And so we meet again Island women. It is once again my pure delight to share with you. I want to offer another poem and this one came after a writing drought. I have been taking great strides in preparing to launch my own spoken word show called “Spoken Love with Carlie Kilduff” and I can assure you that, behind the scenes of any artist baring their soul, are some shaking knees and tender hearts. As I move forward, I constantly nurture the voice that tries to encourage me to keep going, rather the one that says I should just pack it in and keep my passion hidden. There is a part in all of us, I think, that prefers to stay small and detached. When I find myself with this inner “party pooper”, I mother myself along and always find that my greater soul and true identity shine through, reminding me that I must keep pushing forth in my attempts to share my messages with the world. What a ride!

On one particular day, I was in need of encouragement and when I opened my heart and asked for some love to wrap around me, this is just what happened. I began the day with some tears as a sadness swept over me, but immediately my two young boys and husband were by my side with hugs and tender love. I went on to my local coffee shop and was greeted by two people who both asked me about my poetry and encouraged me to keep writing. Next, I attended a drop-in play group with my toddler and one wonderful woman was clearly a gift to me and my weary heart that morning, as she uplifted me with her words. I was inspired and ran home with the lines of this poem already forming.

It feels so good when poems tumble out and I have been known to go on a poetry rampage, with a record of seven poems in one day! After I wrote “Your Words”, I was graced with four more amazing poems. Not bad, especially after it had been a while since my last writing streak.

Here is my poem and I truly hope that it might inspire you to consider how you use your words. We have way more impact than we could ever know, of this I am certain. My best wishes to you.

Your Words
When you open your mouth to speak
Do not be meek
Let the truth peek and love seep
At every corner
Uniting foreigners, comforting mourners

Become a word builder
A craft guilder
Use your words to fan flames
To light fires, to jolt the wires
Not pop the tires

Let us conspire to inspire
To uplift one another
To mother not smother
It’s time to uncover
Come out from hiding
Stop disguising, deciding
And start confiding
Storm riding
Peace rising
Word flying
Not defiling
But all the while smiling

A little touch can do so much

You ought to know
That in the throes and all that goes
The racket and clatter
That you really matter
Your presence, your light
Passions and desires
Inspire and spark fires

If your words were dishes
Sharing wishes
Let them be so delicious
That all who gobble will not wobble
But stand firm as the wind churns
Let them be so strong that they return
To find you when you have forgotten
When your gut is rotten
Let them be so true
That they slice through
Pierce through fierce weather
And warm you like a sweater

Let your words be free as a boomerang
That they will come back again
Keep turning and relearning
Keep your heart yearning
Discerning
For there will be a day
When you will eat your words
And goodness knows
That when love flows through words
All will come back for seconds and thirds

Carlie Kilduff
Website

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