Coming into Her Own -- Sunday Features - 10/07/2011

From the moment female inhales her first breath she is on a quest to find herself and piece together how she fits into the larger picture of existence. It’s a journey of growth, trial and error, and discovery. And this journey will follow her all the days of her life on earth.
I remember being the new kid at school, over and over again. The games the other girls played to let me know I was on the bottom of some unspoken food chain. The games the boys initiated to let me know I was a welcome distraction from some unspoken suppression. The things I repeated in my head all day long lest the mental madness become my very own Armageddon. My mother’s words that “I could be anything I dreamed of being.” My father’s continued reminder that I wasn’t “anyone’s doormat,” and that I could “do anything that boys can do and maybe somethings even better.” The first teacher to say, “You are brilliant; never lose sight of that.” The first boy I beat in a high-stakes recess race who exclaimed, “But you’re a stupid girl! Girls can’t run faster than boys.”
These were the words I clung to, the ones attached to my first life lessons that would weave into the very fibers of my survival. These are the words that keep me pressing forward, still on repeat after all these years. What are the words you hear that ignite your passion to keep pressing on? What are the images that remind you that you are a dynamic woman, one who may not have arrived but is clearly pressing through to become all the woman there is to be? Never lose sight of these things.

Hope and determination are a powerful duo. Pressing forward often means wrestling with one’s own shadow, in all of its binding, repressing forms.


On My Own Ground by © electricstorm
Your voice came in and out, muffled by the revolutions above,
A slight humming, lulling me back to the depths…
All the while being pulled towards the creeping morning light. My vision skews as I face another day, another day of scenarios, another day with you. Conscious of those who walked before me…walked these same steps…forever conscious of my surroundings…no thanks to you. You are my little shadow, forever haunting, forever present.
Vulnerable I am not, yet you remain after each breakthrough…you are not the slick that can be rubbed away. Unfortunately you and I somehow fused…though I like to think of you as not wanting to give up the ghost, and I’m not laughing. The flaw not equated on your part was my ambition…for one day… like those before me…you, will be, no more. And then I can be the victor unmasked by circumstance. For you see, I was never meant to be captured…

Plant yourself and behold what blossoms!

Rooted  by © Antaratma Images

Grabbing freedom by the hand and stepping out in courage and faith are common realities, and often these are the only valuables within reach when walking out the door of past hurts, repressions and failures.

a woman by © Sally Omar
she closed the door
gently behind her
descended to the bottom
of the staircase
one glance back
she was gone
with bags in hand
her clothes, a few pictures
a little money
knowing the time had come
to leave all that she knew
her heart was heavy
but she came to the realization
she was a woman
capable
resourceful
beautiful
wanting to be free of the grasp
of being held down
she could no longer breathe
stifling from old-fashioned rules
she had to say goodbye
to a mother
ruled by the heavy hand
of her father
a demon in his own right
wanting full control
with his own lurid secrets
to her sister
who followed in the sad footsteps
of a lost weak mother
to her brother
who followed in the vile footsteps
of an overbearing father
leaving her home of unhappiness
and disillusion
leaving the old rituals
of a dysfunctional family
no goodbyes were said
she wanted freedom
the air was brisk and cool
the sun had just gone down
walking with long strides
her long golden hair bounced
with each step
an unknown journey had just begun
one that would lead her
to a new look at womanhood
and strength
she took a deep breath
whispering “i am free”
a woman

Don’t waste another moment on excuses that push your dreams and aspirations to another day. A day where more things may line up, where more things might be just right . Within the imperfections are woman’s perfections.


Imperfections by © Renate Dartois

The first images most women have that embody the many dimensions of hidden strength and courage are of their mothers.

  The Journey by © MaryMac
The night is cold with snow
The wind mourns as it blows below
The chimney and crumbling eves
Are quainter by the rustle of dead leafs.
Sweet memories cascade back
To momma’s house…
her kindness and council linger on in my heart
She taught lessons and meanings of life’s challenges
I hear her voice to say, “Ann, life is not fair
Life is a journey to be savored and to be enjoyed”
Her life on earth is over…her piano sold.
I continue upon my journey awaiting patiently…still learning
Watching my daughter and her son grow.
I know one day we will
see one another again…
and she’ll ask of me
“Ann, tell me about your journey…
Did you live and savor to make your way home?”

