Healthy Mind, Body, and Soul: Losing Weight the Old Fashioned Way

Hello Dear Friends,

This post is about a topic that is really important to me right now. I've been spending a lot of time lately honoring a commitment I made to myself to take better care of me and bring my mind, body, and soul to optimal performance levels. As far as the physical work is concerned, this meant taking a long hard look at myself and pledging to treat my body like the temple it is. I wanted to share this very personal part of my life story because I know there are so many other people who are going through the same thing and wondering if and how they will ever take control of their bodies and bring themselves into the flourishing healthy condition they desire. There won't be any before and after pictures, no countdowns, weigh-ins, or body fat measurements; it's not about that. (Plus I'm super-duper shy :) But what I will be sharing is my formula and techniques that are working for me, and I hope you will share some of your ideas if you are on the same path. 

 

First, I started on this path about two months ago, after realizing that I had abandoned my formerly healthy lifestyle for far too long. I decided one night that if I truly loved myself I would be eating right, exercising, getting rest, and taking the vitamins and supplements that I know support my body's health. I never felt better about myself than when I was in great shape, full of energy, courage, and determination. Getting fit for me is not just about looking good or even feeling good physically, but it sharpens my focus and becomes a living metaphor for the determination that I need to achieve other important goals in life.

 

 

Second, I listened to a lengthy program by Napolean Hill on Youtube about the power of thought. In it he made a simple, but powerful statement that resonated with me and remained in my head for some time. He said that a successful person must be temperate in all things. Temperance is not a trait that is often valued in our "extreme" society, but temperance is important to being happy and well. I thought of the areas in my life in which I was not demonstrating temperance and decided to correct them, mainly in my eating and sleep habits, and my level of physical activity.

 

 

Third, I made a very basic exercise and diet plan for myself (just one page total) and posted it to the side of my pc so I'd have to look at it every day. I also wrote an affirmation for myself which I repeat daily. The diet plan has been tweaked often, because it was too severe and I found myself losing energy after the first couple of weeks. Below I'll share my basic diet plan that I'm currently using. But the affirmation is exactly the same as when I was first inspired. It says:

 

I am beautiful. I am temperate in all things. I am in the best shape and health of my life. I am in total control of my life. I am eating and living healthy.

 

 

The diet and exercise plan are equally basic. I'll share the exercise plan in a future post.

 

Mon-Sat

Breakfast: 1 or 2 pieces of fruit with low fat cottage cheese

                                    or

                  4 ounces of uncooked oats soaked overnight in filtered water with dried cranberries or    

                   raisins

 

Lunch:      Salad with tuna, sardines, or grilled salmon

                                     or

                  Taboule served with raw veggies, sprinkled with lemon juice and turmeric

 

Dinner:     Salad with avocado and/or grilled skinless chicken breast

                                      or

                 Rice and beans cooked without added oil, seasoned with a little hot sauce

                                      or

                 Grilled skinless chicken breast with chickpeas, seasoned with chili powder and lime 

                                      or

                 Cabbage soup with rice noodles served with sweet chili sauce or oyster sauce

 

Sunday:  Anything goes.

 

For snacks I eat a handful of sunflower seeds or a spoonful of sunflower butter, low fat yogurt, some dried cranberries, fresh fruit (raw tomatoes are a fave), tofu marinated in oyster sauce, and steamed or sautéed veggies. If I'm desperate for a sugar fix, which does happen sometimes because I'm still learning and tweaking my diet so I can avoid hunger while systematically lowering my caloric intake, I just grab whatever happens to be sweet. It might be a banana, a spoonful of carob powder, or some dry instant pudding mix right out the box. Not ideal, but it satisfies the craving that would otherwise sabotage my plan. And that's one of the safety nets I built into my plan, so that there is always flexibility without guilt. Eating healthy is a lifelong commitment, and if I don't manage to keep up with my plan on one or two days, that won't change my overall progress. It's okay to be human. 

 

I'd love to hear from others what you're eating to support your healthy lifestyle. And please don't be shy to share your recipes!

