#TankaTuesday #Poetry Challenge - #Syllabic #poem #poetrycommunity #tankapuente #bestandworstmoments #chronicfatiguesyndrom #anxiety #holistichealing @YvetteMCalleiro

Hello, beautiful readers! Last week was the first week of our new #TankaTuesday challenges, but life was so busy that I did not have time to even check the site. So, I decided to write a poem for that challenge today. Poet and author Robbie Cheadle provided us with our first challenge. She encourage us to write a Tanka Puente, which consists of two tanka poems separated by a line in between. She chose the theme of best and worst moments.

One of the worst moments in my life was when I lived with active Chronic Fatigue Syndrome for eight years. At the time, doctors were just beginning to identify it, and it took my doctor a long time to not only diagnose me but try a treatment. Unfortunately, although his treatment began to bring back my energy, it created a debilitating anxiety disorder. I stopped the medicine and sought holistic healers. Thankfully, they have brought me peace and energy. A side benefit was discovering mindfulness, meditation, and emotional frequency tapping. I still have anxiety, but I manage it well. I feel healthy and whole today. So, here is my poem...

(courtesy of @K3IST on Pixabay)

Road to Health

constant lethargy

heaviness inhibits me

long search for answers

remedy experiments

meds create anxiety

~change your thoughts and you change your world~*

body, mind struggle

start holistic therapy

mindfulness brings peace

focus on inner healing

strength and energy return

* This quote is by Norman Vincent Peale.

Would you like to try writing a Tanka Puente? Check it out here.

#TankaTuesday #Poetry Challenge - #Syllabic #poem #poetrycommunity #specifictheme #divorce #insecurity #resilience @YvetteMCalleiro

Hello, beautiful readers! We have entered a new season of #TankaTuesday poetry challenges. Each week, a different poet from our poetry community will host Colleen Chesebro's page and share a challenge. This week's challenge is being presented by Sadje. 

This week, Sadje challenges us to write a syllabic poem about something that brought a big change in our lives. The biggest, most transformative change in my life was giving birth to my son, but I decided to write about my divorce. I've written a tanka prose, which involves a paragraph of prose and a tanka poem.

(courtesy of @Fotorech on Pixabay)

For as far back as I can remember, insecurity has felt like a second skin. I hide it well, but it resides in the most fragile part of my soul. Growing up, my parents told me I had to get a degree so if I ever married a jerk, I could support myself and my children. And so I did - three degrees, in fact. Still, confidence and I weren't friends. I married and gave birth to my little miracle. Shortly thereafter, I realized my husband was not healthy for me, mentally or emotionally. Fear gripped me as I began again with a toddler and a mountain of debt threatening to bury me.

marriage falls apart

self-fulfilling prophecy

miss independent

builds confidence step by step

excels more than expected

Do you have a big moment in your life that you'd like to express through poetry? Join us here. 

Author Spotlight - Shirley Harris-Slaughter #author #authorspotlight #meettheauthor #RRBC #communityactivist @sharrislaughter @YvetteMCalleiro

