An Informative Article by Brian Scott

I have just read an article entitled "Pitch Your Book With a Persuasive Blurb" by Brian Scott. In this article Mr. Scott summarizes the values of writing a blurb before writing your book, and he goes into the very simple steps to achieve this. I think this is a very helpful article and would recommend that anyone planning to write a book, who is unfamiliar with writing blurbs for the back cover, read this article.

Notes On The Word 'Love'

This note was previously posted back in 2005. But I thought it noteworthy or republishing.

Love

The word “love” has become a cliché, an over-used word who’s meaning has been reduced to a vague, trite, even laughable collection of emotions that song writers and poets pen, that teenagers aspire to attain, and that mature adults avoid mentioning for fear of being shunned by their peers. And what makes the romantic dreaming of love so commonplace, while the true and honest act of loving is so difficult to obtain? Is it that we have romanticised the once-upon-a-time and so totally swallowed the lie of the fairy-tale happy-ever-after that we’ve left the whole idea of love void of rational thinking? Is it that we are expecting to easily “fall” into love as opposed to work our way through it? And after all, is it really the ending to a story or a process of life?

Read poems about love by JMariah

The Sadness Of Unfulfilled Dreams

Here's a poem about the sadness of dreams that go unfulfilled.

Dance

Dance
said my little girl,
dance
as she twirled the way I used to
whenever mother put on her tap shoes
and made the dining room her personal
stage

she said she was revisiting the remnants
of discarded dreams
the same way Grandma would
jump in and out of old photographs

I never quite understood
till I married
and started having children
of my own


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Sometimes, I Just Can't Seem To Write

I've been battling much writer's block lately. It's such a painful thing.

Still I Write

I sit with my pen poised
at the ready
and my heart longing
to write,
saddened that all the words
and phrases
I scribble
have been lain down
on parchment before,
strewn
hastily
or with grave caution
upon a page
somewhere
before.
And in me
there is nothing new.

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I Thought Of An Old Flame Last Night

This poem came to me just as I lay down to sleep. It was tugging at me so hard, I had to get right back out of bed again to write it down. I'll have to work on it in the morning.

Memories

I lay my unclad body down upon my open bed,
the gentle whispering of a spinning fan
blowing against my skin.
And I think of you.
I close my eyes and remember you
touching me in the memories
that dance around in a time
far behind me.
And I ache
to drag you into my room,
or to go back to meet you
where you are.

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A Fascination With Blackbirds, Ravens and Crows

Painting by me, entitled Crow

For a long time now, I've had a fascination with Blackbirds, Ravens and Crows. For instance, the raven is often seen as a bad omen, a foreboding of death. But in some cultures, the raven is viewed as a symbol of change, mysterious, a messenger of the gods, highly intelligent, keeper of secrets. 

Where I live, I see a lot of crows. I pay particular attention to them when they fly overhead. And I see it as a good sign when they land and walk along beside me.

The Crows

Today, I watched the crows
as they swooped
and dived at each other
above the tops of the trees,
squawking
above the din of early morning traffic.

Sometimes I wish I were a crow,
moving to the music
of the seasons,
squawking my song
and dancing my dance
high above all the gazing eyes
looking up and wishing
they were me.

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No Such Thing As Secret Love

Ok, so I've been in love with this guy for some time now. We dated years ago and were planning to marry. Well, things didn't work out and he is now married and living....well, let's just say, he lives a world away from me. Well he claims he is still in love with me....ok, so I still love him too. 

No Secret

If I close my eyes and hold my breath
I can see you
Smiling up at me like you haven’t a care in the world,
As if no one will notice the longing you possess in your eyes for me,
Like our love were a secret…
It’s not you know,
It shines on my face
And resonates in every word I utter between my lips.
And you are no better
Every smile you smile tells of the love you have for me
Every glance you gaze off into the distance
Tells of the thoughts you have for me
The wanting that burns you up inside.
We think we’re hiding a secret,
But we’re not,
it’s all over our faces.


Read more poems by JMariah