Ash of Earth

I haven’t slept yet.

When I was 6, my sister was traumatized by a clown at the birthday party I shared with my one year old brother, just before we moved away from California to Little Rock, AR, where I remember having one friend I used to walk around the military housing with, in ’87. Then we moved notContinue reading “I haven’t slept yet.”

How I Let Go and Let God

My mother died when I was 12, and Dad dated a psychic after she died. That psychic foresaw me becoming a writer and a tarot reader. And my 13 year old brain accepted the program. My suffering meant something. I was going to help people tell their stories, and share mine so others wouldn’t feelContinue reading “How I Let Go and Let God”

Thanksgiving used to mean family, feasting, and a trip to the theater.

Back in the good old days, when my parents were the young idiot republicans buying what the billionaires were selling, they lived in a very different economy that we kids couldn’t appreciate. After 40 years of trickle down economics, I’m raising children in a very different world. Instead of visiting grandparents and aunts and unclesContinue reading “Thanksgiving used to mean family, feasting, and a trip to the theater.”

Writing a poem to work out my feelings, but with the skills of a rusty MFA

I’m sorry I acted like my heart was broken open and I was bleeding out When you left and refused communication with me I died I broke again And I put myself back together by raging at you Taking you out of my heart so you couldn’t hurt it more But I kept the hurt,Continue reading “Writing a poem to work out my feelings, but with the skills of a rusty MFA”

What if we set a federal Maximum Income, and all income above say, $20 million a year, is taken as taxes?

Instead of middle class paying most of the taxes, the very wealthy could be capped so a handful of people don’t get to control everything in our country ever again. No one person is worth a billion dollars, unless all of us are, if you believe all humans are equally worthy of a good life,Continue reading “What if we set a federal Maximum Income, and all income above say, $20 million a year, is taken as taxes?”

Found this on Facebook, using it to spark stories.

Ok, so… Were my special interests…Ancient Egypt, animals, Janet Jackson, Micheal to slightly lesser extent…more socially acceptable because I have boobs, or would they be socially acceptable to the penile variety of ’tism as well? I don’t know, I’ve never been accepted as I am, without masking, by a group big enough to be calledContinue reading “Found this on Facebook, using it to spark stories.”

I’m getting better at this whole identity crisis thing.

I was misdiagnosed at 19 with monopolar depression, usually called Major Depressive Disorder. I was tested so extensively at UCF’s psychology department in 2000, I thought I couldn’t possibly be autistic. My best friend, the one who’s knew me best after my mother died until I started questioning vaccine safety when I was pregnant, toldContinue reading “I’m getting better at this whole identity crisis thing.”

I wish I could have explained what I meant to my Dad before he passed.

2020 broke my brain enough even my PCP could see I was autistic and needed help. 2021 broke my heart. I had to face my internal biases, my fears, my shame, my behavior, and figure myself out so I could change. But I can’t change the way my brain developed. I also couldn’t tell thatContinue reading “I wish I could have explained what I meant to my Dad before he passed.”

Writing Process: Revision Following Workshop in Bible’s Creation Poem

The best part of workshopping the poem I posted last was figuring out what I was trying to do with it. After feedback from my group, here is my revision. Mother Earth, World of the Patriarchs, Becomes In darkness does the Spirit of God hover over the Waters of Creation. Before form, creates light. BeforeContinue reading “Writing Process: Revision Following Workshop in Bible’s Creation Poem”

Writing Process: Poem Inspired by the Bible’s Creation Story.

I started a writing group, and this week wrote a poem to workshop. One group member mentioned writing prayers, and I got the idea to look for inspiration on this poem in the Bible I bought, intending to read to help me better understand all the Christians in my life. I was raised Buddhist, andContinue reading “Writing Process: Poem Inspired by the Bible’s Creation Story.”