Writing Wings For You

Marie Lukasik Wallace ~ # I LIVE Poetry – I'm passionate about life and writing and all things creative and poetic!

Tag Archives: writingwingsforyou


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My Daddy

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Many of you know that I am writing my daddy’s story, a Junkman’s Journey.  And you know he is a vaulted man with Alzheimer’s and that the journey has not been an easy one, but we have found a beautiful road together and we have been finding the gold in each other.

Yesterday, he had a stroke, and he will be in the hospital a few days at least…maybe longer.  What is difficult is that the left side of his body is not responding well, and his speech is slurred.  But he’s hanging in there.  I have been beyond blessed having the time I have had with him.  The hard part is “Will I get to know more about him?  Will he still have his memories?”   I cherish any and all time I have…so I hope you know I’m not complaining.  It’s just not easy when you finally get a peek in the vault and there’s a possibility that it will close forever.   The good news is that I’ve gotten a chance to see the treasure, and I’ve gotten to have a chance to have more of a relationship that I ever hoped.

And lastly, the good news is that I had just sent him a couple of my chapters of his story for him to read.  He said that it made him cry and that I described things in a way that made it seem I was there.  It brought him back to the exact moment and all that he felt scared and happy and all were present when he read it.  That feels good to know you have honored someone in a way that they deserve to be honored, especially when you are telling their story.

And for the first time, he said, “I’m proud of you.”  No matter what, I have been so blessed to have these tiny moments of time with him that I never would have had, had I not asked those first questions.

Love on your people…all those precious people in your life…and ask them lots of questions!

Namaste my friends,

Marie


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If We were Having Coffee – Coffee talk #3

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If you and I were having coffee…

I’d tell you that you were perfect,

perfect in all your perfections.

I love that you are raw and real

and honest with me.

It gives me permission to be myself.

If you and I were having coffee

I would just ask you how you are…

not some trite “How are you?” question

but a genuine, tell me how and who you are.

What makes your heart beat?

What gives you heart fireworks?

How do you LIVE?  More importantly,

how do you live POETICALLY?

You see, there is living,

and there’s LIVING.

Tell me about it.

~Namaste my friends.


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Writing Lessons from a Six Year Old

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Have you ever talked with a six year old about writing?  You would be astounded at the advice these kids can give you in a short amount of time.  Most of the time, they teach me.

When I asked them a simple question, what do you know that good writers do?   Here are their answers:

* Write, write, write.   (My 86 year old father-in-law says so too.)

*  think, think, think

* A writer’s work is never done.

* Never stop

AND MY ALL TIME FAVORITE:

* “Listen to the master.”   When he first said it, he was looking at me.  And then I reframed it and said, “Who is the master of your writing?”  “And then he said with a resounding enthusiasm, “I AM!”   So I refined it even more,  “Listen to that still small voice.”

If you ever need advice on writing or anything in life, ask a six year old.  They’re honest, and they haven’t been away from the true source for too long.

Have a happy Sunday, and may you write, write, write and heal, heal, heal. ~Namaste.


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I Live Poetry – It’s about FOOD!

Poetry and food?   Think about it.  They are both guilty pleasures, so it stands to reason that they should definitely be in the same sentence.   As I was doing my ponderings today, I thought what fun it would be to imagine these two together.  So…first I did a list kind of poem of what would ‘color my palette” of food poetry.

Spicy Mexican food

thrills the tongue

lingering, but not sabotaging

teases enough to pant for another bite.

 

Icrecream

Creamy cold silk for ANY day.

soothes the throat

delights the taste buds

It’s very essence can shoot me back

to childhood

 

Big Red crème soda

Bubble gum delight

Fizzles and drizzles

Down my throat

For hot Texas days.

……MORE TO COME.    It’s just the beginning!

 

And coffee…my magical treat for any day of the week gets its very own poetry style, An Ode

Oh coffee, of coffee

you’re wonderful stuff,

coffee oh coffee  you

are wonderful stuff

you sooth me, move me, groove me.

Coffee snuggles with me and wraps its smooth brown blanket all around me, never wanting me to be cold.  He’s a warm invitation and a smooooooth conversation.  I can be myself with him.  With him by my side, what else could I want?

(I realize it needs some work…but I’m putting it out there to let you know as Anne Lamott says, it’s okay to write the worst crap…it grows a great garden!  The fact is…I’m writing!  And you can too!)

 

WRITING PROMPT:  What food would you write an Ode to?   I can’t wait to read what you write!

Here is what an Ode is:   The word ode derives from the Greek word meaning poem intended to be sung – in essence, singing praise.  Odes use exaggerated language, taken to the extreme.

What ODES do to assist a Writer:   Because Odes use extreme language, it allows a writer to overexaggerate and take things over the top…in other words, “LET GO.”   Those who have trouble with their Inner Critic being too critical or get stifled in their writing can use an Ode to get out of the rut.   It’s meant to be outrageous, even gaudy…and causes humor.  Don’t we all need a chance to not take ourselves so seriously?

