April 2018 – By Sarah

Reflections on NaPoWriMo

April 30, 2018April 30, 2018 Sarah W

BERJAYA

I can’t believe I made it! A poem a day for the whole month of April (otherwise known as National Poetry Writing Month or NaPoWriMo for short). I felt I was being a little ambitious tackling both the A-Z Challenge and NaPoWriMo in the same month, however, I not only tackled; I have succeeded and completed BOTH challenges. I feel an immense sense of pride for the writing I have achieved this month. In particular, for the poetry I have written. I undertook Suzanne Olivante’s Photo Challenge as my Prompt basis for NaPoWriMo and she delivered some unbelievable and inspiring images for writing.

One of the things I am most pleased about, is the variety of NEW poetry forms I have been able to experiment with. I have discovered I LOVE to write Nonet and Rondolet, and have refined my skills when working with Fibonacci and Tanka. I have thoroughly enjoyed every minute, and even on days when I was time poor, still managed to whip something up that I was reasonably proud of!

My top five favourite poems that I wrote for NaPoWriMo, are (in no particular order):

Glimpses
Autumn Pleiades
With Me
Drip-Stone
Glimmering Dew

I have included a summary of all of my poems for the month of April 2018, with the poetry form given in parentheses beside the title:

Glimpses (Elfje)
Be Brave (Fibonacci)
Cold (Haiku/Senryu)
D is for Depression (Haibun)
Ignite (Cinquain)
Fearsome Lady (Tanka)
Busy City (Triolet)
Beneath The Cloudy Skies (Triquain)
Epiphany (Pantoum)
Sweet (Haiku/Senryu)
Darkness of the Deep (Tanka)
Autumn Pleiades (Pleiades)
L is for Lonely (Haibun)
Glimmering Dew (Rondolet)
Brickhead (Haiku/Senryu)
Future Paths (Fibonacci)
Bee Fun (Haiku/Senryu)
Missteps (Tanka)
Nothing But Tracks (Fibonacci)
Emerald Dust (Tanka)
Swan Dance (Haiku/Senryu)
Roots (Nonet)
With Me (Nonet)
Drip-Stone (Mirror Sestet)
Beat (Haiku/Senryu)
First Blush (Tanka)
Fly Away (Fibonacci)
Close (Nonet)
Sunshine in a Glass (Haiku/Senryu)
Abandoned (Mirror Poem)

I hope you enjoy reading them as much as I enjoyed writing them.

I also want to extend a massive THANK YOU to Suzanne Olivante for organising the image prompts. I truly appreciate the work she put into running the challenge, and highly recommend you check out her blog at: Suzanne Olivante Poetry

Other, Poetry by Sarah

Abandoned

April 30, 2018May 7, 2018 Sarah W

BERJAYA

Abandoned.
Broken I lie,
awaiting ravages of time.
Whispers echoed along forgotten hallways.
Shadows dancing, creating patterns.
Haunting memories.
~Bereft~
Memories haunting.
Patterns creating dancing shadows.
Hallways forgotten along echoed whispers.
Time of ravages awaiting,
Lie I broken.
Abandoned.

Author’s Note: Palindrome Poetry is also known as Mirrored Poetry. A palindrome, by definition, is a word, phrase, verse, sentence, or even poem that reads the same forward or backward. It stems from the Greek word palindromos: palin, meaning again, and dromos, meaning a running. Combining the two together, the Greek meaning gives us, running back again…

Prompt: Olivante Poetry, #NaPoWriMo 2018 – Day 30

A-Z Challenge, Challenges by Sarah, Haibun, Poetry by Sarah

Z is for Zest

April 30, 2018April 29, 2018 Sarah W

Despite grappling with the many challenges anxiety has thrown at me over the years, I have realised the importance of trying to maintain a zest for life. I will share some things I have found to be helpful. Reducing your daily stress can work miracles on your zest for life, as can changing the way you look at a situation. Diet and exercise also play an important role, releasing “happiness hormones” and regulating the fight/flight response triggered by anxiety. A good night’s sleep can work miracles when it comes to your mood and efficiency level for the day. But most of all, learning to handle difficult situations and developing coping strategies, plays a large part in maintaining your zest for life. To recap, hold onto your “zest” by:

Practicing Relaxation Techniques. It is important to find ways to relieve the muscle tension caused by anxiety.
Exercise & Diet: Any type of regular exercise is very effective in relieving stress.
Talking It Out: If you are feeling isolated because of anxiety, there are options for discussing how you are feeling.

