div>See, Katherine's a warrior </div><div>Who's made out of love, </div><div>The shield of an angel, </div><div>The heart of a dove. </div><div>And Jesse's her hero </div><div>Because he swept in </div><div>And opened her cage </div><div>When her hope had run thin.</div><div><br /></div>Rebekah Tellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17380990103636006172noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8971757630867096323.post-82154326353508091522021-10-28T13:59:00.000-05:002021-10-28T13:59:51.973-05:00Storytelling in Poetry -or- Wherein I Embody my Teller Name<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEWmRgfZqR5D9PWrvj-fMYSPF98gJ8vbedRUwjbBIZdvdwT5WFDCgljlqxSz-41ttoPwyBWI_3T87lZUdKkFBklg9B4JbXQW91jYy6Jzu6igbL1CHh9nDbgucd3zqq3-VHbnev3wkoV_4/s2048/poetryfolder.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1367" data-original-width="2048" height="429" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEWmRgfZqR5D9PWrvj-fMYSPF98gJ8vbedRUwjbBIZdvdwT5WFDCgljlqxSz-41ttoPwyBWI_3T87lZUdKkFBklg9B4JbXQW91jYy6Jzu6igbL1CHh9nDbgucd3zqq3-VHbnev3wkoV_4/w640-h429/poetryfolder.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><p>Guess what? I'm here to tell you a story. </p><p>If you follow me on social media, you've seen my poems flying around. I do this weird thing that a lot of modern poetry doesn't do. I use rhyme a lot. Almost all the time. To the point that I only use free verse for certain reasons. Rhyming is my default now. I'm wired that way. I don't know why. It's not an indication that my poems aren't sophisticated. Just pick that up and run with it. </p><p>The rhyming is easy to see, but what is easy to miss is the storytelling. Most of my poems tell some kind of story. And here's why. </p><p>I was a junior in high school, and I had spent about half of my sophomore year trying to work up the nerve to go to Writers Club and read some of my poetry. So when a new friend named Brett invited me to Writers Club, I jumped at the chance. I went to one session. I was so nervous I didn't read that day, I only listened. But I promised to read a poem the next week. </p><p>The next week never happened for me. Brett got weird and possessive about how Writers Club was his thing and I shouldn't be in it. He had lots of reasons for that that took me years to understand, but that's a different story. Here's the horrible thing he did that changed the arc of my poetry forever. </p><p>I called him later that evening and said, "Writing is really important to me. I've been writing poetry for a long time and I want to be in Writers Club." </p><p>He said, "Well, let's hear it. Read me what you wanted to read today."</p><p>So I read him this poem I called Static:</p><i><div style="text-align: center;"><i>I’ve got bumblebees flying into my ears</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>And I’m running in place toward the wind.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>It blows dirt in my eyes.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Dandelions frolic across the dried grass</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>And the birds in the sky try to dance,</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>But the radio’s broke.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Wildfire glides by the sparkling lake</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>And my life seems to echo away,</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>But it says the wrong words.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Touch</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>The world’s</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Dark core</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>As your heart screams,</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Smile.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Quiet, my dear.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Look,</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Don’t touch,</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>They all seem to say.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>And the eyes in the back of my head</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Watch my dreams walk away.</i></div></i><p><br /></p><p>On the other end of the phone he said, "Wow."</p><p>It sounded like a good wow, so I waited a bit then asked, "It's good, right?"</p><p>"I... I wouldn't read that in Writers Club," he said. </p><p>My stomach sank. "What? Why not?"</p><p>"Well, it just, it doesn't, it doesn't really say anything. Nothing is happening. Something needs to happen. It needs to tell a story."</p><p>"Slate read it today and she liked it. She said it was really good."</p><p>"Well Slate's your friend, right? She was probably just being nice. Do you want me to be nice or do you want me to be honest?"</p><p>I was devastated. I felt foolish for thinking my work was any good, and I instantly felt like I couldn't trust anyone who told me it was. </p><p>"No, I want you to be honest," I said. "I want to get better."</p><p>"Look, the best way to get better is to keep writing. So keep writing poems. Read them to me—don't read them to anyone else. I'm the only one who will be honest with you, and I'll tell you when you're good enough to come to Writers Club."</p><p>Just like that, he highjacked my work. I spent months writing poems, then reading them to him, and each time he would come up with some random criticism and some generic encouragement. Never did he deem me 'good enough' for Writers Club. He didn't want me in that room at all. It took about two years before I read any of my poetry to anyone else, and by then it felt like a desperate cry for help. </p><p>The result was I withdrew, and my poems became very private for me. For decades I wrote very little. One exception was <a href="http://www.kreativejoose.com/2015/02/a-new-day-dawns.html" target="_blank">A New Day Dawns</a>, a poem I wrote for my husband Jesse, which I did sit down to write with the intention of telling a story. </p><p>Then about two years ago, right around the time the pandemic started, and we were home all day with no routine, poetry came back to me like a tidal wave. It came with a flood of memories. It was like a dam had burst. I wrote 2-3 poems a week, sometimes 2-3 poems a day. This time, they were always about my life, about my experiences. My subconscious had been hard at work, injecting storytelling into my poetry style. </p><p>I wrote each poem as it came to me, as I was dealing with the memory or the emotions attached to it. I wrote them for myself, and the process felt very random. It took a few months and a couple of conversations with supportive friends before I came around to the idea of putting them into books. </p><p>Each poem stands on its own, and most of them tell a short story from my life. So I decided to put them in chronological order and separate them into books through some kind of theme. <i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09565P6KC" target="_blank">Song of the Leviathan</a></i> is the story of my heart. The follow up, <i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09BTDF26B" target="_blank">The Opera of Peace</a>,</i> is a story about family. And the third book, <i>Composing Ripples,</i> is a story about friendships. Each book is a collection of poems that together hold a loose narrative. Stories within a story. And the series, <i>Flowing in the Trenches</i>, is a trilogy about survival and finding where I belong. </p><p>So, when you see my book links floating around on social media, test those waters. There's more there than a random collection of abstract musings. There's more to my life than what you see on the surface, and my hope is, you'll find a rhythm that will help you keep swimming. </p><p>And for the love of God, if anyone tells you to only listen to them because no one else will be honest with you, please see that for the giant red flag it is and stop listening to them altogether. </p><p><br /></p>Rebekah Tellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17380990103636006172noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8971757630867096323.post-21622158979939957802021-10-12T16:40:00.000-05:002021-10-12T16:40:04.977-05:00Knowing Rain<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/SUXZdZPRELM" width="320" youtube-src-id="SUXZdZPRELM"></iframe></div><br /> <p></p><p>If you cherish my beauty, <br />Then soak in my pain.
<br />You can't understand sunshine
<br />Without knowing rain.
<br />Take a look out the window.<br />I'll show you my heart,
<br />If you sit quietly.
<br />Here's a good place to start.
<br /> <br />There's a star out there somewhere.
<br />It's where I belong,
<br />In a far away land,
<br />Where the world knows my song,
<br />Where my logic makes sense,
<br />And my smile can last,
<br />Where my breath can run slow,
<br />And the night goes by fast.
<br /><br />Somewhere those arms
<br />Make a steady embrace.
<br />I don't know who it is,
<br />And I can't see the face.
<br />I just know there's a star
<br />Up there where I belong,
<br />And I'm longing to find it.
<br />I know it's not wrong.
<br /><br />Am I strong enough now
<br />To keep searching so far?
