Waiting

The year
draws to a close
as we continue to
note what we have endured; waiting,
hoping.

12/31/2015

Getting Along

Petting
and feeding her,
seeing them get along.
After months of endless conflict,
they rest.


12/30/2015

Impact

Time can

make an impact 

on each person's life, yet

we have the power to make our

own path. 

12/29/2015

Never Leaving

I could never understand why
you compete with her through me,

Attempting to erase memories
through unspoken actions,

Your comments light on the surface,
yet backhanded when the layers

Are peeled back. Even though your
deeds and words are hurtful,

I take comfort in knowing that
her presence is always visible

In my heart, that despite your attempts
to block her out, she will never leave.


12/28/2015

Another Year

Looking
forward to more
adventures with good friends
as another year passes through
our lives.

12/28/2015

Learning

I learn 

about myself

during every struggle,

for it shows me how to live through

rough times.

12/14/2015

Conversations

Thinking
about a dear
friend as the days pass, as
I look forward to our lengthy
phone calls.

12/03/2015

Carnage

Carnage
shocks this lively
community, heavy
gunfire tearing families
apart.

12/02/2015

Weathered

Our threads

will leave paths marked

with memories, weathered

by the passing of time, battered

and worn.

12/01/2015

Remembering

It is
the simple joys
about you that I miss
the most as I remember you
today.

12/01/2015

Taking Flight

Through all
the dark moments,
we must find that secret
place in our souls where the passions
take flight.

11/30/2015

Solutions

There is
a solution
to my situation,
I just need to find the strength to
escape.

11/25/2015

Turn Around

Sometimes
I wonder when
my luck will turn around,
living a life free from restraint
once more.

11/23/2015

Always Reaching

Reaching
out to you, I
feel so blessed to have you
in my life. I enjoy each day
with you.

11/16/2015

Close Friends

Even
though distance keeps
us apart, we still talk
during moments when we need each
other.

11/03/2015

Change

Even
when I feel down,
I get out of the house
and live my life, knowing that things
will change.

10/30/2015

Pouring

The rain comes pouring

down in sheets, giving relief

to the starving soil.

10/28/2015

Little Things

I try
to focus on
the present moment in
order to enjoy the small things
in life.


10/26/2015

Moments

Spending
a few hours
with you is a blissful
feeling. I cherish those happy
moments.

10/22/2015

The Beginning

I think
about that night
and the way your eyes shone
every time we sat together,
and smile.

10/20/2015

Living

Today

I saw her smile,

a baby's innocence

giving me an uplifting sign

to laugh.

10/19/2015

Wistful

The chill
intensifies,
making us place summer
as a fond, wistful memory
for now.

10/17/2015

Bridge

I try

to keep the bridge

between my interests and 

my situation intact with

each step.

10/16/2015

Process

Each day
I think about
the steps I need to make
in order to break free from my
struggles.

10/16/2015

Leaves

Autumn paints the leaves
in many colors as the
chill becomes stronger.

10/14/2015

Change

Today
I begin to
change my situation,
seeing the light escape the thick
gray clouds.

10/12/2015

Autumn Weekend

I love
the way you smile,
our time spent together
every weekend enjoyable,
happy.

10/11/2015

Walking

Watching
my baby niece
walk on her own brings joy.
I look forward to seeing her
again.

10/08/2015

Eager

I am so eager

to pursue my dreams. I breathe 

and get down to work.

10/07/2015

Rising

As the sun rises,
I plan and prepare to change
life for the better.

10/06/2015

Baseball Outing

The blowing fall winds
will not stop a special day
at the field in Queens.

10/04/2015

Secrets

Secrets
exist within
the home, trying hard to
keep her away from important
events.

10/02/2015

Memories

My dream

last night brought me

back to more peaceful days,

a former job that I enjoyed

dearly. 

10/01/2015

Relief

Water kisses the
soil throughout the neighborhood,
giving nourishment.


