I hope you’re having a gentle start to the new year, poetry pals. <3
I began my alternate resolutions as a list and immediately went rogue. Would love your feedback as I’d really like to polish this one up.
How To Survive 2025
.
Stand in more moonbeams. Notice how much light exists in the dark. If you cannot see it, watch the sky as it melts away to reveal the dawn. It always does. Count on it. Drink in the sunrise you waited for, even if you have to skim away foggy layers to get to the good stuff. Rejoice. You have been brought through another inky voyage. And now: rise. Put on stretchier pants so you can leap freely into the day and discover where you are headed. Because today is a worthy venture, even for a Chicken Little. If the dome over your head falls, take heart, it takes with it every shadow too. Open those eyes of yours, let them slurp up every refracted ray of hope. Dance in your labour as one who won’t relent in seeing everything, one day, made bright and new. Become a moonbeam in someone else’s night.
This is gorgeous Erin. And thank you for directly asking for feedback. Sometimes I have odd suggestions for poems but never want to give them unless the person specifically says. Sometimes you don’t want feedback do you…you just want to share. So… I love the way it starts and ends with moonbeams. Lush. I also love the sentiment of ending with becoming someone else’s moonbeam - that’s such perfect advice to end on and felt lovely. Just over half way through (think with the sentence starting with ‘because’) the flow changed a bit, like it became a more a personal conversation with the reader than a shorter statement list. I wonder which one you like more and whether it might be worth trying sticking to one all the way through and see whether that changes things. It might just be a case of some well placed full stops? I really liked the motifs of dark and light and moon and sun all the way through. That really worked for me. Hope that helps. xxx
‘Notice how much light exists in the dark. If you cannot see it, watch the sky as it melts away to reveal the dawn. It always does. Count on it.’ 🤍 This is so beautiful Erin. Agree with Nelly, I like the punchier style of the first half - maybe some commas could become full stops? It’s gorgeous x
This is lovely and a wonderful idea, Nelly. I feel dry as far as new work but I do have a New Year's resolution that I will share. I wrote it a few years ago and it's been sitting in a folder ever since.
New Year’s Resolutions
Bend over and back, master the side bend.
Find that one moment of balance, then let myself fall.
Lift my legs above my heart, my heart above my head.
Live that way.
Caress his cheek with my hand.
Dance together in the kitchen.
Be wrong once, even when absolutely sure I’m right.
Sing silly songs to the cats.
Stay up to watch the sun rise, then sleep all day.
Oh “be wrong once” LeeAnn. Eeeek that’s hard. And so 💯 what should be on my list too. Glad this came back out. I like it when an old poem suddenly gets its day. This one deserves its day xxx
Beautiful laudable idea turned into beautiful laudable poetry. I’ve not written much decent this week, just snippets. But snippets grow into more quite often though they do tend to take their time. I’m thinking on new year stuff as I type.
I got Rob Auton's book Take Hair for Christmas and it so brilliant. Really unique book of tender and funny observations. The observations are so so detailed and all the more brilliant for that. Would definitely recommend.
I will be resolute in not over burdening myself with the ‘new year new you’ mantra
I will be resolute In giving myself time to heal and to rest.
I will be resolute In finding my own path on this unknown journey of recovery
I will be resolute In finding joy and celebrating my own success and that in others
I will be resolute in trying my best even when that is rest and try again tomorrow
I will be resolute in starting small in my endeavours
I will be resolute in being a friend
I will be resolute in being kind to myself and others
I will be resolute in finding things that bring me joy and fill my cup
I will be resolute in finding the draining things and finding better ways of dealing with them
I will be resolute in being a cheerleader to those around me.
I will be resolute In doing good and not harm
I will be resolute in trying to walk lightly on this earth.
Seems I lost the formatting when i copied and paste the poem. This is what I have been working on this week, I'm not sure its finished yet. wondering if I need to work on the order a bit.
I hope you’re having a gentle start to the new year, poetry pals. <3
I began my alternate resolutions as a list and immediately went rogue. Would love your feedback as I’d really like to polish this one up.
How To Survive 2025
.
Stand in more moonbeams. Notice how much light exists in the dark. If you cannot see it, watch the sky as it melts away to reveal the dawn. It always does. Count on it. Drink in the sunrise you waited for, even if you have to skim away foggy layers to get to the good stuff. Rejoice. You have been brought through another inky voyage. And now: rise. Put on stretchier pants so you can leap freely into the day and discover where you are headed. Because today is a worthy venture, even for a Chicken Little. If the dome over your head falls, take heart, it takes with it every shadow too. Open those eyes of yours, let them slurp up every refracted ray of hope. Dance in your labour as one who won’t relent in seeing everything, one day, made bright and new. Become a moonbeam in someone else’s night.