How sweet it is when she comes into her own,wherever that may be.

Homecoming by © Tate Fox

 Often, the best seat in the house is the one within. Here’s a reminder of the importance of being a great observer.

Observer by © Sybille Sterk
I am sitting
in a little room
in my mind
a bit untidy
but the chair is comfy
and
I watch
the world go by
like a soap opera
following story lines
and characters
making connections
rewriting endings
and
I spot the problems
and their solutions
long before anyone else
I shout really loud
but no one listens
and no one hears
because
I am sitting
in a little room
in my mind
a bit messy and dusty
but the chair is ever so comfy.

There’s value in numbers. Never underestimate the power of two minds working together, of two hearts beating in unity for the betterment of worthy causes, of two souls destined and determined to find the dynamic woman within.

  I am not pretty by © msdebbie
I am not pretty.
I prefer instead
to be described as
intelligent,
hard-working,
self-sufficient,
great in bed.
I am not especially angry,
but gosh, with an opinion
it is easy to fool folks!
That’s right, chalk it up
to anger management issues.
No need to consider
your own level of fear.
Imagine that! Such
vitriol from a girl!
I will not be your
damsel in distress.
I prefer instead
to be called Debstar,
rockstar, awesome,
than crying bleakly
to be rescued like
some Disney princess.
I am sorry if these thoughts
offend you. After all,
I was just meant to be
the smart one.
My beautiful sister Barb
took her jibes as
the pretty one,
especially when a first-round
uni offer was not provided.
But she overcame that
token comfort,
the small-minded label
of a country-town
where such distinctions
are rife, yet meaningless.
Here is what we do
I told her in 1994.
You have five minutes
to cry, get all of that out
of your system, then we plan.
You would be a great nurse.
They will be lucky to have you.
We will make it so they cannot say no.
And so it was . . . persistence
delivered a second-round offer…
So, let me tell you again,
■ Debstar is not a sex kittenstuck on a stripper polesomewhere sleazy.■ Barb is not a pretty facewho can be shamed intovacuity for perpetuity.We are like-minded sisters
fighting the good fight.
■ We know there are no damsels in distress■ Even a sex kitten can work outhow to get down from a stripper poleI am not a pretty girl,
Barb is not a pretty face,
I don’t want to be a pretty girl,
you guessed it,
I want to be so much more
than a pretty girl,
than a smart girl.
I want to be all that I want to be.
Such ridiculous labels do not define me. 

It’s alright to drift in between dreams, just as it’s alright to reinvent the dormant ones or weave several together into a chain that leads the way.


In between dreams  by © Trish Woodford

Just as salmons swim upstream, so too will a spirit longing to fly into the promise of a satisfying life.

Intensify by © Vesna VD
Soft, pastel background silence
Black, sharp, ink words sound so dense
Intensifies the hearing
Calm, still, frozen landscapes
Sudden flapping, the photograph escapes
Intensifies the sight
Whirlwind thoughts, emotional nightmare
Tamed by the newborn wisdom flare
Intensifies the smell
Deep dive under the skin
Feeling the waves within
Intensifies the touch
Salmon swims upstream somewhere
Berries are shared with a black bear
Intensifies the taste
Intensify
Love
for
Life
Satisfy 

Day by day she is infused with profusion, she shouts to the world, “I will survive and I will rejoice in this journey!”

Exuberance by © Cabisha

Holding onto hope infuses dreams into reality.

  The flight of birds by © April Mansilla
I wonder what you feel
When the sun is high and my eyes
Blur…
when the moon is only half full
Of himself
It will never be too late
Like water rushing between toes
At the edge of perfect
My adoration
My life
This is a place where
dreams live wide eyed
White clouds
and blue
sunrise
looking out upon
this amazing world
the shutter slammed today
and I took a picture of
a million words
flying
like birds
escaping between
alleys
tell me how you feel
it is never too late
it is early hours when thoughts rise
and stretch out
skin turning luminescent in the light
of the matter
and holding onto
things such as love
and hope
days like this
My mouth is half open ready to speak
but instead I smile

'A Moment of Solitude' - Sunday Features - 03/07/2011

The features this week were inspired by the wonderful image from Renate Dartois – “A Moment of Solitude” whose image gives us the message that, as women, we need moments of solitude and self-reflection to balance how much of ourselves we give away. The truth of this message is self-evident, but how often to we allow ourselves these precious moments of quietness, or think about the need to equalise the balance of our own emotional needs against the needs of others?
In all the images here, we consider how we project ourselves to the world, and to our inner selves, through our eyes and expressions. The eyes become a window to the soul.

