32 Comments
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The Dark Humanities's avatar

This piece of calm, emotions, and nature is beyond amazing. The depth and texture it carries are so great, and it heals the damage done to the heart by the world. A very thoughtful and evocative piece.

Scogli di Fiume's avatar

Your talent for playing with words and their meanings is superlative. You're a magician!!!!

Swonam Kieran's avatar

I love the tension here between being 'grounded' and being 'bound by the grind.' The imagery of the leaf turning into armor is a striking way to describe self-preservation. It’s a beautiful transition from the 'long time burn' to that final, cooling ocean breeze, a very visceral sense of relief.

Anila's avatar

Beautiful 💕

Yusra Othman's avatar

Just lovely! This makes me want to start every morning with a poem.

Andrea 🌄's avatar

Very nice language play!

Aubrie Danae's avatar

stunning

Bhavjot Singh's avatar

This is such a unique piece, I glided through the whole thing with such ease. It's the sort of poem that delivers the right amount of tension and peace. Love it!

Wunmi writes's avatar

Very creative 🥰

Leyah's avatar

This is such a evocative piece. I love how you’ve woven that subtle nod to the Thneed into a much deeper, more grounded reflection on nature and the self.

​The wordplay between being 'grounded' and being 'bound by the grind' is particularly striking it perfectly captures that modern tension between finding peace and feeling exhausted by the hustle. There’s a beautiful sense of release in the final stanzas; that transition from the 'armor' of the leaf to the freedom of form is really powerful. Truly a haunting and rhythmic read!

Kim Williams, M.Div.'s avatar

Someone invited words to play here. Clever and playful piece.

Hannah Torkelson's avatar

Wow! I am taken aback by emotion.

Emma Zamia's avatar

Just wow! Loved everything about this poem especially

ground it—grounded

or bound by the grind

Would love to know about your writing process,I’ve always wondered how poets find inspiration and shape it into resonant poems.

robenia's avatar

I have these “About” articles for my old pieces. They are paywalled, but I might write them again for these new ones.

And thank you.

Letters from Yamini's avatar

I love your writing style, it feels very poetic but I am not used to reading poetry so it took me a while to understand the depth but I really enjoyed reading this and I am so happy that you found peace in the end

ray's rhapsody's avatar

Now this is the cool stuff I want to see on Substack! So glad you saw my note, if you'd like checkout my stuff too!