36 Comments
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David Kirkby's avatar

Dear Síodhna

Yes, we do need to "live healed, open, connected lives as far as we can."

That is perfectly expressed.

The new year has started, unsurprisingly, with news of violence. lawlessness and division. There is a lot of healing to be done.

A lot of healing does happen though. It just seldom makes the news. Even Poets are part of it...

Best Wishes to you

Dave

The Sea in Me's avatar

Maybe we’re part of those healing forces, Dave?! Always lovely to read your work and your uplifting comments. Keep up all you do!

Thomas Rist's avatar

It’s great to have you here too, Siodhna. Keep on creating and writing!

The Sea in Me's avatar

Thanks Thomas, still early stages for me. I can see it evolve as I go. I can feel its benefit, and, if only for that I’ll keep it up.

Happy New Year!

Thomas Rist's avatar

Happy new year to you too!

Fotini Masika's avatar

"what moved the stones upstream?" got me downstream in search for words. I have missed your poems, dear Síodhna and this fertile ground of writing souls.

what moves the stars hones

the scars you proudly wear—rift

erupt; time is apt

🖤

The Sea in Me's avatar

These erupting times, movements in the making, the scars they leave

....but oh, the view from atop the mountain and the pull of those stars.

man of aran by alan's avatar

Thank you Siodhna, for the wonderful post and for the kind mention! Happy to be part of your community!

Paul Wittenberger's avatar

Happy to read you again, Siodhna. I'm behind on my reading as I have just adopted cat and have been taking time to get both of us acclimated to each other. Thank you for this poem and for your words. I, too, will do my best to make this a year of new beginnings!

Artemis Rose Archer's avatar

Thank you Síodhna for your voice and depth of your words and imagery here. 🙏

a Universe is rising

whole and honeyed

rise up!

we rise as mountains

we rise as mountains to shape this landscape

of the rest of our lives

Lisa Jensen's avatar

Such a gorgeous poem, followed by such healing prose! ❤️

The Sea in Me's avatar

Thanks so much for your lovely comment, Lisa. Would be lovely to connect again sometime in 2026 on a group reading!

Lisa Jensen's avatar

Check your DMs, dear!

Jonathan Foster's avatar

Thank you Síodhna, I'm a bit late, but I'm glad I made it in the end, a gorgeous voice again, of sense and hope and strength. Just as I think the world's gone totally mad you open window and I hear the birds singing :)

The Sea in Me's avatar

What a lovely comment to read Jonathan. Let's stay open, as uncomfortable as it feels, as open as we can. I think it's the only way through.

Susie Mawhinney's avatar

Dear Síodhna, Thank you, for gentle, true words when they are needed, by which I mean here , "I sense it’s not the elected or paid leaders necessarily who will guide us through these uncertain times. It’s the everyday people on the ground, amongst us. You and I." and by which I wholeheartedly agree and will never stop saying at every moment possible because in all the world only we, the small people with big hearts and open arms, can sit beside others like us and understand sufficiently to guide and love and ease the passage towards a future that is to all of us, not wildly inspiring.

I loved beyond words "wolfmoon erupts— in fistbloom " exquisite!

So many thanks for the mention, I am both humbled and delighted as always to be thought of...

Sending love on this cold day, too, at the beginning of January. xxx

The Sea in Me's avatar

What a lovely response to read Susie. Your words have such soothe. Gentleness even. Your writing and posts always have themes of the ‘Universal’, in the particulars you write about, as Joyce would have noticed. Part of why so many connect with your writing.

I’m still trying to get a proper grip of the pen. Very early stages for me. But I’m noticing more lately that the more I write, the better it is for me. Regardless of the end output, it feels a little like that.

Happy Nollaig na mBan. Not sure if ‘Women’s Christmas’ or ‘Little Christmas’ is celebrated in where you are in France? It came a little early this year for me, so I’ll mark it Friday with some friends at a cinema watching ‘Hamnet’. I’ve cooked the dinner tonight. Thanks again! Means a lot.

Susie Mawhinney's avatar

"I’m still trying to get a proper grip of the pen." You underestimate your ability dear one... truly! There are few people who could write a line like "wolfmoon erupts— in fistbloom" including me! Believe in you lovely one... xx

The Sea in Me's avatar

(Oh wow, you did it again!)

Mahdi Meshkatee's avatar

Great to have you back, Síodhna. Maybe the landslide brought you ‘back’ this time.

The Sea in Me's avatar

Maybe it did Mahdi. I’m no better at it, but I’m attuned again. I’ll keep my eyes and ears open for what I might suggest has been a ‘tuning fork’ experience of life and my portal to writing.

t’s a place to put the current that runs through me. It needs a place to go.

Rajani Radhakrishnan's avatar

"wolfmoon erupts—

in fistbloom "

Beautifully put. Thank you for the mention, dear Siodhna. Lets hope that we can reclaim the positive space and joy after the dreadful start of this year.

The Sea in Me's avatar

Thanks for picking that part. I was slightly obsessed with the moon the other night (and morning!)

I really like your writing!

LeeAnn Pickrell's avatar

So lovely to read your poem today. It’s getting crazier and crazier and harder to find solid ground.

The Sea in Me's avatar

Yes it is LeeAnn.

Small day parts is how I’m taking it in January so far. The uplift of people. i’ll add the writing and art. the arts, it’s almost everything of what sustains me. Things will improve. I know they will.

LeeAnn Pickrell's avatar

Yes, yes, yes, small pieces at a time.

Sarah Howard Lapine's avatar

the uplift from ordinary things

is lit—

And the ordinary becomes extraordinary.

The Sea in Me's avatar

It is that Sarah, really lovely to hear from you!

Stephanie Sweeney's avatar

Yes! “The uplift from ordinary things”

Always love seeing your poetry and playlists in my inbox, Siodhna!

The Sea in Me's avatar

Thanks Stephanie, always such lovely comments. I’m coming back … albeit slowly … and will look forward to catching up on your posts! Happy New Year and Nollaig na mBan shona duit from Dublin town.

Stephanie Sweeney's avatar

Same to you!

Cynthia's avatar

Beautiful as always, Siodhna. And I am completely honored to be mentioned among such amazing writers and artists. Thank you. ♥️

Richbee's avatar

Volcanic innuendo. Ca-rack-ass leap of molten hot mountains rising above oceans to touch the skylight of days to come.

The Sea in Me's avatar

Always love your echoes!!