Chele Pedersen Smith's Blog, page 6
September 26, 2017
Poetic Magnestism
As I explored
I eyed you
lying sly on the grass
wearing marble
wake soon
and say yes
then let
my present desire learn
to eat up more
for later
~ Chele
9-18-17
*to be featured in an upcoming book, Calliope's Whisper.
In creative writing today we grabbed a handful of magnetic words and went to town, coercing them to make sense. Those were mine and they came together beautifully. A few of the pieces were suffixes, "s", "ly" and "ed."
Sometimes we get more out of being limited, From kindergarten to second grade, we lived in an apartment near a busy street so Mom wouldn't let my little brother and I play outside very much. From the confined ashes, imagination rose. I would make up characters for us to act out, long before I put them on paper. In this sense, I've always been a writer.
What does this poem say to you? Comment below,
I eyed you
lying sly on the grass
wearing marble
wake soon
and say yes
then let
my present desire learn
to eat up more
for later
~ Chele
9-18-17
*to be featured in an upcoming book, Calliope's Whisper.
In creative writing today we grabbed a handful of magnetic words and went to town, coercing them to make sense. Those were mine and they came together beautifully. A few of the pieces were suffixes, "s", "ly" and "ed."
Sometimes we get more out of being limited, From kindergarten to second grade, we lived in an apartment near a busy street so Mom wouldn't let my little brother and I play outside very much. From the confined ashes, imagination rose. I would make up characters for us to act out, long before I put them on paper. In this sense, I've always been a writer.
What does this poem say to you? Comment below,
September 11, 2017
Muse Crossing
She drops by in the dark of night. Her tantalizing whispers sculpt stanzas as I sink into my pillow. Whole poems practically form themselves as I burrow deep in blankets. It's a blessing, really. It's the opposite of writer's block, and I'm grateful! I'll savor it while I can. I'm just not thrilled about Calliope's calling hours.
It's inconvenient leaving a warm bed to jot it all down lest I forget. Which is very likely in middle age. By morning it's a good possibility I won't remember it exactly as it perfected in my head. So sometimes I resist giving in, and instead lie there for hours burning the words in my brain like a branding iron. Either way, it keeps me from precious sleep.
Why doesn't Calliope drop by during the day, instead of insisting on a pajama party? I'd make her a cup of tea and we could have a quaint ole visit.
I suppose there's no room then. My novel-filled noggin is already jammed with errands, studying and suspicious story lines. Even at night as I rest, I try to clear my cranium, but it's still quite crammed. It's never totally blank. Is anyone's?
But Callie finds a way in. She waits til day is done, when I'm feeling depleted, tiptoeing through tiny capillaries of my heavy heart. She knows when I need her the most. Because inspiration comes best after dark.
It's inconvenient leaving a warm bed to jot it all down lest I forget. Which is very likely in middle age. By morning it's a good possibility I won't remember it exactly as it perfected in my head. So sometimes I resist giving in, and instead lie there for hours burning the words in my brain like a branding iron. Either way, it keeps me from precious sleep.
Why doesn't Calliope drop by during the day, instead of insisting on a pajama party? I'd make her a cup of tea and we could have a quaint ole visit.
I suppose there's no room then. My novel-filled noggin is already jammed with errands, studying and suspicious story lines. Even at night as I rest, I try to clear my cranium, but it's still quite crammed. It's never totally blank. Is anyone's?
But Callie finds a way in. She waits til day is done, when I'm feeling depleted, tiptoeing through tiny capillaries of my heavy heart. She knows when I need her the most. Because inspiration comes best after dark.
August 30, 2017
Blooms of Doom
Is chivalry dead? As a hopeful romantic, I hope not! The local radio station posed a question. Are flowers on the first date too over the top? Some callers said it's okay if you already know each other. The female DJs thought it was a sweet gesture. But one girl advised as a first meet-up, it could set off alarms. What about signs of being a pure gentleman? Does that exist in this day and age?
In my romantic spy mystery, Behind Frenemy Lines, agent Lee Clancy may be a dying breed. Maybe it's his Texas roots or that Swiss Boarding school he brags about, but he knows how to treat a gal. And it's something his spy partner, Galaxy O'Jordan, finds attractive.
Usually a fella with flowers wouldn't faze me one bit, although one time it did scare me off. But it wasn't really the petals that had me pedaling away in a panic.
In the 80s, when I was nineteen, I worked at a Navy electronics school. It was a "sea of eye candy" for my friend and I, two gals under twenty. One day, I finally agreed to go out with one guy, J, after he badgered me for weeks. I could tell by his daily comments how eager he was, which was sweet. But by the time the day approached, my stomach was twisted in knots.
I'm not a mean person and I would never just stand someone up. I'm usually trampled on for being too nice. In the days before cell phones and social media messaging, I didn't have his barrack's phone number to preempt what was about to happen.
At the appointed time, I met J in front of the school. It's not easy to let someone down, especially when they're wielding red roses!
Gulp...
I started to say what my courage was trying to muster but then J excitedly produced his class ring and whipped out a Lionel Richie tape.
Fleeing filled my head! Quick, close the door and screech off into the sunset!
