Poetry Corner #9: Against all Odds, Gratitude & More
As a token of my gratitude, paid subscribers get two poems (instead of one) in today's post. Happy Thanksgiving!
Happy Thanksgiving! and happy anniversary of Truth & Dare! You can’t imagine how happy I am to still be here, to have you still here, reading me. Although this wasn’t exactly the anniversary post I had planned, I didn’t want to let another week go by without writing and connecting with you again. It is appropriate that I am writing on this special holiday (one that I took for granted for many years), because my heart is filled with gratitude. I am thankful for the things that have happened in my life lately; for the moments I’ve lived with people I care about, for the new opportunities that have come along the way.
I am also thankful for not giving up on this project. I know I have not been as consistent as I should, and I keep vacillating on whether this is a hobby or a life pursuit, but if you’re still here, I am very grateful for you, my readers. Thank you for supporting my dream of being a writer. Thank you for sharing my essays, thank you for becoming a paid subscriber, and thank you to those who’ve renewed your annual paid subscriptions. It all fills my heart with gratitude.
I have two poems for you today, because with gratitude comes generosity. The first is about giving yourself another chance. The second is about love (you know I love me a good love poem). If you are not yet a paid subscriber, consider becoming one today! Getting an annual subscription to Truth & Dare saves you a bit of money (as opposed to paying month-to-month) and you’ll get exclusive access to all my poetry. You can start a free trial today. Also, you sharing these posts with family and friends means the world to me, so if you like what you’re reading, hit that share button.
One last thing before we go behind the paywall: since it is thanksgiving, here’s a compilation of things I love (and am thankful for):
I like driving towards the sunset on my way home; just watching sunsets, really, from anywhere. Going to the movies alone and realizing I have the theater all to myself. Having the first bite of a meal I just made from scratch. Taking a warm shower with music playing in the background. Noticing the morning sounds as I stretch by my window. Savoring the intimate moment when a poem I’ve written stirs something in me, something in you. Arranging my favorite vase with fresh flowers. Waking up slowly, without an alarm clock, and catching a tiny ray of sunlight peeking through the blinds. Feeling the wind on my hair as I ride a bike through the park. Choosing a book over a screen and enjoying the story as if it were my own. Having deep conversations. Laughing until my abs hurt and inevitably telling everyone I am getting a workout. Dancing until I sweat and my feet hurt. Singing the songs of my childhood; actually just any song I know the lyrics to. Reading a good poem. Being told, “I love you.” Being shown how I am loved. I like all these things and I love knowing I like them.