Larada is my name. My life has been 72 years of wonder and adventure. Today was a sad day—my Denver Broncos lost the AFC Championship game to the New England Patriots, but I’m proud of them.
Larada’s Sunday Schedule
Every Sunday I write this blog. Usually the day overflows with my morning Quiet Time of writing my Morning Pages and reading recovery devotionals and my Bible. Then I attend my church on Facebook Life from Albuquerque. Football has dominated our Sundays for the last few months. Then evening I attend on Zoom a recovery meeting. Whew!
On top of all of that, I’ve been participating in the Ultimate Blog Challenge for the month of January. I’ve only missed three days which seems pretty good to me. This commitment has been exhausting to me, but so rich and fun!
So tonight, I want to share a poem about Larada from my new book, Time Measured Out!: Navigating Life’s Journey Through Poetry.
I’m tired—losing that game was hard. So here we go!
The Back Story for this Poem
I wrote this poem in 2002, twenty-four years ago. That’s what makes this five-book poetry series so precious—you have the privilege of seeing me grow as a poet and seeing me in some of my most vulnerable moments and years. See, I never wrote these poems to publish them, but I decided a couple years ago to share them!
Natalie Goldberg is one of my writing mentors. Known for the writing book, Writing Down the Bone, I used her concepts in my literature and language arts classes I taught. At this time, I was teaching, so being in a workshop with her ignited me! That’s where this poem came from in its spacious musing about who I was!
Enjoy this poem and let me know what you think of it!
Meet Larada
2002
Natalie Goldberg Workshop
I am turquoise, red, hot pink
And purple, a kaleidoscope
Of color rearranging
Changing as the parts of
Me fall into place.
The turquoise reflects the
Peace and calm deep within me
Like the waters
Of the Mexican Caribbean.
The red in me ignites into a flame—
Passionate and energetic
But hot to touch.
The hot pink cries out
Notice me, I’m present—
You can’t ignore me
Anymore.
The purple states my power
That place inside me that has
Matured to womanhood
But still holds a girlish twinkle.
A waltz,
A jitterbug, a swing dance,
The Latin rhythm of rumba,
Or bolero.
The depth of me expresses itself
In dance,
The spiritual connection to
The music,
The beat,
The magic, and the sway!
The me totally revealed on
The dance floor,
Vulnerable,
Bare,
Connected to my partner
And me
And the song.
If this poem, speaks to you, go and buy a copy at Amazon–and leave a review. I would appreciate it.
Finally,
Who are you? Have you ever thought of yourself as a color? As your favorite hobby like dancing? This sort of musing expands our thought process, creating space to enlarge your view of yourself. Don’t we all need this! Move away from the norm, the status quo—jump out there! Be turquoise—be Larada!
My logo graphic really highlights this poem!
My Newest Books
Time Measured Out!: Navigating Life’s Journey Through Poetry, Book #2 e-book
ISBN – 9798989688654
$.99 for limited time
Was It a Dream?: Navigating Life’s Journey Through Poetry, Book #1 – e-book
ISBN – 979-8989688630
$3.99
Buy My Audio Books:
This Tumbleweed Landed
Let Me Tell You a Story
Hair on Fire: A Heartwarming & Humorous Memoir Audiobook
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