Hello, beautiful readers! Today, I have the pleasure of sharing a wonderful author with you all. Shirley Harris-Slaughter is a lifetime member of the Rave Review Book Club (RRBC). She is an amazing lady and a great author. I hope you enjoy getting to know her. Take it away, Shirley!

~~~

Yvette, thank you so much for hosting me on your blog page as a door prize winner in your author booth from the 9th Annual WC&BE24!  

Hello, everybody. Here is a little information about me as an author and as a community activist. I want to bring some attention to the activism side of me.

All of this is being brought to you through my affiliation with #RRBC, a virtual book club community of indie authors and readers.

ENJOY!

My author name is Shirley Harris-Slaughter (There is a special meaning behind “Harris". I produced a son in my first marriage to a Harris, and it is my family name on my mother’s side as well. The thought behind this was, if I became famous, Harris would be meaningful to me as it is my son’s namesake.)

I reside in Oak Park, MI, USA.

Here is my author bio:

Shirley Harris-Slaughter is the author of Our Lady of Victory, the Saga of an African-American Catholic Community, written to address a need to preserve catholic history from her perspective.

Crazy! Hot! And Living On The Edge!! -- written to share her story of health and healing, love and redemption. She hammers it home about never giving up the fight when the going gets rough and learning how to always improve yourself.

Slaughter mentored four freshman girls at the local middle school. She also found the time to try and save an iconic train station.

She obtained her BBA from Cleary University in Howell, Michigan, married her husband Langston, and is active in her Oak Park community.

Books and Titles:

“OUR LADY OF VICTORY:  THE SAGA OF AN AFRICAN-AMERICAN CATHOLIC COMMUNITY” Second Edition

“RONALD L. POWELL:  MISSING IN ACTION”

“CRAZY! HOT! AND LIVING ON THE EDGE!!” 

“NEWSPAPER CHRONICLES” 

She is also a contributor in …

“RAVE SOUP FOR THE WRITER’S SOUL Anthology, 2nd Edition” 

The Train Station project happened during my activist days. So, I want to draw renewed attention to this Detroit icon. It is just beautiful now, thanks to the Ford Family Foundation and I’m so happy.

“A CITIZEN’S GROUP IN ACTION:  SAVING A TRAIN STATION” 

BLURB:

Around 1992, this study was pulled together for one specific purpose – to save the Michigan Central Depot, a train station in downtown Detroit. After it was boarded up in the 1980s, I agonized about what was happening to the building as it descended into neglect and decay; with no hope of it ever rising to its former glory. I needed to form a plan and a way to do it. Attending a university afforded me that opportunity. I always loved trains even though there was never a chance for me to experience the thrill of it all growing up. My mother was pregnant with me when she traveled from California, all the way to Detroit, to be with my dad’s family while he was stationed in Guam during World War II. So I always thought that I was touched in the womb. There was no other way to explain this love affair with trains.

Fortunately, while group efforts failed so many times in the past, on June 11, 2018, the station was purchased by the Ford Motor Company. It has undergone a vast transformation into the beautiful building we have today.

Congratulations Detroit!

Hi!  I love to hear from you, so I’ve listed my contact and social media information below.

Email:  Sharrislaughter@gmail.com

Twitter:  @Sharrislaughter

Facebook:  sharrislaughter3

Website:  Remember Our Lady of Victory

Amazon Central

Shirley is an award winning author as well! Check out her book trailer here.

I appreciate you all visiting and getting to know Shirley. We would love to hear from you below. :-)

#TankaTuesday 24 Seasons Syllabic #Poetry Challenge - #Syllabic #poem #poetrycommunity #seasonalKigo #Kigo #seasons #WhiteDew #tankaprose #MiddleEarth #hobbits @YvetteMCalleiro

Hello, beautiful readers! I completely missed participating in last week's #TankaTuesday 24 Seasons Syllabic Poetry Challenge. I had something to do every day after school, and I'm sticking to my commitment to go to bed at a decent time so I can get eight hours of sleep every night. Sleep is vital to health, and I treasure it. My weekend was spent visiting my parents at their new beachside condo about two hours away from me, so I just didn't have time to write.

This week hasn't been any less busy - still had something to do every day after work, but today has given me a few moments to rest, so I decided to play with poetry. For this week's challenge, Colleen Chesebro invited us to write a tanka prose for the new season of White Dew. She shared a list of kigo words that would go with this season, and to my pleasant surprise, Bilbo Baggins and Frodo Baggins' birthdays are in this season, so I knew instantly what I would write about!