<br />I don't know where to look
<br />Or what's clouded by scars,
<br />Or how old I will be,
<br />Or what stories it keeps,
<br />Or which endless direction
<br />The twinkle might lead.
<br /> <br />There's a star out there somewhere.<br />It's where I belong,<br />In a far away land,
<br />Where the world knows my song.
<br />If you cherish my beauty,
<br />Then soak in my pain.
<br />You can't understand sunshine
<br />Without knowing rain.<br /><br /><br /></p>Rebekah Tellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17380990103636006172noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8971757630867096323.post-4868443881384444222021-09-20T12:25:00.001-05:002021-09-20T12:25:07.154-05:00Noise<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/3aim_4IeLAY" width="320" youtube-src-id="3aim_4IeLAY"></iframe></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>I’m drowsy <div>In these noisy sounds. </div><div>I cannot </div><div>Snooze. </div><div>I’m down to </div><div>Laying loose. </div><div>Without a doubt, </div><div>I’m hopeless about </div><div>Passing out. </div><div><br /></div><div>All I think is to complain </div><div>About these noisy sounds </div><div>That drain </div><div>My restless mind </div><div>After a day </div><div>Of messing up </div><div>In lots of ways. </div><div><br /></div><div>I call out to my mom </div><div>And say, </div><div>“I’ll never snooze again </div><div>This way. </div><div>How can I sleep </div><div>With all these heaps </div><div>Of oozing drowning </div><div>Out relief? </div><div>I’m only </div><div>Losing </div><div>So much sleep.” </div><div><br /></div><div>She leans into my door and says, </div><div>“There’s one thing you can do to rest. </div><div>Open your ears to understand </div><div>Cicadas are not from your land. </div><div>The noise they make is not for us. </div><div>They play their very own chorus. </div><div>So close your eyes and fall asleep </div><div>And find the melody they seek. </div><div>To still your mind </div><div>Unwind </div><div>And let their kind </div><div>Play out their own sweet beat.” </div>Rebekah Tellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17380990103636006172noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8971757630867096323.post-37823605363191008792021-08-27T12:46:00.005-05:002021-08-27T12:46:37.391-05:00Spirits<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/AjxgZP2Vqls" width="320" youtube-src-id="AjxgZP2Vqls"></iframe></div><br /><p></p><p><br /></p>Sometimes I wonder who I am. <div>I feel like I'm a grain of sand, </div><div>And if I open up my hand </div><div>I'll slip into another land, </div><div>Where daffodils are blue and pink </div><div>And everyone hears what I think, </div><div>But no one understands a sink, </div><div>And I could use another drink. </div><div><br /></div><div>So bring me some old rusty toys, </div><div>And you and I can make some noise. </div><div>We'll laugh and play beside our boys </div><div>Because we know we got our choice. </div><div>And maybe when our night is done, </div><div>You and I can find the sun. </div><div>We'll sit and watch while everyone </div><div>Tries to something something some. </div><div><br /></div><div>All they know is all their chains. </div><div>They're slowly marching to their graves, </div><div>'Cause they don't know how to behave, </div><div>And we can see their hearts need saved. </div><div>So come with me, come hear the call, </div><div>You and I will have a ball. </div><div>Maybe when we're done we'll fall, </div><div>But we'll know we had it all.</div><div><br /></div>Rebekah Tellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17380990103636006172noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8971757630867096323.post-12412218634253457122021-07-02T14:32:00.006-05:002021-07-02T14:32:45.205-05:00Freedom<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtTB58vYcqfuM7tV5RREdbkU-sHK8nvpKRpkJOAU3zTEVesiQJZtkcOWlqb97trF2LkpmED-R0oIoUMsDCY91_n_yrixetFMFuXTwtRPc_SRyDJLNKYu3FFumeWALOD8-s2DDoIoG3xrc/s2048/pexels-rovenimagescom-949592.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtTB58vYcqfuM7tV5RREdbkU-sHK8nvpKRpkJOAU3zTEVesiQJZtkcOWlqb97trF2LkpmED-R0oIoUMsDCY91_n_yrixetFMFuXTwtRPc_SRyDJLNKYu3FFumeWALOD8-s2DDoIoG3xrc/w415-h276/pexels-rovenimagescom-949592.jpeg" width="415" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;">One weekend we went to the Lake</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;">To swim, sunbathe, and ride the waves,</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;">But this was the Fourth of July</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;">So there'd be fireworks tonight! </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"> </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;">I always wondered how</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;">Fireworks are so loud.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;">They never say, “Excuse me.”</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;">Or “Sorry for the fuse length.”</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;">Or “Would you mind?”</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;">Or “Could I please?”</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;">Or “Is it too weird</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;">How I breathe?” </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"> </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;">Fireworks just soar on up</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;">Then burst apart</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;">As they erupt,</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;">And shine so bright,</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;">So hot and light,</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;">For all the faces near who might</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;">Long for beauty in their sight. </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"> </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;">Every heart is bathed in peace.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;">Every soul here wants to breathe,</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;">To bask in power they create</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;">When showing up </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;">To celebrate</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;">The future of the land</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">When freedom is at hand.</span></p>Rebekah Tellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17380990103636006172noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8971757630867096323.post-60060761857987110152021-05-02T02:42:00.006-05:002021-05-02T02:52:20.821-05:00Natural Disaster<p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbWpPHtN74pi5lS-0EcrmFgCMT_E2GGGlECvhoDre9lFZQJl9uMNZWkp_yzZKAmdyxh-EfbJTYWReyYmjkIfgyXeCiMFZAPM-WPb1DRBtbknmeX7ERFeJLd4AMsln9z8negLChCOvKGWQ/s590/7DF8CC19-B066-4003-9BCD8EE3779650B1_source.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="393" data-original-width="590" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbWpPHtN74pi5lS-0EcrmFgCMT_E2GGGlECvhoDre9lFZQJl9uMNZWkp_yzZKAmdyxh-EfbJTYWReyYmjkIfgyXeCiMFZAPM-WPb1DRBtbknmeX7ERFeJLd4AMsln9z8negLChCOvKGWQ/w640-h426/7DF8CC19-B066-4003-9BCD8EE3779650B1_source.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><br /></span><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #999999; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #999999; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">I have these boxes on my bed,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #999999; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">And all these stories in my head.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #999999; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">They're tied to things around the room.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #999999; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">The moving van is coming soon.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #999999; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #999999; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">There's this one man who's trying hard</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #999999; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">To understand my broken heart,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #999999; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">And nothing easy comes our way</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #999999; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">But I still have some things to say.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #999999; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #999999; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Now I'm not sure where all this leads,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #999999; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Or whether he knows what I need,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #999999; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">But if he has some time tonight</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #999999; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Maybe I can do this right.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #999999; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #999999; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">It's my last night in this old room.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #999999; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">The moving van is coming soon,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #999999; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">And all these boxes will be gone,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #999999; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Stored tight in darkness for years long.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #999999; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #999999; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">So I call my only love</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #999999; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">To ask if he has time enough</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #999999; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">To sit awhile on my bed</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #999999; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">While stories pop into my head.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #999999; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #999999; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">And I know it's a busy night,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #999999; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">And I don't want to start a fight.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #999999; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">"If there's no time, it's alright.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #999999; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">I just thought it might be nice." </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #999999; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #999999; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">He said, "I need about an hour, dear.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #999999; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">I'd love for more stories to hear.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #999999; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">But I won't sit and watch you work.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #999999; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">I'll help you pack. I'm not a jerk." </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #999999; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #999999; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">“Okay,” I said, exhaling dread, </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #999999; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Then closed my eyes and sat in bed.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #999999; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Packing up would not take long.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #999999; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">I didn't want to do this wrong.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #999999; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #999999; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">See, by now my life was strewn</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #999999; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Across three different bedrooms.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #999999; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Some nights away within my dorm,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #999999; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Where nights with him I'd truly mourn.