The Beauty of Different

Once again from wandering the blogosphere, I have discovered something profound.  Chookooloonks is one of my new favorites, full of beautiful insight through the words and photographs of Karen Walrond.  A former engineer and lawyer, Karen has won several awards, is a highly sought keynote speaker, and has been featured on Oprah and CNN.

She is also a published author.  Her book, the Beauty of Different, is a stunning combination of Karen's remarkable eye joined together with a gift of story-telling that with make all readers gush with appreciation.  Certainly a must read.  I found this introductory video on the book's page and my mind was immediately pushed adrift, a raft of thought floating slowly out to sea.




I would love to say that I have always celebrated those things that make me different, but that would be a lie. I had to grow into this.  Cry a few nights, because I didn't understand.  I had to open my eyes and see me.  But now, I am enamored with my differences.  I champion the fact that they're all a collection of little things that set me apart from everyone else.  And now, I see them as beautiful whereas, for too many years, I believed them to be flaws.  I hope that everyone can find it in them, to savor those things that make you unique.  As Karen superbly states in the video, we are all uniquely, breathtakingly beautiful.  And that should be reason enough for a smile.

Marcus Jamison, the Rare Poet

National Poetry Month

I'm amazed that I haven't posted in April yet, since this is one of my favorite months of the year.  April is National Poetry Month, which means that most poets are currently sprouting forth words at rapid pace.  It is a time to come together and celebrate the power of poetry.  I am currently participating in three 30/30s  (30 poems in 30 days).  It is such a motivating time period, and perhaps only second to NaNoWriMo (which I will also be participating in this year) in output of words.  So to all you lovers of poetry, search around this month.  I am sure you will find many delightful poems that inspire and entertain.  Here's the first poem that I wrote this month:

Write Fresh

my cupboard is bare, my soul longs

to eat, got to

make it to the storehouse

on malnourished feet,

so I can feast

on line upon line,

I been starving!

it’s high time that I was fed,

I need something

sublime,

a little

food for thought, I need

vittles for my mind,

need

something that’s gonna get me

through this trying lifetime,

where far too many

sit hungry,

desolation carving emptiness

through lives

with no warning,

hope my words can be substance

‘til the broken

find their spoon,

‘cause all our souls could use a bit

of better eatin’ soon,

and so

I write fresh

 [End Poem]

National Poetry Month!!  Here is to an amazing April!

Marcus Jamison, the Rare Poet