(photo courtesy of wikipaintings.org)
She twists, she turns, she tumbles and falls.
Like green Gumby rubber-man/ child wide-eyed in wornout toy box,
Nimble, pliable woman,
Is she.
When the wind blows, the cradle may fall,
But mother catches baby, husband, parents,
And all the rest.
In the middle of raising parents or is it raising kids,
She yearns to sit at the feet of the master acrobat,
Learn the art of dexterity,
Living nimble, bending, twisting, turning
Corners of her life, with skill and ease,
Stretching limbs to meet the needs
This world of hers throws at
Her, life, a whirlwind, whirling dervish, world.
She, Mary Martha ambidextrous hybrid, serving and loving
Longing to learn the art of balance.
To live and love and serve in the right measure of, mix of
Both. The proportions just perfect.
Art, not science.
Caring for self, she bends back into the page and writes
A love song to the world, her passion bleeding on the page.
And hears a cry, piercing knife-like in the night
To walk outside, plates and balls all tossed up in the air.
She longs to fold back on the white noise page and write,
Right where she lives.
Folding laudry, folding bedsheets, folding words.
They mix and mingle, they tug like moon at tides.
The words call,
Come play with us today.
The tempting taunting call of passion on the page,
To write.
The tension tears.
Joy comes gently in the sweet release
Of words.
She bends her ear to hear, what’s right.
And leans her head, blood rushing to the brain.
To write the words, her playful playmates posturing for a position
In her life. Right beside mother, sister, wife and other.
To write the balance out, the story,
That is her life.
Words winning, winding their way down the rows.
Poetry calls come play.
And at Thought Provoking Thursdays.
And I’m joining the folks at Tweakspeak Poetry for this month’s word prompt, Surreal. This is my offering on the prompt. (More to come, this is “fun”, sort of). #TSSurreal on Twitter.
elizabeth w. marshall 
always amazing. Keep it up you bless others through your words.
When I see Sharon O, I see encouragement.
It is such a balancing act–to be a wife, mother, writer … Thanks for giving voice to this struggle and victory.
Oh friend, thank you for hearing my heart and for knowing. And for your time here today walking this out, these words with me. Bless ya.
So pleased to have all these others on the journey with me. Life is richer in community.
Surreal is right! What an amazing picture – it resonates with your meaning perfectly. It’s hard wanting to do everything and recognising we can’t, isn’t it?!
Kati, so privileged to have you visiting over here. Love that we are crossing paths and doing this writing thing in community together. Looking for that balance, even today. Love and rich blessings to you, friend.
Loved the ambidextrous hybrid. 🙂
And so glad you’ve found a place to play with us at Tweetspeak. 🙂
Lyla, cherishing the face that you were here. I so cherish too, the folks at Tweetspeak. So very glad also that I have found others to play poetry with. Now to get down too to the hard work of refining, finetuning, and improving the craft.
I so get this, Elizabeth. This desire to write it all down, to capture every moment while caught in the tension of needing to actually live it all out, as well. And you nail it when you say that writing is a way of self care for yourself. Yes, me too…..
We are so alike, you and I.
You bring a lot of joy to my life, writer friend. And yes we are a like. May God bless our poetry project, hoping to bring Him glory, girl.
So glad you get me. So glad you are on this pilgrim’s journey with me.
This was such a delightful read…the tension between words, laundry, and love….you captured it well..Thank you, Elizabeth 🙂 I agree that writing is a way of self care…it took me a while to recognize that and to honor that…blessings 😉
Dolly, honoring writing and striving to weave it into our lives, with balance–right there with you, friend. Yes this tension between words, laundry and love. I love that I am not alone.
I loved this – the way the words reflected the picture so well. Thank you!
Tanya, so love getting to know you better a little and a little. Your visit here is gift. I am so enjoying Amber’s word prompts. Missed your voice this week. Hope to see you Monday.
…He linkg-up neighbor today….”She, Mary Martha ambidexterous hybrid, serving and loving”…yes…I actually have a half written journal/blog about this very tension…wow…how you can do this poetry thing:) wonderful post and I love how the picture and words reflect each other so well.
Hi back, neighbor, lovely one. Look forward to reading your blog post on this tension. May we have the grace to find the balance in the Mary Martha moments. Love to you, Ro.
Mary/Martha….yes….I love finding myself in your words.
Brenna, so cherish your words. You are quite an encourager and I am honored to have you here. This writing in commmunity is a precious jewel in my life. And my life is enriched by the relationships with other writers. Thanks for coming for a visit.
Love your words here, the poetry, the comparisons, the struggles..beautiful!
Alecia, it is so nice to meet you, new friend. Honored you came here. There are lots of places to go in this bloggy world. Hope to continue seeing you over at em’s place. Your encouragement is a gift.
“the tempting taunting call of passion on the page”, yes! I get this, we speak the same heart language.
Diane, I love speaking a heart language that we share. This community of writers never ceases to amaze me with its encouragement and love. Love writing in community with you, sweet one.
She longs to fold back on the white noise page and write… oh friend, there are so many delicious lines in this piece. truly, one of your absolute best. loved it.
OH em, your words of support and encouragement are little life rafts. I will float on your words today.
Lovely piece Elizabeth! Thanks for sharing it…it was a brief moment of quiet for me too!
Oh that it was a moment of quiet warms my soul. Love that you were here. That pull at a writer mama’s heart is unique. Glad we are on this journey together, Melissa.
Elizabeth, I too am struggling as a Mary Martha ambidextrous hybrid. I too am trying to live it and write it, take action and live in a place of fluid response. You put voice to the experience so many of us writer mamas know well. Love your poetry and the gratitude breathed through it.
Ashley, sigh. When I speak you listen. And when I write you hear me. There is such comfort in a kindred spirit reading and hearing our words as writers. Thank you friend for walking this writing journey out with me. Grateful for you.
captured perfectly. wonderful.
Ah, that you hear it is huge. You bless. So enjoyed your piece today at a Deeper Story? I believe I left you some comment love. THanks suzannah for being here with your lovely heart.
yes. this twist and turn to capture both the living and the remembering. the mama and the woman. the heart and the soul. you describe us creative mama’s so well here. the picture bleeding into and out of your words.
Tara, your visit here as always is a gift. And your words sweet encouragement to my soul. Love walking out this sojourner’s journey with you and other mama writers.
when the words pile up in your heart and mind, it is such a sweet release to write them and create. Thank you for your post. DAF
Yes, yes, it is just that. The words pile up in my heart. That sounds like a title for a post…when the words pile up. Its true though there is a release in the processing life through writing. Thank you for understanding, always.