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #999999; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #999999; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">And then there was this room here,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #999999; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Filled with pain and childhood fear.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #999999; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">I wasn't sure where this would lead</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #999999; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Or what exactly I would need.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #999999; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #999999; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">So I decided I would wait.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #999999; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">I knew we both would be up late.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #999999; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">I could start once he arrived</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #999999; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">And still finish this job tonight. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #999999; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #999999; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">But nothing easy comes my way.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #999999; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Tonight there was a hurricane.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #999999; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #999999; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">It started in the downstairs hall,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #999999; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">A haughty and demanding call,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #999999; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Then lifted up the stairs until</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #999999; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">It brought into my room its will.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #999999; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #999999; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">“Why aren't you packing up this room?</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #999999; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">The moving van is coming soon!</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #999999; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Pack up everything in sight</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #999999; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">And this has to be done tonight!”</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #999999; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #999999; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">“It won't take long, I have some time.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #999999; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">And I have Jesse on my mind.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #999999; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">He's coming over later on</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #999999; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">To help before all this is gone.”</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #999999; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #999999; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">“You don't need him to help with this!”</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #999999; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">The wind was growing to a hiss</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #999999; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">And churning all my hopes to dust,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #999999; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">So now the rain became a must.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #999999; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #999999; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">“Just let me do this!” I exclaimed.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #999999; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">I yelled into the hurricane,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #999999; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">“Go downstairs and let me be!</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #999999; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">He'll be here soon enough, you'll see.” </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #999999; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #999999; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Then I made a hasty call</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #999999; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">To make sure he could come at all.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #999999; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">“Hey Jesse, are you coming soon</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #999999; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">To help with packing up this room?” </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #999999; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #999999; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">“I'm not sure, my night is harder</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #999999; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Than I thought, and taking longer.”</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #999999; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #999999; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">“That's okay, I need to know</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #999999; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">If you're coming over though.”</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #999999; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #999999; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">“I'll be there. I want to, dear.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #999999; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">I'm just not quite done over here.”</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #999999; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #999999; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">And this right here became my night,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #999999; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">A tragic and disastrous sight,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #999999; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">The hurricane hitting my room,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #999999; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Then asking if he'd be here soon.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #999999; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #999999; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Every round came with more rain.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #999999; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Every raindrop brought more pain.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #999999; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">And all night long I felt insane</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #999999; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">As my heart filled with fear and shame.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #999999; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #999999; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">But finally mercy came to me</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #999999; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Within a call in hour three</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #999999; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">When Jesse said he wouldn't be</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #999999; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">In time to make it. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #999999; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #999999; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">And he was sorry. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #999999; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #999999; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">And I was sorry. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #999999; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #999999; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">I boxed up everything in that damn room. </span></p><p><span id="docs-internal-guid-7ab20adc-7fff-5358-d966-828bc41ef921" style="color: #999999;"></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #999999; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">All of it. </span></p>Rebekah Tellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17380990103636006172noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8971757630867096323.post-65461416913831263902021-04-01T17:40:00.004-05:002021-04-01T17:40:36.590-05:00I Know This Part<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/O4ZfZUjNU64" width="320" youtube-src-id="O4ZfZUjNU64"></iframe></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>
I know this part. <div>He flies away. </div><div>But I’ll see him </div><div>Again someday. </div><div>I don’t know when. </div><div>I don’t know where. </div><div>But somehow he </div><div>Will find me there. </div><div>He’ll swoop back in </div><div>To grab my heart </div><div>And hold it close. </div><div><br /></div><div>I know this part. </div><div>I let him go </div><div>To find a world </div><div>I’ll never know. </div><div>To walk among </div><div>The beasts and kings, </div><div>Where magic rolls </div><div>And battle rings. </div><div>He wanders long. </div><div>It is his art. </div><div>He can’t stay here. </div><div><br /></div><div>I know this part. </div><div>He’ll bring to me </div><div>A tale or two, </div><div>A memory </div><div>Of blood and death, </div><div>Of love and pain, </div><div>Of finding hope </div><div>Where shadows reign. </div><div>And when he does </div><div>He’ll lift my heart </div><div>And hold it close. </div><div><br /></div><div>I know this part. </div><div>For when he’s gone </div><div>My love for him </div><div>Burns ever strong. </div><div>He fills my dreams. </div><div>He fills my sky. </div><div>He’s everywhere. </div><div>I never try </div><div>To hold him back. </div><div>It’d be too dark. </div><div>I can’t do that. </div><div><br /></div><div>I know this part. </div>Rebekah Tellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17380990103636006172noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8971757630867096323.post-11733350765000066922021-04-01T17:37:00.001-05:002021-04-01T17:37:27.945-05:00Missing Something<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/XA2uzmINEHA" width="320" youtube-src-id="XA2uzmINEHA"></iframe></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>And i expect myself to let me sleep <div>while all-around explodes inside </div><div>the empty horrors eating away </div><div>an endless curtain of pain </div><div><br /></div><div>Haunting apathetic strides </div><div>destroy the wonder of loneliness, </div><div>and somehow i am left alone </div><div>thinking only of you. </div>Rebekah Tellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17380990103636006172noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8971757630867096323.post-74197971362580138572021-03-04T14:10:00.001-06:002021-03-04T14:10:38.879-06:00Manufactured<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/2Vrsc9UY6Mg" width="320" youtube-src-id="2Vrsc9UY6Mg"></iframe></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>No one is here to think about <br />The sound it takes to make a couch,
<br />The thrumming of needled machines
<br />Stitching a quick and low thread count.
<br /><br />Upholstery is mostly strings,
<br />All tied together tight and neat,
<br />From colors changing suddenly
<br />In some confusing, humming scene.
<br /><br />The fabric doesn’t know the pit
<br />Of chopped up foam in fluffy bits
<br />That mingle in their flowing ways,
<br />Pushed into pillows ’til they fit.
<br /><br />The cushion covers hear the way
<br />The vacuum pressure takes the stage
<br />To make an unsuspecting square
<br />Shrink down for slipping over there.
<br /><br />And you won’t hear a wooden frame
<br />Flinch or quietly complain
<br />About the staple’s stinging wails
<br />When shot from guns with coiled tails.
<br /><br />The buttons have the worst of it,
<br />Smothered with layers where they sit,
<br />Then pressed between heavy machines
<br />That bend and lock shapes as they click.
<br /><br />When everything is said and done,
<br />The zipping, stitching, stinging hum, <br />The stuffing, shrinking, tucked and wrapped,
<br />The creased and pleated patterns match.
<br /><br />The screwy squat feet bear the weight,
<br />And everything looks plush and great.