This image shimmers with a force as strong as the woman depicted here. The deep and passionate colours tell us about the woman herself and maybe about the emotional cost of giving to others. Her eyes are closed, and one can feel the intensity of her inner self-reflection. This is a powerful and emotive work.

“As women we need moments of solitude and self reflection to balance out how much of ourselves we give away…..”
Renate Dartois

A moment of solitude….. © Renate Dartois

The art of Madelena Lobao-Tello has reflects her rich cultural background and reveals to us women of strength and determination. Here, we see Flora – the Goddess of Seeds. She is forever young and beautiful. In her eyes, however, there is a haunting look of vulnerability and we feel we have been given a glimpse into her psyche. She is the protector of women, and yet she is herself young and vulnerable.“Goddess protector of the flora and of the germination process of the seeds.My interpretation of the roman goddess Flora, divinity who was in charge of the flowers, the germination of seeds and with them the fields and agriculture. Not only that, the goddess of flowers and seeds was also considered the special protector of women and the goddess of love until it was replaced by Venus-Aphrodite.Flora, the goddess forever young, epitome of harmony and beautiful proportion, majestic and luxuriously has given its name to what is known as vegetable kingdom.”
Madalena Lobao-Tello


Goddess of the Seeds – Flora © Madalena Lobao-Tello

An empathy with humanity is a theme that runs throughout the art of Janis Zroback. Her women are multi-dimensional beings, complex and whole. In “Too Much, Too Little” we see the inner emotions of a woman who is suffering but who we know will find the strength to move forward. The inspired and careful use of colour and paint strokes add to the emotional intensity of the work. It is stunning.


“Don’t ask me why a happy person like myself seems to get right into life’s agonies when I paint portraits…I don’t know the answer..
Maybe because agony is related to ecstasy and you can’t have one without the other?
Maybe it’s a basic empathy with human suffering that drives me to portray these emotions…
Whatever it is, it’s at bottom a feeling that all art should say more than what’s on the surface…should be akin to a poem more than an essay..
She has made the final decision…what’s next? The future looks bleak but anything is better than this…”
Janis Zroback

Too Much.. Too Little.. Too Late © Janis Zroback

‘Taming The Panther’ is another strong image where the use of colour and line add to the overall power of the image. It deals with the concept of female power, but also the issues of dreams, intuition, creativity and self-awareness. We see real determination in the eyes of the subject and know that to cross her would be a mistake.


“In some cultures (South American, & Central American) the panther is a symbol of courage, valor and power. The panther animal totem is a very powerful and protective presence, individuals with panther totems are usually people who come into this world with a spiritual knowing – a deeper understanding of spiritual things. These people often are very intuitive, psychic, and many are artistically inclined. When the black panther totem appears in your life, it is also a symbol of releasing your passions, and starting a new phase of your life. A phase in which you are discovering your desires, and living your dreams.”
Himitsuhana


Taming the Panther © Himitsuhana

 ‘She Tangled’ by Rosy H is an intricate and complex ink drawing, with detail so fine that it needs to be viewed large. It is about introspection and extroversion, and the eyes here, reveal it all. It is a mesmerising and unforgettable image, and those eyes stay with the viewer long after. There is much symbolism within the image, and, perhaps most notable, are the tree roots and branches weaving themselves around the faces, inviting us to consider the present, past and future. 

 “Gaze inward and gaze outward – introspection and erm… ‘extrospection’ :) They get tangled so it seemed appropriate to name it thus.”
Rosy H

SheTangled © Rosy H

I have been a follower of Sybille’s work for a long time, and she seems to go from strength to strength. Her images are becoming more powerful each week. In this beautiful image we see the inner soul of the young woman through her different colour eyes. The dichotomy of inner and outer beauty is well depicted here in the duality of the face and its make-up, but like all the other images featured today, we have the impression of the inner strength of women.