09/30/2015

The Wait

Her past is a mystery,

and she takes comfort in

Lashing out at others

until she figures out

How to trust in others,

since experience brought

Waves of disappointment,

unable to practice

Her unique gifts, and

her mentors guide, and wait.

09/29/2015

New Home

Lively,

wagging her tail

upon going outside

with her owner for the first time,

happy.

09/28/2015

Steps

As autumn begins,
I think about my next steps
on my harried path.

09/28/2015

Exclude

Moving
to another
dwelling is no reason
to exclude me from my once loved
city.

09/25/2015

Opportunity

A good
outcome today,
new opportunities
rising, as I prepare to move
forward.

09/24/2015

Stillness

Peaceful
stillness on this
autumn morning, helpful
in guiding me to have patience
today.

09/24/2015

Her Voice

It is through times of stress
that my fears multiply,

Turning my dreams into
thoughts I don't recognize.

My achievements transform
into moments I can't relive

As I drown in a pool
of relentless doubt.

During these moments, I
long to speak to you

One more time, since you
always had the gift

To relieve my pain, reassure
me that my gifts never left.

You were able to restore my
confidence when I faltered,

The love present in your voice,
and I miss that the most.

09/23/2015

Breezes

During
my walk I watch
the leaves slowly drop to
the ground, feeling the cool autumn
breezes.

09/23/2015

Once More

I look forward
to seeing you

Once more, after
facing a long

Week fighting my
battles, waiting

To hear your sweet
voice once again.

09/22/2015

Unrest

Seeking
peace this morning
as unrest discolored
my perspective. I long to find
stillness.

09/22/2015

Valuing Peace

In hectic times,
I value peace,

Moments of calm
poking through the

Fog of chaos,
very easy

To lose oneself
in the thick haze.

I cherish those
sweet instances

Of quiet, where
finding yourself

Takes deep breathing
and great stillness.

09/21/2015

Monday Morning

I think about you
on this quiet morning, and
the weekend we shared.

09/21/2015

Summer Weekend

The last
summer weekend
filled with music and friends,
spending quality time with great
people.

09/20/2015

Passive

Sometimes people
are unable

To express thoughts,
choosing instead

To act rashly,
passive yet quick,

Trying to draw
a rash response.

When this happens,
know that people

Stuggle daily
to interact

With each other,
and we need to

Be patient when
speaking, and breathe.

09/18/2015

Lingering Warm Days

The lingering summer rays

hang on to make its last

Appearance, the sun

shining bright and soothing,

Bathing the trees with warmth

as leaves begin to fall

To the ground, as nature's 

internal clock begins to call

Them to rest, warmer skies

soon retreating, autumn softly

Knocking on our door. 

09/17/2015

Not Hearing

People
constantly yell
at each other instead
of listening to a person's
reasons.

09/17/2015

On the River

Monarch butterflies

glide across the calm river

this late summer day.

09/16/2015

Late Calls

After a few weeks,
we finally spoke again
one late summer night.

09/16/2015

Out of Place

She wanders

from task to task,

Her mind seemingly

preoccupied;

Her work rests on

the table, yet

She waits for the lines

and curves to dance,

Carrying a song that sings

as purposefully as she.

The environment does not yet

resonate in her soul,

So she floats about,

waiting to be pulled in,

Waiting for this new 

place to feel like home. 

09/15/2015

Centering

Mornings
call to center
yourself, bringing your mind
to the present moment before
moving.

09/15/2015

After Years

After years of living

with negativity,

He arrived as a

welcoming presence

To my life, no longer

wading through confusion,

Relieved to share

and laugh in peace.

09/14/2015 

New Challenges

Each day is

a new challenge,

Fighting through

new obstacles,

Reminding myself 

of my mission,

The gifts I have

which needs to be shared 

With everyone.

09/14/2015

The Call

A brisk, late summer
breeze whispers through the trees, yet
the warmth still calls us.

09/13/2015

Joys and Sorrows

I look back to the times
when we lived carefree,

Speaking endlessly, with
only school to worry about.