A tanka prose is a combination of one paragraph and one tanka on the same subject. There are two different kinds - preface (explanation) or poem tale (episodic narration). My kigo words are bolded and italicized.

(courtesy of @StockSnap on Pixabay)

I first fell in love with JRR Tolkien's fantasy world when my seventh-grade English teacher, Mrs. Hoffman, read The Hobbit to us. Her animation and excitement throughout the story made me fall in love with the world despite giving me a gripping fear of spiders that still resides within me. After that story, I couldn't get enough and eventually devoured The Lord of the Rings trilogy. Now, The Rings of Power airs on Prime, and I am hooked! The battle between good and evil has always teetered on a thin line within this world, especially since evil calls to each character so uniquely. But the hobbits - they truly are the epitome of what all people should try to exemplify.

Middle Earth hobbits

living off the land with joy

accepts adventure

danger, evil run amok

Bilbo Baggins' pure heart wins

Would you like to try your hand at writing a tanka prose? Join us here.

August Book Reviews #bookreview #books #amreading #readingcommunity #paranormal @KarensStories @YvetteMCalleiro

Hello, beautiful readers! School is back in session, so I am not reading as much as I could in the summer. Still, I managed to finish a great short story, so enjoy my review below.

Rustic Acres

by Karen Black

Genre: Fantasy Short Reads

Pages: 54 pages

Book Blurb:

Melonie is a witch with a problem. Golatch, the goblin king, cursed her with an ancient virus that substantially reduced her power. The only cure for the mystical disease is his death. But a three-hundred-year-old goblin will be hard to kill, especially with limited abilities.

When the goblin army invades Melonie's home in Rustic Acres, a telepathic cat and a wise old raven enter the battle to help her protect the little people who live there. But chaos erupts when an energetic pixie complicates the plan.

My Review:

This was such a fantastic short story. Melonie is a witch who angered the goblin king, Golatch, when she killed his brother. Golatch cursed her with a spell that stole her powers and then promised to return one day to kill her. When that day comes, the community of Rustic Acres vows to stand by her side and fight until the end so she won't fight alone.

This author does such a great job with mystical creatures and animals in her stories, and this one was no different. I really enjoyed the interaction between the various creatures and how they were willing to come together despite their differences or animosities toward one another. 

For a short story, the characters' personalities are well-developed and even bring out several laughs despite the dire circumstances. I especially love the fearless, little pixie, Kiki. This is a story both young and old can thoroughly enjoy.

Have you read any great stories recently? I'd love to hear from you.

#TankaTuesday 24 Seasons Syllabic #Poetry Challenge - #Syllabic #poem #poetrycommunity #seasonalKigo #Kigo #seasons #Shosho #haiku #Autumn @YvetteMCalleiro

Hello, beautiful readers! It has been a busy, busy week. It is reaching my bedtime, but I didn't want to let this week go by without writing a poem for the #TankaTuesday 24 Seasons Syllabic Poetry Challenge. This week moves into a new season - Shosho, or Fading Heat. In many parts of the United States, the summer heat is starting to fade so that Autumn can make her entrance. That is not really the case here in South Florida. It is still H-O-T. 

So, since I've got to pass out if I want my eight hours of sleep before I rise ahead of the sun tomorrow, I've chosen to write a quick haiku. I hope you enjoy it. As always, I've bolded and italicized my kigo words.

(courtesy of @Bluetenkuss at Pixabay)

daily summer rains

lawns of verdant grass hydrate

no signs of Autumn

Would you like to write a poem with us? Join us here.

#RRBC 9th Annual Writer's Conference & Book Expo #writersconference #readingcommunity #writingcommunity @YvetteMCalleiro

 

Hello, beautiful readers! I'm excited to share with you the RRBC 9th Annual Writer's Conference & Book Expo. This is an amazing event that is FREE to attend. Play the games and win some prizes. Meet new authors at their author books, and leave a comment to win free prizes. Pass by the Reading Room and listen to authors read a snippet from one of their books. (I am one of the readers.) You can also purchase access to writing workshops if you'd like. There are also raffle tickets you can purchase to win some fabulous prizes! You do not need to be an RRBC member to participate! Come join us this week. I promise you will enjoy your time at our event. :-)

#TankaTuesday 24 Seasons Syllabic #Poetry Challenge - #Syllabic #poem #poetrycommunity #seasonalKigo #Kigo #seasons #Risshu #tanka #endofsummer @YvetteMCalleiro

