Poetry for Change

Walls

 

There are bad hombres out there, you say

and we need to build a wall to

keep them out.

 

You’ve built that wall,

quickly, cleverly,

though it’s invisible.

You’ve kept out the innocents,

built blocks around basic needs.

 

You promised to pick up the economy

by the strength of your majestic hands

instead you started a flood:

supreme rage

threats of war.

 

You’ve built walls around the world:

 

walls between men and women

walls between races and lovers

walls between politicians who worked together

walls of indifference

between countries that once were friendly neighbors

 

and that glass ceiling won’t come crashing down

as long as you’re in power.

 

When I see you on TV

sputtering your hate and ignorance

I can’t help but think of the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man in Ghostbusters;

that cruel, crazed look on his face as he stomped on every building,

every person in his way.

He was only destroyed by team work

and some cool technology.

 

I’m not saying we should blow you up into marshmallow goo.

 

I didn’t write that.

Violence is never an answer,

contrary to what you’ve insinuated in

your many misspelled tweets.

 

But there’s got to be a better way for us.

A way without walls.

Or maybe, simply, with

four walls around you.

 

 

Celebrating Nine Blogging Years!

This weekend, WordPress informed me that my blog is now nine years old.

I look back over the years, and realize that I owe so much to this blog, this space, this WordPress, and to you readers. I remember the day I decided to start a blog. A friend I’d met on one of the first social media groups, Yuwie, had suddenly died. Yuwie was buzzing with people discussing my friend’s death. It was like my Facebook newsfeed today, when a celebrity dies, only, it mattered more. I’d corresponded with this guy. Spent time laughing about life with him. I went inline skating, trying to shake off my grief.

I’d been posting lots of poems to Yuwie, and had gained a loyal following, but I’d heard about “blogs” and wanted to try one. I wanted to be at the forefront of social media (and now I’m scared to try SnapChat – but that’s another story ;D ) Something kept nagging at me as I skated – my own voice? a ghost? – to this day, I don’t know. The voice said, “Start a blog.”

When I hear voices, and trust me, it’s not a rare occurrence, I listen. I skated home and started a blog. I titled it Where the Butterflies Go, after one of my early poems. I wrote many more poems over many months, and in the spring of 2008, my first poetry collection was born, mostly out of poems first published on this blog.

355 blog posts, four more poetry collections, a children’s book of poems illustrated by our daughter Kayla, then 5, a screenplay written because Aaron Sorkin visited and signed this blog, and I joined his online discussion group with the most remarkable people, who inspired me to write it; a name change to HeatherGraceStewart.com, three romantic comedy novels, and a fifth poetry collection later…that’s nine years enjoying the sheer joy and excitement that is Bloggyland.

But what means more than realizing all of those posts and publications is YOU taking the time to sign in and comment, to let me know that you’re reading and enjoying. YOU encouraging me. YOU telling me you wanted a sequel to my first novel, and asking me to go back to my poetry for at least one more collection. YOU sharing my poetry and telling others about this blog and my books. YOU reminding me what my roots are, why I started writing in the first place, and how grateful I am to still be here, with you.

Thanks for being here.

Love, Heather

It Never Goes Away.

I’ve been so excited this past week, I can barely eat, sleep, or —now this isn’t normal for me —write!  I know it’s because I’m artistically exhausted. I just completed the long and arduous task of putting together an anthology of poems titled Caged: New and Selected Poems.

Don’t get me wrong – the task was not without joy! It’s a unique arrangement of photographs and new and selected poems published over the last 25 years of my career, and it was created with the help of an amazing team, including editor Jennifer Bogart and book and cover designer Jo Clendening. Writing, taking the photos and even putting this anthology together—that was the fun part. Now comes the challenging part: getting it out there into the hands and hearts of poetry readers around the world.

It never goes away: that nervousness in the pit of your stomach the week before a book release. Will anyone want to read it? What if the reviews are horrible? And this one – this one will be familiar to many aspiring and long-time authors – What if this is the last good thing I ever write?

Experience has taught me that people do indeed want to read my works, and that sometimes some of the reviews are indeed horrible. I’ve learned not to pay much attention to those if they don’t offer me solid advice on becoming a better writer. I won’t let trolls or nastiness stop me from allowing my creative juices to flow. Creativity makes my life more colorful and meaningful. Besides, there have been many great reviews, and even a couple bestselling novels. I try to focus on those positive achievements, while still giving myself room to improve and grow as an artist. Tantrums happen with setbacks and frustrations (come on, I’m an artist!) but I finish those as fast as I can, and move along. Wayne Dyer once wrote “no one is going to ruin this Christmas, especially not me,” and I try to live my writing career like that. It’s a privilege to get to do what I do. I try to remember that every day.

I’ve also learned that as soon as I launch one book, if I take some time to chill and relax into all that’s creative within and around me, something new and beautiful always starts brewing. So far, each new project has been quite different. I like to think I’ll still be writing and taking photos at 88, but we’ll have to wait and see. The official count stays at 12 books and a digital screenplay —for now!

You can check out CAGED: NEW AND SELECTED POEMS on Kindle and on Amazon worldwide and Bn.com It’s available in three different formats, and ready to pre-order at a reduced price on Kindle until Nov. 10!  You can also pre-order the color hardback copy (it has already charted as the #3 Most Gifted Canadian Poetry Book on Amazon.ca! Wow! Thanks, lovely readers!)

The official launch date for the book is November 10, and that evening, you’ll find me on my Facebook Author page, doing a live video to say hello, raise a glass, and thank you for reading. Let’s say 830 EST. I may do an earlier one for my overseas pals if time permits that afternoon.

Copies of the color hardback edition of Caged arrived at our home this afternoon. And guess what? The goosebumps and elation you feel when you hold one of your publications in your hands for the first time? That never goes away, either.

Maybe, now, I can finally sleep.

love,

Heather

A Face and a Name

My new business cards from Moo.com are so much fun! Love how they and their lovely card holders (which come free with the cards) are sourced from paper from sustainable forests and recycled pulp. Even the four, red order reference cards aren’t wasted. Instead, they have fun sayings on them like “I like your shoes.” I passed one on to our daughter (“You’re delightful.” ) and will give the other three to readers who want them at my next book signing: Indigo Books, Pointe Claire, Quebec, Saturday, October 4th! I’ll also be the guest author reading & signing books at Pincourt Library, QC, on Tuesday, November 4th.

I’ve put a photo of myself on my business cards for the past two years and have noticed it’s made a big difference in people finding my web sites and buying my books. Some people forget names – so a biz card with just a name on it doesn’t always jog their memory about, “who the heck handed me this card again?”

Think about it for your business cards!

By the way, I love your shoes!

Heather 🙂