I Wait

I Wait

By Annette Camp

November 17, 2023

The light is on

inviting you

into more than

my home.

Yes. Time has

changed us.

Seasons come

and seasons go.

Like the tree

rings of the

circle, this can

not be erased.

There's no hug

or embrace.

Just a moment.

Patient - I wait.

 

Forever Timeless

 

Forever Timeless

By Annette Camp

November 17, 2023

I miss your smile,

your silliness,

your laughter.

I can't fight

the memory,

the love.

You're in my blood,

pumping through

my existence.

Into my life,

my heart,

my breath.

Lasting.

Unfailing.

Timeless.

Not Just Wishes

 

Not Just Wishes

By: Annette Camp

October 7, 2023

I want space

and time

with you.

Spending the day

together.

Wrapped in your

arms.

Enjoying a cup

of tea.

I remember your

 smile.

I remember your 

kisses.

I want that 

forever, not just

wishes.

There's nobody

I'd rather do life with

than you.

Reason Behind the Smile

Reason Behind the Smile

By: Annette Camp

September 16, 2023

 

To someone

from the outside,

it was a smile 

for no reason.

But I knew better.

I knew everything

about the reason

behind the smile.

It was the sound

of lapping water,

and the sight of a

grey dragonfly.

It was talking

over loud music,

and the chatter

in that room.

It was laughter.

It was sunshine.

It was mountains,

rocks and blue skies.

It was wonderful

memories of that day. 

It was reminiscing 

about the moments.

It was pancakes and 

bacon. Steaks and 

potatoes, ice cream 

and chocolate cones.

It was a kiss. A hug. 

A gift from the heart. 

And a warm hand 

held at night too.

With the shuffle

of the sheets on

the other side of

me, I pause...

And I grin...

I knew everything

about the reason

behind the smile.

SLAM!

 

SLAM!

By: Annette Camp

September 2, 2023

There's nothing like

a poetry slam to

relieve your fears.

There's snaps, 

claps, and all 

kinds of things 

to reassure you 

that you are

brave. 

You are not

your anxiety.

Your difficulty.

Your hardship 

or grief.

Your discomfort.

Your distress

or pain.

You can relax

into the thought

of it's ok - 

You, you, are ok.

You are clearly seen

both visibly and

emotionally.

A sigh of relief.

Dating, now, that's

quite the opposite.

There is hope to

alleviate feelings of

isolation and loneliness.

A hope to share

companionship and

a GOOOOD life.

A life worth living.

A life that multiples

the joy and divides

the sorrow.

Then, there's the 

first contact. That

first text, message,

or if you're lucky, 

a face-to-face

meetup.

Going over and 

over in your head

what to say, what

topics to avoid.

Trying on outfit

after outfit. That

first impression to

summarize who

you are.

In this situation too:

fear and anxiety.

Will I be seen?

I only say what

others feel.

Feelings if left 

alone, unpleasantly,

suffocate the life 

from you.

SLAM!

3am Dreams

 

3am Dreams

By: Annette Camp

July 24, 2023

My mom, sister,

and three

bed linens.

Dreams

and 3am

interpretations.

Mom:

A positive

indication

of success.

Sis:

A sign of new

beginnings,

opportunities.

Appearing 

3 times:

A sign of a

fruitful life.

Bed

linens:

Starting with

a clean slate.

The book:

10,000 Dreams

Interpreted.

Internet 

searches of

dream symbolism.

I yearn for the

meaning of

weird dreams.

Signs of 

success.

Favorable

outcomes.

Now, I can sleep.

Body Aches

 

Body Aches

By: Annette Camp

July 18, 2023

The bandage forcefully

ripped off, exposing

the skin and

underlying tissue.

Severe bleeding again.

The wound aches 

and echoes of the

long-lasting trauma

experienced.

So my life has

been since you

abruptly left.

The damage done.

The internal injury

now exposed to the

external world.

The pain is great.

My body aches.

The Bedrock

 

The Bedrock

By Annette Camp

July 14, 2023

Resuscitated.

Restored to life

from a place

that was dying.

A painful place

that lacked 

TRUE

connection.

Coming from a

psychologically

expressive

deficit.

Arising out of

a feeling of

emotional

disconnection.

REAL talk.

Sparks of light.

Gentle tears.

Vulnerability.

Talk about life.

About love.

About anything.

And everything.

