by Lynn Sanders | Jun 4, 2018 | DMM Blog
Let’s face it.
Most people ignore a delightful way to express themselves.
You may consider it to be as breathtaking as a glorious sunset. As amusing as a giggling toddler at the beach. As satisfying as warming your bones inside after shoveling snow in zero degree weather. What am I referring to? (Have you guessed?) POETRY!
I urge you, dear writers and readers… let’s keep poetry ALIVE!
Yes, it’s still out there… You can still feel it resounding in the rap music of the new musical, “Hamilton.” It’s still heard in countless musicals. And young children still enjoy feeling the joy of poetry in nursery rhymes and camp songs.
Poetry can be captivating. It can speak to our soul. But how many of us use poetry to share our thoughts and emotions? How many read a poem or two on occasion? How many even own a book of poetry?
As an elementary student in Chicago, my 4th grade teacher, Mrs. Fogg, read to us regularly from “Time For Poetry.” The poems delighted me so much that I begged my mom tobuy the book. I was thrilled when my own copy arrived! I memorized enchanting poems like, “The Pirate Don Dirk of Dowdee…” or “The Owl And The Pussycat.” Just saying words that rhymed or flowed in a rhythm felt incredibly exciting.
From an early age, I began writing my own poems. I eventually gathered my favorites into a manuscript, “Diary Of A Girl.” While that collection has never been published (yet!), a number of the poems were printed in journals. Several won honorable mention and recognition. My biggest award was a whopping cash prize of $5.00! (Poetry may not be lucrative, but it’s fun.)
You don’t have to be the next Emily Dickinson or Robert Frost. You can be YOU – sharing your stories, reflections or feelings in a new way. Study other poets and you’ll get a few ideas.
In “Writing Down The Bones,” Natalie Goldberg offers great advice and writing tips that could be applied to poetry. Here’s a fun exercise….
- Fold a paper in half (the long way), and list ten nouns on the left column.
- Turn the paper over to the right column. Think of an occupation, and list fifteen verbs that go with that position.
- Open the page and you’ll see nouns on the left and verbs on the right. Try joining the nouns with the verbs to see what new combinations you get.
- Finish the sentences, casting the verbs in the past tense, if youneed to.
- Examples: “The lilacs sliced the sky into purple.” Or — “Dinosaurs marinate in the earth.” Or – “The fiddles boiled the air with their music.”
Here’s a poem I wrote after a call to my parents. I pictured the long telephone cord (before cell phones) like an umbilical cord. I hope this gives you a few ideas…
Long Distance Call
It’s Father’s Day and despite playful mayhem
Surrounding my husband and mischievous son,
I wait for the ringing…
How strong the umbilical cord of love,
Connecting miles hundreds of memories long
To mom and dad.
Years rise and fall in a few minutes:
Sunday with dad at Riverview,
Mom’s gentle patience as we shopped on 87th street…
(nothing ever seemed to fit right!)
Strawberry sundaes and skies bursting with blue,
Bedtime stories unraveling in wondrous detail.
Growing up was a forever process.
Now, we speak about trivial details,
Signifying nothing but meaning everything.
Yearnings come in like the tide,
Unexpected but always pulling.
Holding the phone cradles us once more
In that summer of our lives
When we kids begged for ten-cent ice cream bars.
P.S. To learn more about bringing your stories to life, I invite you to schedule a complimentary 20-minute consultation. Visit: http://bit.ly/Lynn-Calendar
by Lynn Sanders | Jun 4, 2018 | DMM Blog
I’d like to encourage you, dear readers and writers, to consider dabbling in poetry.
Poetry offers you a way to express your inner thoughts, feelings and ideas in a simple, concentrated way. You can choose to rhyme or write in free verse. You can say outlandish things, and make comparisons that are elegant, funny or strange. As I mentioned in an earlier article, you can even write poems as a tribute to a loved one.
