How can we look beyond?

I am now journalling experiences of the pandemic. I had been resisting doing this too much, but writing has such a power to help work through difficulties it cannot be ignored.

Gumboootspearlz

Monster, monster how you creep…

What can we do to remain strong in the pandemic and other world disasters right now?

How can we look more deeply to the future and the way out of this current challenge to humanity?

How can we look beyond now with optimism?

As a writer and storyteller I don’t want to tell others how to feel, or what to do, but nor do I want to avoid the monstrous experiences all around us.

I don’t want to be absorbed with myself!

Monster, monster, sent to make me wake ?

I want to find stories that challenge me and others to think, question, examine and make decisions that will empower us all.

There have been so many monsters lurking before this time, that perhaps we did not listen to their mumbling, or take note of their creeping and failed to see them growing and growing.

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Meet the Illustrators of Illuminations

What is your favourite part of the illustration process?
It is so exciting to see the end product, when all the different components come together as one coherent work. We are always in awe of the way that effective collaboration between the author, designers and illustrators can allows things to evolve and really get refined into something that far exceeds what you were able to imagine at the beginning.

For the rest of this story head to Meet Ruha and Minaira Fifita at

KID’S BOOK REVIEW

Also visit the sound cloud of a chat with Ruha and Minaira Fifita

Featured

Illuminations featured at Panacea Poets

A huge thank you to the Queensland Poetry Festival team for the invitation to be part of Panacea Poets.

In Panacea Poets, Queensland Poetry Festival administers a twice-weekly booster of short readings from wonderful poets via their youtube channel.

QPF will deliver these soothing doses of poets-in-iso indefinitely.

It is such a great honour to be part of a project to apply the bird of poetry to the experience of the Pandemic, and to maybe inspire listeners to draw on their strengths and optimism.

So many esteemed and inspiring poets – Kirli Saunders, Stuart Barnes, Charmaine Papertalk Green to name just a few, do check out the playlist! I’ll share a few of my faves from time to time!

Here is my reading!

A Gift of Poetry

Gumboootspearlz

Click here for Press Kit

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Daily reflection 1

People gather for doughnut discount
treats
the ordinary becomes extraordinary
Why lines too long and crowded for safety?

A mother places her child in a boat
before she disappears in the river
a mystery
Perhaps she saves him before herself?

Selfish and selfless
side by side.
Where is the owl to sort them?

The world swirls
pandemics and poverty side by side
warning song of the owl
calling for dialogue.
Questions gather like feathers.

Where is the owl?
Can humanity gather the souls to
Give them wings?

14/07/2020

Responsive reflections, written in response to daily events.

The Light of Unity

Gumboootspearlz

“…the ages of darkness have passed away, and the century of light has come. Ignorant prejudices are being dispelled, and the light of unity is shining. The differences existing between nations and peoples will soon be annulled, and the fundamentals of the divine religions, which are no other than the oneness and solidarity of the human race, are being established.”
-Abdu’l-Bahá, The Promulgation of Universal Peace

My contribution to Nineteen Months, for more inspiration read and see the contributions to KALIMAT

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Young Poets Gathering

A poem for a poets gathering . . .

Students enrolled in this online class this year were from or resident in the following countries Equador, El Salvador, Argentina, Parugay, Argentina, Colombia, USA, Canada, Spain, UK, Bahrian, Tanzania, Kenya, Zambia, Cambodia, Beijing and Israel.

Gumboootspearlz

Wonderful to work with this team (with one absent) to mentor young poets from Cambodia, United States of America, Argentina, Parugay, Argentina, UK, Bahrian, El Salvador, Israel, Beijing, Australia and the UK.

My heart soars with the hopeful message, diversity, questioning, open hearts of these young poets.

Young Writers Online

Poets’ Arising

For Young Writers

2pm in my afternoon

evening and day in theirs

young poets gathering

screen by screen

microphone by microphone

heart by heart.

They share their

thoughts and dreams