We are all poets. If you don’t believe me then you need to give
poetry challenges ago. Every season - or so - Beth Kempton, an author and faciliator of mindful writing, leads online poem challenges. With one word, she asks us to write freely for 10 minutes. No guidelines - apart from a one word prompt. Just write and see where your words take you. Writing without restrictions is my happy place. And writing poetry without having to consider beats, rhythm or rhyme is simply beautiful. Give it a go - you’ll be surprised at how therapeutic it can be.Here are my Tiny Summer poems from Beth’s latest challenge. And while you’re at, go and give her a follow and be prepared to be inspired by the magic of writing - no matter your experience.
LIGHT
Light - it’s what we all long for
as long as it’s not too bright
or too hot
and not in my eyes, please.
We want light -
but it has to be just right
READY
What are you
waiting for?
Because it will never be the right time
and you’ll never feel ready.
Dare to take a
step -
and see where your bravery takes you
SIT
sit. please sit -
and really sit.
be here, right now and sit.
you can spare a moment or two
to sit. and if you can’t -
then really…
you must simply sit.
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MARK
They’ve left a mark -
looks almost like a bruise.
What if someone thinks I’ve hurt myself?
If only they knew…
This mark is an imprint of joy.
An hour of blackberry picking.
My heart is full
…even if my feet are stained.
No such thing as bad stains
Just bad shoes.
CIRCLE
I’m drawing a circle -
inside the circle are the things that I can control,
outside the circle are the things that I cannot control.
this is my daily reminder to focus on the inside of the circle -
the rest is taken care of
RISE
Rise.
Climb higher. Do more. Achieve this. Conquer that.
What if ‘to rise’ we simply showed up, just as we are? In the showing up, in our being, we are enough.
I am here, I rise.
LAYERS
I
carefully
peel back
the layers and finally see
why they are who they are and
why us humans are far more complex
than we would ever
appear to
be
BAREFOOT
I could go barefoot but
my goodness, my feet need a pedicure
and
it’s raining outside.
I’ll wait to go barefoot
until everything’s
just right
CORNER
Have you ever seen an imperfect corner?
I haven’t.
How do two lines come together so perfectly?
There’s an awful lot of corners in the world.
And I am surprised to learn
that I have an awful lot of questions
about them.
PEEK
I am often glad
that - despite wanting to know everything
about what lies ahead -
I in fact do not.
If I were to have peeked
into the future
I’m not sure I would have liked what I had seen.
Let me step forward
into the unknown.
No peeking allowed
Life unfolding as it should
with all the surprises that await me
REMEMBERED
I have so many things to remember
Run a business
Run another business
Do my job
Make enough money
Make more money
Turn up, stay sane
And repeat.
I feel that the most important thing -
I have not remembered.
HOLIDAY
‘Are you going on holiday this year?’
They asked me.
‘When are you going to America?’
They asked me again.
‘Oh, not going away this year?’
They asked me -
AGAIN.
Everyone asking, everyone expecting
But no summer holiday for me this year.
Here’s to those not holidaying
And being asked the same questions
Again and again.
Hopefully it will be different next year…
CHOICES
There is so much we cannot control
But there is so much we can control.
We have a choice in each moment -
Focus on the mind’s chatter
Or focus on what is here right now.
In the now, there are no problems
Only possibilities
OCEAN
‘I don’t know what it is but you’ve changed -
There’s a confidence about you. What’s your secret?’
Don’t tell anyone but -
it’s the sea.
Now go open the timer app on your phone. Set it to 10 minutes. Choose a one word prompt from above and write. Then be sure to share your words below! You’re a poet and you’re about to know it.
All of these are brilliant! But my favourite one is Circle 🤗✨