I think writing poetry is a lot less intimidating than writing a story. You can face the blank page with a smile because a poem doesn’t have to be long. It doesn’t need complex characters, an intriguing plot or a cliff-hanger ending. A poem can be whatever you want it to be… and be done within a few minutes!
You can design words on the page. You don’t have to use capital letters. And you can leave space for contemplation. You Can EvEn Do SilLy STuFF! (If you want…)
For as long as I can remember, I’ve loved to jot down thoughts and feelings into poetry. The following poem, “you and i” was written in tribute to one of my dearest highschool friends, Nancy Slawin Kalita. We used to have sleepovers at each other’s homes, wake up at dawn, and then ride our bikes on wonderful adventures together.
As the years passed, Nancy and I stayed in touch. Unfortunately, on November 1st, 2004, Nancy passed away suddenly from an unexpected heart attack. But her spirit — with her magical laughter — will always stay with me. Here’s a snapshot from our days together…
you and i
I met you on a cold rainy day
When the wind was howling
And the pavement was wet.
Somehow it didn’t matter.
We found a dry spot under the trees
And then the sun stopped crying.
You had your lunch and I had mine
And we shared.
We found an old bicycle built for two
And we rode right into the middle of town
Singing out loud.
We laughed a lot and a lot,
You and I,
I and you,
And we couldn’t stop smiling.
I showed you my secret hiding place
And gave you a lucky penny
Fresh from the ground.
We bought ice cream cones
And had a running race.
You won and I was happy.
And that was our first day together.
by Lynn Sanders | Jun 4, 2018 | DMM Blog
“Never underestimate the power of dreams and the influence of the human spirit. We are all the same in this notion: The potential for greatness lives within each of us.” — Wilma Rudolph
Imagine you’re not who you think you are.
What if you’re actually much greater than you’ve imagined? You’re a witty conversationalist, an insightful, award-winning writer, an incredibly talented (Fill in the blank)…. But you never even realized it before!
Why can’t you be that person you’d like to be?
I urge you to believe in yourself. The older I get, the more I realize how many of us play small in life. We allow ourselves to live inside compartments of what we can or can’t do. But we can always do much more!
Let me give you a simple example. I’ve recently made a wonderful friend at GoRead: Renee Mollan-Masters. Renee is the author of the soon-to-be-published best-seller, “The Friendship Pod Affair,” and plans are already in process for an online movie. Thanks to our soul connection, a friendship sparked immediately.
During a conversation, Renee asked me a simple question that surprised me.
“Would you like to write a friendship song for my movie?”
Could I? Dare I? Would I be good enough? (Ooooh – that flurry of self-doubt came bubbling up!)
Given that I’ve been playing piano as long as I could write words, and teach a revolutionary method, Simply Music Piano, which includes improvising and composing, I’m getting accustomed to stretching my composing muscles lately. So I found myself answering Renee…
“Sure, I’d love to!”
Since I’m paid for bringing stories to life through writing, video and interviews, and have never been paid for composing, I offered to create a song without charge. I figured if Renee likes it and uses the song, we’ll work out a compensation. That reduces my anxiety about being “good enough” and actually allows me to be more creative.
As I began composing “Being Friends” on the piano, my mind started opening to even more possibilities. By saying “yes” to Renee, I got inspired to write a second song for my upcoming children’s book presentation at our local bookstore.
My second song, “Keep Your Dreams Alive!” is the essence behind my true children’s story, “Dancing With Tex,” The message behind my book is — we ALL must have faith, belief and perseverance to keep our dreams alive!
For whatever reason, my mind quickly came up with music and lyrics. They just flowed right through me! It was as if I was taking dictation from above. I believe we all can tap into the creative energy field when we believe in ourselves.
Think about it. Must we play small in life?
Do we have to live within our limited thinking? Can we move beyond our inner broken record of, “I can’t do this…. I’m not good at …. I don’t have any talent for…”
WHY must we live with low self-esteem? Let’s start repeating positive affirmations….