This particular image is about the efforts we make and the pains we are prepared to take to be beautiful and to adhere to the beauty standards and trends of our time. From designer eyes (coloured contact lenses) to makeup to surgery to turning ourselves into animals or vampires (and so on) there are many ways to hide ourselves until we cannot tell where the mask ends and we end. The saddest thing of all is that we seem to forget that outer beauty is nothing without inner beauty. However, any inner beauty we possess is often overshadowed by the pursuit of outer beauty.
I am not saying that a little makeup is evil or that you shouldn’t look after yourself and make the best of your assets, however, in recent years the concerns with our ‘outer’ shell seems to have taken over any concerns we have with our inner selves, the content as it were. From trying to be size 0 to wearing the latest fashion to cosmetic surgery we seem to have forgotten who we are and where we come from."
Sybille Sterk

Dissembling – Beauty Pageant © Sybille Sterk

This soft and delicate image by Geraldine Maddrell is at first glance of a romantically beautiful woman. Soft, shimmering and delicate, it is however so much more than this. It depicts the emotional and psychological inner world of women, showing that we have choices about who to let in and who to keep out. It is about that moment of self-reflection and contemplation we need in order to fully balance our worlds.

"My inner world
rich and dark
not many may enter
this secret part
There is only one
with whom I trust
to walk gently
and be just "
Geraldine Maddrell

Living On The Inside © Geraldine (Gezza) Maddrell

Dmcart’s stunning image follows on so beautifully from the one above. It captures our imagination by is softness and vulnerability, but speaks to us of inner complexity, of multiple inner emotions and of the need for inner strength. It urges us to be ourselves, and by so being, to allow humanity to grow. 


“In a single human being there are many other beings, all with their own values, motives, and devices. Some psychological technologies suggest we arrest these beings, count them, name them, force them into harness till they shuffle along like vanquished slaves. But to do this would halt the dance of wildish lights in a woman’s eyes; it would halt her heat lightning and arrest all throwing of sparks. Rather than corrupt her natural beauty, our work is to build for all these beings a wildish countryside wherein the artists among them can make, the lovers love, the healers heal.”
Clarissa Pinkola Estes


Oci Ciornie © dmcart

In this gorgeous image we see Demeter, the earth goddess, whose only daughter was abducted by Hades. She searches the world for her lost child, and, as MoonSpiral explains that when she gave up hope of finding her, the world was barren. Moonspiral has used the colours of the earth and oceans to depict her, but it is the look of total sorrow in her eyes that makes us stop and feel real empathy with her.

“When the mothers quit dreaming of a better world for their children we are all in big trouble. When Demeter gave up hope the world became barren. Mothers have a lot of power to dream the world into being.”
MoonSpiral

Demeter’s Dream © MoonSpiral


“Unheard Words Of Mine’ by Christina Rodriguez portrays so skilfully, the anger and confusion that can arise when you cannot make yourself heard. The misery of this is, once again, portrayed through the eyes. We can see the sadness and the anger here. The eyes truly are the window to the soul.

"What do you do when …
You have so much to….
Say and no one will listen?
No one wants to listen…
Or are you just thinking…
No one wants to listen?
Maybe you enjoy…
Dreaming and keeping…
Your thoughts to yourself…
Maybe you know…
No one will ever really…
Appreciate your words…
But…you cannot help….
But still feel lonley and lost…."
Christina Rodriguez, ‘Unheard Words of Mine’

Unheard Words of Mine © Christina Rodriguez

This lovely image by madworld really caught my eye, as I too have never had the gift of a daughter. The love that madworld feels for this young woman shines through the page. It is a wonderful portrait where we catch a glimpse of the subject, but also an insight into the inner self of the photographer.

