THE CORNER 4 WOMEN

Saturday, 13 July 2024

"THE BUTTERFLY" by Becky Hemsley

"THE BUTTERFLY"
by Becky Hemsley

“Trade me a memory,” the butterfly said

“A memory that’s heavy and harsh,

And I’ll sit and I’ll listen and try my sweet best

To lighten the load on your heart”

So he told her of struggles, of heartache and pain

And he cried as he spoke them aloud

For it wasn’t one memory but lots of the same

That were, all of them, weighing him down

He spoke of a place filled with darkness and fear,

A tunnel devoid of all hope

And the spots on her wings deftly captured his tears

Then softly and gently she spoke

“Thanks for the memories,” the butterfly said

Then she gave him a butterfly kiss

And she took a deep breath as she wistfully sighed

And then traded her memory for his

“I’ve always been me but not always like this

There was once when I thought I had died

I was shrouded in darkness ‘til I grew my wings

See,

I needed that darkness to fly”

********

Becky Hemsley 2021

https://www.facebook.com/talkingtothewild

Stunning artwork by Lisa Aisato

'The Butterfly' is from my first collection https://a.co/d/cixPqfW

Brought to you by https://thecorner4women.com together with our sister website http://www.nicheebookcollections.com and our growing e-book library available FREE, through our Newsletter sign up page here:-

https://tc4women.nicheebookcollections.com/NEWSLETTER-EBOOK-LIBRARY-SIGNUP.html We now have over 1900 e-books on our library shelves for your reading pleasure, so do come along and check us out.

More articles by Su DeNyme (our resident writer) & John A Elliott are available here: https://www.nicheebookcollections.com/TC4W/ARTICLES.html

"LETTER TO THE LOVER"

"LETTER TO THE LOVER" (author unknown)

A few days ago I saw you walking in a square, and by the way, you were walking alone, hey where are those designer heels you always wore? Your watches and bags you bought in Paris?

I noticed that your face looked tired, your hair used to be spectacular, it didn't shine any more, and let's not talk about your clothes, you had us used to looking like a real doll.

What happened?

I see it didn't sit well for you to be the wife now.

Now you're the one in charge of your clothes, the one in charge to have your 3 meals a day, and wow, you don't settle for just any plate, I know, (he's picky)... now it's you who has to do the super, the one who has to wash and iron her suits, the one who must have the spotless house, still have the mania to ask you to warm the towel when getting out of the shower?

ugh! And what to say when you bring our children to your house... having to endure them with a fake smile i don't think it's easy for you.

Is this what you imagined your life next to him would be like??. I guess not!

You wanted my spot so much!!

Now you realize it's not easy to be the wife, to take care of a home, to fulfill the husband as a wife, a mother, a housewife, a nurse, a psychologist and an administrator... and with all that load on shoulders still have to look beautiful to him, have a smile and be "available".

Enjoy the role of a lady that I see, I don't know if you're doing it very well, here between us... he keeps looking for me; I think something is wrong with them.

But don't worry about me, I don't return to the arms that one day gave me death.

Just some advice... Open your eyes! that now that you're the wife, the vacancy for a mistress, is available.

https://tc4women.nicheebookcollections.com/NEWSLETTER-EBOOK-LIBRARY-SIGNUP.html We now have over 1900 e-books on our library shelves for your reading pleasure, so do come along and check us out.

More articles by Su DeNyme (our resident writer) & John A Elliott are available here: https://www.nicheebookcollections.com/TC4W/ARTICLES.html

"ALONE WITH ONLY MY MEMORIES" by Ann Marie

"ALONE WITH ONLY MY MEMORIES"
by Ann Marie

Alone with only my memory,

Lost without you here,

Remembering comes so easily,

And with it fall the tears.

They say that time will heal this pain,

That someday it will fade,

But promises feel empty now,

In shadows where I wade.

"Move on," they urge, but what’s out there,

When nothing feels the same?

Without you, I have lost myself,

Adrift without a name.

Each day I wander through this fog,

A heart so heavy, torn,

Trying to find a way to live,

In silence and in mourn.

Yet still, I hold on to our past,

Though sorrow clouds my view,

And hope that in the days to come,

I’ll find a way through.

Until that day, I’ll keep you close,

In memories, in dreams,

And wait for when remembering,

Brings peace within its seams.

https://tc4women.nicheebookcollections.com/NEWSLETTER-EBOOK-LIBRARY-SIGNUP.html We now have over 1900 e-books on our library shelves for your reading pleasure, so do come along and check us out.

More articles by Su DeNyme (our resident writer) & John A Elliott are available here: https://www.nicheebookcollections.com/TC4W/ARTICLES.html

Friday, 12 July 2024

"DANCING WITH YESTERDAY" by Joanne Boyle

"DANCING WITH YESTERDAY"
by Joanne Boyle

and hop scotch at night.

