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The Legacy

*Text of the poem typed below the image for ease of reading.* On finding my voice. It’s not easy making my voice heard as a woman writer. It’s just the cold, hard truth. Which means I just push myself harder to be the best at my craft. No excuses. I play Words like I play Sports; no pain, no gain, and never ever leave your heart on the bench. I encourage you all to be secure in your identity, whether you’re a writer or not, and to chase after your calling, your passions and dreams, without ever holding back. Who are you? What makes you *you*? And what mark do you wish to leave upon the world? Ignore expectations and stereotypes; dig deep and ask yourself the tough questions. It’s enlightening and liberating to take the time to sit and write your own self-declaration of who you are. What will YOUR legacy be?

The Legacy

Losers Weepers

Pop Up Poetry Announcement!

In light of numerous threats of friendly humiliation and metaphorical castration by an anonymous individual (@eddiecabbage), I will be strapping on my big girl panties and hosting my own #PopUpPoetry event on Instagram this Friday evening. But honestly, I’ve been mulling this over for months, and I have no excuse as to why not NOW. So this will be an excellent learning experience for me, and I thank you all in advance for giving me the opportunity to do so on this platform. Please!–Get involved! I want to hear from you! It’s going to be fun and random and rapid-fire…

Would You Stay If I Asked You To…

The 2014 Boys & Girls Club Civil War Dinner & Auction: A Rhetorical Redhead Report

A last-minute invitation from a dear friend awarded me the chance to attend this year’s annual Boys & Girls Club Civil War Dinner & Auction at the Salem Convention Center this Thursday evening.

Being Civil War-themed, attendees were encouraged to fly their colors to support their favorite Oregon university: University of Oregon with their green and yellow, or Oregon State University with black and orange. Naturally an Oregon Duck, I ran home after work to hurriedly don my loud, bright yellow Oregon volleyball jersey and throw on my running tights before dashing back downtown for the festivities. Surrounded by friends and a hot date on my arm, I waltzed into the Convention Center to see what the hubbub was all about.

Seasons Change

“Seasons Change” while Fall lasts. This was written so long ago during the shift from Summer to Autumn, a prompt by my dear @j.raymond. I’m really upset that I couldn’t find his initial poem to which my response is based off of….Jack, if you find it, holla back! Wanting to give credit to this crazy guy. Much love, my friend.

The Eulogy

“The Eulogy”…a letter to my 14-year-old coonhound puppy to whom I have to say goodbye tomorrow. Not really poetry…but every word is from the very depths of my mourning soul. And I know I’m not the only one to lament and weep over the loss of a beloved dog. (Signed and postdated for tomorrow as well, because I already know I won’t be able to do so after the fact.) This has been the hardest week of my life…I still stand by my belief that it is more difficult to lose a pet than it is to lose a person.…

Autumn

Because it’s Fall! And Fall is beautiful. I’ve missed you, #calligraphy! Except that my pen nib choked at the last word…oh well. Scent of dewy earth and smoky breezeMulch of color beneath booted feetGripping tight life’s warmth in cupped handsAs leaves turn and blush in the arms of their wooded lovers.

My Forever Vow

Inspired by @matthewaubreymurphy‘s latest poem, the following is a mirror-response prose to this stunning soul of a writer (I intentionally mirrored his word choice and style because, well, duh, he’s brilliant–FOLLOW HIM. Do it. #peerpressure). I recommend reading his poem first before reading my response for it to make sense (naturally), so I posted it below. NOTE! I do NOT disagree that there is beauty to, and at times a necessity for, temporary love. I believe in the power of brief meetings, breathtaking moments with souls that are just as desperate and lost as we are, and within that tiny snapshot of life, they change us forever whether we realize it or not. But…guilty hopeless romantic here because, at the end of the day, I will always be an advocate for those Forever Loves because they truly exist! (Thank God.) And I would hate to ignore their intense value by only spotlighting the temporal. Matt and I have discussed this topic at length, and I am honored that he permitted me to write this in response to him. I’m in awe with this guy. He is one of the purest souls I have met while building this mess of a writing career I’m trying to get off the ground, and I’m blessed to call him my friend. This is for you, Matt. Because you deserve, we all deserve, a Forever Love with that one person who beautifies our messes and ruffles our obsession with perfection. Who gets us. Dedicated to all you long-term relationship peeps and fellow hopeless rom’s. Love to you all. #forever #love #versus #temporary #lovers

Supporting Writers Sunday: Eddie Cabbage

On Eddie Cabbage: The Rhetorical Truth from the Rhetorical Redhead

Eddie Cabbage, the TruthI dubbed @eddiecabbage” #TheGodfatherOfInstagram” a long time ago as a joke. But soon, our inside joke became quite a fitting name…and so it stuck. I have been fortunate to have Eddie as a friend and colleague for the past eight months, and he has taught me so much about myself, my writing process, the joys and evils of Instagram, and the rapidly-changing writer-world we live in. I’ve witnessed so many other writers praising Eddie for his honesty and Truth-seeking journey, while other writers verbally gang rape him both publicly and behind his back. It’s a funny culture we live in, where immediate gratification is celebrated and constructive criticism is damned; Eddie holds no shame in calling writers out when plagiarizing or proving “two-faced”–in short, he holds the Instagram writing community accountable. And honestly, you can’t argue with his logic. I’ve noted that most people who hate and/or verbally bash Eddie just don’t “get it.” And by “it,” I mean The Big Picture. Sure, earlier on in our friendship I questioned if I should be backing this unfiltered, no-muss no-fuss, fearless, outwardly raw, and brutally honest writer. Sometimes his blunt nature shocked me and/or made me feel uncomfortable…but he was always right. His intentions were always pure and his points were always valid. So when I questioned his motives or his actions, I found him guilty of nothing other than being truthful and open in a society that thrives off manipulative personas and false/instant success.

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