 

Next time I'll post my simple exercise plan. Hope this info is helpful and encouraging to someone.

 

Your Friend,

Rose







More Adventures in Swirling Cold Process Soap

Hello Dear Friends,

 

This post shows the latest cold process swirl soap I finished. It's called Ginger Mint, and is made from an original palm oil free recipe scented with peppermint essential oil and ginger essential oil. The combination actually smells divine, there's just a hint of the ginger to give a funky spicy kick to the mint. I think the swirling came out far better than the last batch (Strawberry Champagne CP.) What made a huge difference was tweaking the recipe so it traced more slowly. That gave me more time to pour in the layers and achieve the swirl effect. I'm going to share my recipe in a later post, cuz it's really nice and bubbly. I developed my own recipe because I couldn't find a palm free recipe that had the attributes I like and also traced slowly enough for me to practice my swirling technique. I'm thinking about working on a lavender blend for the next one.

 

 

 

 

Ginger Mint soap in a 1 pound micro batch

 

Ginger Mint Soap after 7 week cure and cut and ready for use

I'll be sure to post pics of the next batch. And if I can figure out how to set up my camera and tripod while I'm actually soaping, I'll post a tutorial to go along with the recipe.

Best Wishes!
Rose

Happy Mother's Day

Dear Friends,
Mother's Day is a very special holiday to most families, including mine. It's a chance to honor the person who did so much for us, whether she is our biological mother or a mother figure. My own mother has been not only my best friend, but a heroic figure who showed up in my life over and over again when I needed her most. My late grandmothers have also remained very critical parts of my life, as their spirits live on to encourage, support, and love me no matter what happens. I am honoring them today with a prayer and a white candle, and some personal reflection on all the priceless gifts they have given me. Whether you're a mother or not, I wish you a Happy Mother's Day for you, your family, and all the special moms in your life!

 

 

 

 

Hope you enjoy this special day with someone you love.

 

 

Best Wishes,

Rose



The Story of Three Flowers

Dear Friends,
A beautiful thing happened to me this Easter Sunday. I thought I'd share it with you. I hope it will inspire you as much as it did me.

The Story of Three Flowers

During the annual Easter service at my church, a member of the clergy walked out among the parishioners, his arms encircling a wicker basket filled with flowers. He handed a flower to each of us. When he drew near me he chose a beautiful lush bloom and handed it to me with a smile.

The flower I first received

 

 

As the service proceeded, we were all enjoying the beautiful music and touching words that were offered for the occasion. I was deep in prayer when a young girl sitting in front of me turned toward me and whispered, "Can I have your flower?"

"Pardon me?" I asked, not sure I understood her.

She held her flower up and replied, "I don't like these. They're not as nice as yours. Can you give me your flower?" The girl had been given a slim stem containing three small yellow daisies.

One of the other parishioners gently reminded her that she should be grateful for the flowers she had received, but the girl just shook her head. "I want that one," she insisted, pointing to my flower.

After a moment of thought, I handed her my flower. "I'll trade you," I offered.

Her face glowing with delight, the young girl eagerly handed me her small daisies and took my larger flower instead. "Thank you!" she smiled and turned back around to enjoy the rest of the service.

The flowers the girl gave me

As the parishioners continued to sing and take Communion, I thought how much I had liked my beautiful flower. I had intended to take it home and place it in a vase. I didn't get flowers often, and they were, in fact, a luxury for me. I looked down at the humble little daisies and thought that they would not add much beauty to my home. I wanted my flower back.

Then I thought of how happy the young girl had looked when I gave her the flower. I told myself that I was fortunate and blessed to be able to give service to someone. I remembered the pastor's words, that flowers are a gift of angels and one of the purest offerings we can give to others. So I changed the feeling in my heart and silently blessed the girl, praying that the flower would continue to give her much joy and peace. I thanked her in my heart for giving me the opportunity to be of service.

When the program was finished, I exited the main room of the church and saw a magnificent giant bouquet of snowy white flowers on a table in the hall. I was just passing by when one of the elders called out, "Anybody want to take these home?"

