THE CORNER 4 WOMEN

Tuesday 5 March 2024

WAITING BY THE WINDOW by Becky Hemsley

"WAITING BY THE WINDOW"
by Becky Hemsley

We waited nine months to meet you.

We waited to see you smile, to watch you walk, to hear you talk.

And I'm not sure you realise this but we now wait at the window every day for you to get home.

A home that is filled with all of your things, all of your noise.

But one day we will walk into your bedroom and there won't be clothes all over the floor.

There won't be snacks that you've abandoned in every room and there won't be the noise of some obscure TV show echoing through the house.

Yes, one day our nest will be empty.

Quiet.

Tidy.

You will not need us anymore like you do now.

And that will mean we have done our job.

It will mean we have succeeded

in helping you grow your wings and in teaching you to fly.

And we will enjoy the quiet and the tidiness,

knowing that this is how it is supposed to be.

But we will also miss you. We'll miss the noise and miss the mess that tells us you are here.

So I hope you'll know that you can fly back whenever you want to.

Need to. Wish to.

That you can call us and tell us to put the kettle on

and open the snacks because you'll be here soon.

Because I'm not sure you'll realise this but we'll be here,

waiting to watch you walk through the door with a smile on your face.

Waiting to talk to you about what you've been up to.

Yes, even when you've flown the nest, we will be here.

Always.

Waiting by the window

for you to get home.

******

Becky Hemsley 2023

Beautiful image by the incredibly talented Anna Fila (@af.anki.malowanki on Instagram)

'Waiting by the Window' is from 'Letters from Life': https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CHL9MZC1...

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Monday 4 March 2024

THOSE TWO CHEAP RINGS

"THOSE TWO CHEAP RINGS"
(author unknown)

"My husband doesn't have a lot, neither of us do. We scrape and scrape to pay bills and put food in our bellies, but after almost 2 years of dating we decided that we couldn't wait anymore, so we didn't.

I wasn't even thinking about rings, I just wanted to marry my best friend, but he wouldn't have it. He scraped up just enough money to buy me two matching rings from Pandora. Sterling silver and CZ to be exact. That's what sits on my ring finger, and I am so in love with them.

While we were purchasing my rings however, another lady that was working there came over to help the lady selling them to us. She said, 'Y'all can you believe that some men get these as engagement rings? How pathetic.' When she said that I watched my now husband's face fall. He already felt bad because he couldn't afford the pear-shaped set that so obviously had my heart and covered my Pinterest page. He already felt like a failure, asking me again and again 'Are you sure you'll be happy with these? Are you sure this is okay?' He was so upset at the idea of not making me happy enough and of me not wanting to marry him because my rings didn't cost enough money or weren't flashy enough.

Old Ariel would have ripped that woman a new one. Mature Ariel said, 'It isn't the ring that matters, it is the love that goes into buying one that is.' We bought the rings and left.

Y'all I would have gotten married to this man if it had been a 25¢ gum ball machine ring. When did our nation fall so far to think the only way a man can truly love a woman is if he buys her $3,000+ jewellery and makes a public decree of his affection with said flashy ring? Sure they are nice, sure the sentiment is wonderful and I'm not trying to cut down any of your experiences, but when did it come to all that? Why do material possessions equate love??

My husband was so afraid of me not wanting him because he couldn't afford a piece of jewellery. He was afraid that the love I have for him would pale because he couldn't afford the wedding set I wanted. The world has made it this way and it is so sad. Ultimately we couldn't wait any longer.. so we eloped. I've never been this happy in my life and I couldn't imagine spending it with anyone else ever. Here I am, Court-House married, $130 ring set, the love of my life by my side and happier than I could ever imagine."

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Sunday 3 March 2024

The Moonlit Sonata by English With Mia

"The Moonlit Sonata"

by English With Mia

Once upon a time, in a quaint village nestled in the countryside, there lived a young boy named Luca. Luca had a special gift for playing the flute, and he spent his days wandering through the fields and forests, serenading the birds with his sweet melodies.

One evening, as Luca played his flute beneath the shimmering moonlight, he heard another sound—a gentle, lilting tune that seemed to dance through the air. Intrigued, he followed the melody to a clearing in the woods, where he discovered a girl playing a harp beneath a canopy of stars.

The girl's name was Elena. She was a traveller, passing through the village on her way to distant lands. Captivated by Luca's flute playing, she had felt compelled to join in with her own music.

Luca and Elena exchanged smiles as they began to play together, their instruments blending in perfect harmony. Their music echoed through the night, weaving a tapestry of sound that seemed to stir the very soul of the forest.

As they played, Luca and Elena felt a connection unlike anything they had ever experienced before. It was as if their music was speaking to each other, sharing their dreams, fears, and aspirations.

From that moment on, Luca and Elena became inseparable. They spent their days exploring the countryside, sharing stories and laughter as they wandered through fields of wildflowers and meandering streams.

But their time together was not without its challenges. As the days grew shorter and the nights colder, Luca and Elena knew that Elena's journey would soon take her far from the village.

Determined to make the most of their time together, Luca and Elena continued to play their music, filling the air with melodies that seemed to transcend time and space.

But one fateful night, as they played their instruments beneath the moonlit sky, tragedy struck. A pack of wolves emerged from the shadows, their eyes gleaming in the darkness.

Caught off guard, Luca and Elena found themselves surrounded by the fierce creatures. With nowhere to run and no way to defend themselves, they feared that their music would soon come to an end.

But just as all hope seemed lost, something miraculous happened. The wolves, entranced by the haunting melody of Luca's flute and Elena's harp, began to sway and dance beneath the moonlight.

