Tag Archive | poetry

All Understanding

I was cleaning up a workspace that had been left for over three years. I tossed out so many boxes of garbage! It felt soo good tossing them into our wood stove/boiler. I even found some things that I’d thought were lost forever.

This was a poem I wrote back in the spring of 1990. I was so young back then, but it still speaks to me. Maybe you’ll enjoy it as well.

All Understanding

Broken people

Broken hearts

The sin of our parents

Now tearing us apart

Satan doesn’t have to work too hard

The damage has been done

The patterns long established

Started before our lives had begun

Yet Lord, You give the courage

To help us right our past

Convicting us about our status quo

You bring healing and peace that surpasses all understanding

So we struggle

With hurts from long ago

Satan has to work harder now

He doesn’t want to let us go

Yet we belong to Jesus

Our hearts washed white as snow

We are cleaning out our closets

The skeletons must go

Yet Lord, You bring the strength

As we change our wrongful ways at last

Encouraging us by Your Spirit

Bringing healing and a peace that surpasses all understanding

You understand us, Lord

More than we ever could ourselves

With compassion, You look upon us

As You bring us to Yourself

Your love abounding always

Though we slip and fall at times

Your grace still reaching out to us

A love that doesn’t constrict or bind

Lord, continue to give us the stamina

To change the grains of time

Gifting us with wisdom and patience

Bring healing and peace that surpasses all understanding.

Have a beautiful week trusting in Him.

Ten Reasons to Buy a Poetry Book

Apr25

Guest post by Cherie Burbach

I’m celebrating the release of my sixth poetry book, My Soul Is From a Different Place, this month. It’s been ten years since I published my very first book, The Difference Now, and as I look back on things I realize one reason I’m so proud of being a poet is because I think the world needs more poetry in general.

Do you read poetry? Have you purchased a poetry book lately? Here’s ten reasons to buy a poetry book today, even if it isn’t mine.

10) It’s Poetry Month!

Let’s not forget that the entire month of April celebrates the works of the world’s best poets. (Here’s some background on poetry month.)

9) Poetry makes the world a better place.

No really, it does. It is a way to document our history as a society, it encourages critical thinking, and it allows our minds to open up in a way that other types of reading do not. It helps us develop a more expansive view of the world.

8) It’s a healthy means of expression.

Good poetry (which I define as “poetry that speaks to you personally”) is non-destructive way to study, understand, and release emotion. You don’t have to share the same experiences as the poet to appreciate the poem.

7) It’s cheap.

Can we talk money? Poetry books are usually very affordable so you can treat yourself without spending too much coin.

6) Poetry books make great gifts.

Buy a friend a poetry book you think they’ll like and they’ll thank you. It’s not a gift everyone gets very often.

5) Poetry can be digested in little chunks.

So many people tell me they don’t have time to read, and my answer is: poetry! While there are some epic poems that will take you awhile, most poems are short and can be read easily in your spare time. Read one or two and then go about your day while your mind works on digesting it. See what happens after a week or two of doing this. You’ll be pleasantly surprised.

4) Poetry helps with conversation.

It gives you one more thing to talk about with friends. Everyone has at least one poem that they like, and if they don’t, that’s a conversation in and of itself. Buy a poetry book today and use it to start up a conversation later on.

3) Poetry needs support.

Let’s face it, the word “poet” is synonymous with “poor.” People don’t make money off poetry, in part because readers say they don’t understand it. It’s not a universally loved medium, but if you purchased a poetry book, and encouraged others to do the same, it would help educate people about the benefits of poetry.

2) More poetry makes you a likeable person.

Okay, I made that up. See how creative poetry makes you? But there is some truth to this… if you buy a poetry book, that poet will appreciate you.

1) Poetry helps inspire other art forms.

Reading poetry puts your mind in a creative place. If you have a hobby (woodworking, painting, cooking, scrapbooking) it encourages to go out and celebrate your own means of creative expression.

Bio:

Cherie Burbach is a writer, poet, and mixed media artist. Her latest poetry book is My Soul Is From a Different Place. She’s written for About.com, NBC/Universal, Match.com, and more. Visit her website, cherieburbach.com.

Writer Wednesday: Cherie Burbach

Jul3

Cherie Burbach makes her living as a freelance author. She is also a poet, self-published author of non-fiction books and a dear friend. I hope you can benefit from some of her wisdom as she shares her writing journey.