"Are you serious?" I asked.

"Sure," she replied. "I don't want to take these back with me. I've already got enough. You can take these home." She gave me the entire bouquet and the vase it was sitting in.

When I walked outside, several of the parishioners admired my stunning bouquet of flowers, and I invited each of them to take as many flowers as they wanted. On the way home, I realized that I had shared many flowers that day, and I still had a beautiful and bountiful gift from Heaven for myself. It seemed that when I gave a little, the Universe gave me back a lot.

The large bouquet I was given

 

This is a true story and these are the flowers I was given, except that the flower in the first picture was given to me later on Easter Day. It is similar, though, to the one I gave the young girl. And the bouquet was so large I had to split it into two vases at home, so the picture shows only half of the original bouquet.

Please feel free to share this story. It is, after all, a gift from Heaven that was meant to be shared.

Best Wishes,
Rose

The Best of Etsy April 2014: ThermalHairCare

Hi Friends!
I'm so excited to share another awesome Etsy shop with you. It's called ThermalHaircare, and their Hot Head heating caps look amazing. As someone who spends a lot of time working with hair, I fell in love with this shop as soon as I saw it. Their flagship product is a reversible cordless microwavable heating cap. The Hot Head caps seem to be the perfect solution to deep conditioning and hot oil treatments without sitting under a dryer and wasting time. How many times have you skipped the heat treatment you know you need just because you are too busy to sit around under the bonnet? I haven't tried the Hot Head cap yet, but it's on my wish list and will be one of my next self-gifts. This is a really great item to try.




Beautiful batik print

 

 

 

Hot pink, my fave!

 

 

 

Perfect spring green

One of the great things about the Etsy community is that you can learn so much about the story behind the brand of each shop. Check out the touching and inspiring story behind ThermalHairCare on their Etsy About Page. I hope you enjoy your visit to this lovely shop as much as I did. And I'll update this post to review the cap when I get mine.

Until Next Time,
Rose

Poetryspa.com is Now Open!

Hi Friends,
We're so happy that our website is finally up and running. We love being on Etsy, of course, but the flexibility and design freedom of a standalone site are very exciting. Please visit us at PoetrySpa and let us know what you think of the new design.

Poetry Spa Website

 

 

 

Indie Nail Polish by Poetry Spa

 

Fabulous natural body butters and oils by Poetry Spa

Over the next few weeks I'll be working very intensely on the design and photography for the site. Check back sometimes to watch as the site grows and comes together artistically and thematically.

Love to All!
Rose

Poetry Related: Poetry Foundation

Hi Friends,
If you love poetry (you do love poetry, right?) you should definitely check out the website of the Poetry Foundation. It's all things poetic, and a great resource for poets and writers. I recently discovered their page, and I'm still trekking through the labyrinth of information available there. There's a learning lab, poetry for children, historical articles, a mobile APP, Poetry Magazine, and of course, lots of great poetry. Don't have time to read? They even have an audio feature.

Poetry Foundation

 

 

Also be sure to check out their blog, called Harriet Blog. The latest article is a very intriguing one, about the profitability, or more accurately the lack thereof, of a career in poetry. I think the times are ripe with opportunity for careers in all the arts, but check it out and see what you think. It's definitely worth reading.

Best Always!
Rose

Adventures In Swirling Cold Process Soap

 

Swirling in CP Soap

Photos (not a tutorial)

 

Hi Friends,

Here's a couple of pics of my latest soaping adventure. It's a cold process batch made with a new recipe I haven't used before. This recipe was supposed to trace slower than my usual recipe, and things were going well until I added the fragrance blend. I wanted to practice my swirling techniques, but this turned hard really fast. So it's pretty much just a random swirl now. The scent is Strawberry Champagne, a fragrance I blended myself. It smells really nice and fresh and tangy, like strawberry soda and champagne.

