“Words” – The Ashlee Craft Show – Episode 044 – Poetry

I read a poem called “Words” from A Thousand Cranes, Volume 10 in Episode 044 of The Ashlee Craft Show!

A THOUSAND CRANES, VOLUME 10

 

///// WORDS /////

it doesn’t matter what words you use
they all mean the same thing

it’s always great when people ban together
against the same force which tries to outsmart teamwork

it is all planned out beautifully; I am now
strong enough to make it all happen

beautiful music drifted through speakers
& sanctified the rain

the pink candle was lit; shadows of flames
danced & the window was open

I looked around at euphoric basic everyday moments
& finally felt happy

lying in a hammock on the summertime porch
thinking about the meaning of sunlight

You Will Be More Than Okay – The Ashlee Craft Show – Episode 043 – Poetry

I read a comforting, motivational poem from A Thousand Cranes, Volume 10, titled “You Will Be More Than Okay”.

A THOUSAND CRANES, VOLUME 10

 

///// YOU WILL BE MORE THAN OKAY /////

I know you are afraid of being broken;

that there is something wrong with you for feeling like this

you’re afraid that you will never really know what it’s like to be happy;

but you will be more than okay
you’re afraid that you will always be lonely;

the darkness comes around & tries to suffocate you still from time to time

but look how it’s so much better than it used to be;

you are going to be more than okay
the night isn’t quite as dark as it seems;

stars twinkle, stars shine, the moon is your mother watching down over you

night music of crickets; the whole night is there to comfort you;

you will be more than okay
look how much stronger you are now: a year makes such a difference;

& look how strong you are becoming even though you always thought yourself weak

you did the impossible, all along you had it inside of you;

& you are going to be more than okay
the sharks are sleeping in their beds; the night is illuminated by candles;

you do not walk alone; you believe now that you deserve real & lasting happiness

there is nothing for you to fear – you are the captain of your soul, you can do this –

take comfort & know
you are going to be more than okay

“Easter” – The Ashlee Craft Show – Episode 041 – Poetry

In Episode 041 of The Ashlee Craft Show, I read a poem from my Spring poetry book called “Easter”. Also, I’m wearing Easter egg novelty socks & carrot-shaped earrings!

SPRING POETRY BOOK

//

EASTER

after spring cleaning is completed & the house is refreshed / opening the windows to clean out the air trapped in here by the winds of winter / running free thru fields / then coming back home to decorate for Easter
slowly removing the colorful Easter basket from the cardboard box in the garage & setting the basket, woven with pink & yellow straw, upon the black table in the corner / the sound of crinkling & plastic being torn, opening the bag of Easter grass & arranging the yellow cellophane in the bottom / tying a ribbon around the basket’s handle & smiling back at it
next removing the sentimental Easter tree from the box / the pale pink bark peeling, the metal branches bent at odd angles, but rearranging these & remembering when I was a child & I decorated these same branches with these sacred ornaments, souvenirs from memory’s road / separating the ornaments & untangling the branches & the small threads tied to the tops of them / picking a random but intentionally beautiful spot for each one, seeing these brilliant branches covered with Easter eggs, baby rabbits of pink & green & blue & yellow, sparkling eggs, bird houses, fuzzy yellow chicks, carrots, baskets, joy / seeing them filled with joy
lastly, removing the decorations given to me by my Grandmother & setting them upon the shelves / spreading the bright beauty of spring around on the walls, on the tables, on shelves, on the floor, anywhere there is room for them / planting seeds in terra cotta flower pots outside & placing the gently watered soil in the sunrays on my porch / spreading around the joy of this new beginning / spring is beginning once again / the sun shining once again

SEE, NOT FEELING THAT GIVES ME FREEDOM – The Ashlee Craft Show – Episode 037 – Poetry


In Episode 037, I read a poem from one one of my most recent poetry books, “The Walls Were Gray”, titled “SEE, NOT FEELING THAT GIVES ME FREEDOM.” Hope you enjoy it!