When did you decide that you would be an author? Was it something you fell into, felt called to… ?

I always felt called to writing, even as a little girl. I would write stories and illustrate them. When I was in second grade, my teacher said I should try writing poetry because I had a “poetic” way of writing. I didn’t know a thing about poetry, but as soon as I tried it, it opened up a whole new world for me.

What’s with the artwork?

I’ve always painted but in the last few years I’ve discovered mixed media and it has been such a joy to do. I love combining words and images to create something that can visually tell a story or provide inspiration. I create images I often picture in my mind when I write poetry, so it’s been nice to go back through some of my older poems and showcase them in a new way.

Some of my favorite pieces:

Turning Your Ear to Wisdom

I like the proverbs a lot, and this thought is one of my favorites.

Pink Princess

The poem behind this picture is a very personal one to me, and I also liked the background on here.

In You I Take Refuge

I like the colors and thoughts behind this series of prints. This passage especially brings me comfort.

Dear Women

I think it’s especially important for women to support each other. I wrote this poem (“Dear Women”) for my latest poetry book (Yes, You) with this thought in mind. I took words from that poem for this print.

What’s your pet peeve?

Oh wouldn’t you like to know! LOL

What was your most embarrassing moment as a writer?

Recently I found a spelling error in a book of poetry I published nine years ago. This error made it past me, my editor, and my readers. It wasn’t until I put the poem on a piece of mixed media that I finally noticed!

As an online writer, I have readers send me comments and corrections anytime they spot something, and I’m always appreciative! (You just can’t catch everything yourself.)

What has been your most difficult challenge as an author?

I like to have a lot of different income streams and as a result I’m often doing a lot of really varied projects. My biggest challenge is always balancing my time and avoiding burnout.

How do you process rejections and/or negative reviews?

I follow the advice in The Four Agreements that says “don’t take anything personally.” It’s easy to say that about the negative things, but this bit of advice applies to the positives as well. So when someone gives you a compliment, you accept it but take it with a grain of salt. When you don’t base your confidence as a writer on the positives, it’s much easier to shake off the bad stuff, too. You can’t let the words of others define you, and that’s true of the positives as well as the negatives.

The other thing is, not every writing style or genre is going to resonate with every single reader, so if you get a bad review you know you probably haven’t reached the right audience. However, if a “bad” review gives you something constructive you can improve on, you need to embrace it and learn the lesson.

Writing, like any art form, is very subjective. You’re not going to please everyone all the time. It’s okay.

What do you feel is the best success so far in your writing career?

I’ve been able to celebrate a lot of milestones as a writer I never thought I’d achieve. So I feel like the trip I won to New York for an essay I wrote twelve years ago was a big deal, and the surprise of having my “This I Believe” essay as the second most popular on the site was so cool, and getting featured in a book (What to Do When No One Has a Clue) along with celebrities like Arianna Huffington (founder of the Huffington Post), designers Badgley Mischka, Real Housewives of New York Countess LuAnn de Lesseps and Bethenny Frankel, and Millionaire Matchmaker Patti Stanger was a thrill.

Also, it’s very hard to maintain a freelance writing career, and I’m so grateful for the fact that I’ve been able to do that for eight years.

What would be your top three pieces of advice to newer, up and coming authors?

1) Have a plan in mind for your career from the beginning. This way you can determine which opportunities are those you should focus on.

2) There are a million ways to create a writing career, so talk to as many writers as you can about how they manage their writing business. It will help you roll with the changes that arise in the publishing industry.

3) Always think about the ideal reader for your work. Keep this reader in mind before your ego, your salary, and your expectations.

As a Christian author, what would you like your legacy to be?

God has pulled me out of a bad childhood, and helped me find a happy and contented life. I want to help others who have experienced similar feelings and experiences to encourage them to trust God and let Him lead the way. When someone enjoys my work, I want their first thought to be God and the gift of grace.

What is your current work in process?

I’ve got a series of nonfiction ebooks in progress, and I’m currently finishing up a creative planner I’ve designed.

Check out Cherie

At her blog: http://cherieblogs.com/

Her Friendship blog for About.com: http://friendship.about.com/bio/Cherie-Burbach-94347.htm

Cherie’s Etsy Store: http://www.etsy.com/shop/CherieBurbach