Writing Poetry is a Spiritual Experience

For me
writing poetry
is a spiritual experience.

I pray,
intoning the prayers
revealed by Baha'u'llah,
the Bab,
or 'Abdu'l-Baha.

I think,
I meditate,
I contemplate,
and I let min intuition find
the title,
or the first line,
or the rhyme.

I write
allowing my soul's insight
to discover
the rhythm,
the metaphors,
and the similes.


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Writing Theme for 2018: Unity

My writing theme 

For 2018 

Is unity. 

Unity in the community 

Of humanity 

On the planet Earth. 

My 2018 focus 

Is the various aspects 

Of unity, 

One of which is planetary peace. 

Friday Contemplations

Istiqlál (Independence), 10 ‘Alá’ (Loftiness), 173 BE - Friday, March 10, 2017 CE about 1:53 PM Pacific Standard Time 

Friday 

Contemplating forms of poetry, 

Considering metaphors and similes 

And wondering 

If I should call my doctor 

Or wait for her office to call me. 

On Tuesday 

I had an unltrasound 

Of my legs; 

The technician said 

My doctor would receive 

The results in two days. 

It's been two days 

The doctor should have received 

The results by now, 

but I'll give the office until Monday 

Before making the call. 

In the meantime 

Walk twice a day, 

Meditate, 

Pray 

And write. 

Monday Meanderings: It's Been a Good Day, So Far

Kamál (Perfection), 6 ‘Alá’ (Loftiness), 173 BE - Monday, March 6, 2017 CE about 3:00 PM Pacific Standard Time 

It's been a good day, so far. We went to a couple of food banks this morning to pick up some foodstuff. Living on a fixed income is a pain because we can't always chose the type of food I want to eat. In addition we can't go out to eat at higher end restaurants. I know this sounds odd, but maintaining a decent weight is difficulty when you don't have any control over the type of food you eat. It's also difficulty to follow an eating plan for medical issues. 

It's been a good day, so far. I managed to do some writing this morning before we left for the food banks. When we returned I logged into writing.com and did some reviews. I also did some surveys this afternoon. I enjoy doing most of the surveys. Sometimes I get frustrated because I don't qualify for a survey. Sometimes I get a bit frustrated because some surveys take so long and keep asking the same question phrased differently. My frustration usually leaves when I see that I've either earned points or cash. 

It's been a good day, so far. The March/April issues of The American Baha'I came today. Now I have something interesting to read before I go to sleep or when I take a break from the computer. I also have something to take with me when I go to medical appointments. It usually take at least an hour to see one of my doctors or a nurse practitioner. I usually see the doctor about every three or four appointments and the rest of the time I see the nurse. 

It's been a good day, so far. I'm singing off now because I have other things to do inorder for it to remain a good day. 

Friday At Last

Istiqlál (Independence), 11 Mulk (Dominion), 173 BE - Friday, February 17, 2017  CE about 9:374 AM Pacific Standard Time 

Friday at last 

The week seemed to pass fast 

Almost the end of the month 

It's cloudy and rainy here in Las Vegas. I'm not sure how much rain we received in my section of town, but I know we received a litter because raindrop woke me up early this morning. At least, I think it was raindrops; however, I didn't get up to look out the window. Looking out the window before for dawn doesn't do much good because it's still dark outside. 

I have a lot to do today. I  have reviews on writing.com. I have two chapters to edit. I have to keep busy today to avoid worrying about something I can't do anything about. I waiting for money to hit my PayPal account. It should come soon, at least I hope it comes soon because I need the money. The only thing that keeps me from worrying is prayer, writing, editing and doing surveys. There is something to be said for procrastination when it procrastinating worrying. 

Creation Saturday: Dealing with Depression

Jalál (Glory), 18 Sulṭán (Sovereignty), 173 BE - Saturday, February 4, 2017 AD about 12:46 PM Pacific Standard Time

First, I have the right date on this entry. I'm not sure what caused the confusion in dates except that when I sit up the writing.com journal entry I use the Baha'I date in I didn't check as close as I usually do.  Since I'm changing the way I make those entries I don't think I'll have that problem any more. I've been putting all the dates in at once. I'm changing that when I set the new entry up on Sunday or Monday. Instead o f putting all the date in at once, I'll just take it one day at a time. 

Second, I'm dealing with a bit of depression this afternoon. Part of the cause could be too many sweets. I had two donuts for my first breakfast and then for my second breakfast I had hotcakes with syrup. I'm feeling better now which means I can get back to reviewing and editing. I don't think I'll do any surveys today.  This morning I uploaded the scanner to the National Consumer Panel website and yesterday I put the one prescription I picked up this week in that RX Views Dairy. 