Before we knew it,
decades flew by and

We are here living day to day,
life throwing constant obstacles

In our way, and we are left
to navigate our paths in life.

With trepidation, It is important
to hold on to friendship

During times of
joy and sorrow.

09/12/2015

Looking Back

I look

back on photos

of our vacation

and wish that we could relive those

moments. 

09/12/2015

Thankful

Waking
to another
day, I am thankful for
the gift of the present moment,
and rise.

09/12/2015

Getting Ready

Readying the room
for a new group of children.
Let the fun begin!


09/08/2015

Thinking Back

Sometimes

I think of her

when I am taking walks,

remembering our high school days,

and laugh.

09/03/2015

Rough Waters

I never thought

we would be

At this point 

in our friendship,

That gray area

between friends and

Acquaintances, from

confiding to contradictions.

We looked to each other

for advice, until

A few written 

exchanges altered

The way we 

communicated.

I now extend the line

into the rough waters,

Praying for a resolution

to emerge.

09/02/2015

Young Life

Seeing 

her laugh and smile

while playing with her car

brings such happiness to my life.

She shines.

09/02/2015

Roadblocks

In my journey,

I navigate across

Many craters 

on my path.

I struggle to 

repair the damage,

Yet the blocks 

reappear.

These obstacles

serve as learning

Experiences, as I

draw up strength

Within my soul 

to continue.

09/01/2015

Rethink

I tried
to speak to her,
but my requests fell on
deaf ears, so I now rethink my
options.

08/31/2015

Thankful

We have
known each other
for years, and I am so
thankful that I made the choice to
travel.

08/31/2015

Late August

Late summer breezes
bring a final effort to
enjoy the warm days.

08/30/2015

Hidden

She knows
her long enough
to decipher between
the mask worn and the pain harbored
within.

08/28/2015

Loss in Virginia

Two young
people murdered
while doing their jobs. Two
people murdered before their lives
began.

08/26/2015

Remembering

These late summer days
bring back memories of her
voice. Miss her dearly.

08/26/2015

Fractured

We used
to talk daily,
until she lost herself
to negative contacts and moved
away.

08/25/2015

Growth

Friendship
takes great patience
to maintain as life takes
us in many directions, and
we grow.


08/24/2015

Completely

In those
moments of doubt,
fight the fear of failure,
and embrace your life completely
each day.

08/21/2015

Constant

We are 

separated 

by an ocean, but the

conversations are limitless,

constant.

08/20/2015

Myth of My Life

May the myth
of my life
flow with all of its
glories and
imperfections,

Every step taken
while writing the
chapters of my life,

Each event
chronicling the
next stage of
living.


08/19/2015

Delight

Going
on new journeys
with you is so peaceful.
Sharing the hours is a sweet
delight.

08/18/2015

Good Times

Even
as friends, I felt
so much comfort when we
were together. I treasured these
moments.

08/13/2015

Derailed

I hope 

she does not get

derailed once again by

temptation, leaving family in

conceit.

 

08/10/2015

Peddler's Village

Lovely sunny day,
walking down busy paths as
we enjoy music.

08/09/2015

Visits

Each time

I visit her,

a part of me lights up

as she makes my grandparents smile

and laugh.

08/07/2015

New Chapter

I try and read the chapter

of our friendship differently,

A new meaning for

our distance,

Trying to read between the lines,

yet the message is clear,

Our diminished connection

dictated right in front of me,

My attempts to repair 

our bond cast aside,

So I take a deep breath

and turn the page.

8/06/2015

Make A Choice

We make

choices that change

our lives, laden with 

consequences, as time waits for

No one.

8/06/2015

Summer Highlights

I cherish summer
days spent together, our hands
entwined as we
witness the sunset, walking
out to warm, sandy beaches.

07/05/2015

Release

Your smile
lights up my world,
releasing any stress
I carry in my mind throughout
my days.