<br />No one thinks about those sounds
<br />When all we see’s a perfect couch. </p><p> </p>Rebekah Tellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17380990103636006172noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8971757630867096323.post-10641559367043327722021-02-22T16:13:00.002-06:002021-02-22T16:13:12.445-06:00Noteworthy<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/izm8NlqUwro" width="320" youtube-src-id="izm8NlqUwro"></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p></p>In some ways it's my fault, <div>But mostly it's not. </div><div>Mostly to blame is </div><div>The place I grew up. </div><div><br /></div><div>The people around me </div><div>All had their own plans </div><div>Of ambitious, intelligent </div><div>Goals to demand. </div><div><br /></div><div>Their agendas were based on </div><div>Best interests of course, </div><div>And they'd never imagine </div><div>My deeds were all forced. </div><div><br /></div><div>But they wouldn't accept </div><div>The ways I liked to think, </div><div>And when I tried to explain it, </div><div>Their smiles would sink. </div><div><br /></div><div>Because who wants a daughter </div><div>With no career map? </div><div>With nothing but fanciful dreams to unwrap? </div><div>A girl whose big goal is to lay on a boat </div><div>And wander through ghost towns in places remote? </div><div>This starry-eyed wanderer will fall off track </div><div>And lose the potential that others have lacked. </div><div>So don't let distractions veer her away </div><div>From the future we know she deserves to display. </div><div><br /></div><div>So I stood in line </div><div>And followed their minds, </div><div>Resisted in ways that I could all the time, </div><div>But the days were so few </div><div>When I felt like me, </div><div>And I had to give up on poetry. </div><div><br /></div><div>I hope you can forgive me, </div><div>I found it again, </div><div>After decades of starving myself from the pen. </div><div>My case is hopeless. </div><div>I'll never be cured </div><div>From the sordid temptation of toying with words. </div><div><br /></div><div>But it won't disappoint you </div><div>That I'm a lost cause, </div><div>That I couldn't stick to societal laws, </div><div>For now I'm worth seeing, </div><div>Now I can feel </div><div>My spirit untethered, untamed and unreal, </div><div>And I'm here to show you, </div><div>I'm here to be </div><div>A screaming example of one who broke free.</div><div><br /></div>Rebekah Tellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17380990103636006172noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8971757630867096323.post-60746139276163520262021-02-18T16:06:00.000-06:002021-02-18T16:06:17.434-06:00Interview with Author C.T. Phipps<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-sXvzwBptN7VyDD9IsVfv7rEucmUqckYHYDev-qpe_pc6zsknvonxsgGe64OhtSTSSNfcVhT6SdIz1ARrL-zgQA6b9G-9a4XqoiTjHNk49Ks1mCAaAJvcV3H1-wAUFCNkrQ-ZacnVbOs/s346/AgentGOmnibus.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="346" data-original-width="230" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-sXvzwBptN7VyDD9IsVfv7rEucmUqckYHYDev-qpe_pc6zsknvonxsgGe64OhtSTSSNfcVhT6SdIz1ARrL-zgQA6b9G-9a4XqoiTjHNk49Ks1mCAaAJvcV3H1-wAUFCNkrQ-ZacnVbOs/s320/AgentGOmnibus.jpg" /></a></div><br />C.T. Phipps is a lifelong student of horror, science fiction, and fantasy. An avid tabletop gamer, he discovered this passion led him to write and turned him into a lifelong geek.<b><span style="color: #e69138;"><br /></span></b><p></p><p><b><span style="color: #e69138;">How has your writing process evolved over the years?</span></b></p><p>It has benefited tremendously from practice, practice, practice. I have learned to recognize a lot of my weaknesses and work to compensate for them. I also have managed to really make a bunch of little 'rules' for myself that help me understand what I want from chapters, book size, and plotting. I've also become much better at self-editing.</p><p>Really, though, the fundamentals of telling the stories I want to write have remained. At the end of the day, while your craft improves, the heart of an author is that they have a story they want to tell. There's still many stories I want to tell about my casts of characters and I probably could spend the rest of my life writing books about the ones I've created so far alone.</p><p><b><span style="color: #e69138;">You have a lot of series under your belt. How do you decide what to write next?</span></b></p><p>My secret is that I follow my inspiration. The best advice I can give an author is that they should write what they feel like writing and worry about what will sell or finishing their existing projects later. Mind you, that resulted in me starting perhaps more series than is healthy to create. However, it has made the process a lot easier than if I was trying to force it. I write what I would like to read myself.</p><p>My most recent release is a bit of a cheat in its the collected <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Agent-G-Omnibus-1-ebook/dp/B08QNBCNB3/" target="_blank">omnibus edition of my AGENT G novels</a> with an additional short story.</p><p>The Agent G series is about the titular character who is an assassin working for the International Refugee Society (which doesn't do anything for refugees). His memory was wiped and he was cybernetically enhanced by his employers but G supposedly will regain his past if he serves them for ten years. Our (anti)hero doesn't believe they'll honor this deal, though. It follows his attempts to get out from under their thumb as well as how the world changes from one similar to ours to a cyberpunk dystopia. Really, I think the trilogy of novels (<i>Infiltrator, Saboteur, </i>and <i>Assassin</i>) work better as one big novel than three individual short ones.</p><p><b><span style="color: #e69138;">What does a typical work day look like for you?</span></b></p><p>Eat. Sleep. Play with Dogs. Write. Repeat. Haha. No, that's not entirely accurate. My work day is nothing special, though. I just sit down at my desk and try to write what I can. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. The success is not important, though, so much as making time. As long as you have a quiet space to work out your thoughts then you have a chance to get at least a little out onto the screen. One of the handiest tools I got during my early writing days was Nanowrite that explained, roughly, you didn't have to write a lot. You just had to write consistently and I think that's a basic habit every writer should pick up.</p><p><b><span style="color: #e69138;">Tell me about one or two of your favorite characters you created.</span></b></p><p>I'm a huge fan of Agent G and he's one of my characters that has undergone the biggest arcs from where he originally began. The character began as a cold, almost psychotic assassin who was quite content with his life of murder as well as riches. Watching him deal with developing empathy for his targets as well as discovering his origins was an interesting trip. It's not so much that G becomes a better person, though he does (a little), but that the rest of the world becomes so much worse and our protagonist has a few lines he won't cross.</p><p>Another character I'm very fond of from the same series is Marissa Sanchez. I don't want to spoil much of her but G's hacker friend is ten different layers of secrets.</p><p><b><span style="color: #e69138;">For a first-time reader interested in your books, where would you recommend they start and why?</span></b></p><p>I'm currently having a sale on the first novel, <i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Agent-Infiltrator-C-T-Phipps-ebook/dp/B07MJ1JJ7Z/" target="_blank">Infiltrator.</a></i></p><p>If you're not sure about the AGENT G omnibus, certainly you can try the first book out for yourself. I also think the audiobook version, as narrated by Jeffrey Kafer, is extremely good.</p><p>If you have interests other than sci-fi and enjoy a good laugh, I also recommend my Supervillainy Saga series that opens with the <i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Rules-Supervillainy-Saga-Book-ebook/dp/B07MB89S33/" target="_blank">Rules of Supervillainy</a></i> (also on sale).</p><p>That follows Gary Karkofsky a.k.a Merciless: The Supervillain without MercyTM. A ordinary guy who finds a magic cloak in a superhero filled world and decides that it means great power as well as great irresponsibility. But is he evil enough to be a true villain?</p><p><br /></p><p><b><span style="color: #e69138;">Find C.T. Phipps online:</span></b><br /><br /><a href="https://twitter.com/Willowhugger" target="_blank">Twitter</a><br /><br /><a href="https://www.facebook.com/charles.phipps.946" target="_blank">Facebook</a><br /><br /><a href="http://unitedfederationofcharles.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Blog</a><br /><br /><a href="https://ctphipps.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Author Page</a></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Rebekah Tellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17380990103636006172noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8971757630867096323.post-68844325595643235722021-01-15T12:57:00.003-06:002021-01-15T13:07:19.943-06:00Interview with Author Alexzander Christion<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDiczRi2DcZKVYAjn-4BmXWokh6LbAXCp-19gZd_Qgz5r3-KEQE7YJFXLi8-gWDazAAwSNcLjk9pvxbTw6w11I3BsapuB2i4fiWvPFRVgSIifHkLcGF-DtGEpbHtX6SaElewvJVyEfPKI/s2048/Gary_Garner_06.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1365" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDiczRi2DcZKVYAjn-4BmXWokh6LbAXCp-19gZd_Qgz5r3-KEQE7YJFXLi8-gWDazAAwSNcLjk9pvxbTw6w11I3BsapuB2i4fiWvPFRVgSIifHkLcGF-DtGEpbHtX6SaElewvJVyEfPKI/s320/Gary_Garner_06.jpg" /></a></div><br />Crafted and trained in South Florida, Alexzander grew up in sunshine, nice weather, and bad schools. Son of a professional kickboxer and a church choir director, Alexzander had a happy eclectic childhood. A student and lover of music, art, and all things martial, he is a military veteran and an avid anime, comic book, movie, TV, and video game nerd. He received his degree in Film & Video Production, as well as Communications in Frederick, Maryland, where he lives with his wife and three children.