I don't want to aggravate the depression by doing anything that I know will frustrate me today. Once I feel that I can handle frustration a little better then I'll go back to doing survey. I don't think taking one or two days off is going to make much difference. I'll probably go back to doing the surveys sometime on Sunday. In the mean time writing, reviewing and editing doesn't frustrate me. In fact it makes me feel better emotionally. 

January thoughts on prayer and writing

Jamál (Beauty), 17 Sharaf (Honor), 173 BE - Sunday, January 15, 2017 AD about 9:22 AM Pacific Standard Time 

My thoughts are rambling 

Unfocused scattered worries 

I intone a prayer 

Praying helps focus my thoughts on what I have to do and write. I have to rein in the worries and my rambling thoughts. My thought ramble when I'm worried and the only way I've found to stop their wandering off the topic I'm working on is prayer. I can't write without regular prayer. I can't stop worrying without regular prayer. Prayer helps me write. Meditation helps me write but I can't meditate if I don't pray because my thoughts become scattered and ramble.  When my thoughts ramble then I worry. 

Goals for the January 8 to January to January 14, 2017

Jamál (Beauty), 10 Sharaf (Honor), 173 BE - Sunday, January 8, 2017 AD about 1:51 PM Pacific Standard Time 

What are my goals for the second week of January 2017? Write, review, edit, and submit. Those are broad goals so I have to narrow and tighten them. This week I want to review at least 28 items on writing.com with about 7 of those reviews sent to a new person on the site.  I have to write submit to one contest on writing.com because of a challenge I'm participating in. This week I think I will attempt a story rather than the poem I usually write. I will edit everyday because I'm editing a specific novel. I may not be able to finish the editing by the end of the week, but I will get a good part of it accomplished. I'll post my accomplishments on Saturday, January 14. 

This Week I am Writing Spam

Fiḍál (Grace), 11 ‘Ilm (Knowledge), 173 BE - Tuesday, October 25, 2016 AD about 5:06 PM Pacific Daylight Time 

This week I am writing spam 

Bad poetry, 

But not about jellied ham. 

I am writing ghost hunter odes 

Line thst rhyme 

About haunted inns and roads. 

This week I am reviewing spam 

Bad poetry, 

That others compose 

Because their muse is on the lam. 

Remember in seven days Nation Novel Writing month begins. Writing spam poetry helps me relax before the writing frenzy starts. 

Midweek Reflections on Consolidating my Efforts

‘Idál (Justice), 8 ‘Izzat (Might), 173 BE - Wednesday, September 14, 2016 AD about 10:09 AM Pacific Daylight Time 

There is a little over three months left in 2016 and I haven't accomplished all the goals I set in January. Therefore, I'm going to consolidate my efforts and cut down the blog post to every-other-day. I have decided to focus on this blog and my writing.com blog. I might make an exception to that if I finish rewriting and editing Scavengers this month. I have another Poet 999 blog, which I might drop all together. I'll make that decision by October 31. 

My focus for the rest of this month is accomplishing the wiring project I'm committed to do and finding a way to pay the power bill and the internet bill. I have all the other bills taken care of, with the exception of any meds I have to purchase the rest of the month. I think I have enough meds to last the rest of September, so it's the electricity and the internet that's the issue right now. 

That's all for now, unless I manage to find time to post to my writing.com blog today. I have to rewrite or edit two more chapters in Scavengers before I can respond to any blog prompts from my writing.com blog groups. I think the only other writing project I have this week is an entry for a contest on writing.com. I'm participating in the I Write August-September-October challenge and I need to enter one contest each week and then  post the information on the challenge forum. 

Saturday Afternoon Thoughts

Jalál (Glory), 2 Asmá’(Names), 173 BE - Saturday, August 20, 2016 AD about 2:22 PM Pacific Daylight Time 

The title to this blog entry isn't very original. The only explanation I have is that it's Saturday afternoon and I'm attempting to catch up on my blog entries, story writing, and editing. Of the three, I will get caught up on the blog entries and begin editing of Chapter 4. I finished editing chapter three yesterday afternoon. This morning I copied that chapter into the Scavengers document, which is my second copy of the chapters I've edited. I'm also keeping a copy of the edited chapters in a writing.com folder. 

If I push myself I will finish editing Chapters 4 and 5 this weekend, which means I can start on chapters 6 and 7 on Monday. Monday will be a busy day because I didn't answer my phone yesterday, so I have call I have to make on Monday. In addition, I have to pick up two prescriptions that day  and that means I have to transfer money from my PayPal account to my checking account. Oh well, at least I still have an internet connection. I wonder if I can get the rest of Scavengers edited before September 4. I'll have to give it a try. After that I have to figure out how to upload a .docx from One Drive to one of my e-mail addresses.