07/29/2015

Unbreakable

We used to share
our grandfather's chair,

Cousins, but sisters,
opening up our lives,

Sharing joys and sorrows
to one another,

Grateful to still fit
into that chair for one more day.

Years pass, and now
you and your daughter

Share that sacred space,
ready to make precious

Memories, sprinkled with
tears and laughter.

I smile, remembering
the bond we shared,

Knowing that you and
your child now have

An unbreakable bond
filled with love.

07/28/2015

Again

Tension has arisen
In our friendship,

And as much as I
wish to repair the damage,

It is up to you
to share what has gone wrong,

So that the peace
between us can exist

Again.

07/27/2015

Trust

Better
to have a small
group of close contacts than
a large number of friends whom you
can't trust.

07/27/2015

Memories

I smile, thinking of
that clear, warm day in the park
with the man I love.

07/23/2015

Preparation

The latest wave
of the storm has passed,

and while my sacred space
took some damage,

My soul remained intact.
It is time now

To prepare for the next
complication, and leave

Should the next
onslaught come.

07/23/2015

Altered

Road blocks
appear without warning

As my voyage
takes a sudden detour,

A derailment,
miscommunication

Altering my
well-intended tasks, and

Now I try to
repair my long journey.

07/23/2015

Listening

I hear
your loving words
despite the distractions,
and I hold you close while casting
them out.

07/22/2015

Stress

I need
to stay focused
in this very stressful
moment, and plan my next step to
move on.

07/22/2015

Avoidance

Your tears
replace the words
yearning to be spoken,
and you keep moving to avoid
the storm.

07/22/2015

Impending Storm

A new challenge
day after day,

Figuring out how
not to upset the beast,

Navigating through
daily routines

While staying true
to myself.

I exist within
an unpredictable storm,

Its impact threatening
to alter my life,

So I continue to wade
within the routines, and

Hope that salvation
arrives soon.

07/21/2015

Reconnecting

I feel
so blessed that we
reconnected on that
unforgettable day three years
ago.

07/21/2015

My Wish

I wish
that people would
look beyond pettiness
and embrace what is important
in life.

07/20/2015

Treasures

In the
past couple days,
I am reminded that
love and life are truly precious
treasures.

07/20/2015

Lovely Chorus

Perfect
walking weather,
as I hear birds and dogs
adding songs to the bright summer
chorus.

07/16/2015

Joy in Dancing

My day was filled with
her happiness and dancing,
pure joy brought to life.

07/15/2015

Sisters in Poetry

Wishing
we could gather
once more this summer, I
think of my poetry sisters,
my tribe.

07/15/2015

Growing Baby

Seeing
her smile brightens
my visits, and the way
she discovers new surroundings
each day.

07/14/2015

You Learn

You learn
to endure life
when obstacles come your
way, molding them into sturdy
step stones.

07/13/2015

'A Blossoming Journey'

'The isolation is
overpowering.

She feels overwhelmed
by this absence

Until another
emerges from the dark'...

--Connected, from 'A Blossoming Journey'

My first book of poetry, 'A Blossoming Journey', is available on these sites:

Lulu: http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/blossoming

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1304096270/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1436541723&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX110_SY165_QL70&keywords=a+blossoming+journey&dpPl=1&dpID=41xwkL7W8DL&ref=plSrch

After the Shore

Memories of sun
and sand remain on my mind
on Monday morning.

07/13/2015

Friday Morning

Soothing
glow of sunlight
and birdsong replace the
memories of rainfall the night
before.

07/10/2015

Despite the Rain

A clear afternoon
shifted to torrential rain,
yet we still had fun.

07/10/2015

Thursday Morning

Rainfall brings relief
this morning as we wake up
to much cooler air.

07/09/2015

Wishful Thinking

I think
of you always,
wishing I could call you
once more and pour out my feelings
to you.

07/08/2015

Rising

Without
warning, my life
changed, yet I am fighting
to regain my independence
once more.

07/08/2015

After the Rain

Intense, humid air
cloaks our skin with sweat as
we venture outside.