 

Batch of two tone CP soap after about 36 hours

 

 

The surface is highly textured because the batch traced so quickly

 

 

Cutting the soap into bars

 

 

Instead of the swirl I planned, it has a marbled look

 

 

Painting the soap with cosmetic mica

 

 

The mica gives a lovely shimmer. I like shimmer :)

 

 

 

I'm going to try this recipe again using an essential oil, which should give me a good idea of whether the quick trace was due to the recipe or the fragrance. (But I'm suspecting the fragrance right now.) Hopefully the recipe is fine, because I'm in the mood for a lot of swirling and design lately. And tweaking CP recipes is really tedious work sometimes. It took me nearly a year to perfect my go-to recipe. The effort was worth it, though. that recipe is so fantastic, creamy, moisturizing, and almost invulnerable to DOS. Love that one!

 

I'll keep you posted on this recipe, I'm calling it Swirl.

 

'Til Next Time,

Rose

 

 

 

 





The Best of Etsy March 2014: FeltLikeSweets

Hi Friends,
I'm a little bit late this month with The Best of Etsy featured shop, but there's still a few hours left in March. I've been working insane hours the last few weeks to complete a short story for one of my favorite online fiction mags. The deadline was today, so now I can catch up on everything else. Keep your fingers crossed for me!

This month's shop is an unbelievably cute Etsy shop called FeltLikeSweets. If you like amigurumi and miniatures, you are going to love the handmade felt food and toys this shop offers. Perfect for Easter gift-giving and kindergarten and pre-school graduation gifts too. My favorites are the adorable chocolate scented bunnies and the tea party set, sooooo cute!

Felt Food: Tea Set -- Felt Strawberry Banana Cupcake, Yellow Tea Bag, Lemon and Strawberry

Pink Bubble Gum Scented Felt Cupcake, Felt Food: Hand Stitched Cupcake

Dark Chocolate SCENTED Felt Easter Bunny with Satin Bow

You can read more about the owner of FeltLikeSweets, his work, and inspiration on the shop's About Page.



Awesome shop, don't you think? Next time I'll be sharing some pics of my latest work in progress-soap. I'm going back to my soap pots and trying to perfect the swirls.  It's been a while, hope it turns out well...

Thanks to FeltLikeSweets on Etsy.com for permission to feature their beautiful items! 

Til Next Time,
Rose

Easy Beginner's Guide to Selling on Etsy, Part 1 Product Ideas

Hi All!
Today I'm going to be sharing a few ideas and tips for those who are brand new to online selling or selling on Etsy.com in particular. I thought about sharing because I'm helping to build a brand new Etsy shop after years of selling at different venues, including Etsy and Ebay and several standalone sites. Starting over for seasoned sellers requires all the same diligence, hard work, and patience that are necessary for newbies.  Over the years, through working on individual projects, group efforts, and all manner of collaborations, I've learned a couple of things. I hope that by organizing my thoughts and experiences on this blog they may be helpful to someone else. Over the next few months I'll be sharing periodically the various steps I went through and am going through now to get a successful shop set up.  You can check in on our Etsy shop from time to time and see how we're doing!

The first thing you should know is that this is not your typical how-to guide.  I believe in and practice a spiritually based lifestyle that reflects in everything I do. In other words, while the outer work we do is very important to our success, I also strongly believe in the use of affirmations, mental discipline, prayer, Feng Shui, and various types of spiritual principles to create and maintain abundance in life.  So you will see some tips on my blog that you may not see elsewhere. Take what works for you, ignore what doesn't.

Also, there are a lot of resources on the Etsy website itself for those just starting out, including teams, blog posts by the admin, and helpful forum threads. So I'll be posting some of those links here and try not to repeat too much of that stuff.

So, now to the good stuff! You want to sell on Etsy. Maybe you are a crafter, a collector of vintage goods, or a stay at home mom or retired senior with no idea what you could sell to make ends meet. No matter where you're starting from, you can probably find a way to do good business on Etsy if you can sell one of the following:

Handmade Goods
Vintage Goods
Supplies




Browsing on Etsy.com

I've dabbled in vintage and supplies, but my real love is handmade, so that will be the focus of most of my tips. However, a lot of this will apply no matter what you sell. 