Not just dialogue

around the day.

or family.

or weather.

More than

conversation

in the kitchen

over a meal.

A voice spoken

without regret

or fear of

consequence.

Honest.

Supportive.

Softness.

And strength.

The bedrock

of trust.

of respect.

CONNECTION.

Speechless

 

Speechless

By: Annette Camp

July 13, 2023

She told me to

get in the car

and she drove.

Where we were

going I had no

earthly idea.

Soon after, we arrived 

at a local coffee shop 

she frequented. 

When we went

in, about ten or

so of my friends 

were there. 

"What is going on

here," I asked. At that

moment, her phone

rang unexpectedly. 

She stepped away

to take the call, and

I went in search

of answers.

I was told that

they didn't know

why they'd been

called, but were

very curious.

She ended her

call. Then, she 

came over. Taking 

my hand, she got 

on one knee.

She asked me to

end my messages

of being single

and to be hers

alone.

I was speechless...

Ripples in a Still Pond

 

Ripples in a Still Pond

By: Annette Camp

July 11, 2023

Many a person has

reflected on the

external effect of

ripples occurring 

when an object is

dropped in a pond

or other body of

water.

The surface is

immediately altered.

This eternal shift

is not void of

internal modification. 

Just as the 

surface ripples

forth great

adjustments in

the external...

The internal is

forever transformed.

A recognition of

the everlasting shift

both in the internal

and external must

be made for us

also. Truth be told,

external alterations

affect us internally.

We are forever

changed, as ripples

change a still pond.

Stop I Pleaded

Stop I Pleaded

By Annette Camp

July 1, 2023

A man has taken

my son away.

I saw them leave

together with my

own two eyes. 

I ran after the

vehicle, only to

have my son tear

up and turn away.

As I reached out

toward him, I 

screamed: "I

will save you."

With tears 

running down 

my cheeks, he 

mouthed, "I'm ok."

 

I yelled to the 

driver to stop 

and pleaded

with my son to

jump from the

moving vehicle.

He shook his head

and said, "I can't.

I'm the father of

his daughter's child."

In My Dreams

 

In My Dreams

By Annette Camp

July 1, 2023

Last night, I

saw you in

my dreams.

It occurred in my

mind involuntarily

as I slept.

A vivid narrative

that you actively

participated in.

Now, as I write,

the content of it

slowly fades.

What I heard,

touched,

smelled,

and tasted

through my

senses - gone!

But the ideas,

thoughts and

feelings...

Clear as day.

I knew it was

you there.

Not just images,

but emotions

and sensations.

Ever since, I've

been as happy as

the day is long.

Mind-bending

 

Mind-bending

By: Annette Camp

June 11, 2023

Relationship building

helps me grow

as a person.

Each relationship

is like a piece of my

life's kaleidoscope.

Round marbles.

Pointy triangles.

Unique glass.

Each one adding to

the beauty of the whole

and ever changing.

Geometric patterns.

Colorful symmetry.

A rainbow prism.

Mind-bending.

My Life's Lighthouse

 

My Life's Lighthouse

By: Annette Camp

June 11, 2023

Someone asked if I

wanted to settle down.

I emphatically said yes

with two exclamation marks.

I want settled but not

a comfortable type

of boring; rather a 

bedrock of stability.

Knowing there's a very

real foundation to

always be home, like a

lighthouse on the sea.

One in which will always

have a light on leading

the boat of my life to

a cherished safety.

The seas of this life

may be fairly calm or

they may be somewhat

tumultuous in nature.

Regardless of the weather,

sunshine, rain, or hail,

always a light on and

the foundation of home.

Love's Journey

Love's Journey

By: Annette Camp

June 11, 2023

Love is a journey,

not a destination.

It could be a solitary

voyage of self-care

or an excursion of

self-love and enjoyment.

That's a good start

and a lifetime trip,

a constant packing

and unpacking.  

Many times, a quick

outing to some unknown

territory but on each

occasion an adventure.

Without fail, some sort of

packing and unpacking

occur, whether for a

day, week or eternity.

Other times, the expedition

includes a someone or

some ones who've come

along with great anticipation.

Regardless of the type

of relationship building,

love remains a journey

not a destination.

Hear My Heartbreak

 

Hear My Heartbreak

By: Annette Camp

June 7, 2023

Smash.

Crash.

Crunch.

Crack.

What it meant.

Gone.