<div><br /></div><b><span style="color: #e69138;">What inspired your world building process?</span></b> <div>I think the trope of making magic ancient, secretive, and rare is outdated. I think anything that exists will eventually find its way to the black market and then the public at large. In my world, magic is as prevalent as electronic technology is in the real world. Just like there is a difference between what the rich and the poor have, the governments and civilians- spells are segregated in my world and ruthlessly enforced. Once I made this decision everything else was just finding the thousands of ways average people would use a levitate spell. </div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #e69138;">Who are you writing for and why? </span></b></div><div>This is actually the dedication in my book! I write for every nerd like me who repeatedly left the bookstore empty handed. I write books for people who don’t like books. My stories read more like oral campfire tales or action movies. I figure if I’m searching and not finding there has to be others and hopefully enough of us to make a living. </div><div><br /></div><div><span style="color: #e69138;"><b>What do you do to recharge your creative energy? </b></span></div><div>I walk away from words. Movies, TV, plays, and video games keep my creativity fueled without feeling like work. Sometimes I find things that never would have crossed my mind but most often I look at what was done and how I would have done it differently and then I’m ready to write again. </div><div><br /></div><div><span style="color: #e69138;"><b>What reactions do you hope to inspire in others? </b></span></div><div>I hope to give others the mind altering wanderlust that R.A.Salvatore, Patrick Rothfuss, and Michael J. Sullivan gave me. I remember putting those books down and staring at the wall thinking: I didn’t know books could do that!! I try to subvert tropes, bring a touch of realistic reaction to the fantastic and put something on paper never before seen. Do I always succeed? No lol. But aiming at that goal keeps it as fun for me as the reader. </div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #e69138;">Where is your writing taking you? </span></b></div><div>I have no idea how to answer this. I’d love to go full time, maybe get to meet some of my heroes but for now my focus is getting in the chair and putting words on the page. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #e69138;">Follow Alexzander Christion: </span></b></div><div><b><span style="color: #e69138;"><br /></span></b></div><div><a href="http://bythehandofdragons.com" target="_blank">bythehandofdragons.com</a></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://bythehandofdragons.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">WordPress</a></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://twitter.com/HandofDragons" target="_blank">Twitter</a></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://www.facebook.com/AlexzanderChristion" target="_blank">Facebook</a> </div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://www.instagram.com/aric_dacia/" target="_blank">Instagram</a></div>Rebekah Tellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17380990103636006172noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8971757630867096323.post-13831988973769205412021-01-04T16:21:00.001-06:002021-03-18T16:30:13.985-05:00The Moon<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO27nSIBLghic8CGHuZk2YgqOR2Qbva2FyjJgKfkpBliiX2MOwfB2AhmiOUkmXRTJ9ExPveRUMv-7tRFnibTRYD5xIDyRj5CA9EfloyHfxyuWKHk2QxGp7tOCiADqXU16z1T1G0djKnEE/s510/TheMoon.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="330" data-original-width="510" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO27nSIBLghic8CGHuZk2YgqOR2Qbva2FyjJgKfkpBliiX2MOwfB2AhmiOUkmXRTJ9ExPveRUMv-7tRFnibTRYD5xIDyRj5CA9EfloyHfxyuWKHk2QxGp7tOCiADqXU16z1T1G0djKnEE/s16000/TheMoon.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p></p><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 12pt;">My
cave</span></div><span style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 12pt;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Is
dark</span></div></span><span style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 12pt;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">And
underground.</span></div></span><span style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 12pt;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">I
sink</span></div></span><span style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 12pt;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Down
deep</span></div></span><span style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 12pt;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">And
circle ’round.</span></div></span><span style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 12pt;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">It’s
cold</span></div></span><span style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 12pt;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">And
wet</span></div></span><span style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 12pt;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">And
free of sound.</span></div></span><span style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 12pt;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The
secrets</span></div></span><span style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 12pt;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Here</span></div></span><span style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 12pt;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Cannot
be found.</span></div></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 12pt;">Sometimes
I want to feel I’m free,</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Palatino;">So
I swim out into the sea</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Palatino;">And
search for somewhere I can be</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Palatino;">That
doesn’t feel so hard to me.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Palatino;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Palatino;">I
sway within the current then</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Palatino;">Swim
back along the sand and when</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Palatino;">I
look up at the waves, </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Palatino;">There
is</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Palatino;">A
stream of color there. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Palatino;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Palatino;">I
rise.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Palatino;">Who
knows what that could be,</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Palatino;">Some
angel </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Palatino;">Looking
down at me,</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Palatino;">A
call</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Palatino;">So
old it wants to see</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Palatino;">What
creature</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Palatino;">Hears </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Palatino;">Its
lonely plea.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Palatino;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Palatino;">I’m
here</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Palatino;">To
listen to his tune </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Palatino;">And
finally,</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Palatino;">I
see the moon.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Palatino;">Such
beauty</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Palatino;">That
it feels brand new.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Palatino;">I
know</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Palatino;">There’s
something I can do.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Palatino;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Palatino;">This
light is something I can see.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Palatino;">It
