Doubt on the Spiriutal Journey

What is on my mind?

Katie Moum, Unsplash

photographer

How does doubt affect me when grief knocks on my door?

At the Poetry Friday Roundup on November 2nd, one of Tricia Stohr-Hunt's lines in her burning haibun prose struck me. "I am only moving, carrying the weight of my own doubt."  I immediately paused to reflect on this thought and evening dreams (sometimes nightmares) that have been burdening me. I knew that I needed to be mindful. A mindful pause led to an intense pondering of my initial question above. With raw thoughts that fell from my heart, I quickly wrote a Golden Shovel poem using Tricia's lines below in italics as my strike line.

What is hiding deep in my soul?

As grief quickly enters and leaves repeatedly,     I

ponder its affect on my daily living.                         Am

I masking my fears and doubts,                                only

spending time worrying and                                    moving

as I try to manage my life that is now                      carrying

the heaviness of each day? Can I accomplish     the

task of handling my loss and dealing with the   weight

of loneliness in this chapter of life? Waves           of

jabbing grief nestle in the depths of                      my

heart. Is there a veil hiding my                                  own  

fragile, plaguing                                                            doubt?

Response to Grief and Doubt

Trees comforts me during the autumn of        life.

Brilliant colors sparkle while sunshine             is

Felt as a warm blessing, not to be                     changed

By grief. So flutter away doubt. Hope will     not

Be extinguished, nor love                                    ended.

©CVarsalona, 2025, free verse poem

     Dedicated to my husband who recently passed away

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Thank you Patricia J. Franz for hosting this month's Spiritual Journey Thursday that focuses on doubt. I also thank you for sharing the insightful article,“The Drawer Where I Keep My Doubts” .

"Doubt, hesitation, unfinished questions, 'small hauntings'—

these aren’t failures of willpower, but the raw material of growth."  -Jeff DeGraff, Professor, author, essayist

Patricia asked an excellent question.

"Where does doubt fit into your spiritual journey?" 

The word, doubt, has been like a seed waiting to grow. It took root long before my husband passed away. It came and went like a roaring storm that gave no warning. Sometimes, it lingered in my mind without me knowing it. Other times, I pushed it aside when I found inspirational thoughts that gave me hope, such as the one below.

And so, friends, I am ready to move on once again, regardless of doubts that I hope to toss away.  I look forward to reading your blog posts on doubt. Enjoy the coming weekend.

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Poetry Friday Friends, I started this week excited to dig deep into my poet-author friend Laura Purdie Salas' upcoming book, Furry, Float, and Fly!  It is a seasonal beauty, and I was ready to write a book review. But as life can throw some bumps in the road, my plans were taken over by grief surrounding me and my friends. I finished my Spiritual Journey blog post with good intentions, but time did not permit it. I hope to finish my review of Laura's fabulous book and have it ready for her publication date, Tuesday. Meanwhile, please visit Laura's welcome to the Poetry Friday Roundup that you can find here at her blog. Enjoy Laura's winter thoughts, NCTE presenter news, and excitement for her book's birthday day. You will also find many blogs that are filled with poetic goodness from Poetry Friday friends.

Hallow's Eve

It was the sign of the times. The Wraiths' Feast came to be. Collegiate voice lifters journeyed through the Witches' Passage to the nearest Wailing Walls. With Lantern Haze devices, they slowly proceeded onward. Under a darkened sky, they listened for Midnight Murmurs from Gossamer Ghosts who enjoyed lurking on the bewitching night of Halloween. 

Are you ready for a ghostly poems prompted by our creative Poetry Friday host, Jone Rush MacCulloch? Jone offers a list of Halloween prompts to create a variety of poems by our community of writer-poets.  What I did was take her poems and introduce them in a short tale that is partially true from my college days with additional support from Halloween photos I took while living in Long Island.           

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DON'T BE AFRAID!

Howling whisperers

screech and whimper.

With bated breath,

 Halloweeners creep quietly,

slowly inching their way

throughout the cemetery

until they notice

a formidable sign.

"Yikes!"  Do you see a conclave before us?

Ghastly, bellowing ghosts circle.

Whose Moolinght Graveyard is this?

I think I know, but

not all agree.

Some friends step back,

tingling like scared cats,

Others mesmerized by the Phantom Lullaby.

Howling screams, frozen in time, rise. Stop!

Something lurks by the Velvet Coffin.

"Let it be known", so it is said.

"There is something haunting

in the light of the moon."

Without delay, scratching voices

rise from the ground.

We quickly skedaddle

under the light of the evening moon,

before sirens chase us out.

©CVarsalona, 2025

Just Remember:

Beware of what lurks at night on Hallow's Eve.

