there are only so many poems one can write
about umber tree roots and the glowing moon
before the psyche starts crying out to be heard
the suffering of the world isn’t poetic
but it is essential to poetry
—Terri Guillemets
there are only so many poems one can write
about umber tree roots and the glowing moon
before the psyche starts crying out to be heard
the suffering of the world isn’t poetic
but it is essential to poetry
—Terri Guillemets
in bed at night his mind had a ferocious imagination
reality and unreality haunted his turbulent brain
the years ticked, an infinite clock of destiny
searching moonlight for the promise of a future
his reveries of heart were coasting on a fairy’s wing
as the world and universe drifted by fantastic shores
but the sea, work, and women — physical outlets —
were his anchor — something old, hard, and soft
—Terri Guillemets
scrambled blackout poetry created from F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby, 1925, Scribner 2004 trade paperback,
After reading countless health books over the past couple of decades, I can tell you it pretty much all boils down to this: Eat plenty of veggies, work, play, rest, and don’t worry.
—Terri Guillemets
Grief bores holes
in our hearts & heads
like a woodpecker
— peck peck peck
— knock knock knock
You can’t make it stop
Eventually it flies away
— but leaves pits
that never fully heal
—Terri Guillemets
Poetic words flow much better in pleasant climes—
Springtime and autumn, more friendly for rhymes
Winter’s good too, we self-reflect well in cold times
But blazing summer melts words & numbs minds!
—Terri Guillemets
three o’clock —
anxiety, regret
in the depths of worry
swept away in the
whirlwind of nothing —
a horrible nothing
—Terri Guillemets
blackout poetry created from Octave Mirbeau, The Diary of a Chambermaid, 1891–1900,
Immediate grief —
a falling to the knees
a bleeding of the heart
a blow to the soul
Ongoing grief —
a getting up
a call to move on
a healing & strengthening
a melding of soul
with sorrow
with loss
with life
a transformation of self
to renewed being
rebuilt with the
leavings of another
—Terri Guillemets
My grief is like a magician’s endless scarf — the more I let out the more there is.
—Terri Guillemets
Missing you isn’t just an empty void — it’s what-ifs and questions and endless thoughts and bittersweet memories and runaway feelings and emotions that can’t get a hold on anything physical so just slip and slide around my mind, and hide and re-emerge.
—Terri Guillemets
my veins are lined
with a velvet hope
my soul is electric
and lights with dreams
my mind is infinite
and buzzes with wonder
my heart is beyond alive
and gushes boundless love
my body is fragile
yet heals as if magic
my will is strong
and dances with courage
—Terri Guillemets
Night is filled with our loudest fears and a silent courage.
—Terri Guillemets
I need to work my way into a decision and not think my way into one.
—Terri Guillemets
I’m going to stop spending so much time trying to figure out HOW and WHY and just do what feels right and give thanks! Because that is healing.
—Terri Guillemets