THE CORNER 4 WOMEN

Tuesday 10 September 2024

"MOM PLEASE LIVE LONG"

"MOM PLEASE LIVE LONG"
(author unknown)

My mother is 70. She hands me pears and apples, apologizing as she says, 'They don’t look that great, but they’re really tasty. They’re not sprayed, they’re from our garden. Take them, I know you love them…'

And I do take them. I take the cheese, too, because I love my mom’s cheese. I leave, get in the car, drive away. And again, I’m off somewhere. Always rushing. Changing cities and time zones. I visit her when I can, after all my other commitments—after coffee with friends and a manicure at the salon.

I bring her something tasty, ask quickly how she is, what's new. I listen impatiently (what could really be new with her and dad?), dismissively brush off her insignificant problems and worries, and then I leave again—back to my busy life.

She always tells me I’m not dressed warmly enough, that’s why my cough won’t go away. She says I’m working too hard, and it’s time to slow down. She’ll agree with me that life is complicated, and that it’s okay if I can’t visit as often.

And yet, we live just 20 kilometres apart. I call her regularly, listening to her detailed stories about the market, about her sister struggling alone in the village, about how the tomatoes didn’t grow this year, not even green ones—there was a drought. She tells me how our cat was bitten by the neighbour's dog…

It’s not interesting to me. It feels like nothing significant is happening in her life. I get a bit annoyed when she complains about her aches and pains, and I beg her to see a doctor. But she waves it off. What do I know about her medications? After all, I’m not a doctor.

Then, out of nowhere, she says so sadly, 'But who else will I complain to, if not you?'

I fall silent, holding the phone, realizing how unfair I’ve been. Her voice, her words, all our endless debates over who’s right, her grumbling, my excuses—all of this is our life. The life that’s happening here and now.

I jump up, get in the car, and drive to her ‘unplanned.’ She quickly makes me fresh flatbreads, dad offers me a glass of our homemade wine. I can't drink, I’m driving. He drinks alone, proudly praising his wine. We laugh…

I wrap myself in my mother’s shawl, it’s chilly. She swiftly tosses more wood into the stove. And suddenly, I’m a carefree, happy little girl again. Everything tastes so good. It’s warm. There are no problems…

Mom, Mom, just live long, because I don’t know what it’s like to not hear your voice, to live without your kitchen and the warmth of the home you create. I don’t know what it’s like to live without you…"

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"WAITING FOR THE TRAIN OF LIFE" by Joanne Boyle

"WAITING FOR THE TRAIN OF LIFE"
by Joanne Boyle

Patiently she waited,

her suitcase was all packed neat

and as she looked around her

she used it as a seat.

Inside she packed her feelings

to share with those around.

Some feelings were so loud

and others had no sound.

She had hope to offer the lost.

Faith was in her magic dust.

She offered dreams to the poor

and gave insecurities her trust.

She unpacked so many smiles

to help many on their way.

They hadn't realised the difference

it was about to make their day.

She gave handkerchiefs to tears.

Hugs without any words.

She brought light to the darkness

when others had not cared.

The suitcase of emotions.

Packed right up to the seams.

Waiting for the train of life.

Made from hopes and dreams.

*******************

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.

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Monday 9 September 2024

"THE FIGHT" by Becky Hemsley

"THE FIGHT"
by Becky Hemsley

They’d heard she was a warrior.

And so they pictured her fresh from the fight - with flowing hair and dirt etched on her face. With fitted armour and a sword in her hand.

What they hadn’t realised was that she looked like the woman stood next to them in the supermarket. With messy hair and hurt etched on her face. With creased jeans and a coffee in her hand.

Because she’d been fighting a battle they knew nothing about. And even though it didn’t look like much of a victory to them, it really was.

That she was there. She was fighting. She was strong.

And no matter what she, or the battle, or the victory might have looked like to anyone else,

the fact remained…

She was a warrior.

******

Words Becky Hemsley 2023

https://www.facebook.com/talkingtothewild

Beautiful artwork by The Art of Jennifer Yoswa

'The Fight' is from my fourth collection here: https://a.co/d/iuz9E5M

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:
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"EXTRAORDINARY" by Becky Hemsley

"EXTRAORDINARY"
by Becky Hemsley

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 Karina Sokerї

'Extraordinary' is from 'Letters from Life' https://a.co/d/dZNNvcy

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:
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"THE COAT OF LOVE" by Joanne Boyle

"THE COAT OF LOVE"
by Joanne Boyle

I stopped by your house today.

I saw you sitting there.

I watched you through the window,

Sitting on my chair.

That old coat of mine,

you had thrown across your knee.

I wanted to come and tell you,

that's not how to remember me.

I saw you look toward the window,

then at the flicker of the light.

Yes that was me my love

from the darkness of the night.

You turned toward my photograph.

I watched you cry again.

I longed to stop those tears.

To try to take away your pain.

So I flickered the light once more.

This time I think you knew.

You then hugged that old coat

Just like you used to do.

But unlike those times before,

you saw my coat was now unworn.

You hugged it once again my love

and a memory was born.

I watched as you now smiled.

Then as you got up from the chair,

I put on that old familiar coat,

and I met you there.

**********

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:
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Sunday 8 September 2024

"AWAKENED FROM MY TRANCE" by Joanne Boyle

"AWAKENED FROM MY TRANCE"
by Joanne Boyle

I slept upon a bed of flowers

until you came for me.

You woke me up from my sleep

In your loving memory.

I walked towards your thoughts.

Each step I took with love.

As I joined you in the moments

that floated up above.

With each memory we relived,

flowers would appear.

And as the scent got stronger

I knew you felt me near.

Not only did we speak of times,

ones that we had shared,

We caught so many whispers

as our loved ones memories aired.

Then the gates of heaven opened

and I saw my lifetime dance.

In the reflection on the earth

I was awakened from my trance.

Joanne Boyle ~ Heartfelt

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:
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"KNOWING WHEN TO LET GO" by Becky Hemsley

"KNOWING WHEN TO LET GO"
by Becky Hemsley

There will be some people in life who just won’t be able to love you the way you need them to.

The way you love them.

There will be some people in life who won’t treat you the way you deserve to be treated.

The way you treat them.

And there will people in life who just can’t give you what you want.

Sometimes we cling on to these people for far longer than we should. Like a tree clinging desperately to its leaves, trying not to let them fall.

But they will fall.

Eventually.

And the tree shouldn’t blame itself.

Because the loss - whilst great - is necessary. The tree needs to lose its leaves so it can rediscover its roots and ready itself for a fresh start.

You can’t keep painting autumn leaves green and expecting them to stay.

Deep down they are always destined to fall.

The key is knowing when to let go.

************

Becky Hemsley 2023

https://www.facebook.com/talkingtothewild

Gorgeous artwork by Andrei Bagno

This poem is from 'Letters from Life' https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CHL9MZC1...

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:
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