Playing hide and seek

under an old street light.

Dancing with laughter,

to the music of fun.

Playing tag with friends

the chase and run.

Two balls on the wall

as they bounced to a tune.

Keeping with the rhythm

and not a beat too soon.

Our jazz band sticks

all covered with tape.

A tennis ball on the end,

with some tassels to drape.

A game of chequers,

marbles and cats eyes.

An old skipping rope

with so many tries.

A Mother shouting

when it's time to go in.

A sibling hiding

behind the old dustbin.

A bath on a Sunday

before school began.

Deciding who went in first

before it was ran.

Winceyette sheets

under a cotton throw.

A bedside lamp

with a cosy glow.

Caring about everything

yet nothing at all.

Dancing with yesterday

when I was small.

~~~~~~~~~

Author ~ Joanne Boyle ~ Heartfelt

~ Art by Steffi Krenzek

https://tc4women.nicheebookcollections.com/NEWSLETTER-EBOOK-LIBRARY-SIGNUP.html We now have over 1900 e-books on our library shelves for your reading pleasure, so do come along and check us out.

More articles by Su DeNyme (our resident writer) & John A Elliott are available here: https://www.nicheebookcollections.com/TC4W/ARTICLES.html

"THE SEED I PLANTED" by Jody Doty

"THE SEED I PLANTED"
by Jody Doty

Then the tear found its freedom and escaped down my cheek.

Its sadness made tracks down emotional rabbit holes, in and out of old relationships, illnesses,

rocky times, grief and disappointment.

Still, the tear flowed. It kept going until it couldn't travel any longer.

It landed on the ground of my being. It watered a tiny seed of hope I had planted there and miraculously, from the muddy depth of grief and gloom, something beautiful happened.

The seed took root. A sprout of acceptance and peace travelled upward from its hidden, healing home through an opening in the Earth.

It reached its face upward toward the sun and a brilliant flower of resilience bloomed for all the world to see.

Then, the sad little tear nodded with contentment and changed course.

It smiled peacefully, having made its way through the cycles of emotions, memories and a plethora of learning to the heart of the bloom that is life after loss, the sacred space where love remains.

****

https://tc4women.nicheebookcollections.com/NEWSLETTER-EBOOK-LIBRARY-SIGNUP.html We now have over 1900 e-books on our library shelves for your reading pleasure, so do come along and check us out.

More articles by Su DeNyme (our resident writer) & John A Elliott are available here: https://www.nicheebookcollections.com/TC4W/ARTICLES.html

"WILL YOU" by Joanne Boyle

"WILL YOU"
by Joanne Boyle

Will you remember these days

from when you were small?

When you grow up, will you call?

Will you remember the fun

and the laughter we shared?

When you grow up, will it be blared?

Will you remember the games,

all the times you would hide?

When you grow up, will you know we tried?

Will you remember us always

and all the memories we made.

When you grow up, don't let them fade.

Will you remember the cookies

and all the treats in the jar?

When you grow up, don't go too far.

Will you remember those hugs

and a million and one kisses?

When you grow up, will you miss us?

Will You remember the sunshine?

Will You remember the rain?

When you grow up ..... remember again.

********

Author ~Joanne Boyle ~ Heartfelt

Art by ~ Steffi Krenzek

https://tc4women.nicheebookcollections.com/NEWSLETTER-EBOOK-LIBRARY-SIGNUP.html We now have over 1900 e-books on our library shelves for your reading pleasure, so do come along and check us out.

More articles by Su DeNyme (our resident writer) & John A Elliott are available here: https://www.nicheebookcollections.com/TC4W/ARTICLES.html

"THEY CALL US THE ELDERLY"

"THEY CALL US THE ELDERLY" (author unknown)

We were born in the 40-50-60’s.

We grew up in the 50-60-70's.

We studied in the 60-70-80's.

We were dating in the 70-80-90's.

We got married and discovered the world in the 70-80-90's.

We venture into the 80-90’s.

We stabilize in the 2000’s.

We got wiser in the 2010’s.

And we are going firmly through and beyond 2020.

Turns out we've lived through EIGHT different decades...

TWO different centuries...

TWO different millennia...

We have gone from the telephone with an operator for long-distance calls to video calls to anywhere in the world.

We have gone from slides to YouTube, from vinyl records to online music, from handwritten letters to email and Whats App.

From live matches on the radio, to black and white TV, colour TV and then to 3D HD TV.

We went to the Video store and now we watch Netflix.

We got to know the first computers, punch cards, floppy disks and now we have gigabytes and megabytes on our smartphones.

We wore shorts throughout our childhood and then long trousers, Oxfords, flares, shell suits & blue jeans.

We dodged infantile paralysis, meningitis, polio, tuberculosis, swine flu and now COVID-19.

We rode skates, tricycles, bicycles, mopeds, petrol or diesel cars and now we drive hybrids or electric.

