THE CORNER 4 WOMEN

Sunday 17 December 2023

EXTRAORDINARY by Becky Hemsley

"EXTRAORDINARY"
by Becky Hemsley 2022

You are not here to be ordinary.

I know what you’re thinking. You’re thinking “but what’s so extraordinary about me?”

Well…

You are so extraordinary that the Moon has to move oceans just to erase your footprints from the beach.

You are so important that the Earth itself pulls you close to stop you from floating away.

You are so full of wonder that your eyes contain more atoms than there are Stars in the known universe.

And if you think of all the people you love the most, you will realise that the way in which you love them is not in the least bit ordinary. You love with such power, such passion and such fire that it is comparable only to the Sun.

No, you are not here to be an ordinary thing in an ordinary world my darling.

The world itself knows you are not.

It knows you are magic

Becky Hemsley 2022

https://www.facebook.com/talkingtothewild

Beautiful artwork by Ilaria Zanellato Illustratrice

'Extraordinary' is from my newest collection https://a.co/d/dZNNvcy

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Saturday 16 December 2023

UNWINDING THAT BALL OF WOOL by Becky Hemsley 2023

"UNWINDING THAT BALL OF WOOL"
by Becky Hemsley 2023

It’s easy to get caught up in life.

To get ravelled up in the loud expectations of

how you should act,

what you should want

and who you should be.

And before you know it, it’s as if you’re in the middle of a huge ball of wool, surrounded by layer upon layer of noise.

Noise that is not yours. A voice that is not yours.

We often talk about self-discovery

but actually, I think it’s self-uncovery.

You need to uncover the person who has always been there right at the centre, right at the core of that ball of wool. Before you got so tied up in what everyone else thought you should be.

So it’s ok to unravel sometimes. To start peeling back those layers of noise that have surrounded you for so long.

And when you’re done, listen carefully.

You will hear something you probably haven’t heard for a long time. A familiar noise but one that you cannot place.

That’s the sound of you.

You. Without the expectations of every could-be, would-be, should-be that’s ever been handed to you.

You.

Sit with that sound for a while.

It might feel a lot like silence.

But sit a while longer and listen a little harder.

And you’ll realise that, actually…

It feels a lot like peace.

*****

Becky Hemsley 2023

https://www.facebook.com/talkingtothewild

Image created with Bing

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DIAMOND by Tahlia Hunter

"DIAMOND"
by Tahlia Hunter

"You are a diamond.

A diamond has many facets

reflecting light in different directions.

Each facet represents

a different fragment of yourself

at one age, one time, and one point along your path.

Each person you encounter

sees only one fragment of you

based on what they have heard about you or seen of you

at one stage of your life,

and is never able to fully glimpse who you are.

And so if you should find yourself

feeling ashamed of your past self

or broken or shattered at times, my dear,

may you remind yourself of the truth

that each facet of you

no matter how fractured it may appear individually

contributes to the precious jewel that you are;

for the light that you are shines beneath all

and you are never defined

by only one fragment of who you are."

Words by Tahlia Hunter https://www.facebook.com/TahliaHunterBlog

Artwork by Katarína Vavrová Artist

https://tc4women.nicheebookcollections.com/NEWSLETTER-EBOOK-LIBRARY-SIGNUP.html

I TOLD MY STORY by Tahlia Hunter

"I TOLD MY STORY"
by Tahlia Hunter

The first time I told my story,

I felt only pain.

“How could this have happened to me?” I asked.

The second time I told my story,

I felt only sorrow.

“How could this have come to be?” I pondered.

The third time I told my story,

I felt only anger.

"How could life be so cruel and unjust to me?" I wondered.

The fourth time I told my story,

I felt only heartbreak.

“How could life have taken what I love from me?” I mused.

The fifth time I told my story,

I felt only confusion.

“How did all of this make sense for me and my life?” I reflected.

The sixth time I told my story,

I felt only insignificance.

“Maybe my life and who I am lack meaning.” I thought to myself.

The seventh time I told my story,

to my surprise,

I heard a voice within,

whispering,

“I am your story.

But you cannot truly tell me yet,

for you have not seen the ending.

You have not yet seen

all that will be made possible

through all that you have previously seen, learned, become and achieved,

and you have not yet seen

how your story

will one day go on to inspire

many others

and so too will their stories inspire others

in a way far bigger than you yourself could ever comprehend or imagine. For your story is not yours alone, but is an inherent part of life's story.

But this will not be possible

should you remain fixated

on what has happened

rather than what is still unfolding,

and so do not let the chapters of the past

distract you from the chapters that are yet to be written.

And the eighth and final time I told my story,

it was no longer a story

but had been alchemized into wisdom, healing and beauty.

For my story was no longer one of words,

but had become a part of me.

Words by Tahlia Hunter https://www.facebook.com/TahliaHunterBlog

Artwork by Katarína Vavrová Artist

https://tc4women.nicheebookcollections.com/NEWSLETTER-EBOOK-LIBRARY-SIGNUP.html

LIVING by Becky Hemsley 2023

"LIVING"
by Becky Hemsley 2023

Life in its essence is breaths that we take

Our very next breath is just seconds away

And breathing ensures we survive, we exist

But being alive is a lot more than this

It's climbing a mountain then looking back down

To see where you started and where you are now

It's loving the view that you see from up there

With the earth at your feet and the wind in your hair

It’s meeting with friends to catch up over tea

And laughing until you forget how to breathe

It’s dancing all night ‘til your feet wind up sore

And singing along ‘til your throat feels raw

It’s walking the beach and it's watching the tide

It’s finding a shell to hear oceans inside

It's flying ‘til you can see clouds from above

It's counting the stars and it's falling in love

It's watching the sun rise and watching it set

It’s gathering moments you'll never forget

The moments that teeter and flutter between

A world full of wonder and one of routine

So breathe in and out - it'll keep you alive

But know that you're here to do more than survive

You’re here to let music dance on through your veins

To climb to the top of the mountain again

To see yourself fly and to feel your heart leap

The world is a show and you’ve got front row seats

So in the next seconds, when you breathe on in

Remember the wonder of life that’s within

‘Cause taking a breath keeps you living for sure

But the breath taking moments?

