Category Archives: Essays

Sunday’s Week in ReVerse – 10 February 2019

I really like this week’s ReVerse poem. Sometimes they just flow. Like today. In a weird way I get it, or rather, the words lifted from the previous week’s posts get me. It may not make a lick of sense to you. But for me, it is a window.

All this brings me to my thoughts today. I often feel that I am not writing enough. I beat myself up over the micro-poetry I manage to eke out. Granted, I am restrained by time. After spending 9-10 hours at work 5 days a week, there is precious little daylight left to be creative. I’m not necessarily a night person, but creativity must strike me during the late and wee hours, out of necessity, or not at all. I wonder if I could be even more creative if I had more time and wasn’t exhausted from a long day’s work when I sit down to create. Wishing doesn’t make it so, though. Survival requires toil. On the contrary, it is perhaps urgency and exhaustion that drives me, and limited time that forces me to be succinct in my offerings.

One day I may have the luxury of penning epic lines of verse, stanza after stanza, but for now I must accept that short poems are good enough. Better than enough in fact. It’s the perfect window into my life right now. Survival interspersed with snippets of beauty, miracles discovered, moments of awe. I must remember to go easy on myself. Long or short, rhyme or free, it’s all just words. And words are everything. It starts with one word. What follows is poetry, because life is poetry. Happy are we when we capture even a glimpse!


Sunday’s Week in ReVerse – 10 February 2019

dreaming of freedom, rafters,
scalded brew of beans and leaves
waiting for the night
death of desire, hounded
What’s in a word?
if you’re not in front, on time, you lose
blared out of control,
and clueless fools will proclaim,
constructing a wall
it’s an illusion
just a kiss of sun

~kat

A ReVerse poem is a summary poem with a single line lifted from each entry of a collection of work over a particular timeframe and re-penned in chronological order as a new poem. Unlike a collaborative poem, the ReVerse features the words of one writer, providing a glimpse into their thoughts over time. I use it as a review of the previous week.


Sunday’s Week in Reverse – 3 February 2019

On this eve of the new moon in Aquarius you may find yourself drawn to consider your dreams in a new light. What’s more this new moon is joined by the close proximity of Neptune (creativity and dreams) and Saturn (reality). I’m not an astrological expert, but I do think it is high time we all take another good hard look at our deepest dreams. Especially now that most of us have likely gotten over our shallow new year’s resolutions. Admit it. You may have already cheated a few times on your diet goals or excused your way out of those daily trips to the gym. Don’t beat yourself up about it. The prime element often missing from these yearly aspirations is passion and heart. Only a long-held dream has these components. Think about it. Dreams are unavoidable. They linger year after year. You can’t shake them. But life, duty, survival causes us to pack them away. They become what ifs instead of why nots.

According to the stargazing community this is your moment to unpack those dismissed dreams of yours, dust them off, and consider ways you can begin to realize them. If your dream is to become a best selling author, maybe it’s time for you to finish writing that book. Baby steps. Make a plan. Devote time to your goal. You may not become world famous, or make the top ten bestseller’s list. But your words have the potential to touch another person’s heart and souls. Even one connection can change the world. So just do it. You know you want to.

Tomorrow is the Aquarius New Moon. Whether or not you believe in this sort of thing, there is no time like this present moment to open yourself to every possibility this life has to offer; to take a second look at those dreams of yours and consider realizing them. Pull out all the stops. Time’s a wastin’.


Sunday’s Week in Reverse – 3 February 2019

when I was young and gullible
here, sheltered from the frigid wind
…she’d say with a wink
just do it, because you’re worth it
save yourselves a tempest’s coming
let us see past our differences,
inspiration from the muse
emulating her mother
boughs are greening
with a thousand stars
how softly she embraces
all hope in the dream
this one is a keeper

~kat

A ReVerse poem is a summary poem with a single line lifted from each entry of a collection of work over a particular timeframe and re-penned in chronological order as a new poem. Unlike a collaborative poem, the ReVerse features the words of one writer, providing a glimpse into their thoughts over time. I use it as a review of the previous week.


January Biolet #30

the dopplers never lie to us
save yourselves a tempest’s coming
panic surges and then nothing
a spot of rain for all this fuss
save yourselves a tempest’s coming
the dopplers never lie to us

~kat

So…true story. I live in a mid-Atlantic state. When the weather forecasters utter the “s” words, snow…sleet…people here panic. Now I grew up in Chicago and it’s suburbs, so I’m not used to this sort of thing. We learned how to drive in the stuff as teenagers. Not here. The prospect of an inch or two of snow followed by freezing rain and plummeting temperatures causes all manner of mayhem. Schools and businesses close. Store shelves are depleted of milk and bread and if you happen to be at work when the stuff starts coming down there is a steady shuffle to the parking lot to get home before it gets bad. I know, because my cubicle is situated at the exit door.

Yesterday was one such weather event day. Just after noon a light rain started. My desk is near a window so there was an occasional glance over my shoulder to assess the situation. “Here it comes!” said one onlooker. “You need to get out and home before it gets bad,” said another. “Don’t stay too late.” “Be careful out there.” By now the schools had closed, so the parents were the first to escape danger. Then the rest of the staff made their way out into the tempest, which after an hour or so, had passed. The sky was bright blue with a few soft wisps of white. But the weather forecasters had told us to expect up to two inches of snow. One can’t be too careful you know. It all made me laugh!