Here are a few examples:
- “I’m an international best-selling author, selling over 2 millions books every year.
- “I’m earning _______/every month;”
- “I’m helping my clients attract $100,000 in funding support.”
I dare you. What if – you give yourself permission to step outside your “box?” Take action on your dreams. Fail forward. Don’t let it stop you. Keep taking action. Eventually, you WILL get to your destination.
It’s simply a matter of having faith, belief and perseverance.
KEEP YOUR DREAMS ALIVE!
P.S. I decided to be VERY daring! I just recorded my song on guitar, “Keep Your Dreams Alive.” This is a first for me — recording my own song, and I did itt for you! Although I’m not a professional singer, I thought this might be a fun way for me to step outside my comfort zone. If you click on the link — “Keep Your Dreams Alive” in my article, you can hear the song yourself! Enjoy!
by Lynn Sanders | Jun 4, 2018 | DMM Blog
Have you ever considered writing poetry to express yourself?
Poetry offers a fun way to take a “snapshot” of life. Poems can transport you to a new place, share your ideas, and allow you to eternally savor a feeling, an experience or an event. But more than that, poetry gives us a way to create a meaningful tribute to special people.
Since I first held a pencil, I fell in love with poetry. Just as a painter throws paint on canvas and allows his imagination to wander, I loved dabbling in words. I’d write poems for my family, friends, and created a “Wonderland” for myself. (That was the name of one of my kid poems.) As I grew older, writing poetry became a satisfying outlet for me to create pictures through words.
Why buy a pre-written Hallmark card when I could give someone a personalized poem? (It would be like buying a frozen dinner vs. making a home-cooked meal for a loved one.)
One of my favorite poetry classes was taught by an award-winning poet in Winnetka, Illinois. She inspired students for over 40 years, and was beloved by many people of all ages. Her name was Eloise Fink.
I doubt you’ve heard of her (unless you happen to have lived in my town), but her name was recognized in poetry circles. I’d like to introduce you to her through this article. She was quite modest, and I only found one photo of her. It’s from the back of one of her published books, “Lincoln And The Prairie After.” As you gaze at her face, can’t you just feel her glowing energy?
Once you met Eloise, you’d never forget her. She wore a perpetual smile and her eyes twinkled through her glasses. Her round face was framed by a halo of wavy white hair. And that voice! Oooh… it was so melodious. So loving. So sweet! Her voice felt like a yummy chocolate chip cookie… you just couldn’t get enough.
Each year, after she inspired her students to dive into similes, metaphors and alliteration, nurturing our creativity to new heights, Eloise celebrated with the best holiday parties in town.
After she retired from teaching, Eloise invited a group of us to have lunch. I was grateful to be included in her circle of friends. It was such a delicious experience, beyond the actual food, that I naturally had to write a poem for her. I’d like to share it with you too.
A Special Friend
Dedicated to Eloise Fink, December 23, 2005
I relish your voice
Pleasing as buttered cinnamon toast
on a December afternoon,
so ahh–delicious to my soul.
How lucky to find a special friend
Who giftwraps kindness in unexpected calls
And smiling surprises….
A luncheon gathering becomes
More than munching on carrot sticks
But a portal to the heart
Of what life is all about…
Love in its glorious sun-drenched splendor.
Why must it take so long
To finally perceive angels in our midst
Winging radiant gladness
Like chocolate-dipped strawberries
Into a ho-hum world.
You, my friend,
Sprinkle hope on the batter of imagination
a master chef cooking new creations,
smoothing out bumps
and baking a symphony of oohs.
***********************************************************************************************************
Now to be fair, let me give you a tiny “taste” of Eloise’s poetry. May her writing inspire you to explore the world of poetry for yourself!