@CVarsalona, free verse, Halloween 2025

@CVarsalona digital artwork 

Follow the light of the moon to Jone's Poetry Friday Halloween Roundup.

You never know what you will find.

Poetry Peeps were invited to the Poetry Sisters challenge for October! A burning haibun arrived from the ashes of my opening prose poem. As the Poetry Princesses noted, the burning haibun is not the "old regular haibun. It highlights the internal landscape of memory and within them, something somewhere must BURN." 

(Please enjoy visiting other poets who enjoyed creating burning haibuns: Tricia, Sara, Laura, Mary Lee, Liz, and Michelle K. Check Tanita's blog to see if more people joined in.)

In prose, I present Hallow's Eve.

It was the sign of the times. The Wraiths' Feast came to be. Collegiate voice lifters journeyed through the Witches' Passage to the nearest Wailing Walls. With Lantern Haze devices, they slowly proceeded onward. Under a darkened sky, they listened for Midnight Murmurs from Gossamer Ghosts who enjoyed lurking on the bewitching night of Halloween. 

Erasure #1. Result after the blackout technique:

it's time. Wraths' Feast came. Voice lifted. Journey with lanterns slowly proceeded. Darkened sky listened. Midnight ghosts lurking on Halloween. 

Erasure #2. Burnout leads to a haiku.

It's time wraith came

voices journey listen

night ghosts lurk

  Draft CVarsalona, Halloween 2025, burning haibun

Oh, what fun it is to capture Halloween Eve, especially since this year I am homebound with a fractured ankle. My boot and walker chair are my costume for a chilly night at home.

Please understand that I have been on slow-go movement since last week.

Autumn Leaves

As the wind tosses fresh leaves across lawns and driveways, I paused reflecting on Emily Bronte's words from her poem, Fall, Leaves, Fall: "Every leaf speaks bliss to me / Fluttering from the autumn tree". Then, I discovered Emily Dickinson's envelope poems.

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How to Write Your Own Envelope Poem (that begins and ends with the same line)

See Writing Workshop at Teaching Authors for more information

from April Hayland Wayland.

1. Brainstorm what you'd like to write about.  

2. Now start writing-mediocre ideas or good ideas, it doesn't matter-just keep your pen moving. 

3. Play with lines until you find one that is strong enough to begin and end your poem. 

4. Polish your poem. Read it aloud . 

5) Let it rest for a few days. Read it again. Polish it some more. 

6) Do you love it? Then, let your poem out of its envelope! Share it with a friend.

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Quick Write - Haiku

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Thank you, Patricia Franz, for hosting Poetry Friday this week. Besides being a wonderful author and poet she is inviting writers to join her with their own place-based, outdoor-themed poem.

Continue to have a wonderful autumn. The trees are finally parading their finery. Don't forget to check out the poetic goodness from the Poetry Friday writers at Patricia's blog, Reverie.

The Wonder of the Virginia Countryside

There's nothing like the peace of the countryside, the quiet, and the lack of distraction. It helps you to focus your mind. - Jerry Nimm

 UNLESS => your GPS doesn't behave -

directions become a strange series

of crazy U-turn saves

frustrated by gravel road queries -

directions become a strange series

with unknown gravel roads

and frustrating queries -

so I waited for Siri's right codes 

Aminpics from Unsplash

because of unknown gravel roads

distractions led me astray -

while waiting for Siri's right codes

I couldn't find my way

 distractions led me astray

with crazy U-turn saves

I couldn't find my way

because my GPS didn't behave

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BUT-the bumpity, bumpness

went fleeting by -

when I saw the plumpness

of  fall pumpkins, I sighed!

©CVarsalona, 2025, Virginia Countryside

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The modified pantoum poem above shares my travels to Wegmeyer Farms for our annual pumpkin picking event with the little grandgirls. Needless to say, it took my son and me longer to arrive at the farm than my daughter, son-in-law, and grandgirls did. The beauty of nature, the warmth of the sun, and the tastiness of homemade apple cider donuts added to a wonder-filled time. Now, don't ask how long it took to reach our home...

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It's time to enjoy the poetic goodness of the Poetry Friday Roundup that is being hosted by Sarah Grace Tuttle. She not only added a poem but shared her new website. She added "a new Poetry for Educators section, with resources and free PDFs to print and use in classrooms.

The Art of Summering 2025 Sneak Peak

Welcome  to  the  Art of Summering 2025  

Mini-Gallery of Artistic Expressions

Summer passes and one remembers its exuberance.-Yoko Ono 

Summer dazzles in different ways:

captures the wonders of nature

soothes our senses and our souls

offers starlite moments

understands the art

of summering:

enjoy life

relax

"be"

©CVarsalona, 2025, nonet

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In my invitation to write alongside me, I explained what the Art of Summering  means. Summering is a state of mind that brings feelings of joy and relaxation. It revolves around the best of summertime and the ability to savor those feelings year-round (adapted from AI thoughts).

