I used to love writing poetry. I would fill pages with poems and write them in class when I should have been focused on the lecture. I wasn’t scared to put my emotions on paper and bring out something purposeful. As I got older and blogged more, there seemed to be less space for poetry. For a few years, I wrote very private 4-line “poems” to God as a way of worship and I learned to preserve my talent & creativity for Him alone. That was a beautiful season too.
These last few weeks have been a discouraging time for me as a writer. There are so many good things happening in my life (!!), but the change and transition launched me into a kind of “writing limbo” I didn’t expect. But it’s good to stand still, to float in a season of questioning. In the frustrating days that followed, I realized I wanted to return to things I first loved as a child–writing fictional stories and lots of poetry.
But you know what?
Poetry felt scary. And so out-of-character for what I had publicly written in the last 5-6 years. It felt new and brave. I guess when I was a kid, I was always brave! But the more I toyed with the idea of writing poetry again, the more excited I was to begin the creative adventure. It’s important to note I use the term poetry loosely. I write rhythmically, but don’t hold myself to technical rules!
This week, I put pencil to paper and wrote my first poem in what feels like forever. It took about 20 minutes or so and it left me with clarity, energy, and a creative sense of thrill. I’m sharing that poem with you today. Below you’ll find a short explanation before the poem itself. Thanks for sticking around for all my seasons of writing.
I titled this poem Her and the words reveal something I’ve been truly learning these past few years. And I think if you’re honest, you’d admit you’ve struggled in this way too. Let’s not let 55 years go by with all our golden chances to celebrate her.
Sierra V. Fedorko 