“I love this girl, she is the daughter I never had, the daughter I can never have, my sons first love, my sons confidante, the one he seeks when he needs someone to tell him to pull his head in, to tell his stories too, to hear the truth from. And he does the same for her. I knew she was special the first time I saw her, a gawky 13 year old with little round granny specs in school uniform who walked in front of my car. And I looked at her and knew, I knew she would be part of my life before Caleb did. A month went past, I would watch her come out of the school gates and try and send her silent messages. And then it happened…could we give her a ride to Youth Theatre. And from that minute on, she was family. I love this girl for what she has given me, for what she has given my son and the friendship that still after all these years that ensues for each of them. I love this girl.”
Madworld

And I love her © madworld

We started with an image of eyes closed, and finish with Madalena’s image which powerfully suggests that the eyes are closed – or not there at all. She talks to us of memories, and how they can inhibit us. She talks of the need to free ourselves into becoming the creative and wonderful women we can be. She uses the eyes as a metaphor. This image will remain with me now and remind me of the need to move forwards.

“What should I do with all those memories which reveal my nights and astonish my days ? I Hang them!”
“Ceramic is to stop being what we were to start being what we are. The creative process is magical, holistic, cosmic…
Belongs to the ceramic series “The Kiss” – The kiss of Memories…”
Madalena Lobao-Tello

Hanged of the memories © Madalena Lobao-Tello

What's on the Inside - Midweek Features - 29/06/2011

The longer I am part of this group and the older I get the more I realise that we are masters at dissembling. We show the world a brave face or the party girl, the dedicated mother, the successful career woman, but underneath there’s always so much more, so many emotions hidden away… We are so many things to so many people and fulfill so many needs outside ourselves, but hidden deep inside there’s always another woman, one that has to deal with getting older, with juggling too many things, a lonely one, an angry one, one who wishes she’d done things differently… and the list goes on forever. So these features are dedicated to all those emotions we keep to ourselves until they come out in our art and writing. See for yourself.

Starting us off is Winterwitch. I love the intensity of the painting and the depth of the emotion within her expression. She’s confident and she knows her place exactly.

Winter Witch by © Janelle McKain



Janelle explains:
WINTER WITCH: a period of destruction and transformation, an “obscure” phase corresponding to the black moon, the menstrual phase, the “Witch”.
The symbol above her head is the triple lunar goddess symbol….maiden, mother, crone (waxing, full, waning moon) Symbolizing feminine energy and psychic abilities.
The Triquetra symbol is incorporated as well.

Here is another suppressed emotion. Who never wanted to be a ‘bad girl’, one that has all the fun, because she doesn’t care what others think, who just goes for the things she wants… The hidden desires a good girl never admits to. Even if your desires are different, I am sure you get the idea. :-)

The Things Nice Girls Miss Out On by © Edibl3leper
The feeling of being used,
More so…+liking it+.
Looking up at someone,
Who loves you all consumingly for 30 minutes.
Knowing his girlfriend hates you…
Because he wants you
Or she wants to be you.
Feeling feminine in fish nets
and a dog collar.
Finding euphoria in asphyxia.
Enjoying pink
In all it variations and textures.
Knowing how to tell between a lie and honesty,
then choosing to pretend you don’t.
Digging your nails in so deep,
You know he’ll have “splaining to do“.
Wearing red lips stick,
Just to smear it creatively.
Learning to hold your eyes in ways
That do more than insinuate.
Breathing pure wanton need from pores,
Drinking sweat.
Becoming numb and beautiful for perfect moments,
In perfect intervals between imperfection personified.
Truly living and dying through someone else’s desire.
Mind altering lust.

And here’s the woman who is quietly confident. On the inside and the outside. A wonderful stark photograph.


Quietly Confident by © dansLesprit



Finding one’s centre, inner peace as it were. One of my personal desires…

Intensify by © Vesna VD
Soft, pastel background silence
Black, sharp, ink words sound so dense
Intensifies the hearing
Calm, still, frozen landscapes
Sudden flapping, the photograph escapes
Intensifies the sight
Whirlwind thoughts, emotional nightmare
Tamed by the newborn wisdom flare
Intensifies the smell
Deep dive under the skin
Feeling the waves within
Intensifies the touch
Salmon swims upstream somewhere
Berries are shared with a black bear
Intensifies the taste
Intensify
Love
for
Life
Satisfy

However, sometimes we just show the world our confident face to hide the fragility of our being and keep from getting hurt.


FRAGILE…HANDLE WITH CARE by © June Ferrol


Understanding and wisdom are the tools we need to deal with life and achieve inner strength. Definitely not one to throw away.

