Nature at Peace

In the silence of evening, stillness evokes peace. Nature floats in the quietude until the morning breaks. At that time, the world stretches its arms, unfolds its layers, and renews another day. 

This morning I pause with prayer waiting for a sliver of light to break through the darkness. "Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days. -  Psalm 90:14

↓

morning breaks

slivers of light unfold darkness

earth sings its praises

gentle winds bring renewed thoughts

nature spreads its seeds of joy

©cvarsalona, 2025 draft tanka

If you have not heard Morning Has Broken by Cat Stevens, it is one of my favorite songs. (Beautiful song sung at my wedding) 

Today is Poetry Friday and I am delighted that I woke early to write my post.

Janice Scully is our host today. She honors Women's History Month with pride.

Logo created by Margaret Simon

Today is also Day 14 of the March SOLSC #SOL25

Thank you Two Writing Teachers for the space to write 

with a reflective, worldwide group of educators.

Dreams

I wake pondering where time went. My laptop is on my lap just where I left it last night. I don't remember not finishing my Poetry Friday post. Night must have shifted into morning like the speed of lightning. I rise surprised. What happened? 

All I remember is being exhausted by the events of yesterday. A visit to the eye specialist left me numb. Shocked by the news of a possible retina tear on top of the husband's condition. The word, CANCER, dug deeper into my thoughts. My reaction was to find a way to handle both issues, my eye and his disease. Thoughts rattled in my mind. 

Breathe in-Breathe out-Meditate! These are ways to reduce the stress that blackens the room. I found a quote from someone who understood the challenges of life. 

Sometimes the most important thing in a whole day is the rest we take between two breaths, or turning inwards in prayer for five short minutes.

- Etty Hillesum, Dutch Jewish author who was murdered in  Auschwitz during WW II

DREAMS

jagged edges

of night dreams

haunt me

back and forth

they sway

slipping away

into reality

f e a r

may find its nooks

But h o p e

becomes IMPLANTED in my HEART!

©CVarsalona, February, 2025

The above poem was originally written during Laura Shovan's Annual February Poetry Project and refined this morning. I was to write about a dream, positive, negative, or just strange - about a moment in this year's political history?

My first thought was world tensions mount. Illness adds to sleepless nights.

Did you know that politics are keeping American up at night? Nearly 60% of adults struggle to fall asleep due to political worries. - 50AASM

After reading about Etty Hillesum caught in the midst of the Holocaust, I want to learn more about her writings.

 

A new day begins. I will remember to breathe and meditate on my spiritual journey to wholeness (My Spiritual Journey post on Wholeness is here. Thank you, slicer/poet, Denise Krebs for adding my blog post for the group to read.)

Thank you Margaret Simon, host of Poetry Friday,

for the support you have provided the past two months.

I am very late for the Poetry Friday Roundup but

I am off the mark lately. I will make the rounds this weekend.

For now, I am headed to an retina specialist.

The above Poetry Firday umage was created by Margaret Simon.

Day 8 of the March SOLSC #SOL25

Thank you Two Writing Teachers for the space to write 

with a worldwide group of educators.

Spiritual Journey to Wholeness/#SOL25

On this day of howling winds, I am pondering the Spiritual Journey Thursday theme of wholeness suggested by our host, Denise Krebs at Dare To Care. I am preoccupied as a caregiver for my husband who is battling a rare form of cancer in the pancreas and liver. I feel unsure of what the days ahead will be like so wholeness is something I would like to strive for.

What is Wholeness?

It is not the charred pieces of prolonged challenges that breaks my hearts. It is not the damaged bits of aloneness or the stirring unsettled pressures of worry and discontent. Wholeness is like a puzzle coming together with patience (another something I need to acquire).

According to the Cambridge Dictionary, wholeness is the quality of being or feeling complete and not divided or damaged. In a spiritual sense, wholeness is the Unseen Hand gathering the broken or damaged pieces of my journey and binding them together. Support is needed to continue my journey of faith and hope and bringing healing moments to the assorted chipped pieces. 

I found this beautiful quote by Maya Angelou and penned a draft poem that moves me from sadness to a renewed outlook. ⬇

Nothing can dim the light that shines from within. - Maya Angelou

Nessessity

healing the dark sadness of nothing

requires a light within that can

not be dim

it must fill the

everyday moments with bright light

slowly opening that

portal which shines

and restores the soul from

unwanted stress to newness within

draft ©CVarsalona, 2025

Golden Shovel from Maya Angelo

A New Day Awakens

on a winter day an azure blue sky looks down on life

whispy cloud-cushions prepare for flight

as angels circulate sprinkling earth with warmth to awaken life

nature floods earth

with the spirit of wholeness

the journey continues 

draft ©CVarsalona, 2025

Photo from Margaret Simon for This Photo Wants to be a Poem

Day 6 of the March SOLSC #SOL25

11 years of Writing Slices of Life

A Winter Delight

An amaryllis is always waiting to delight and surprise you, even when your world seems cold and dark. - Susan Meissner, Only the Beautiful

one day a winter gift came my way

amaryllis

statuesque

in

demeanor

amaryllis

renewing

life

hope-bearing

amaryllis

one day a winter gift came my way

©CVarsalona, 2025

With my winter gift, I can lean on hope during dark days and know that my one word, renew, is guiding me. Several times since December, my amaryllis has renewed itself. Its deep red flowers welcome me to sit and be quiet. 