Mesmerized by the music, the wolves seemed to forget their hunger and aggression, their wild instincts giving way to a sense of peace and tranquillity.

And so, as Luca and Elena played on, their music became a beacon of light in the darkness, guiding them through the perilous night.

As the first light of dawn broke through the trees, the wolves finally retreated into the forest, leaving Luca and Elena unharmed.

Filled with gratitude and wonder, Luca and Elena knew that their music had saved them. And as they watched the sunrise together, they vowed to cherish every moment they had left, knowing that their love and their music would endure forever, a testament to the power of friendship, courage, and the magic of the moonlit sonata.

https://www.facebook.com/MiaEnglishTeacher

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SPRING by Becky Hemsley

"SPRING"
by Becky Hemsley

They met her on the corner

And she said her name was Spring

And she told them she’d been resting

Whilst the winter did its thing

She’d watched behind the window

As the rain had turned to snow

And she’d lit herself a fire

When the wind began to blow

She watched the winter ravage

And strip bare the stubborn trees

Whilst she’d sewn and stitched together

Brand new blossoms and their leaves

She said when it was cold

That she’d been sleeping in the warm

And when winter brought its blizzards

She’d been singing through the storm

When frosty mornings lingered

She’d been busy planting seeds

And until she could pick flowers

She had picked a book to read

And she told them, through the bleakness

She’d been writing to the sun

And the sun wrote back ‘hang in there

There are brighter days to come’

And then they looked and realised

There were flowers in her hair

Her smile was bright and sunny

And her voice had warmed the air

And then she waved goodbye

But in her wake she left them hope -

They knew the sun was on its way

To gently thaw the snow

And they felt a sense of peace

About what future days might bring

When they realised every winter

Must be followed by the spring

******

Happy March!

Hopefully spring is well on her way to us in the Northern hemisphere (here in the UK it's still pretty wet and cold!) Until then, rest if you need to and prepare for the sunnier days

Becky Hemsley 2021

Artwork created on Canva

‘Spring’ is from Talking to the Wild https://a.co/d/eyXThOS

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AN ANGEL TAPPED ME ON THE SHOULDER by Joanne Boyle

"AN ANGEL TAPPED ME ON THE SHOULDER"
by Joanne Boyle

An Angel tapped me on the shoulder,

and said "can you come with me."

I felt a sense of peace,

as I stepped outside of my body.

I then felt a drop of rain,

as she took me by my hand.

The rain came down faster

and I did not understand.

I was told that they were tears,

falling from your heart,

that you now felt had broken,

due to my depart.

It was then that I looked back

and saw you standing there.

I whispered in your ear,

and with my hand I moved your hair.

I told you when you needed me,

to go inside your mind,

and I would meet you in a memory,

the sweetest one you find.

******

Joanne Boyle

https://www.facebook.com/poeminabottlle

An Angel tapped me on the shoulder from somewhere inbetween. #LOSS #griefrecovery #griefsupport #poetrycommunity

https://amzn.eu/d/e6zkdA1

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art by Steffi Krenzek

CHASING TOMORROW by Becky Hemsley

"CHASING TOMORROW"
by Becky Hemsley 2023

Today I woke and found myself

With less than yesterday

My life was missing things

I had assumed were here to stay

Things that had seemed little

‘Til they left a giant space,

Left an empty silence

And a longing in their place

And I began to understand

That when push came to shove

I longed for what I’d had

When I’d thought that was not enough

I’d always looked ahead

Was always chasing more and more

Growing so complacent

Of the things I once wished for

Running to tomorrow,

To the weekend, to next year

Forgetting I was lucky

For the things already here

And all this made me realise

That my life can’t buy more time

So maybe I should spend my time

Loving this life of mine

And maybe I’ll be grateful

For the little things I’ve got

That seem inconsequential

But which mean an awful lot

So, tonight I’ll thank the stars

Instead of asking them for more

And I will hope to wake with all

The things I’ve thanked them for

‘Cause now I see that my todays

Are filled with time I’ve borrowed

And I shouldn’t sit around and waste them

Chasing my tomorrows

******

Becky Hemsley 2023

Gorgeous artwork by Lucy Campbell

'Chasing Tomorrow' is from my most recent collection: https://a.co/d/c2Frz8s

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Saturday 2 March 2024

THE STORYTELLER by Becky Hemsley

"THE STORYTELLER"
by Becky Hemsley

The pub I was in smelt of wine and cigars

When I saw two old men who were sat by the bar

One was surrounded by laughter and cheers,

The other was sitting alone with his beers

I felt really bad for the man all alone

So I walked up and pulled up a stool of my own

And that’s when I noticed the stuff on the floor

The holdalls and trunks and suitcases galore

“What’s in them?” I asked, and he shrugged with a sigh

“Just things I thought mattered - the things I could buy.”

Then he drank up his drink and whilst shedding a tear

He smiled at me sadly and then disappeared

And nobody noticed...

'cause all he had left

Was the stuff in the boxes, the trunks and the chests

Then I looked to the group where the other man spoke

And they laughed ‘til they cried as he told them a joke

So I took myself over and stood at the back

And noticed he hadn’t got cases or sacks

But the stories he told of the oceans he’d sailed,

The countries he’d seen and the mountains he’d scaled

His stories were epic, his life had been full

Then he tapped on his glass and he said to us all

“It’s time I must go but I’ve loved growing old

And I know I’ll live on through the tales that I’ve told

Please believe when I say that to live is enough

Your life should be measured by memories not stuff.”

Then he rose from his chair and we all shed a tear

As he held up his drink to us...

then disappeared

*****

Becky Hemsley 2020

Artwork created with Bing

'The Storyteller' is from my first book, Talking to the Wild https://a.co/d/egHaAyF

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