Also, HNY lovely. Hope to do lots more writing with you this year x
This is gorgeous Erin. And thank you for directly asking for feedback. Sometimes I have odd suggestions for poems but never want to give them unless the person specifically says. Sometimes you don’t want feedback do you…you just want to share. So… I love the way it starts and ends with moonbeams. Lush. I also love the sentiment of ending with becoming someone else’s moonbeam - that’s such perfect advice to end on and felt lovely. Just over half way through (think with the sentence starting with ‘because’) the flow changed a bit, like it became a more a personal conversation with the reader than a shorter statement list. I wonder which one you like more and whether it might be worth trying sticking to one all the way through and see whether that changes things. It might just be a case of some well placed full stops? I really liked the motifs of dark and light and moon and sun all the way through. That really worked for me. Hope that helps. xxx
Thank you, Nelly! I could feel the flow change but couldn’t pinpoint what I had done. Appreciate the feedback!
‘Notice how much light exists in the dark. If you cannot see it, watch the sky as it melts away to reveal the dawn. It always does. Count on it.’ 🤍 This is so beautiful Erin. Agree with Nelly, I like the punchier style of the first half - maybe some commas could become full stops? It’s gorgeous x
I’ll keep editing with the punchier style in mind! Thank you, Ange.
I shared mine as note as don’t think I can work out the ‘strikethrough’ feature as a comment:
https://substack.com/@angedisbury/note/c-85391007?r=2qii2&utm_medium=ios&utm_source=notes-share-action
It was an absolute gem x
Love the use of the strikethrough. It feels like such an intentionally rebellious way to say no to those pressures and expectations.
That's a fabulous poem of new year's resolutions.
This is lovely and a wonderful idea, Nelly. I feel dry as far as new work but I do have a New Year's resolution that I will share. I wrote it a few years ago and it's been sitting in a folder ever since.
New Year’s Resolutions
Bend over and back, master the side bend.
Find that one moment of balance, then let myself fall.
Lift my legs above my heart, my heart above my head.
Live that way.
Caress his cheek with my hand.
Dance together in the kitchen.
Be wrong once, even when absolutely sure I’m right.
Sing silly songs to the cats.
Stay up to watch the sun rise, then sleep all day.
Eat pancakes for dinner.
Don’t set the alarm.
Stomp through rain puddles.
Buy less or nothing.
Make no plans for a day or two or three.
Screw ambiguity—wear more purple.
Oh “be wrong once” LeeAnn. Eeeek that’s hard. And so 💯 what should be on my list too. Glad this came back out. I like it when an old poem suddenly gets its day. This one deserves its day xxx
Thank you!
‘Sing silly songs to the cats’☺️. This was so lovely to read x
Beautiful laudable idea turned into beautiful laudable poetry. I’ve not written much decent this week, just snippets. But snippets grow into more quite often though they do tend to take their time. I’m thinking on new year stuff as I type.
Snippets really are under-rated aren't they. I like them a lot
So true on the snippet slow growth 🤍
Ah, the beauty and worth of the snippets! May they become whatever they need to be.
I got Rob Auton's book Take Hair for Christmas and it so brilliant. Really unique book of tender and funny observations. The observations are so so detailed and all the more brilliant for that. Would definitely recommend.
Oooh that sounds tremendous
I have been waiting all week for this! It is a little longer than I planned, but I actually enjoy it more I think:
https://open.substack.com/pub/makeilabowers/p/alternative-new-years-resolutions?r=4789uw&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true
It’s so great!!!
I really love your poem and you reading it. Have listened to it a few times now - new treasures each time.
we say, “I hope you have….” and we mean, “a moment of togetherness one day soon,” 🤍
Definitely a poem I should have shared weeks ago, haha. Thank you. Appreciate your saying so xxxx
Not another bloody resolution
instead of them
I will be resolute in not over burdening myself with the ‘new year new you’ mantra
I will be resolute In giving myself time to heal and to rest.
I will be resolute In finding my own path on this unknown journey of recovery
I will be resolute In finding joy and celebrating my own success and that in others
I will be resolute in trying my best even when that is rest and try again tomorrow
I will be resolute in starting small in my endeavours
I will be resolute in being a friend
I will be resolute in being kind to myself and others
I will be resolute in finding things that bring me joy and fill my cup
I will be resolute in finding the draining things and finding better ways of dealing with them
I will be resolute in being a cheerleader to those around me.
I will be resolute In doing good and not harm
I will be resolute in trying to walk lightly on this earth.
Seems I lost the formatting when i copied and paste the poem. This is what I have been working on this week, I'm not sure its finished yet. wondering if I need to work on the order a bit.
I love this poem. I want this too. Also, thank you for the shout-out. Goosebumps is a huge compliment 💛.