Yes, we've been through a lot but what a great life we've had!

They could describe us as “exennials”; people who were born in that world of the fifties, who had an analog childhood and a digital adulthood.

We've kind of “Seen-It-All”!

Our generation has literally lived through and witnessed more than any other in every dimension of life.

It is our generation that has literally adapted to “CHANGE”.

A big round of applause to all the members of a very special generation, which will be UNIQUE.

https://tc4women.nicheebookcollections.com/NEWSLETTER-EBOOK-LIBRARY-SIGNUP.html We now have over 1900 e-books on our library shelves for your reading pleasure, so do come along and check us out.

More articles by Su DeNyme (our resident writer) & John A Elliott are available here: https://www.nicheebookcollections.com/TC4W/ARTICLES.html

"WHAT IS LIFE LIKE?" by Chima_Dickson

"WHAT IS LIFE LIKE?"

by Chima_Dickson

A Story Worth Your Time.

One day, a boy asked his old grandfather,

"Grandpa, let me take this opportunity to ask a question; what is life like?"

The old man stood in thought for a moment, with a look of intense surprise on his face, then he said,

"Come, on boy! I want you to follow me to the market place, I need to buy a few things - a number of things, actually. When we return, I'll tell you what life is like. Let's go!"

The boy and his grandfather went to the market place in the town. They bought detergent, toothbrush, tissues, toilet paper, some vegetables, fruits, eggs, milk and fish. They spent a wonderful time together, had so much fun, told jokes, laughed a lot, and it was an incredible experience.

Later in the evening, they arrived home, tired and hungry, but delighted to have had such an enjoyable time together. The boy then asked his grandfather,

"So tell me, grandpa... what is life like?"

The old man said,

"Let me ask you a question first. What happened after we finished shopping at the market place?"

The boy answered,

"We came home."

The old man smiled broadly and whistled,

"Good! That is how life is! Life is like shopping at the market place; after you finished, you go home! Listen boy, life is like a market place. Everyone comes to the market to buy or sell. And when the market time is over, everyone goes back home. Some people came and forget what they want to buy, while some people came and buy what they want to buy and go. Some make the most out of every moment, while some dwell in sadness and regrets. Some leave early, some leave later, but all return home at one time or the other. Some are in a hurry, while a few are patient to order their steps. Whether or not you are doing well in life, you must go home one day. We are not here to stay forever. But the important question is; when we eventually return home, what will we bring from the market place? What type of footprints are we going to leave?"

Author: Chima_Dickson Official

https://tc4women.nicheebookcollections.com/NEWSLETTER-EBOOK-LIBRARY-SIGNUP.html We now have over 1900 e-books on our library shelves for your reading pleasure, so do come along and check us out.

More articles by Su DeNyme (our resident writer) & John A Elliott are available here: https://www.nicheebookcollections.com/TC4W/ARTICLES.html

"OUTNUMBERED" by Becky Hemsley

"OUTNUMBERED"
by Becky Hemsley

7 pounds 10 ounces -

They all asked how much you weighed

And an IQ of 100

Makes you average so they say

9 out of 10 in Monday’s test

Piano to grade 5

2 minors in your Friday test

And now you’re free to drive

85’s the pass mark

So you’d better try your best

And if you’re scoring 90

Then you’re destined for success

But grade five doesn’t tell them

Of your favourite song to play

And how much you love is not defined

By how much you might weigh

Seven pounds won’t tell them

You were born to paint the stars

And your test scores can’t explain

How you have come to bear your scars

Two is not nostalgia

When you drive yourself back home

And it’s not the memories you make

With friends out on the road

Eighty-five and ninety

Aren’t the songs you sing when sad

And they’re not the feeling in your heart

When you get up to dance

One hundred doesn’t tell them

That your favourite month’s September

So when you feel outnumbered

It’s important you remember

You are strength and you are kindness

You’re creative and you’re brave

You are things that can’t be measured,

Can’t be counted, can’t be weighed

You’re a name and not a number

You weren’t born to be a score

So don’t let them quantify you

When you’re made of so much more

********

Becky Hemsley 2020

https://www.facebook.com/talkingtothewild

Artwork by Sam Acevedo

"Outnumbered" is from my first collection https://a.co/d/6JZmaLX

https://tc4women.nicheebookcollections.com/NEWSLETTER-EBOOK-LIBRARY-SIGNUP.html We now have over 1900 e-books on our library shelves for your reading pleasure, so do come along and check us out.

More articles by Su DeNyme (our resident writer) & John A Elliott are available here: https://www.nicheebookcollections.com/TC4W/ARTICLES.html