As for me, I stayed on to the end of my shift. I got a lot of work done. No interruptions. And when it was time to go, I was rewarded with the most beautiful red sky sunset.

So that is what inspired my Biolet today. There were still rumblings if doom uttered today. It’s supposedly going to be very cold, not as cold as those North of us are facing, but cold. It is winter after all. This too shall pass. 😄🤣😄


Sunday’s Week in ReVerse – 27 January 2019

This week’s ReVerse reads like a collection of anecdotes. Random thoughts spliced together one line after another. If I think about it, it’s no surprise. Last week was a roller coaster. And if you know me I like to write about current events. So, whew!!! Here we go!

On a national level, in the US, drama unfolded at our capital. Federal employees faced a second zero payday, and the ripple effects of this loss of income started to affect private business, municipalities, air travel and national security. Another puzzle piece of the Mueller investigation was fit into place with a high profile arrest just a few heartbeats away from the president. More secrets are coming to light. Security clearances we now know were doled out by the dozens despite clear rejections from professional investigators. It’s anyone’s guess how compromised our national security is, given the dubious friends of our current administration. And it now appears there are thousands more refugee children being hidden away than we originally thought.

Britain has had its own problems with Brexit’s deadline looming. Venezuela held a contentious election. And the usual cast of the world’s lowlife continue their respective reigns of lawlessness and terror while schmoozing with trump.

Despite all this high drama, we saw a tiny glimmer of hope. At least for three weeks those who have suffered needlessly during the government shutdown will be paid. And it appears that our congress is motivated to bring a comprehensive border security plan to the table. We have such a mess to clean up. The sins of our government are many. This is no time to rest on the laurels of any victories won. We are far from wellness and healing will take a long time. But we’re seeing a light at the end of this tunnel. Baby steps, but it’s beginning to feel like we’re moving in the right direction.

Sunday’s Week in ReVerse – 27 January 2019

walls can’t shield us from what we’ve bred

where there is hate let us be love

nothing lasts forever

One day she’d get the courage to say hello.

her brilliance cannot be muted

it’s never too late to make your mark in this world

there are moments, I must confess

I’m grateful

it takes considerable grace

righteous beliefs aren’t set in stone,

a touch of warmth blooms life anew

there is no pleasure in winning / when winning is all that matters

~kat

A ReVerse poem is a summary poem with a single line lifted from each entry of a collection of work over a particular timeframe and re-penned in chronological order as a new poem. Unlike a collaborative poem, the ReVerse features the words of one writer, providing a glimpse into their thoughts over time. I use it as a review of the previous week.


Sunday’s Week in Reverse – 20 January 2019

I find myself growing numb to the endless onslaught of atrocities perpetrated by our government. How many more children can we separate from parents, how many loyal federal workers, force to work with no pay, how many closed door meetings with dictators will we tolerate, how many policy disasters decreed by tweet, how many alliances with the vile underbelly of society, murderers, racists, mysogynists, liars, criminals, until we say enough? There is of course, as conservatives will remind us, blame on both sides. It’s true, we could all do much better, working together while laying aside our differences for the common good. But I take issue with false comparison that all sides are equally at fault for our problems. There is a common denominator at the root of every issue. A single person, I’ll-equipped to hold the honorable office of President, who nevertheless claimed that title, with our help, and it is becoming increasingly evident, with the help of foreign enemies. I am numb.

How can people still support the infantile tantrums of this hateful man? I have come to realize that most people don’t pay attention to the news like I do. They only pay attention when they are personally affected by bad policy. Longer, slower lines at the airport, our food supply growing unsafe, unemployment rising due to decreased cashflow, services interrupted, garbage and human waste accumulating in public places, teachers on strike, healthcare costs surging, stagnant wages while corporate executives and shareholders reap record profits. These things are getting worse by the day.

Trump supporters would like to blame the democrats for these ills. “But Obama…” “her emails…” “Benghazi” “fake news” are still go-to catch phrases that justify supporting the con artist they call their president. I hold these diehards accountable for the mess we are in. I wish I could look the other way, look past their reckless decision, and support of a man that puts all of us in peril. But I want them to own it. To admit they screwed up. To wake up and come to their senses. I do acknowledge that I play a role in the chasm between us. I can’t forgive their willful ignorance. I can’t un-know the fact that by their vote, these people sold all of us out to a monster. I warned them this would happen. Why wouldn’t they listen? How could they vote against their own best interest?

Of course they don’t want to talk politics. But their day is coming. The piper is coming to collect. The misery is trickling down. And so, I’m grateful for the numbness. Who would I be if I delighted in their suffering. Being numb helps me let go of my need for redress. When I’m being honest with myself I realize I want those who voted for this to pay. And in that sense I am no different. We all have a dark side. It is becoming harder to keep the darkness at bay. But I’m weary of the fight. I’m tired of being angry. Being numb is a blessed reprieve from the madness.


Sunday’s Week in Reverse – 20 January 2019

there is more to her short story

can you see her?

a gentle hand can turn the page

i tell you

don’t you worry

we can’t unsee, we can’t un-know

you certainly can’t blame the muse

I’ve been called worse, if you must know

cold and darkness overcoming

clouds can’t dim her face this night

flickering in the darkness

~kat

A ReVerse poem is a summary poem with a single line lifted from each entry of a collection of work over a particular timeframe and re-penned in chronological order as a new poem. Unlike a collaborative poem, the ReVerse features the words of one writer, providing a glimpse into their thoughts over time. I use it as a review of the previous week.