somehow teaches me to breathe.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Palatino;">And
up here close, the land is soft</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Palatino;">And
I can share my lonely thoughts.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Palatino;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Palatino;">High</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Palatino;">Up
in the sky</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Palatino;">I
see</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Palatino;">These
diamonds</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Palatino;">Shining
bright for me.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Palatino;">There’s
air</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Palatino;">And
hope</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Palatino;">And
mystery,</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Palatino;">A
mist</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Palatino;">So
warm,</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Palatino;">How
can it be </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Palatino;">That
I would find</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Palatino;">A
creature who</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Palatino;">Can
speak to</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Palatino;">My
artistic mood,</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Palatino;">And
somehow</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Palatino;">He </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Palatino;">Turns
on the moon.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Palatino;">I
wish I could</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Palatino;">Surround
him soon,</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Palatino;">But
I sink through</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Palatino;">The
colors all,</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Palatino;">Down
where I</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Palatino;">Don’t
breathe </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Palatino;">at
all.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Palatino;">I
long </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Palatino;">To
hear</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Palatino;">His
lonely call</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Palatino;">And
wish</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Palatino;">I
could </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in;"></p><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 12pt;">Feel
warm </span></div><span style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 12pt;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">and soft.</span><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/FZK0W117GGA" width="320" youtube-src-id="FZK0W117GGA"></iframe></div><br /><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div></span><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p>Rebekah Tellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17380990103636006172noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8971757630867096323.post-64221513777772271672020-12-06T21:10:00.001-06:002021-02-22T16:07:57.904-06:00Unseen<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy_1bfKxRNgqVtMbEzi4JjI_GB-eSg2txAbt7H-b___Iae9ZjN7y2YE9Z36V6RuWrcEihk4ZPVFd-3_CCyv6VeDRmRbr1djzZdNHbFKlAZLUODVMpNdu24tkdcFOVU4ljpi9fT4H855Hk/s2048/pexels-pixabay-236028.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy_1bfKxRNgqVtMbEzi4JjI_GB-eSg2txAbt7H-b___Iae9ZjN7y2YE9Z36V6RuWrcEihk4ZPVFd-3_CCyv6VeDRmRbr1djzZdNHbFKlAZLUODVMpNdu24tkdcFOVU4ljpi9fT4H855Hk/w640-h426/pexels-pixabay-236028.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>Somewhere there’s a tapestry <div>Made from all that’s happening. </div><div>Every day I add a string </div><div>That’s woven through a silver ring. </div><div>The color, I can’t really see, </div><div>Even though it came from me. </div><div>Faithfully with it I weave </div><div>Another row, then add a bead. </div><div><br /></div><div>When morning comes, I softly sigh, </div><div>Reflect upon my thready life, </div><div>And think about patterns gone by, </div><div>And how the knitting made me cry. </div><div>I mourn the colors in the night, </div><div>Wonder why I have no sight. </div><div>Thoughts forlorn, I long for light. </div><div>If only sadness made it bright. </div><div><br /></div><div>Another string will then appear </div><div>Just as I can feel the fear </div><div>Of running out as loose ends near </div><div>Or having nothing left in here. </div><div>My heart will blindly weave this prayer, </div><div>But I won’t see an image there, </div><div>’Til with a whisper in my ear, </div><div>I hear, “Time to wake up, my dear.”
</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/6ekrnD606PI" width="320" youtube-src-id="6ekrnD606PI"></iframe></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Rebekah Tellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17380990103636006172noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8971757630867096323.post-18999127661166661032020-11-09T14:33:00.001-06:002020-11-09T17:32:11.534-06:00The Marrow<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM8cLBfGh5WmDPjaCUd9uAUu5dtWzFoI1lui63hQqfZ1RR7bdyXJqdWqEYI4d1Df60wRnqV1IXN4wc1lAqGJcMjaGuj_0pYzN2XszVG4HnYSGXFheBwhLjqt9TjBDt-LE5tRyZx50k0Uo/s2048/waterfall.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM8cLBfGh5WmDPjaCUd9uAUu5dtWzFoI1lui63hQqfZ1RR7bdyXJqdWqEYI4d1Df60wRnqV1IXN4wc1lAqGJcMjaGuj_0pYzN2XszVG4HnYSGXFheBwhLjqt9TjBDt-LE5tRyZx50k0Uo/w640-h426/waterfall.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>There's an ancient rhythm that is running through your bones. <br />It's the heartbeat of the river that is calling you back home. <br />If you walk up to the water, let your footprints wander in, <br />You can feel the passing current. Let it wash across your skin. </p><p>Then you wade out to the middle and approach the wall upstream <br />As it pours over the edge where the river takes a leap. <br />Come and face the thunder that is swallowing your ears <br />And step into the waterfall free of doubt or fears. </p><p>Then the power of the ocean and the peace of morning dew <br />And the joy of a blue sky all come rushing into you. <br />Then your body is a river and your bones are living stone, <br />And your mind becomes a forest for the churning waves of foam. </p><p>When you look out through the curtain, water will obscure your sight, <br />But let yourself soak up the view. <br />All you see is light. <br />Step back into that waterfall as it floods you with glee, <br />And you can taste the marrow of what you are meant to be.</p>Rebekah Tellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17380990103636006172noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8971757630867096323.post-65910280824325130392020-10-18T19:41:00.001-05:002021-02-26T12:37:21.665-06:00Dripping Gown<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju5DcU5vkCXt-By2YlGiIt_CXtJBk96eS7MKuLYVe5rkgtXN52sfpsI0qj4W7mctmgGHSBWbee17Dflz7WZ-01L1mXxIMp44GE8rVjZA9T59g05rZEJZcKOtQiz7Ocy7GX9kRe_gQkta4/s1600/rain.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju5DcU5vkCXt-By2YlGiIt_CXtJBk96eS7MKuLYVe5rkgtXN52sfpsI0qj4W7mctmgGHSBWbee17Dflz7WZ-01L1mXxIMp44GE8rVjZA9T59g05rZEJZcKOtQiz7Ocy7GX9kRe_gQkta4/w640-h360/rain.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Palatino;">Most
weekends we went to the Lake<br /></span><span style="font-family: Palatino;">To
swim, sunbathe, and ride the waves.<br /></span><span style="font-family: Palatino;">Grandparents,
uncles, aunts, and cousins,</span></div><div style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Palatino;">Our relatives came by the dozens.</span><br style="font-family: Palatino;" /></div><div style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Palatino;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Palatino;">Days
at the Lake rely on sun<br /></span><span style="font-family: Palatino;">And
no one wants to be the one<br /></span><span style="font-family: Palatino;">Who
gets there when rain’s in the sky.<br /></span><span style="font-family: Palatino;">They