Probably the easiest way for a person to start selling anything on Etsy is to get into the vintage market. That's because you have to have a craft or some type of skill to make handmade items that will actually sell and you will need some type of small investment or buying power to successfully sell supplies. However, you can start out selling a few vintage items to raise capital if you're interested in selling in either of the other categories. On Etsy, an item needs to be at least 20 years old to qualify as vintage. And the buyers and other sellers tend to be quite savvy, so you should Google your items or check with other dealers to verify the age of items you're not sure about. For new vintage sellers, here are a few ideas for products:

VINTAGE ON ETSY
clothing
glass figurines
artwork
vinyl LPs
jewelry
kitchenware
dolls and toys
rubber stamps
coins
anything from Avon over 20 years old
books
ribbons, laces, and trims
small furniture that can be shipped
home fixtures
photographs


All of the above items tend to do well on Etsy, and you can probably find a lot of them in your home, your storage, and with friends, relatives, and neighbors. You can also scour the flea markets, estate sales, and second hand stores for treasures that might appeal to buyers on Etsy.  Do a little research first and check out a broad variety of vintage shops on Etsy to see what is popular. You can also research other markets like Ebay and Artfire, but remember that each market is different. What sells in a flash on Ebay may not get any buzz at all on Etsy and vice versa. Even the same customer may look for one type of item on Ebay and another on Etsy, so that is something to consider when deciding what to sell and which platform will work best for what you have.

If you decide to sell supplies on Etsy, they allow you to sell both handmade supplies and commercially produced items that you buy from a wholesaler or manufacturer. On Etsy a supply is considered something that people use to make a new item. There are many extremely successful supply sellers on Etsy, so your best chances as a newbie are to offer something unique or something that you can get in bulk at a phenomenal price. Each major handmade category on Etsy has its own market for supplies, so that is a way that you might figure out what could be in demand.  For example, if you see that a lot of fashion sellers on Etsy are selling cotton knit chevron scarves one season and you have a relative who owns or works in a fabric store, you might consider selling the chevron fabric as a supply. Similarly, if you have access to low priced plastic packaging and you find that makeup sellers on Etsy are selling lots of loose eyeshadow in mini plastic tubs this summer, there is an opportunity for you to join in the stream of sales. That type of thinking helps to identify niche markets that you can sell to as a new supplier.

Below are some types of supplies that sell successfully on Etsy.

SUPPLIES
beads and jewelry making supplies
quilting fabrics
ribbons, laces, and trims
stamping supplies
feathers for crafts
small shipping supplies like envelopes, cello bags, etc.
fragrance oils for crafters
soap-making supplies
scrapbooking supplies
leather-craft supplies
buttons
pottery supplies
niche hobbyists' supplies
yarn

Now we get to the handmade section. Obviously, anything you can make with your hands can be sold on Etsy.  There are a lot of handmade sellers on the site, but what makes a shop successful is a combination of several factors.  In my opinion and from my observation, those shops that do very well are those that combine a good-looking quality product with attractive photographs, realistic prices, thorough well-written descriptions, and great customer service. Obviously, there's more to it that just those factors, but without them your chances for success will be diminished. 

A WORD OF CAUTION
So, if you already have a craft that's a great place to start. If not, don't worry. People have started on Etsy as complete novices at both business and their crafts and become accomplished at both. My personal recommendation is to use caution and discretion if you start a crafting business without a firm foundation in the craft. For example, a lot of people are intrigued by the fun and wonder of making soap and want to start selling their soaps and other body products right away. But since these are things that have a direct and intimate contact with the buyer and can affect them in various ways, I don't recommend anyone to start selling those type of products without a good knowledge of the craft and a lot of research. You don't want to experiment on human beings; you have to know what you are doing and be familiar with the properties of every ingredient you use. The same goes for selling food and any other such sensitive product.