Here’s the opening from her award-winning poem, “The Color Of Home.“
“When I was eight, Chicago was the world
the newspapers made real
as movies; and we’d pay to go
to see it on the train
from downstate Illinois, where nothing
happened much – except
when we, like frozen mittens,
tumbled in the snow down Lincoln’s
courthouse hill. Or, in the spring,
we looked for May apples
and waded streams that jingled
blue inside our bones.”
Eloise Bradley Fink: 1927 – 2011 – Award-winning poet, passionate teacher.
“Eloise Bradley Fink: Long in the rich service of language that sensitizes and extends her readers.” Gwendolyn Brooks
Mrs. Fink co-founded a nonprofit publishing company called Thorntree Press and wrote two books of poetry: “The Girl in the Empty Nightgown,” published in 1986, and “Lincoln and the Prairie After,” published in 1999.
Her work has been recognized by two Bread Loaf Writer’s Conference Fellowships, a Ragdale Fellowship, two Friends of Literature Awards and Gwendolyn Brooks’ Significant Poet Award.
In addition to Alison Halm, Mrs. Fink is survived by another daughter, Sara Reilly; a son, Joel Fink; and four grandchildren.
by Lynn Sanders | Jun 4, 2018 | DMM Blog
We ALL have one thing in common.
We’re each given 24 hours in a day. Part of that time is spent sleeping, eating and going to the bathroom. So how much time do we actually have left? Let’s take a minute to contemplate how we manage our time.
Will We Ever Have Enough Time?
“Either you run the day or the day runs you.” – Jim Rohn
If you’re like me, you have many “to-do’s” on your list. As you establish your priorities, I encourage you to write down everything that needs to get done on a list. Tackle the essential things first. When challenges are done, your day flows more smoothly. Perhaps some projects can wait till tomorrow.
As you move forward, you get to choose your attitude. When faced with a difficult task, imagine you’re helping a child-like version of yourself. Be kind to that inner child. No negative self-talk. Stay positive and affirming. You’re actually programming your brain for success.
Most importantly, balance your life with personal time every day. I often find myself immersed in “doing.” Whenever my husband and I take a weekend vacation, my suitcase inevitably holds two books and a computer. It takes a conscious effort to unplug from the world. When I do, I feel amazingly happy.
Many years ago, during a phone conversation, my mother made a profound comment that has always stayed with me. “Instead of doing all the time, can you enjoy just being?”
Wow…That stopped me in my tracks. Imagine being happy without doing anything! Just relishing in the feeling of “The Joy Of Being.” My mom’s words awakened me to appreciate the here and now. For those who also are caught up in a “doing” mode, I recommend exploring the joy of being for even a 15-minute segment. Here are five fun “being” tips…
1. Walk outside without your cell phone. Remember life without a cell phone? It’s so delightfully quiet. Recently, my son Andrew and I have been walking our poodle together in the early evening. It’s so special! We’re smiling, laughing, smelling magnolia flowers on a neighbor’s lawn. Calmness surrounds us in the soft spring air. We notice everyday wonders: the miracle of the full moon, a bird in flight, a favorite climbing tree. It’s the best part of our day!
2. Meditate in a quiet corner. Meditating feels like you’ve given your mind a bath! You can use a mantra like “OM” or any sound that provides peace. Take a slow breath in, repeating your word on the “in” breath. Then exhale, repeating your word on the “out” breath. If thoughts come up, gently turn your attention back to the mantra. You’re bound to feel refreshed!
3. Write for yourself regularly. Elizabeth Gilbert offers an insider’s perspective on the journey of writing in her book, “Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear.” Gilbert shares her personal ups and downs, offers ideas to push past roadblocks, and advises writers to keep going, despite the rejections. It’s all about accepting yourself.
4. Indulge in playing a game – just for fun! Forget competition and make time to play a board game with a loved one. Toss a ball outside with a child. Shoot hoops. That kid inside of you is still alive and wants to have fun!
5. Call or write to family and friends. Time is more precious than money. We only have so much time. When you reach out personally to a loved one, you’re building a special bond that can last a lifetime.