Take positive steps.
Don’t let anxiety take
away zest for life.

Prompt: A-Z Challenge, 30 April 2018 – Z

Other, Poetry by Sarah

Emergence

April 29, 2018April 29, 2018 Sarah W

Paths laid before us are works in progress,
Never certain of where they may lead us.
Make choices carefully, beyond redress,
For we, in this world, are superfluous.
There’s a pestilence that we must discuss,
and upon your soul weighs a heavy scourge.
Don’t let it reveal itself like a cuss,
Own it, and in truth let yourself be purged.
When transgressions of past, on you converge,
You can choose to abdicate, or emerge.

Author’s Note: The Decuain (pronounced deck•won), created by Shelley A. Cephas, is a short poem made up of 10 lines, which can be written on any subject. There are 10 syllables per line and the poem is written in iambic pentameter. There are 3 set choices of rhyme scheme:

ababbcbcaa, ababbcbcbb, or ababbcbccc

For a longer Decuain poem, add more stanzas for a double, triple, quatruple, etc. Decuain.

Source: Shadow Poetry Editors, accessed 29 April, 2018

Prompt: Sammi Scribbles, Weekend Writing Prompt, #52 – Emergence; Poetry Challenge – Write a 10 line rhyming poem (the pattern of rhyming / form / structure is your choice) on the theme of transformation and emergence.

Haiku / Senryu, Poetry by Sarah

Sunshine in a Glass

April 29, 2018April 30, 2018 Sarah W

BERJAYA

when life gives lemons
embrace the squeeze and be the
sunshine in a glass

Prompt: Olivante Poetry, #NaPoWriMo 2018 – Image 29

Challenges by Sarah, Mindlovemisery's Menagerie - Saturday Mix

Saturday Mix – Opposing Forces, 28 April 2018

April 28, 2018April 28, 2018 Sarah W

Opposites day for our Saturday Mix today…

Mindlovemisery's Menagerie

Welcome to the Saturday Mix, 28 April 2018!

This week we are dipping our toes into the pool of OPPOSITES. Our challenge is all about “opposing forces” and the use of antithesis in our writing. You will need to use the two opposing words in your response – which can be poetry or prose.

Our words this week are:

– suburb and city centre

– repair and damage

You may be asking yourself, How can I use antithetical statements in my writing?

Luckily, Kat from Literary Devices has some examples for you.

Common Antithesis Examples
Some famous antithetical statements have become part of our everyday speech and are frequently used in arguments and discussions. Below is the list of some antithetical statements:

You are easy on the eyes, but hard on the heart.
Give every man thy ear, but few thy voice.
Love is an ideal thing, marriage a real

View original post 236 more words

Stories by Sarah

The One That Got Away

April 28, 2018April 29, 2018 Sarah W

I was looking forward to the fishing trip. I always loved the thrill of the catch… well, most of the time. Sometimes I came away hungry! Arriving at my favourite spot, I saw a couple of men were already there.

Ah, some healthy competiton, I thought. I set myself up and waited. A few fish were congregating, but were disappointingly undersized. They wouldn’t sate my appetite!

Suddenly, I spied a good-sized, juicy-looking trout. I swooped in; snapped up the wriggling fish in my beak, and flew away.

“Hey Bob! That bird just stole your fish!” a man onshore yelled.

Prompt: Carrot Ranch, Flash Fiction – April 26, 2018. Task: In 99 words (no more, no less) write a fish tale. It can be about fishing from any angle, about those who fish, or what might be caught. Go where the prompt leads.

Other, Poetry by Sarah

Close

April 28, 2018April 29, 2018 Sarah W

BERJAYA

“His smile was like some kind of magic.”
That’s what she’d said when they’d first met.
He’d chosen to cling to that,
even though they were through.
Thought him gone; moved on,
never knowing
how close he
really
was.