However, you can get into the handmade market as a novice selling items such as paper crafts, needle crafts, clothing, artwork, etc. The list below includes a bunch of ideas for items you can sell. Only you can determine if you have the knowledge and skill to do so.


HANDMADE
jewelry
clothing for adults and children
pillows and cushion covers
phone cases
bags and purses
artwork
greeting cards
home décor
soap
color cosmetics
candles
bath and body products
lighting fixtures
shelves and small furniture items
molds for various crafts
incense
wedding invitations
digital graphics
e-books
original music
handmade shoes and slippers
party decorations
bows
herbal teas
cupcakes and cookies
candies and confections
original recipes
photographic prints
handmade musical instruments


These are just a few ideas, and some will be more popular than others. But if you take a look at the Etsy website you're certain to find a stunning array of unique items. I hope you're inspired! And check back soon for more tips and ideas for starting your new business on Etsy.

Poem from "Write or Die"

A poem for you to enjoy.  It's from my work in progress, a book of short and rebellious verse called "Write or Die" that explores the dark, the wild, the redeemed, and the savage... 

Dawn

Without regrets, without remorse, without sorrows
Bury quietly yesterdays, resurrect gleaming tomorrows.
Down falls the ruined tower of dreams deferred
Of pleas unanswered, of prayers unheard;
The long deep dark of unbroken cold
The sovereign night in which hope grows old
And the dew of youth, brewed to a murky mixture
Does unglue the truth and makes lies the fixture.
Like docile slaves, we fasten the shackles about our feet
Then complain and cry in pain to every free soul that we meet.
We watch with envy-laden eyes those who rise like satellites
Men who loved and lived their dreams, achieving astral heights.
Those alone on the ground look around and see the truth,
Decades have been squandered, we've seen the end of joyous youth.
It's at that moment, when all seems lost and darkness rules the sky
That the twinkle of a single star ignites and lights our eye--
Then comes the shift, when cleansing winds sweep the clouds aside
The full splendor of the moon appears, and wicked shadows hide,
Their power broken.  By the passage of time we have a token:
Even the darkest night holds a promise unspoken.
For the tears that we cry, fallen just before the dawn
Are the tears that purify, giving strength to carry on,
And when the first golden rays hit the sky and make a blaze
They burn a fire that rises higher and lights the soul a million days.
They thaw the heart, that frozen deep had ceased to love and ceased to beat;
And then remembrance returns of all we once held dear and sweet...
We chance to hope: a fragile hope, but still a hope, renewed at last.
We shake the yoke and shackles like the sad detritus of the past.
Without regrets, without remorse, without sorrows
Bury quietly yesterdays, resurrect gleaming tomorrows.

Copyright The Poet Rose

Look What I Made-- Nail Polish!

Hi Friends,
I've been wanting to make nail polish for a really long time. In fact, my artsy, design-y side loves color; it's one of the reasons I like making soap so much. I haven't done much soaping lately, but I did get to play with some really cool nail polish designs. Two of them are in my Etsy shop now, but the third is a work in progress.  It looks great in the bottle- yucky on the nails :(

This is my tribute to Guinevere, or Gwen as she was called on the BBC Merlin series. Angel Coulby (Gwen) was always wearing purple and gorgeous blueish pinks, and those happen to be some of my favorite colors.  I added some really awesome glitters in different sizes to bring in some fire. You can try adding some glitters to your fave nail colors, too. Just make sure you use cosmetic grade solvent-resistant glitter, or else it will melt after a while.

Gwen Nail Polish (Indie Custom Color from Poetry Spa)

This one is called Ghost, and it's a basic pure white gloss. It's inspired by the retro romantic movie of the same name, starring Patrick Swayze and Demi Moore.  Didn't you just love the scene with the clay?  I could watch that movie a thousand times...

Ghost Nail Polish from Poetry Spa

Here's another one I made, tentatively called Dragonscales. It's inspired by the Great Dragon in the BBC Merlin series (I know, enough with Merlin, right?) with shades of iridescent green and gold and large gold flecks. Trouble was it was too opaque, which prevents the glitter from reflecting the light on the nails.  I have to keep working with the formula to get it just right. But here's a sneak peek anyway.