Love stopped.

Grief starts.

Reduced to the

Sound of my 

heart break.

Smash.

Crash.

Crunch.

Crack.

Shattered.

With Grace

 

With Grace

By Annette Camp

June 7, 2023

Alone is ok.

Isolating is not.

Speak it.

Emotionally vent.

Move forward

With grace.

Summer Sun

 

Summer Sun

By: Annette Camp

June 7, 2023

Like the first ray of

sunlight, I wake to

the radiance of who

you and I are.

The beauty of our deep

affection surrounds all

like a healthy dose of

the summer sun.

Unbroken by clouds,

I see the truth of

our happiness and

unwavering tenderness.

The light of day

illuminates all the joy

and warmth of our

love's summer sun.

Girlish in a Boyish way

 

Girlish in a Boyish way

By: Annette Camp 

June 1, 2023

 

I used to wear a tie.

I used to wear a dress.

Now, I wear a smile.

In that I feel the best.

Polo, jeans, and 

Sneakers too.

This is who I

Am mind you.

This I feel every day.

Girlish in a boyish way.

i.am.enough.

 

i.am.enough.

By: Annette Camp 

June 1, 2023

Last night, I dreamt

That I was simply

Not enough.

Not enough girl.

Not enough boy.

Simply not enough.

Not enough sugar.

Not enough spice.

Not enough to make

Someone look twice.

It made me sad to

Know that I was

Simply not enough.

Today, I woke up

And simply said

i. am. enough.

Enough sugar.

Enough spice.

Enough to make

Someone look twice.

The Aching Unknown

 

The Aching Unknown
By: Annette Camp
May 30, 2022

This aching period 
of the unknown.
The arrow is cold.
Undeniable, it is there.

Will the wound be deep?
Will it heal with time?

This aching period
of the unknown
is worst than the
heart's painful stab.

Will the wound be deep?
Will it heal with time?

The Breath of Calm

 

The Breath of Calm

By: Annette Camp

May 27, 2023

Close your eyes.

Feel your

breath in

this moment.

Breathe slow

as your belly

expands or your

chest rises.

inhale.

exhale.

repeat.

22,000 times

a day you

are powered

by breathing.

Peace and calm

result if it

is done with

intention.

My Faults. My Flaws.

 

My Faults. My Flaws.

By Annette Camp

May 27, 2023

They are seen as

Unattractive.

I see them as

Human.

They are seen as

Unacceptable.

I see them as

Imperfection.

They are seen as

Defects.

I see them as 

Defaults.

They are seen as

Undesirable.

I see them as 

Opportunities.

They are not deliberate.

They are a part of

The gemstone

Of who I am.

And...

It holds true

Those are not

My only flaws.

In Your Arms

 

In Your Arms
By Annette Camp
May 27, 2023

In your arms,

I rested.

Felt comfort.

Felt home.

In your arms,

I felt an

Easing from

Distress.

In your arms,

I felt a

Release.

A freedom.

In your arms,

I felt hope.

Happiness.

Assurance.

In your arms,

I relaxed

Into who

I am.

In your arms,

Unconditional

Love and

Acceptance.

In your arms,

Something

Special in

My heart.

In your arms,

Not just a

Physical

Connection.

In your arms,

My story began

My hopes 

And dreams.

In your arms,

Safety and

Security.

Magic!

Do I long 

To be in

Those arms

Again?

Yes!!

ABCs of Healing

ABCs of Healing

Advocate - ask for yourself

Body - listen to your body

Compassion - make space for it

Doctors - follow the doctor's orders

Eat - healthy diet is important

Follow up - seek professional help

Gratitude - remain grateful

Hydration - keep up with the fluids

Improving - includes your mental wellness

Journey - know that it will not happen in a day

Kindness - appreciate the kindness of others

Learning - it's ok to not feel ok

Medication - is there to help with the pain

Nurses - help with your physical care

Occupational therapist - provides tips and tools

Persistent - set realistic goals: Don't rush!

Quiet - your mind from anything less than recovery

Rest - relaxing includes sleep

Self Care - those feel good activities (movies, massage, music, meditation, etc.)

Trust - you'll get your strength back

Uphold boundaries - let others know what you need

Value - your support network (family, friends and professionals)

Willingness - to slow down

eXercise - slow progress not the extreme (like walking)

Yourself - give yourself time

Zen - remain in a calm attentiveness