Hello, beautiful readers! It's been a busy week for me. School has started, which means I have much less time on my hands (as if I ever really had much down time...lol). I'm happy with my schedule, and the kids seem receptive to my positive energy bubble that fortifies my room. So, here's so hoping for another wonderful year!

This week, the #TankaTuesday 24 Seasons Syllabic Poetry Challenge is still in the season of Risshu. Colleen Chesebro has challenged us to create a poem that includes sunflowers. Sunflowers have always been my favorite flower. Yellow and green are my favorite colors, and I love the vibrancy of the sunflower. I also love that they rise to face the sun instead of the darkness.

I chose to write a haiku, which consists of three lines with a 5-7-5 syllabic pattern. My kigo words are bolded and italicized.

(courtesy of @sabinevanerp on Pixabay)

sunflower magic

Delta breeze spreads seeds of hope

share its joy freely

Would you like to join us in writing poetry this week? Click here.

#TankaTuesday 24 Seasons Syllabic #Poetry Challenge - #Syllabic #poem #poetrycommunity #seasonalKigo #Kigo #seasons #Risshu #tanka #endofsummer @YvetteMCalleiro

Hello, beautiful readers! I wanted to start by thanking those of you who have picked up my newest short story, Karma Doesn't Kill. A special hug for those of you who have already read and reviewed it. The story is loosely based on someone I know, so it truly is a work of heart. I am eternally grateful to those of you who have shared your review with others. 💗

For this week's #TankaTuesday 24 Seasons Syllabic Poetry Challenge, we move into a new season, Risshu. Summer is beginning to wind down, and Autumn is around the corner. This week's challenge is to write a poem about how this time is represented in my area.

For those of you who do not know, I am a middle school intensive reading teacher. My summer officially ended this past Sunday. I have spent the past three days in a workshop learning a new program that is aimed at helping our nonreaders learn how to read. Sadly, we still have some children who come to middle school without having the foundational skills needed to read, so I'm excited about being able to help these kids master the foundations of reading this year. The next two days will be spent in my classroom, analyzing the data of my new set of students and preparing my classroom for the new year.

The bane of my existence is the alarm clock. I abhor having to wake up to an alarm. It's unnatural, and my body knows it. Lol! I have found the kindest, most gentle of alarm clocks to awaken me. It mimics the sun rising by slowing lightening my room and playing the sound of birds chirping, so I am a little more accepting of the invasion to my slumber. Still, waking up at 5 am is not easy. Sleep is especially important to me, so I've made a pact with myself to be in bed by 9 pm every night. So far, so good! Hopefully, I can keep it up throughout the school year.

I've chosen to write a tanka which consists of five lines with a 5-7-5-7-7 syllabic pattern where there is a pivot line (usually in the third line). I've bolded and italicized my kigo words.

(courtesy of @Katniss12 on Pixabay)

summer slips away

beach days moved to the weekends

a return to school

alarm clock disturbs my sleep

teacher planning days commence

Would you like to write a poem with us this week? Join us here.

#TankaTuesday 24 Seasons Syllabic #Poetry Challenge - #Syllabic #poem #poetrycommunity #seasonalKigo #Kigo #seasons #Taisho #Kimo #summerveggies @YvetteMCalleiro

Hello, beautiful readers! We dodged Tropical Storm Debby in my area, and I'm hoping it falls apart instead of turning into a hurricane before it makes landfall in the Florida panhandle.

I'm not sure how many of you are watching the Olympics, but I am absolutely LOVING it! I've been watching gymnastics, track & field, beach/court volleyball, and swimming, and I've even caught a little rugby and basketball. I am in awe of these athletes and their commitment to their goals and their prowess! The USA teams are amazing, and I'm so happy for all of those who are winning medals.

For this week's #TankaTuesday 24 Seasons Syllabic Poetry Challenge, Colleen Chesebro has invited us to write a poem about the vegetables that are harvested during the summer. I've chosen to write a kimo, which is a three-line poem with a syllabic pattern of 10-7-6. It's the Israeli version of a haiku.

(courtesy of @Shutterbug75 on Pixabay)

healing ingredients grow in the ground

onions and garlic delight

savory nutrients

Now, I am not a cook. In fact, I cook out of necessity. When I become rich, I will have a full-time chef. Lol! So, in the spirit of being silly, I wrote a haiku, though I don't think it's a true haiku.

(courtesy of @monicore on Pixabay)

a cook I am not

onions, garlic are staples

they improve it all

Would you like to write your own poem? Join us here.