stay indoors, and they stay dry.<br /></span><span style="font-family: Palatino;"> <br /></span><span style="font-family: Palatino;">But
they’re the fools, if you ask me.<br /></span><span style="font-family: Palatino;">I’d
never even miss a beat.<br /></span><span style="font-family: Palatino;">The
rain is the best time to play.<br /></span><span style="font-family: Palatino;">It
washes all the pain away. <br /></span><span style="font-family: Palatino;"> <br /></span><span style="font-family: Palatino;">I
turn some music up so loud<br /></span><span style="font-family: Palatino;">And
dance all night under the clouds.<br /></span><span style="font-family: Palatino;">The
raindrops sliding down my skin<br /></span><span style="font-family: Palatino;">Make
me feel alive again.<br /></span><span style="font-family: Palatino;"> <br /></span><span style="font-family: Palatino;">I
stomp and splash<br /></span><span style="font-family: Palatino;">And
spin and scream,<br /></span><span style="font-family: Palatino;">Sway
back and forth<br /></span><span style="font-family: Palatino;">Like
it’s a dream.<br /></span><span style="font-family: Palatino;">To
lose myself<br /></span><span style="font-family: Palatino;">In
this wet night,<br /></span><span style="font-family: Palatino;">Bare
feet in puddles,<br /></span><span style="font-family: Palatino;">I
delight.<br /></span><span style="font-family: Palatino;"> <br /></span><span style="font-family: Palatino;">Pour
all this darkness down on me.<br /></span><span style="font-family: Palatino;">You’ll
never get a frown from me.<br /></span><span style="font-family: Palatino;">Just
find a silver crown for me<br /></span><span style="font-family: Palatino;">And
slip this dripping gown off me.<br /></span><span style="font-family: Palatino;"> <br /></span><span style="font-family: Palatino;">’Cause
I’m the queen of what’s insane.<br /></span><span style="font-family: Palatino;">I
breathe lightning and drink the rain.<br /></span><span style="font-family: Palatino;">And
no one here knows my real name<br /></span><span style="font-family: Palatino;">When
every day’s a different game. <br /></span><span style="font-family: Palatino;"> <br /></span><span style="font-family: Palatino;">Turn
up the song.<br /></span><span style="font-family: Palatino;">Kick
up the beat<br /></span><span style="font-family: Palatino;">And
make some room<br /></span><span style="font-family: Palatino;">For
happy feet,<br /></span><span style="font-family: Palatino;">’Cause
this right here<br /></span><span style="font-family: Palatino;">Is
where I live.<br /></span><span style="font-family: Palatino;">This
right here<br /></span><span style="font-family: Palatino;">Is
what I give.<br /></span><span style="font-family: Palatino;"> <br /></span><span style="font-family: Palatino;">I
bring you neverending rain.<br /></span><span style="font-family: Palatino;">I
bring rhythms that ease your pain.<br /></span><span style="font-family: Palatino;">The
splashes wash all over you.<br /></span><span style="font-family: Palatino;">The
verses make you feel brand new.<br /></span><span style="font-family: Palatino;"> <br /></span><span style="font-family: Palatino;">So
tell me why they want it dry.<br /></span><span style="font-family: Palatino;">I’m
telling you, I’d rather die.<br /></span><span style="font-family: Palatino;">There’s
nothing better than a night</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Palatino;">Of cold and wet and
dark delight. </span> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/imcuYG4egRc" width="320" youtube-src-id="imcuYG4egRc"></iframe></div><br /> </div>Rebekah Tellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17380990103636006172noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8971757630867096323.post-19240461351136883282020-07-13T12:45:00.000-05:002020-07-13T12:45:43.849-05:00Twelve<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyu__ayIsOVKb-75h3FVOpej0kUABaV_m_0_ujVtpaKEjsh_iQnSJEsJFg3JaRILpL5LGUZwTZpmXMvP2UBWG0p2Q1iXRpC2zgtcxpDcMM53IY3UFrMJRyNxIIKkAl3R9nKorDdp6rtzM/s1600/blur-book-girl-hands-373465.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyu__ayIsOVKb-75h3FVOpej0kUABaV_m_0_ujVtpaKEjsh_iQnSJEsJFg3JaRILpL5LGUZwTZpmXMvP2UBWG0p2Q1iXRpC2zgtcxpDcMM53IY3UFrMJRyNxIIKkAl3R9nKorDdp6rtzM/s640/blur-book-girl-hands-373465.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
Sometimes I feel</div>
<div dir="auto" style="text-align: left;">
I don't belong</div>
<div dir="auto" style="text-align: left;">
And being here</div>
<div dir="auto" style="text-align: left;">
Just feels so wrong.</div>
<div dir="auto" style="text-align: left;">
From deep inside </div>
<div dir="auto" style="text-align: left;">
A quiet moan.</div>
<div dir="auto" style="text-align: left;">
And all I want </div>
<div dir="auto" style="text-align: left;">
Is to go home. </div>
<div dir="auto" style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div dir="auto" style="text-align: left;">
I get nervous.</div>
<div dir="auto" style="text-align: left;">
I don't know why,</div>
<div dir="auto" style="text-align: left;">
And all I seem</div>
<div dir="auto" style="text-align: left;">
to do is cry. </div>
<div dir="auto" style="text-align: left;">
It's dark and wet</div>
<div dir="auto" style="text-align: left;">
And hard and old.</div>
<div dir="auto" style="text-align: left;">
And all I do</div>
<div dir="auto" style="text-align: left;">
Is what I'm told.</div>
<div dir="auto" style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div dir="auto" style="text-align: left;">
The world is there.</div>
<div dir="auto" style="text-align: left;">
It's big and bright.</div>
<div dir="auto" style="text-align: left;">
But all I see </div>
<div dir="auto" style="text-align: left;">
Is empty night.</div>
<div dir="auto" style="text-align: left;">
Nightmares and fear</div>
<div dir="auto" style="text-align: left;">
And evil queens</div>
<div dir="auto" style="text-align: left;">
Are all I have</div>
<div dir="auto" style="text-align: left;">
In place of dreams. </div>
<div dir="auto" style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div dir="auto" style="text-align: left;">
But someday soon,</div>
<div dir="auto" style="text-align: left;">
I don't know when,</div>
<div dir="auto" style="text-align: left;">
This misery</div>
<div dir="auto" style="text-align: left;">
Will find an end. </div>
<div dir="auto" style="text-align: left;">
Can someone please</div>
<div dir="auto" style="text-align: left;">
Help me relieve</div>
<div dir="auto">
<div style="text-align: left;">
The endless fray</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Of being me?</div>
</div>
<div dir="auto">
<br /></div>
Rebekah Tellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17380990103636006172noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8971757630867096323.post-14733309574177213022019-12-31T11:52:00.000-06:002019-12-31T11:52:23.747-06:00Review: Violya by Rosalyn Kelly<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjgnOs3m0So6plaI9EGQ4nCN3dV3yA38RnLT1YECkSFU2czx4cXZwvWvwspb_2UDFpxs1NOeXe_Ftza-qNE2SM_YYdfLF_bqWd97Iroj7Y0gvWDpaEI8tpUdinIsINQFlQDnP5wzfM1q8/s1600/Violya.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="346" data-original-width="218" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjgnOs3m0So6plaI9EGQ4nCN3dV3yA38RnLT1YECkSFU2czx4cXZwvWvwspb_2UDFpxs1NOeXe_Ftza-qNE2SM_YYdfLF_bqWd97Iroj7Y0gvWDpaEI8tpUdinIsINQFlQDnP5wzfM1q8/s320/Violya.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<i>A gifted warrior consumed by revenge. An unstoppable enemy rampaging ever closer. A ravaged country in desperate need of a ruler. </i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>After a brutal and bloody invasion, a once powerful matriarchal nation is in chaos. Only the shy warrior Violya can pick up the pieces and save her broken country. But an old threat – for one thousand years suppressed – has awoken. Now unleashed, it’s hell-bent on destruction.
To protect her people, Violya must cast aside her desire for vengeance, master her rare magic and find the courage to rule – and fast. </i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Time is running out as a prophecy is coming true. A formidable enemy is closing in to crush them all. Can Violya unite friend and foe to face the looming catastrophe before it’s too late?