Throw it away by © msdebbie
Do not hide your eyes
from the ugly truth.
Amid fear and depravity,
you know, it’s utterly uncouth.
1.
Charlotte loves to give,
but has given herself away.
She wanted to heal and comfort,
but instead threw it all away.
Dilated eyes seeking money,
she has fallen through the cracks,
money cannot give what the truth offers,
it’s so ugly, she’s bruised and broken,
like a tattered ragdoll, the world proclaims
Throw it away
2.
Miranda painted her eyes;
ugliness isn’t what she wants to see.
Then she painted her curious mind;
ugly isn’t what she would like to be.
Even so, she lost her mind,
because the bitter truth
does not look that good on her.
She’s so ugly, with weary raccoon eyes,
like a feeble animal in a litter, the world whispers
Throw it away
3.
I begin to think
I don’t really understand.
I can’t see why I’d ever want to either.
Even though it hurts,
I know the truth.
I’ll say it regardless.
The world is
ugly,
bitter,
twisted.
Then realization chimes.
I must not hide my eyes
from the ugly truth.
Hope abides
and insight follows,
which must never
be thrown away.

From my own life experiences there isn’t just one passage but many, and many ways to get there.


passage by © Cynthia Lund Torroll




The outside world will never leave us be. Too many worlds to juggle and only one of us…


Self Portrait by © MoonlightLover



But we convince ourselves that there’s only a little further to go, one more task, one more burden… because that’s what we do. The raw honesty and truth is painful but so necessary and beautiful.

I Have More to Give… by © LauraBroussard
I have more to give,
that’s the PC term.
I hate myself right now.
And I don’t even have energy to reply
to your comments.
I am so stressed.
Yet, my sister in-law,
is dying of cancer.
I am such a drama queen.
Pushing the keystrokes,
of my frustrations.
What is the point.
I am a huge failure.
FUCK IT,
no no,
I am not ready.
So this sounds like
a hodge podge of emotion…
yes, it is.
You try dealing on a daily basis
with a challenged son, and another son
who feels emotional…
because of all the time
I need to spend with his brother.
Counselors and Psychiatrists……
Oh my God,…………
I want to scream and cry at the same time.
and this story
has no rhyme.

However, sometimes it does all get too much and we hide in a corner of our minds…


In Another Dimension by © ValRose Photography



The final truth. Life’s not fair.

I wish we didn’t by © bjeliMis
Blatancy should be a crime
To blatantly say, do, or find someone
On this map of dots and lines
We make dancers perform in our minds
And for that naked truth
We should burn
And break and bend and take
Whatever these cold morning leave on our skin
Convert and give
And shove away the things that make us better
We drive thoughts into motives like the stitches of a sweater
Gone wrong
Money isn’t currency
People are currency
And we fall in love and fall in debt
Only to wake up to your lonely hand just on that other side
Somewhere between the white hills of your bed sheets
And the unadulterated pound of a lonely heartbeat
So strip
Down to panties and skin
Down to bad memories and childhood friends
That left
Down to nights it was just you and the table
Present the world your bare backbone
Because we are waiting to break it

I hope you enjoyed this journey with me. Please congratulate the artists and writers.
xo

Season of Discovery -- Sunday Features - 26/06/2011

Today’s woman is many things. She’s on a quest for dimensional discovery. She’s climbing out of the boxes and from behind the bars of confinement that could never completely contain her. She’s reaching beyond the dark places where the stars dwell in order to find the scattered fragments of existence. And she’s restless in her pursuits of overcoming the obstacles in this world that keep her from reaching her all.
This week’s features embrace the many dimensions of woman’s pursuit of self discovery and growth. Through every season there is a beauty that reveals one more intricate layer of woman’s strength and perseverance. And this is the season to celebrate such beauty, in all of it’s complexity, simplicity, and/or uniqueness.

With a whole world within reach, it’s time to break free from the chains of captivity in order to reach those new heights.

So Close © by Sandra Bauser Digital Art


It’s a time to accept those lifelong dreams as ones capable of reality. A time to discover all the facets of existence.

I am © by Vesna VD
I am
a droplet
I am
a moment
I am
not here
I am
everywhere
And what else really matters
except that clouds float through the sky?
Up, above, in the blue,
my dreams are.
(In serbian)
Ja sam
Kap sam
i trenutak samo
Nema me nigde
A svuda sam
I šta je uopste više važno
Sem da oblak nebom plovi?
Gore, u nebesko plavoj boji,
tamo su moji snovi.