They’re what we live for

******

Becky Hemsley 2023

Art by gisifraga

This one is called "Living" and can be found in my fourth collection, Letters from Life: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CHL9MZC1...

https://tc4women.nicheebookcollections.com/NEWSLETTER-EBOOK-LIBRARY-SIGNUP.html

SNOWFLAKE by Joanne Boyle

"SNOWFLAKE"
by Joanne Boyle

A snowflake fell from heaven,

at least that's what I believed.

I had found so many signs,

since the days that I have grieved.

It was the most beautiful snowflake,

that I had ever seen,

and it took me to a memory,

of a place that we'd both been.

I went back to our old house,

to the garden where we played,

to that snowball fight we had

and the Snowman that we made.

I now found myself smiling,

it spread across my face.

I enjoyed reliving memories,

going back to a familiar place.

My snowflake began to glisten,

with everything I felt,

and i knew that unlike the snowflake,

my memories wouldn't melt.

Joanne Boyle

https://www.facebook.com/poeminabottlle

art by Steffi Krenzek

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MOTHER EARTH by Becky Hemsley 2021

"MOTHER EARTH"
by Becky Hemsley 2021

She’s mountains and she’s sunshine

She’s the moon, silvery bright

She’s the clouds and wind and rain

And she’s the dancing Northern Lights

She is deserts and savannahs

She’s the waves that fill the sea

She is birdsong and she’s flowers

She’s the blossom on the trees

And if you treat her fairly

She will let the sun shine through

She will kiss you with a gentle breeze

And paint the sky in blue

She’ll rain if you are thirsty

Then she’ll blow the clouds away

And she’ll decorate with rainbows

Whilst she calms the ocean waves

But if you treat her badly

She will breathe out stormy skies

She will summon up tornadoes

And antagonise the tides

She’ll throw things from the mountain

In an avalanche of snow

And she’ll blaze and burn the forest

So the trees no longer grow

She’ll treat you as you treat her

So be careful what you choose

For she’s power you can’t comprehend

And much she stands to lose

So treat her with the kindness

And respect that she deserves

'Cause, if you rearrange her heart

You’ll see it holds the earth

*******

Becky Hemsley 2021

Stunning artwork by Natacha Chohra Fine Art - Illustration

'Mother Earth' is from Talking to the Wild

https://amzn.eu/d/4HUnM5y

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Friday 15 December 2023

THE LEPRECHAUN

"THE LEPRECHAUN"
(author unknown)

The name leprechaun may have derived from the Irish leath bhrogan (shoemaker), although its origins may lie in luacharma'n (Irish for pygmy). These apparently aged, diminutive men are frequently to be found in an intoxicated state, caused by home-brew poteen. However, they never become so drunk that the hand which holds the hammer becomes unsteady and their shoemaker's work is affected.

Leprechauns have also become self-appointed guardians of ancient treasure (left by the Danes when they maraudered through Ireland), burying it in crocks or pots. This may be one reason why leprechauns tend to avoid contact with humans whom they regard as foolish, flighty (and greedy?) creatures. If caught by a mortal, he will promise great wealth if allowed to go free. He carries two leather pouches. In one there is a silver shilling, a magical coin that returns to the purse each time it is paid out. In the other he carries a gold coin which he uses to try and bribe his way out of difficult situations. This coin usually turns to leaves or ashes once the leprechaun has parted with it. However, you must never take your eye off him, for he can vanish in an instant. ¹

The leprechaun 'family' appears split into two distinct groups - leprechaun and cluricaun. Cluricauns may steal or borrow almost anything, creating mayhem in houses during the hours of darkness, raiding wine cellars and larders. They will also harness sheep, goats, dogs and even domestic fowl and ride them throughout the country at night. Although the leprechaun has been described as Ireland's national fairy, this name was originally only used in the north Leinster area. Variants include lurachmain, lurican, and lurgadhan.

In pop culture, a leprechaun is a short old man with a red beard wearing a green suit and top hat, usually with pockets stuffed full of gold coins. Even though their appearance in mythology doesn’t stray too far from this, they originally were described as wearing red rather than green.

There are a number of clothing variations for these creatures, but they are mostly just different coloured jackets, socks, and pants, and sometimes wearing a leather apron.

Some describe leprechauns as carrying a sword which they use as a magic wand.

Instead, leprechauns are more of a mix of the two, not being inherently good or evil. They instead are seen as tricksters, who will usually leave people alone. In fact, their primary occupation is mending shoes.

They often possess a crock of gold, and if they are captured and threatened with violence will usually tell his captor where his gold is hidden. However, if you look away even for a second, they will disappear without a trace. As they are natural tricksters, they can distract you very easily.

In mythology, leprechauns are said to be descendants of Tuatha de Danann, a mythical race who were driven underground by the Milesians (Celts), and live in fairy mounds dotted around the Irish countryside. They are also said to be the sons of an evil spirit.

In reality, the word leprechaun is derived from the Irish word leipreachán which means ‘pigmy’ or ‘sprite’.

The earliest known story involving a leprechaun is from a medieval tale called Adventure of Fergus son of Léti, where the king of Ulster falls asleep on a bench and wakes up to find himself being dragged towards the seas by two leprechauns.

He overpowers and captures the creatures, and they agree to grant him three wishes to exchange for their release.

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