Singing as the Darkness Lifts 05/02/2024 (Episode 22)

 Singing as the Darkness Lifts 05/02/2024 Episode 22

Podcast Link for those who like to listen

This morning the wind has scattered the scent of Monday – outside I get a brief, gentle reminder of herbed grass and inside there is the contrast of spiced warmth. The moon is a low-slung crescent, big and bold owning its space, as the morning glows into being and the sky exhibits its blue.

 

Last week was full of conversations, jam-packed with words, beautifully sprinkled with laughter. I had a number of coaching sessions, a poetry interview, an evening out dining with a wonderful friend and the wonderful experience of listening to my poetry read out loud. I even got to see how the cover of my new poetry collection is shaping up. I realised that it wasn’t quite true when I told Kath that I wasn’t tired after our yarn show experience and found my body telling me to rest and rehydrate. I listened and have even been treating my feet and chest to that lovely trick of putting vapour rub on my soles and wearing warm bedsocks all night.

 

I got goosebumps listening to Susan Richardson read a selection of my poetry on her podcast ‘A Thousand Shades of Green’. It was a wonderful feeling to be asked and then to have the anticipation of waiting to find out which poems had been chosen. I took a lunch break on Friday with Kath and made sure it was long enough to listen in without feeling rushed and it felt good. I also messaged the wonderful friend who I dined with this week and got a “WOW, WOW, WOW” response in a message after she had listened. We hadn’t seen each other for some time and I think I am right in saying we talked for over three hours whilst we dined on vegan burger and chips in a lovely little pub which happens to be about halfway between each of our houses.

 

The next anthology from Sidhe Press is shaping up well and I have so enjoyed playing a role in the editing process for this. I have now been able to read it from cover to cover and it is a strong collection with powerful words and themes. So good to see the process from submissions to end product. Huge admiration for editors of small presses because there is a LOT that goes into the process.

 

I was editing some of my own work the other morning and had chosen to sit in the armchair instead of at my desk. Before this I had been lazy in bed playing Wordle, checking emails and scrolling a range of reels. There was the highly amusing one of a woman climbing through an open window in her house having locked her keys in who has a dress malfunction, and then one of a cat staring at a neighbour whilst both look out of high windows from different apartments. The cat looked very thoughtful! When I felt observed while working, I looked up in curiosity. There on the windowsill was a ginger cat staring at me. At first I thought it was on the inside because the outside sill is very narrow and it didn’t seem possible for it to be sitting in such a relaxed posed. The Instagram reel had said the cat was seeing into the neighbour’s soul and I wondered what this cat was seeing and thinking as it watched me typing and thinking.

 

Thoughts can be quite entertaining and mine are sometimes like rollercoasters inside my head. I definitely felt the exhilaration of that kind of ride after the poetry interview that was recorded last week! I can remember hearing myself laughing at some of the content and also being surprised at the memories that came forward during this. I reckon there will be feelings of anticipation when I tune in to listen. I will plan cake and hot chocolate!

 

So I have rediscovered the poet/coach version of me since the other me that wore their market money bag and enjoyed the company of vendors at a yarn show returned home. There are lessons for me in here about being in the moment, remembering my need to do ‘Sue things’ even when it’s busy, that I do not need to be fixed (that’s an interesting word as it now resonates for its mending meaning as well as its stationary meaning!) and that there is much to celebrate about what it is that is rebuilding my confidence. The habits and routines I am building and my determination to remember that this is my “one wild and precious life” when things feel tough are serving me well. Oh, and that reminds me that ‘Nyad’ is a good film and that I wouldn’t have watched it if I hadn’t had a recommendation from a lovely friend. The Mary Oliver quote is in there, and there was also a programme on Radio 4 about her recently which again I would have missed without the heads up from a lovely friend.

 

This week’s photo is: ‘Two pastries on a heart shaped plate’ according to Alt Text.  And to me is: “Two shop bought buns on a red heart-shaped plate decorated with sweets by Sue and Kath in celebration of Season 8, Episode 1 of the poetry podcast ‘Eat the Storms’. Here’s the sweet treat celebration if you like such things and I think I see that this kind of bun has featured more than twice!

 

Here's to good friends, the joy of words, laughter, and to singing as the darkness lifts.