Prompt: Mindlovemisery’s Menagerie, First Line Friday – April 27th, 2018; and also, Olivante Poetry, #NaPoWriMo 2018 – Image 28

A-Z Challenge, Challenges by Sarah, Haibun, Poetry by Sarah

Y is for Yield

April 28, 2018April 28, 2018 Sarah W

When you’re in a state of anxiety, you want to have control over your surroundings and what’s around. You are constantly seeking a feeling of safety. In reality, the more you seek control, the more you wind up searching for safety. It’s an exhausting cycle. Ironically, you need to let go; to yield; to give over to your fear. Surrender is often viewed upon as a negative thing. We are always encouraged to take charge of our lives and be persistent. Talking about yielding to something, may make you feel weak. However, if you surrender to a higher power, you bring that power into your life and allow it to consciously move you towards your goals, dreams and desires. It’s in the yielding that balance can be found.

A higher power
is actually in control.
Give over to it.

Prompt: A-Z Challenge, 28 April 2018 – Y

Fibonacci, Poetry by Sarah

Fly Away

April 27, 2018April 28, 2018 Sarah W

BERJAYA

Go.
Fly
away.
On breaths of
wind be carried far.
In tomorrow your seeds take hold.

Prompt: Olivante Poetry, #NaPoWriMo 2018 – Image 27

A-Z Challenge, Challenges by Sarah, Haibun, Poetry by Sarah

X is for Xenial

April 27, 2018May 26, 2018 Sarah W

The word xenial is defined as “the friendly relationship between a host and guest”. Hang on a minute, I hear you say. Isn’t this A-Z about Anxiety? How can that be friendly?” Bear with me a minute as I explain… The person suffering from anxiety is obviously, the host. Anxiety, is the host’s guest (albeit an unwelcome one most of the time!) In order for Anxiety to exist, she needs the host. Otherwise, she has no purpose and not enough fodder on which to survive. Here’s where it gets interesting. Anxiety also needs the host to believe she is a friend, not foe, otherwise the host will just kick her out. She beguiles you into believing all those thoughts and worries, are her way of cautioning you. Looking out for you. Having your best interests at heart. How kind to have a friend who cares so much. But Anxiety is a master of deception. Don’t believe it for a second…

With a friend like this,
who needs enemies? Evict
the unwanted guest.

Prompt: A-Z Challenge, 27 April 2018 – X

Poetry by Sarah, Tanka

First Blush

April 26, 2018April 27, 2018 Sarah W

BERJAYA

Illuminated
by starlight, diamonds glitter
upon fallen leaves.
This attempt to romance the
moon, thwarted by dawn’s first blush.

Prompt: Ramblings Of A Writer, Weekly Tanka Prompt Poetry Challenge, #94 – Moon and Romance; and also, Olivante Poetry, #NaPoWriMo – Image 26

Photos by Sarah, Thursday Doors

Christ Church Cathedral

April 26, 2018April 26, 2018 Sarah W

Christ Church Cathedral is an Anglican cathedral in upper Trafalgar Street, Nelson, New Zealand.

The current church was constructed in 1925. The majority of marble was sourced from the Pakikiruna Range, near Takaka and then ground down and mixed with plaster to give the unusual appearance and colour of the cathedral.

The steps are constructed from granite obtained from Tonga Beach, in the Abel Tasman National Park.

BERJAYA BERJAYA BERJAYA BERJAYA BERJAYA BERJAYA BERJAYA BERJAYA BERJAYA BERJAYA BERJAYA BERJAYA BERJAYA BERJAYA BERJAYA BERJAYA BERJAYA BERJAYA BERJAYA BERJAYA

Prompt: Norm 2.0, Thursday Doors – April 26, 2018

A-Z Challenge, Challenges by Sarah, Haibun, Poetry by Sarah

W is for Wellbeing

April 26, 2018April 26, 2018 Sarah W

Author’s Note: W was nearly going to be for “worry”, but I felt that over the last few weeks with my other A-Z posts, that the sense of worry surrounding anxiety had been clearly conveyed. So instead, I chose W for “wellbeing”.

Having good wellbeing enables us to live life to our full potential. Wellbeing isn’t as straightforward as just being happy. Wellbeing is all the different elements that make us complete, such as, meaningful relationships, knowing our strengths, finding pleasure and our passions, and contributing to a greater cause. A strong sense of wellbeing contributes to good mental health. It also helps to protect us from the feelings of hopelessness brought on by anxiety or depression. Self care is central to promoting a positive state of wellbeing and something I actively work on.

More than being happy,
good wellbeing makes us complete.
Give yourself a break.