My Journey Continues

My Journey Continues
By Candace Shultz

Imagine
that you
are eating your
favorite cookies and there's
only one left. Now imagine
that you've been running a marathon
and you've just crossed the finish line.
The dismay. The exhilaration! That's me right now.

Some days my feet dragged me down the hallway
into my bedroom and to my desk where I dilly-dallied
on the internet until an hour before bed. Then I'd stare
at the blank screen and the blinking cursor with a blank face
and blank mind until I made myself actually write something, anything. I'd listen
to the hum of my computer as I scrambled for a mix of words
that would fit a picture of my life into a frame. Not perfect. Just me.

Other days I'd hurry to my desk, words and phrases just fighting to be released,
to be heard. Whether pen and paper or keyboard and computer, my creativity craved
an outlet. Ideas and words overflowed my mind. My muse was throwing a
party and everyone was invited. I just had to weed out the
people I didn't like. I need more days like that: days
of inspiration, days of creativity, and days where I've rediscovered
my passion for the written word. My written words.

National Poetry Month has come to an end.
I ate the last cookie. I finished
the race. The best part? I
now have thirty new poems.
Whether good or bad,
it doesn't matter.
My journey
continues.

I am a Mother and I Love to Read

I had trouble coming up with ideas today, so I searched for poetry prompts and found the "I AM" prompt. I've actually done this prompt before (I can't remember if it was in high school or college), but I want to do it again because life changes so much through the years. Click on this link for reference to the "I AM" poetry prompt.

I am a Mother and I Love to Read

By Candace Shultz

I am a mother and I love to read.
I wonder what my life would be like if I were another person.
I hear the voices of strangers who know me.
I see tigers in my past, present, and future.
I want to be content in my own body.
I am a mother and I love to read.

I pretend to be a giant stuffed caterpillar giving kisses to my giggling baby.
I feel her arms around my neck and her sloppy kisses on my cheek.
I touch my husband's hands as he holds me in my sleep.

I worry every time my baby falls.
I cry when my husband has to leave on deployment.
I am a mother and I love to read.

I understand that no one is perfect.
I say that God is real.
I dream of becoming a published writer.
I try to clean the house, I really do.
I hope that I don't screw up my daughter.
I am a mother and I love to read.

Here is the poem I wrote years ago based on this same prompt.

“I Am”

I am a young woman reaching my ink-stained fingertips to touch a lonely, bright star in the soft, dark sky.

I am worried, yet carefree.

I wonder if my grandfather looks down on me from heaven, his eyes bright with encouragement.

I hear the soft whispering of delicate leaves as the wind tickles the trees.

I see a horse running through the trees towards freedom.

I want to run my fingers along the rough, ancient buildings of Italy and to sink my toes in the sandy beach.

I am a young woman reaching my ink-stained fingertips to touch a lonely, bright star in the soft, dark sky.

I pretend that the world is beautiful without horrors and pain.

I feel that everyone has hope and can achieve their dreams.

I touch puffy clouds that disappear in my hand.

I worry about everything.

I cry when I lose a friend.

I am a young woman reaching my ink-stained fingertips to touch a lonely, bright star in the soft, dark sky.

I understand that life is not fair.

I say that we should not give up anyway.

I dream that I am happy in my future.

I try to do the best that I can do.

I hope that my smile and kindness affects at least one person who will then give happiness to others.

I am a young woman reaching my ink-stained fingertips to touch a lonely, bright star in the soft, dark sky.

Meow Like a Cat, Cry Like a Baby

Meow Like a Cat, Cry Like a Baby

By Candace Shultz

Have you ever seen a baby act like a cat?

My baby behaves like that.

She "paws" at the window screen

Scratches at the door

Wiggles when you shake her treats

Crawls on the floor

She cries when she wants some food
Ignores you when you say her name

Stands up to reach her toys

See? They're just the same.

She'll play with a box or string

Instead of her own toy

And if you turn the vacuum on

She'll run from all the noise

Sometimes she'll play peek-a-boo

And she'll nibble on my hair

But if you have something to do

She'll make sure to be right there

It's just so funny to see the similarity

Between a cat and my cute little baby. 

All in a Day's Work

All in a Day's Work
By Candace Shultz

There are so many things I need to do.
Here, I've listed just a few:
Clean the dishes, wash some clothes,
Trim the nails on my toes,
Scrub the bathroom, log receipts,
Clean my desk, wash the sheets,
Sweep and mop every floor,
Go to the grocery store,
Pay the bills, visit the library,
Then after dinner, I'll exercise maybe.
But instead of doing all my chores,
I'm improving my Angry Birds' scores.

BINGO

BINGO
By Candace Shultz

B is for the beginning when I'm excited to play the game.

I is for the ink that's used to daub circles on my cards.

N is for all the numbers called that match all of mine.

G is for my giddiness as I get closer to the win.

O is for having one number left when someone else calls bingo.

Ghosts in My Shower

I woke up to the

sound of the shower running,

but no one was there.

When I was a teenager, I woke up in the middle of the night and heard the shower running, but when I went to the bathroom, no one was in the shower. I checked all the rooms and everyone was sleeping. Spooky. Even spookier? The owner who lived there before us was an old lady who died in the bathtub. 

A Mother's Reality

A Mother's Reality

By Candace Shultz

When you fall down and

hit your head, I want to cry

with you, but I don't.

Guilt eats at my heart that I

couldn't protect you from pain.

I can't protect you

from everything, but I can

keep calm and comfort

you. I can hug you and kiss

you and distract you with games.

I'd do anything

to take away your sorrow.

I am your mother.

Your pain is my pain, but I

will be strong for both of us.