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Mary Lee Hahn offers the sweltering edition of the

Art of Summering 2025 Mini-Gallery of Artistic Expressions.

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Janet Claire Fagal shares the beauty of Maine in summertime.

*Excuse the typos," They will be fixed.

Thank you to Linda Mitchell for her offering also. I am not ready to share her work just yet but stay tuned.

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As one enjoys the art of summering, reflect on how you spent your summer days. I would love to share your work in my mini-gallery. Thank you to all the poets, artists, photographers, and teachers who enjoy the arts.

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Below is my digital artwork created after enjoying a beautiful summer day relaxing in my chaise lounge. I was stunned and amazed when I looked up at the sun and saw a cloud that appeared as a heart. For me this was a sign that my loved one was sending me a heartnote from heaven.

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Thank you to Linda Baie for hosting Poetry Friday today. Please read her illuminating blog post that offers connects Charles Dickens with these hard times we are in. Also, you will find other poetic goodness from the Poetry Friday writers.

Compassion Moves Hearts

October is the month that shares the beauty of falling leaves, changing colors, and the crispness of the landscape. We move through the newly fallen leaves slowly, watching and listening to the sounds of the woods. The woods share this pleasure with many walkers in my community. Besides nature's healing, the Bible offers stories of healing by the hands of Jesus. One in particular reminds me of Jesus' hands healing the lepers. A teacher at Catholic High School shared stories of the leper colony in her home state of Hawaii. The stories were sad, but they defined the meaning of compassion: "a deep awareness and empathy for the suffering of others, with a strong desire to alleviate pain." I researched many definitions of the word compassion. The one I shared helps me understand why renew is an important one word for me. In the silent pause of morning, I consider how I can help others move their cross forward. My one word, renew, surfaces at a time when life across the continents is troublesome. 

Some compassionate people come forward to ignite new lights. Others who are self-indulgent waffle.

I thank our Spiritual Journey Thursday host, Kim Johnson, for offering the awe-inspiring word, compassion, for our prompt today. I am still trying to not let grief drown me in mourning over my husband's sudden passing. 

Overwhelmed By the Unforeseen 

grief robs our beings

sends sorrow to our souls

leaves us restless in need of compassion

we pause in the wake of compassion

understanding others' needs to strengthen their beings

with cause, we stand to strengthen our souls

October's landscape will play a part for overwhelmed souls 

 while nature spreads her compassion 

with sweeping arms around human beings

human beings whose souls are scarred need comfort and compassion

draft ©CVarsalona, 2025, tritina poem

May we all fill our hearts and others with compassion to bring moments of true peace into the world.

Thank you to my author friend, Matt Forrest Esenwine, for hosting Poetry Friday this week. Due to many to do lists, I am combining Spiritual Journey with Poetry Friday. because the topic of compassion needs addressing in this mixed up world.

September Waves Goodbye

"Ah, September! You are the doorway to the season that awakens my soul." - Peggy Toney Horton

Today marks the last day of September, the month that says good bye to summer and announces the beginning of autumn. In order to honor the season of fall, the two older grandgirls helped me make a delicious apple pie with a variety of orchard-picked apples. My Nonnie would be proud to have her great-grandgirls learning to bake and carrying on her baking tradition. 

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September, you know the warmth of summer

and the glimmer of early fall

when a cool breeze ushers in autumn

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I cherish your days of autumn

mourn your short time with summer

and honor you as you let go to fall into fall

your timing transitions a green-colored summer

that melds with the beauty of early fall

celebrating the jewels of autumn

farewell summer-like September, as you fall into October's colorful autumn

©CVarsalona, 2025, tritina poem

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My first tritina poem is here.

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As we say goodbye to September, I invite all writers to join me as I create a Mini-Gallery of Artistic Expressions on Summering.

Summering is a state of mind that brings feelings of joy and relaxation. It revolves around the best of summertime and the ability to savor those feelings all year-round. 

I invite poets, writers, photographers, and educators to consider using the prompt to create an image poem, inspirational quote, or a photographn: How do you engage in summering during the summer season? Do you have a special photo, piece of artwork and/or poem to add to the Summering Mini-Gallery that I will create?

Thank you to Mary Lee Hahn, Janet Claire Fagal, and Linda Mitchell for participating with their image poems on summering. You can send your offerings to cvarsalona@gmail.com by mid-October. I  will gather the artistic expressions, create a mini-gallery, and share it on my blog and on social media. 

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This is my Slice of Life for Two Writing Teachers, where it's time to write, share, give.