EXAMPLES : Pablo Neruda wrote odes to his socks, odes to lemons, odes to broken things and many more.   Here is one of my favorites and it’s about food!  ODE TO AN ONION.     You’ll enjoy another food one by Barbara Crooker as well: Ode to Chocolate, especially the personification at the end of it.   John Keats has a popular one called Ode to a Grecian Urn.

Happy writing friends!


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Friday Flower

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Fun Friday find in the Sawtooths.  Love the dewy frosting.


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Throwback Thursday – I am a Writer

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Sometimes, I need to remember:  I am a Writer.  This summer I got to LIVE and BREATHE writing, and it nourished my soul.  Yes, I remember soaking in the sunniness of it’s words and feeling it fill my body and created “I LIVE Poetry.”  Each day, I lived poetically with music and photography and art and just noticing…and my friends, I must say, I had never been happier.  I had to return to my job…which I love, but it IS a time sucker.   Soon I was in a whirlwind of meetings and have tos, instead of I want tos…and literally writing almost came to a screeching halt.  I pined for my artistic side to be fed…I remember noticing many things I wanted to sit and write about…but alas, my seat in the seat could not happen.  The best part was I understood it was temporary…

Last night, I got to enjoy a fabulous group of writers, and they reminded me of the beauty of words and the healing of words and yes, sometimes the mysteries and elusiveness of words.  I reveled in all that they shared.  Windows to souls…and I knew I wasn’t the teacher anymore, but a fellow participant who just loved what I was doing, ENGAGING in writing.

Writing, it has MAGIC POWERS…it can heal…it can bring joy.

Have a blessed day my friends.   And thanks to my buddy Michael, that sometimes it’s committing to just a few words a day.


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Alive Inside –

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WATCH HENRY COME ALIVE!

 

Hello my friends!  I’m almost back.  I missed you so.  I’m recovering from the start of school and will be back on Sunday after a nice reprieve near my favorite nature, water.  Idaho has the best rivers and offers respite for the weary soul.  Just wanted to say a quick hello and tell you about an awesome movie that might not be out long in case you’re thinking of going to the movies this weekend.

An independent film, Alive Inside, was playing at a small theater in Boise this week.  It was part of a great kickoff in our community to raise Alzheimer awareness and how music can bring back and awaken a soul.  Being in Poetry Therapy and also very interested in finding ways to communicate with my dad who is suffering from Alzheimer’s and trying to gather stories from his vaulted heart, I was intrigued and had to see it.

This documentary is very well done with case scenarios that show how music has assisted Alzheimer’s patients around the world and how they are working to get music in EVERY nursing home.  I hope you can see it.  If nothing else, watch Henry; he will light up your heart.

My daddy was excited about using music and has been helping make a list.  It’s been fun going over music with him and he’s been calling me.  He lives off by himself, so I worry that he won’t get the music or use it because there’s no one to give it to him.  But even if he does it for a small while and gets benefit and joy from it, I will be happy.

I’ll write more Sunday and come a visiting you!   Have a blessed weekend my friends.  Marie


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Sacred Sunday

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I have been blessed so much this week.  My heart is full of gratitude.

#3   We got to raft the river and feel peace and calm and I heard my daughters giggling together and we “played” with each other Oar battles and water battles and just great company.  I remember what it’s like to feel that peace of the river where nothings exists but the here and the now.  Being present is the only thing you can do.   I get to do that more often.

#2  I have a husband who loves me and honors me.  He knows this week is a busy week for me.  He just says, “go ahead and take care of what you need to take care.  You and me are good.  I’ll be here when you get back.”  (Because when I go into school mode I’m in another dimension.

#1  And the best part is that after 8 months, I finally get to see my Kendra girl.  Alabama is too far away sometimes.  It’s hard for a mama because I went from seeing her everyday to seeing her a couple of times a year.    But when she’s here, I get to love love love upon her and it feels yummy.

I have a collaboration post for this afternoon from another wonderful blogger, so stay tuned….but after that, I might be off the grid for awhile.  The first two weeks of school are pretty busy.  Wish me luck!  ~Love ya, Marie


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I Live Poetry #6

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Poetry is the beauty of flowers

The music of laugher

The movement of an athlete

      or a thistle in the wind

The creative spirit

 of the artist

Poetry is in you

it is in me.


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5 Steps to A Life Fully Lived

Wonderful reminders to live and breathe in the presence.
~Thank you, Marie

Brenda Burley's avatarpieces of me

“Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in awhile, you could miss it.” Ferris Bueller

A year ago in January I attended a workshop in Maui on Divine Love. It was led by Dr. Wayne Dyer and turned out to be a life changer for me. I am not surprised that this happened, afterall a couple of my life changing moments happened as a direct result of this incredible man.

This time around it was a simple sentence that seemed to resonate in my whole body. A great big A-Ha moment that left me ruminating with it for quite some time, wondering how to begin to live it. The words were a paraphrase of a Herman Melville quote and are at the root of a lot of Dr. Dyer’s teachings, but for some reason these words more than any others did the trick for me…

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