The overkill was killing me and he hadn't even stepped into my car yet, Funny how your gut is like a magic eight ball. I eyed the ring with dismay, I wasn't looking forward to being maimed by another hunk of metal. The thrill was short-lived when my former boyfriend B gave me his. It was heavy and too big so I wore it around my neck. It felt like a wrecking ball every time I moved. The best part about taking a break was giving it back. Now, with J kneeling at my car door bearing gifts, I had to rip off the band-aid before anything else got out of hand.
"I'm sorry, You seem like a nice guy but I can't do this."
His face fell but he appreciated my honesty and insisted I keep the roses and cassette. I felt bad for hurting his feelings and for not carrying out a commitment, which was so unlike me. I feel guilty for ignoring innocent flowers, too. I did put them in a vase of water, though, but I just wasn't excited about their presence. At least my mom enjoyed them.
Thinking back, should I have seen the date through? It might have been fun, despite the hyper wrapper it came in. Maybe I was an idiot who just ditched her Prince Charming. Who knows, he could've turned out to be the only guy to treat me like a constant princess. But I do think our instincts are there for a reason, so I won't apologize for that.
I still have the Lionel Richie tape and I do hope J found the girl who deserved his devotion. We should all be so lucky. And if he happens to read this, I am truly sorry for bailing.
What would you do? Would flowers on a first date send you fleeing or would you savor the scent?
In my romantic spy mystery, Behind Frenemy Lines, agent Lee Clancy may be a dying breed. Maybe it's his Texas roots or that Swiss Boarding school he brags about, but he knows how to treat a gal. And it's something his spy partner, Galaxy O'Jordan, finds attractive.
Usually a fella with flowers wouldn't faze me one bit, although one time it did scare me off. But it wasn't really the petals that had me pedaling away in a panic.
In the 80s, when I was nineteen, I worked at a Navy electronics school. It was a "sea of eye candy" for my friend and I, two gals under twenty. One day, I finally agreed to go out with one guy, J, after he badgered me for weeks. I could tell by his daily comments how eager he was, which was sweet. But by the time the day approached, my stomach was twisted in knots.
I'm not a mean person and I would never just stand someone up. I'm usually trampled on for being too nice. In the days before cell phones and social media messaging, I didn't have his barrack's phone number to preempt what was about to happen.
At the appointed time, I met J in front of the school. It's not easy to let someone down, especially when they're wielding red roses!
Gulp...
I started to say what my courage was trying to muster but then J excitedly produced his class ring and whipped out a Lionel Richie tape.
Fleeing filled my head! Quick, close the door and screech off into the sunset!
The overkill was killing me and he hadn't even stepped into my car yet, Funny how your gut is like a magic eight ball. I eyed the ring with dismay, I wasn't looking forward to being maimed by another hunk of metal. The thrill was short-lived when my former boyfriend B gave me his. It was heavy and too big so I wore it around my neck. It felt like a wrecking ball every time I moved. The best part about taking a break was giving it back. Now, with J kneeling at my car door bearing gifts, I had to rip off the band-aid before anything else got out of hand.
"I'm sorry, You seem like a nice guy but I can't do this."
His face fell but he appreciated my honesty and insisted I keep the roses and cassette. I felt bad for hurting his feelings and for not carrying out a commitment, which was so unlike me. I feel guilty for ignoring innocent flowers, too. I did put them in a vase of water, though, but I just wasn't excited about their presence. At least my mom enjoyed them.
Thinking back, should I have seen the date through? It might have been fun, despite the hyper wrapper it came in. Maybe I was an idiot who just ditched her Prince Charming. Who knows, he could've turned out to be the only guy to treat me like a constant princess. But I do think our instincts are there for a reason, so I won't apologize for that.
I still have the Lionel Richie tape and I do hope J found the girl who deserved his devotion. We should all be so lucky. And if he happens to read this, I am truly sorry for bailing.
What would you do? Would flowers on a first date send you fleeing or would you savor the scent?
August 24, 2017
What's in a Pen Name?
It was a delicate maneuver, tweaking author names in the middle of a published market and I hope readers aren't confused. I wanted to flip the switch now before my new book, "The Pearly Gates Phone Company," hit cyberspace, and it's been a surprisingly smooth transition.
The change is for several reasons, but mainly originality. Have you ever gone through life, realizing you lost your OG? Falling in love, raising kids, getting wrapped up in the world, it's easy to forget who you used to be--that person whose dreams once twinkled on the horizon of a sunny future.
I love my husband and kids, various dogs, plenty of jobs plus all kinds of experiences and accomplishments, making me the woman I've become. But there is something precious and quaint about embracing my former self. The Australia-obsessed '80s girl, the writer and DJ I longed to be. And so I cherish my maiden name in two parts, giving nod to the ancestors who owned it and the one who gave it away.
As you journey through life, keep your arms and hands inside the vehicle at all times. And whatever you do, hang on to yourself for dear life!
The change is for several reasons, but mainly originality. Have you ever gone through life, realizing you lost your OG? Falling in love, raising kids, getting wrapped up in the world, it's easy to forget who you used to be--that person whose dreams once twinkled on the horizon of a sunny future.
I love my husband and kids, various dogs, plenty of jobs plus all kinds of experiences and accomplishments, making me the woman I've become. But there is something precious and quaint about embracing my former self. The Australia-obsessed '80s girl, the writer and DJ I longed to be. And so I cherish my maiden name in two parts, giving nod to the ancestors who owned it and the one who gave it away.
As you journey through life, keep your arms and hands inside the vehicle at all times. And whatever you do, hang on to yourself for dear life!