07/07/2015

Shift

Tiny
miracles take
place in deep, reflective
moments, just when you think all hope
is gone.

07/07/2015

These Summer Days

My long journey is

filled with obstacles, yet your

encouragement keeps

me moving during these warm

summer days, and I stay strong.

07/06/2015

Long Weekend

These past
few days with you
is something that I will
always cherish, until we meet
again.

11/25/2015

April Warmth

I rest peacefully
as warmth begins to return
in my neighborhood.

4/01/2015

Stars

Stars.
Bright, shiny.
Twinkling, sparkling, glowing.
Each night they appear.
Rays.

March Wind

The howling March wind
throws back gates and tree branches
before the chill starts.


03/18/2015

Close Connections

A long

time ago we

connected as friends, not

knowing how close our bond would grow

today.

03/17/2015

The Loop Returns

Clouded
with doubt, I find
myself thinking back to
when things first became difficult
for me.

Departure

Snowfall
blankets the land
for the final time as
Spring finally approaches our
doorstep.

3/7/2015

Choices

Sometimes

we make choices

without thought, the results

being harmful for the person 

involved.

3/3/2015

Different Path

Stories

make several turns

as they're forming, ideas

taking different paths as a tale

take shape.

02/27/2015 

Special Wish

I hope
that her spirit
remains strong during this
difficult time, and avoid the
dark clouds.

02/26/2015

Phone Call

We were on the phone
for over an hour. A
crisis in her life
brought on a sudden need to
reach out to a long lost friend.

02/25/2015

Sweet Sunset

Sharing

a sweet moment

in Morningside, we kissed

as the sun slipped past the Hudson

River.

2/17/2015

Her Smile

She greets

everyone with

such happiness, her smile

lifting our spirits, bringing such

sweet joy. 

2/17/2015

Anniversary

A great
weekend of two
people enjoying each
other's company, with special
moments.

2/15/2015

Sheets of Ice

Feeling the strong chill,
the bitter winds blowing ice
from bare tree branches.

02/06/2015

Touch of Winter

Sheets of ivory line  

the neighborhoods, blanketing 

trees and homes for days.

02/04/2015

Spark

A spark

of true love rests

in sweet glances, living

in warm embraces and gentle

kisses. 

02/02/2015 

Ice Storm

Bitter cold turning

soft, gentle snow into ice,

blanketing the streets.

02/02/2015

Peacefulness

In times
of strife I dream
of being in your arms,
your safe embrace always peaceful,
so sweet.


01/28/2015

January Break

Temporary break
from the January cold,
the sun shining bright.


1/22/2015

Shades of White

The winter chill paints
newly paved streets white before
the onset of snow.

1/21/2015

New Life

A bundle of joy,
she brings peace to our family,
relieving tensions.


01/20/2015

January 20, 2015

It certainly feels great to write in 'Weaving Poetic Threads' once again. I can't believe that I haven't posted here in 6 months! Many things have taken place in my life since that time, early in 2014 in fact. I wish I could say that they were positive things, yet the majority of the events were not. 2014 was certainly a very challenging year, and it forced me to confront things about myself in a monumental way. These past few months have caused me re re-evaluate my goals in life. Despite the struggles, I am eternally grateful for my family, my wonderful boyfriend, my dear friends in my poetry therapy community, and close friendships I've maintained through the years.

I made a promise to myself to strengthen my creative spark in 2015! I'm hard at work in writing my second poetry book, which (hopefully) should be ready this summer. I'm also planning on restarting my poetry therapy group! It will be in New Jersey, and the location needs to be worked out. Running a poetry therapy group brought me much joy when I lived in New York, and I can't wait to have that experience once again.

I hope everyone is enjoying their week! I look forward to sharing more poetry with you soon.


--Cathleen
01/20.2015

My first book, 'A Blossoming Journey', is available here:
http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/blossoming

Recharge

As the winter chill

brings a time of dormancy,

I think of a plan

to rejuvenate myself,

so my soul can fly once more.

1/20/2015