My Poetry Debut

Origami Peace Poetry Cards

It was my first poetry reading, other than at open mikes. I was a featured poet with three other poets at the Poet Luck reading at Whatcom Art Center on St Patrick's Day. I think I can add "poet" to my introduction now.

I am mostly known for my five award-winning children's books, which feature lessons learned from cats. Others know me from my non-fiction books on finding happiness.

Poetry isn't new to me though. I've been writing poems since junior high school when I wrote a sonnet about being a social worker. In high school, I learned to write haiku and cinquains in my Writing Lab class.

My first published writing was in fact a poem, so I was technically a poet first. I remember leaving from the Bellevue Writers Group and thinking I should enter the contest for the most rejections, because at least then I could maybe win the gummy rat prize. But first I put it out into the universe to show me a sign that I should keep writing. Within a week I received my first payment as an author and it was for a poem, a haiku, and I received $1.20.

That was an accurate message. Yes, my writing was good enough to be published. But I was never going to get rich from my writing. Oh so true. My goal is to reach people with my words, to put my books into the hands of readers, to leave a legacy of positive thinking, good messages.

I have continued to write poetry occasionally, just for fun. When I was invited to participate in the world peace poetry postcard project, I thought that sounded fun and risk free. I could write and send my poems, without needing for them to be accepted. Some were definitely better than others.

For my reading on St. Patrick's Day, I went through my poetry journals and selected what I considered my best poems.

Here are two:

Let peace settle

Down around you,

Like a cloud of softness,

Like a dove

Delivering an olive branch,

Like a mother’s embrace.

Peace

Comes softly,

On padded feet.

Not with guns

Not with bombs,

Not with death and destruction,

But with friendship and acceptance,

With understanding and compassion.

I've also been making origami cards, painted and decorated and blinged out with sparkly stickers and metallic markers, each with a peace poem tucked inside. They have become a popular item for my booth at the Whatcom Art Market. They are also sold at Art and Happiness, which also is a great place to find cute stickers.

As I look for inspiration for my peace poems, it holds me on the positivity path. Creating that visual imagery of peace with words is highly satisfying. I invite you to join me. Just sit down and dash out a quick verse.

Dare to make a difference.

Dive into action that brings joy to others.

Write a poem and speak of peace

and watch it spread around the world.