The Walls Were Gray
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SEE, NOT FEELING THAT GIVES ME FREEDOM

the sky was dark blue dark blue / evening light window looking out at the lake / the flashes of light upon the water I used to look out at them & the fresh alive air would flow in through the holes in the screen & I would feel like I wasn’t sitting on the island all by myself / dark blue dark blue / I walked up the stairs to the room & the lighting was warm / Antioch, at night blue walls single lamp in the corner it was dim the closet was yellow / workshop, my dreams covered the walls when I was an endless creator / they were yelling downstairs now but I was rising slowly exhausted & ready to sleep / I found myself outside, finally stretching my legs & feeling the late afternoon sunshine warm & bright / they said it was going to rain today but they were wrong / the air was warm & crisp like the end of summer, like the end of summer that one year / fall autumn air queen suicide & rebirth in February into something greater / I was so happy suddenly back then that it scared me / the air had seemed so lonely / she asked me about it & I finally revealed an honest piece of myself more peace of mind / “it was never very interesting to me” I told her “my Work was always more interesting & still is” / I told her I couldn’t wrap my head around the idea of constantly chasing them, hoping they would notice me / couldn’t understand why anyone would want to do that be that way / technically it’s more normal but it was never the drumbeat I danced to / this morning I was compelled towards the radio / “I will get by” was playing / note, a year ago said I listened to that & read TOUGH TIMES DON’T LAST & even though things were terrible for me, I felt a lot better / (why does it always seem like things are terrible? not true) / then some song about dancing to the beat of the music played & the morning looked less gray / I read their article & realized the problem / even in my otherness I was still being forced into feelings I didn’t feel / the obligation was strong everywhere around me everyone was screaming out the words & every book proudly displayed it on its cover & the newspapers all wrote about it & every song found it sublime to ramble on ramble on / everyone I knew – it was their primary topic. what had happened. what they would do. how to find one. / I was being forced into feelings I didn’t feel because I felt I wouldn’t belong if I didn’t feel them / but I don’t feel them, not in that way / I can befriend all of them without ulterior motives – imagine what a difference that would be – everyone else was always a goal step to reach a particular means to an end / I felt more normal than her even though I felt dried up & frigid but that was the way the computer was wired & the tree roots were deeper still / I hugged her, “why is everyone so stressful?”, flung my hands around, she comforted me, I hugged her again / I didn’t have to follow them all down into the rabbit hole / “curiosity never killed the cat” she told me / trees sung quietly in triumph as I wrote a letter with the honest truth & let a pigeon carry it back to its nest / then I walked around the lake & went home, just as the jazz started playing, & I felt better about myself, not having to hide / learning to love the emotional mess

Reflections – The Ashlee Craft Show – Episode 034 – Poetry

Episode 034! I read a poem titled “Reflections” from my poetry book “Reflections in the Green Triangle”.

REFLECTIONS IN THE GREEN TRIANGLE BOOK

Reflections

reflecting upon the silver bar sidewalks & the misty moonlit jaunt thru the breeze double rainbow like a pot of gold in the sky / illuminations / reflecting on windows of trucks & on the sunglasses of passerby / on the Sunday / in the rain

driving thru the puddles / rustling of tires against water sprinkling it upwards showing showering rainstorm reflections

looking in the foggy mirror & at everything mistaken & distorted by the silver / like a whole other world hidden behind glass / distorted in the golden gaze rectified in my precision & by my passion / rejuvenated & suddenly understanding who I was the entire time

down many mistaken roads I walked & many mistaken lies I spoke / many sights of sorrow & many things of beauty filled my vision / down many darkened alleyways filled with soot I trod & many days it just never dawned upon me that I what I’d yearned for & what I’d sought had been there all along / I just had never seen them

I thought what I’d been looking for was something that could be bought / so I looked & looked in all the windows to every store but I kept finding myself wanting more & more / I thought what I’d searched for was far away from me & that by leaving this place, I could be free / so I ran away so I wouldn’t be alone only to find that I’d always been home / I thought what I needed was the love in somebody’s heart & that by finding that love, I’d make a start / so I searched for the one I was looking to find only to see I’d been there the whole time / all that time, I was only too blind to see as I looked & searched & cried & yearned only to find that all along, I’d been exactly where I needed to be

it hadn’t been money or distance or love that I’d needed / I didn’t need to go anywhere or buy anything or find someone to love me / I just needed to see the beauty within me

& all the loneliness turned to friendship, all the dark into light, & suddenly I began seeing the world with my own eyes / my own eyes looking at my own destiny / my own life / now I was free

I had been deaf / to the reflections / of the music / rhythm beating beating beating beating onwards / onwards / into the next reflection