Dragonscales Nail Polish (work in progress)

 I'll be adding some new ones soon. I'm working on a sweet sparkly yellow for Buttercup. Bet you know which movie I'm thinking of!!!

Best Wishes!
Rose

The Best of Etsy February 2014: Creative Rags

Hi Friends,
Thought I'd show some love to my friends and other great sellers on Etsy.com.  If you haven't heard of Etsy before, you should check it out (and not just because I'm on there :) It's a site that's been around since 2007 where people sell handmade things, vintage finds, and supplies.  It's more of a boutique atmosphere than Ebay, and there are no auctions, so if you're used to Ebay you'll find Etsy to be a very different marketplace.  What I love about Etsy is that if you take some time and browse around you can find some of the most unique and unusual handicrafts you've ever seen. Some of the things I've discovered on Etsy are mind-blowing. So I'll be sharing some of my faves from Etsy every so often; I hope you'll like them too.

This month I want to highlight a friend and her outstanding Etsy shop, Jana from Creative Rags. She's been my favorite graphic designer on Etsy for years now, and she's done some awesome designs for me, including my shop banner, avi, and other previous work. One of the great things about Etsy is the community and friendly vibe, and Creative Rags is definitely part of that spirit.  Here are a couple of my fave items in the shop right now.

Digital papers. Lovely colorway for spring and summer.

So pretty for scrapbooking, labels, and home decor.

Another beautiful design set for weddings, garden parties, and Sweet 16.

I hope you'll love Jana's work as much as I do!

If you have an Etsy shop and you want to be featured here or you want to share your blog, feel free to send me a note or leave a comment. I'm always happy to spread the love and support handmade!

Till Next Time,
Rose




(By the way, I don't receive payment for my reviews. They're my true opinion about the products and services featured, and I'll tell you if I have actually used the product or service or if I'm just a fan.)

A Poem For Merlin

If you watched the BBC Series Merlin for any length of time, you'll probably share my feelings about the cancellation of the show last year.  I was so sad about it (yet ashamed to admit it) I stopped watching the programs on DVD and HULU altogether.  Then I realized that lots of other fans were experiencing the same thing.  But who wants to admit that they're a full grown adult getting all emotional and disappointed about the untimely cancellation of a TV show?  Only the truest fans will do it, and thanks to them, there are plenty of sites now where you can see fan art, fan fiction (some are fan-written screenplays for subsequent seasons,) scene montages, and other stuff to keep your Camelot-ian heart happy.  If you need some support or you want to get inside our heads about why we're missing this show so much, there's a really good op ed on Hypable about why we're still mourning Merlin.  Thought I'd share a Top 10 List of why I want this show to come back, even if just for the 6th Season we were all hoping for. And there's an original poem below that I wrote a couple years ago, inspired by the series, although it's not directly about the show.

Top 10 Reasons I'd Love Another Season of Merlin on BBC

10.  The cast was outstanding! They were very engaging, and they worked so well together.  The triad of Colin Morgan (Merlin), Bradley James (Arthur), and Richard Wilson (Gaius) all working for the common cause of defending Camelot and yet keeping all sorts of secrets from each other was genius. Sometimes hilarious, sometimes touching, it just worked.

9.  The soundtrack was epic, especially for a TV show.

8.  The costumes were also terrific, especially for Katie McGrath (Morgana) and Angel Coulby (Guinevere.) Some of those pieces were just magnificent and very rich to watch.

7.  The stories tended to be quite gripping, a great way to totally disconnect from everyday life.  You could lose yourself in Camelot for an hour a week and forget that you burned dinner or got stood up again. (Not that it's ever happened to me.)

6.  The themes were universal, sort of reminiscent of Gene Rodenberry.  Although we were watching a fantasy and seeing things wholly unfamiliar to our contemporary life, the themes of acceptance, living peacefully with others, love and loss, etc. are concepts we all know and can relate to.  And the writers of Merlin treated those themes really well.