It’s not a time to be fit into a cage, or accept that a woman’s spirit could ever be reduced to indefinite captivity.
Captive © by Naomi Downie


“Tis the season for breaking down such walls of bondage, even if the world seems more out of reach to her than ever before, even if the only hand within reach is her own.

Hidden Pain © by Dawn M. B.
She built a wall that is concrete thick
No one can reach her
No one can touch her
No one can hear her
She cries out in silence
She no longer can feel
She trusts no one
Invisible to the world
She hides her heart
She wears a mask
She laughs to hide her pain
When she looks in the mirror,
the person she sees is ME!

There’s a hidden strength woman possesses that defies the logic of existence. She must never lose sight of that.

Stronger than Life © by salena


Whatever it takes, that warrior spirit must traverse the darkness in order to step into the light of being.

Mapping a Life © by Sybille Sterk
yearning for the light
as darkness descends
grabbing the edge of nothing
with a long drop dawning
clawing old wounds
feel
deep vein blood flowing
listening to voices
banshees
of ghosts long gone
stoically holding on
for fear of letting go
considering the chasm
between alone and lonely
slowly sinking deeper
into invisibility
tatters
fluttering
in the wind
wolves
howling
in the night
willow-the-wisps
glowing treacherously
beckoning ever
deeperone more inch
and then
another
tillone more
breath
is just one
too much

There’s a time for mourning and a time to dance, a time for remembrance and a time to take a chance.

Drum Me a New Song © by Geraldine (Gezza) Maddrell


Inspiration came in the form of a photo illustrating war children in Kabul, Afghanistan. The reminder came in one word: support. For what tastes sweeter than the sentiments hidden within the heart of another?

Support © by Unique-Mystique
Taste the sweetness
Inhale the dew
See you.
Don’t heckle the single thought
Just keep giving your support.

Authentic beauty makes its dwelling place within the heart.

A woman’s beauty lives in the heart © by Renate Dartois


The flutter of self revelation tickles the heart first in order to test the atmosphere for flight. Today just might be the day to unfold those wings.

time is on your side © by BabyM2
aspirations driving you on
even when behind fear follows..
walking the paths
that are never straight
to reach the house
where silence is found..
even though tired
opening the book
till morning
appears in the sky..
adapting yourself
like
all the beautiful
creatures around..
streams near by
was the only running
that could be heard..
keeping you warm inside
the thought of turning
pages of faith
where you felt secure..
watching
less intently at the window
the bumble bees
hum persuasive words
the ones
that brought you here..
preferring
the gentle words
that rise from the holy book
there seemed
more beauty in them..
and the sound of the sea
with its breeze
cooling the heat
in timeless days..
the fluttering was
still inside
yet eyes were fed
happiness daily
from the One
loved the most…

In every season there is a new discovery of self just waiting to emerge from the miry clay.

Emerging ©by Berns


Will she remember to take time for herself and walk the endless colours of the rainbow? Hopefully she doesn’t miss the view from such refreshed heights.

Did I float before I fell © by SimplyRed
the fluffy cloud hides
and obscures me from view
I peer curiously over
marshmallow edge….
peering with longing
I see me down there
a technicolour reality
in the hustle and bustle
rubbing bloodshot eyes
of disbelief
but the sting I feel
hurts…
I hear words of colour
words of
hairs standing on edge
words of can you help me….
words words words
a rainbow of requests
spilt in disarray
a hard arc to walk
in it’s splendour
can you do this
can you do that
if you have time
if you wouldn’t mind
…..can you??
my cloud wont drift
refuses to budge
no breeze in Autumn days
stubborn… fluffy whiteness
damn you….
IS THAT REALLY ME
I ask outerspace
and beyond
of course it is…
screaming to STOP
YELLING……
no one hears
in their own tranquility
I see me
no one sees me
drifting closer
to the burning sun
waxed wings
melting….
can you hear me
see me
help me
NO??
I shall not come down from the clouds today
for the view is mine alone
and one day soon
I shall walk the rainbow
alone and serene
til then a silent tear
falls softly from the cloud
and it looks like rain
tomorrow