</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>She’s out for blood, but first she must master her own…</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<b><span style="color: #e69138;">5 of 5 stars!</span></b><br />
<div>
<br />
This is book two, the follow up to <i>Melokai</i>. I very much enjoyed the world <i>Melokai</i> introduced us to, and have been eagerly awaiting the sequel. This book did not disappoint. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Where the first book spent more time introducing us to the world and the cultures, this one picks up where it left off and focuses much more on characters. Most of the point of view characters from book one continue here, with the exception of course of any who did not survive book one. No spoilers. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The character development is more evenly distributed in this book, and we get to see more from cultures that were briefly shown in book one. There are cave people who are nearing extinction and their culture has devolved into mostly solely about mating in hopes of having more female offspring. We delve into their cave society in this book and learn more about their struggles. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
We also find out more about the special wolf Sarrya, the first female wolf who is able to stand on two legs. She is also gifted with some magical abilities and has become an influential force.</div>
<div>
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The biggest transformation comes from the title character, Violya, who takes over leadership of the Peqkya nation and makes major changes. Many of the different cultures are making major changes, the wolves, the camel people, even the human kingdom is filled with uprising and revolution. All have themes of restoring balance, fairness, equality, and the uproar such major reform can bring. </div>
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This is a dark book and the villains do horrendous things, but the protagonists mostly are self-aware people who want to bring about change and make their societies better for everyone. In that way, this book has much more hope in it than book one. </div>
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Alliances are built, broken, and reformed as the cultures regroup and prepare to face a new enemy that is set to be the main conflict of book three. </div>
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I very much enjoyed this book and look forward to the next. This is a unique series. I've never read anything like it, and so far it's only getting better.<br />
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You can find it <a href="http://mybook.to/Violya" target="_blank">here on Amazon</a> or <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/48836594-violya" target="_blank">here on Goodreads</a>.<br />
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Rebekah Tellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17380990103636006172noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8971757630867096323.post-77063048320031505292019-12-22T21:22:00.000-06:002019-12-22T21:22:12.668-06:00Review: Chains of Blood by M.L. Spencer<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj74s-Ib3mU5iOmFw9_rkrdLo2t6-1_KLp3s3Z1PkQ3FNdd2nU4PfjZ31FSI5dCsR1g3zTMXDIZouBJqrDhY4UjPwMTHyMgSaUDAjRNZfbYG93kwhmNPI9i5F13VRapQmIafXhPzwPQ3kg/s1600/ChainsofBlood.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="346" data-original-width="224" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj74s-Ib3mU5iOmFw9_rkrdLo2t6-1_KLp3s3Z1PkQ3FNdd2nU4PfjZ31FSI5dCsR1g3zTMXDIZouBJqrDhY4UjPwMTHyMgSaUDAjRNZfbYG93kwhmNPI9i5F13VRapQmIafXhPzwPQ3kg/s320/ChainsofBlood.jpg" width="207" /></a></div>
<i>He thought he was born Rylan Marshall…until he found out he wasn’t.
He was born the son of a demon.
Does that mean he is destined to follow in his father’s footsteps? </i><br />
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<i>Rylan was attacked, his young son murdered, his baby daughter taken. But his assailant left him with two gifts: the gift of magic…and an oath to darkness. Rylan blamed himself, even though he knew it wasn’t his fault. </i><br />
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<i>The life he knew was over.
And war is coming.
A new enemy, stronger and more fearsome than any other, appears out of the night.
Will Rylan use his newfound power to make a stand? Will he learn its use in time to make a difference? Or will his oath to darkness guide him to the enemy?</i><br />
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<b><span style="color: #e69138;">5 of 5 stars!</span></b><br />
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A strong tale and a great start to this new series from M.L. Spencer, who has become one of my favorite authors. I think my enjoyment was enhanced by having read the author's previous series, but it's not entirely necessary if you haven't read that and want to start here. In this new series, <i>The Chaos Cycle,</i> we move forward in time to follow a generation after<i> The Rhenwars Saga</i><i>.</i> I don't want to mention anything that would spoil that series, but there is a welcoming blend of new and familiar characters to root the reader in Spencer's world and facilitate its expanding horizons.<br />
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A new war is coming, and those who clashed against each other in the Rhen find themselves becoming allies now. The invading army has inexplicable powers and seemingly unlimited resources. Grown children of sworn enemies must learn to work together and defend their homeland or succumb to this new threat.<br />
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Rylan Marshall has an intense inner struggle. When he finds out his real father is someone he always perceived as a horrible traitor, his desire to know who he is and where he came from is at odds with his sense of honor and his understanding of good and evil. While condemning his father for choices he made, Rylan himself is forced into tough choices he's unsure how to justify.<br />
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The invading army has a hive mind, and it gives them the ability to compound magical potential among their mages. This makes them horrifically powerful, and hungry to take in more mages. Mages are kidnapped, then mysteriously flipped to battle against their former allies. It's the greatest tool the enemies have and our protagonists struggle through the whole book in search of how to combat this capability. All magic wielders are targeted, which is a terrible threat to the growing order of the Lyceum.<br />
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The author expands the world and increases the stakes. Everything is bigger here, the lands, the cities, the size of the armies. The magic is more powerful and the history goes deeper, all with Spencer's signature heart-wrenching heroics.<br />
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You can find it <a href="https://mybook.to/ChainsofBlood" target="_blank">here on Amazon</a> or <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/47939915-chains-of-blood" target="_blank">here on Goodreads</a>.Rebekah Tellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17380990103636006172noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8971757630867096323.post-39838083355159716322019-11-26T13:43:00.000-06:002019-11-26T13:46:47.841-06:00Review: Season of Crows by Prix Gautney<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUnEvp_wcZZgSsQbEEDRiRGCGCHy8Gc3imAwv1KfqJgWWHBFp3d6Dhj-9sB9qKA-wEVCpf8anZn8vrRLLZoSsd3hcmTe6U7d0Yra56WLHvxDDnfnuWHzGmy6I8Oqs5-Uxw_nux111QFkI/s1600/SeasonofCrows.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="333" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUnEvp_wcZZgSsQbEEDRiRGCGCHy8Gc3imAwv1KfqJgWWHBFp3d6Dhj-9sB9qKA-wEVCpf8anZn8vrRLLZoSsd3hcmTe6U7d0Yra56WLHvxDDnfnuWHzGmy6I8Oqs5-Uxw_nux111QFkI/s320/SeasonofCrows.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
<i>When a banished mousemaid and her crippled companion race across a field in the dark of night to warn Evershade of the impending crow attack, Ash and the other Walnut Keepers must choose to stay and fight for their beloved home—or flee for their very lives. </i><br />
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<i>But how can a peaceful, weaponless society of woodland creatures ever hope to defeat the murderous crows? In the midst of the worst drought in Evershade history, Ash and the others must call on their talents and their allies in neighboring kingdoms if they are to have any hope of surviving the coming war. </i><br />
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<i>And if they survive, what will they do when the water runs out for good? </i><br />
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<b><span style="color: #e69138;">4 of 5 stars</span></b><br />
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Prix Gautney has created a heart-warming story that is not without strife and risks. The writing is clean and concise, easy to enjoy. The pace picks up greatly in the second half of the book, and I often found it hard to put down.<br />
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This is a lovely middle grade book. It starts slow, introducing and showing the reader around Everglade. The large community is made up of several different types of small animals: mice, chipmunks, insects, snails and more. Their allies extend into the forest, including squirrels, turtles, and beavers. Everglade is known as a peaceful community that vows to help creatures in need, and because of that reputation it is a sanctuary.<br />
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Stakes rise when a drought becomes imminent, and two members are exiled for bullying. In frustration, they rashly put the entire community in grave danger.<br />
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The citizens work together to store food and water and reach out to allies in an unprecedented effort to save their forest haven. Will it be enough? And if they succeed, will they have anything left to survive the drought?<br />
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If you're looking for a charming story of talking forest animals who have to work hard and get creative to defend their homes, this is a book you won't want to miss!<br />
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You can find it <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Season-Crows-Evershade-Prix-Gautney-ebook/dp/B01M3PW03L/" target="_blank">here on Amazon</a> and <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/43582189-season-of-crows" target="_blank">here on Goodreads</a>.<br />
<br />Rebekah Tellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17380990103636006172noreply@blogger.com0