5.  Bradley James is gorgeous!

4.  We never got to see the Camelot of legend, the great kingdom of peace, prosperity, and goodness that thrived under the reign of King Arthur. By cutting the series short, the producers failed to deliver on the promises made throughout the seasons, that by his devotion and tireless work Merlin would help Arthur usher in the Golden Age of Albion.  It feels as if the series as a whole will never be complete now.

3.  The marriage of Arthur and Guinevere was not treated with the care it deserved.  We didn't get to see much of the married life of the most fabled royal couple in Western literature.  And there was no wedding scene, boo! Worse, we didn't even see a proper funeral ceremony for King Arthur.  The last episode was hurried and missing some very important scenes as well.  Bringing the show back would give the writers a way to flash back and treat the fans to some of the scenes we really want to see. 

2.  Merlin was one of the few prime time programs ever to feature an interracial couple of a Black or bi-racial woman (Coulby) and a White man (James), and not make it an issue.  In fact, the diverse casting of Merlin made it sensational to watch.  But specifically, the chemistry between beautiful Angel Coulby and  Bradley James was mesmerizing.  They complemented each other's talent and played some scenes that are destined to become classic. I'd love to see them on screen together again.

1.  If there were one more season of Merlin, it could be a great lead-up to a full feature movie! (hint, hint)



Now, here's the poem. I wrote it about a personal situation, but it was written during my "Merlin" period and clearly inspired by my love of Arthurian lore. This is one of the darker poems I've written; I actually do not write many dark poems or rhyming verse. It was just one of those times... This poem is included in my upcoming book of Gothic poetry "Song of Shadows." So if you like Gothic poetry or dark poetry, you'll like the book.  You can share this poem with friends or post it on your Facebook as long as you attribute it to me, but please check out my copyright information first so you know what's okay and what's not okay to do with it. Hope you enjoy...

The Lady Of The Lake

I cried my life like falling rain

I cried my love's unending pain

I cried my voice like wailing gust

I cried my dreams in broken trust

I cried my eyes with heavy wails

I cried my arms like rushing gales

I cried my hopes an early death

I cried my kiss like wasted breath

I cried my soul a lonely grave

I cried my heart I could not save

I cried my tears that never end

I cried my years without a friend

I cried my song for sorrow's sake

I cried myself into the Lake.

Copyright Rose Evenstar

Is This Another Poetry Blog?

It is :) But before you click away, won't you stay a minute?  I have a very good reason for making this blog.  Poetry is my life. I've been writing it since childhood, and in my teen years I imagined I was in love with dead poets. Seriously.  Rumi, Donne, Petrarch, Shakespeare, Keats, Hughes, can't get enough of 'em.  But who reads poetry anymore? Poetry is so neglected in a fast-moving world, nobody remembers it until Valentine's Day when they're shopping for cards to tape to the boxes of chocolates.  Who even has time for it? You can't send it in a text message, it doesn't make a very exciting e-book, and it won't get you many views on Youtube... It seems poetry has no place in the technological age unless it's filled with four-letter words and superimposed over a deafening bass line. So what's going to happen to poetry if nobody likes it anymore? Will we let it go the way of all un-loved things, into a dusty grave with VHS tapes, powdered wigs, and spray starch? I'm hoping not.
If you've never had the joy of opening a handwritten letter containing a beautiful yet hopelessly flawed original poem written just for you, then let me introduce you to that.  If you remember the days when people shared poems, letters, and flowers before beds, let me remind you of that. And if you could care less about all this, thanks for reading me this far. It's been a pleasure!
If you come back to my blog, there'll be some poems, some critiques, some recommendations, some interviews, and lots of other stuff that may or may not interest you. Sometimes I write a lot, and sometimes I'm off in the stars of my own universe, so you won't see me for a bit. But definitely, there will be Poetry! And feel free to share your poems here, the good, the bad, and the cheesy. Let's stick to the clean stuff so young people can join in. Thanks a bunch.
Love ya!
Rose