Day 2 of the March SOLSC #SOL25

11 Years of Writing Slices of Life

Day 1 can be found here. 

Time To Be with March SOLSC #SOL25

March opens with a flicker of light, a smack of cold weather, and  thoughts of renewal. It is a timely month where writers gather to reflect, renew friendships, and offer mindful moments of thought. 

So without further ado, I start the month-long challenge that Two Writing Teachers offer in March each year. My SOLSC #SOL25 will consist of daily dialogues in poetic formats with digital art. I will open my Sanctuary of Thought with hopes that you will join me on my journey. We all need time to dream, time to remember, time to reach for the infinite, and just time to be.

Thank you fellow slicer, Ramona Behnke, for sharing the above inspirational quote with me. It inspired me to use a digital tool, Fotojet, to pen my opening haiku.

Day 1 of the March SOLSC #SOL25

11 Years of Writing Slices of Life

Poetry Sisters' February Challenge

“Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass, it’s about learning to dance in the rain.” —Vivian Greene

-From a snow day to a freezing rain one-

This month, the Poetry Sisters' invited writers and poets to their February Challenge that asked for a "____ is a Word " poem, originated by Nikki Grimes. See  Nikki's thoughts on the form she created here.  

I am late joining Poetry Friday this week but am happy to sit alone in the quiet and write a post with the hashtag #PoetryPals.

Today is Poetry Friday hosted by the wonderful Denise Krebs who is also participating in the Poetry Sisters' February Challenge. She has two different poems that have not only wordplay but voice. See her blog, Dare To Care, where the Poetry Friday Roundup is a happening.

-It is difficult lately to try to write while having to care for my husband at the same time. I will try to make the rounds as much as I can.

Love is...

"At the touch of love everyone becomes a poet." - Plato

Valentine's Day has passed but love continues to stir in the chilled winter air. I notice that the deer family no longer jaunts across the woods but I see dog owners walking their pets daily. There is no doubt that the deer family and dog owners show their love by their actions. Even in the depth of winter, "Love is the greatest refreshment in life." (Pablo Picsso) For hundreds of years, love has renewed and rejuvenated us. 

love is

an elixir of life

renewing and energizing us

as we witness delicate snowflakes

dancing in the whistling wind-

as we unfold our journey

love is a freshly-draped blanket

wrapping us in spaces of warmth

while bringing hearts together

in synchronization

draft © CVarsalona, 2025

🩷

Love strikes a pose with 25 poems at my Heartnotes Padlet. May you enjoy the variety of poems and inspirational quotes that you many not have seen previously.

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Love is the guide for the Holiday Poetry Swap led by Jone Rush MacCulloch. I hope to share all the beautiful postcards sent by Poetry Friday friends.

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Love is a rainbow with poetic voice authored by Matt Forrest Esenwine (A Universe of Rainbows). It also features poems written by an amazing cast of poets. Matt's 2nd book that I will review is Tractor Dance.  My granddaughters enjoyed this board book and the signed autograph. I will add some of their thoughts to the review in the near future.

                       

I am late for the Poetry Friday Roundup because my husband was discharged from an 8-day stay in the hospital and I have to play nurse.

Golden Shovel Poem created for Day 20 on Laura Shovan's

13th Annual February Poetry Project

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Poetry Friday is hosted this week by the fun-loving children's poet, Laura Purdie Salas. Laura is debuting two new books she wrote. I will join her for poetic goodness and hope you do also.

Valentine's Day Heartnotes

On the eve of Valentine's Day, Mother Teresa's quote is a message for the world: 

Spread love wherever you go. 

Let no one ever come to you without leaving happier.

heartnotes are love's messages from one heart to another

cherished

thoughts

spreading

cheer

cherished

love

notes

savored

cherished

heartnotes are love's messages from one heart to another

©CVarsalona, 2025, skinny poem

🩷

The following Poetry Friday writers joined me at my Heartnotes Padlet to send

their messages out into the world. I am grateful for their kindness:

Linda Baie 🩷 Rose Cappelli 🩷Karen Edmisten 🩷 Matt Forrest Esenwine

🩷 Michelle Kogan 🩷 Denise Krebs 🩷 Irene Latham 🩷Margaret Simon

🩷Susan Thomsen 🩷 Linda Kulp Trout  🩷 Tabatha Yeatts

🩷Avalyn, James, Marifay (Margaret Simon's Students) 

🩷

Call  To  Action

beyond Valentine's Day

let your heart

reach out to others-

connections

open doors to human kindness

©CVarsalona, 2025

🩷

Thank you to Linda Baie for hosting the Poetry Friday Roundup with her walk down memory lane  Love Is In the Air message. She offers a memory, music to accompany it, and a creative poem written about her playlist. Click here.

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If you would like to add a heartnote, inspirational quote, photograph, etc. please click here.