Tag: emotional health

The Teeterboard

Doug Hoekstra

Walking by the playground Where my son used to play On endless afternoons. Sliding. Bucket on his head. Pretending He was the Artful Dodger Running a hand across the dragon I noticed Two children on a seesaw Or teeter totter; a long Narrow board with a pivot point or Sweet Read more

Doug Hoekstra

Doug Hoekstra is a Chicago-bred, Nashville-based writer and musician, educated at DePaul University in the Windy City (B.A.) and Belmont University in the Music City (M.Ed.), whose prose, poetry, and non-fiction have appeared in numerous print and online literary journals. His first set of stories, Bothering the Coffee Drinkers, was published in April 2006 and earned an Independent Publisher Award (IPPY) for Best Short Fiction (Bronze Medal). Ten Seconds In-Between, his latest collection of short stories, was published in June, 2021 on Better than Starbuckspress. Hoekstra has also worked extensively as a singer-songwriter with eight albums of original material on labels released on both sides of the pond, propelling touring throughout the U.S. and Europe, at bookstores, coffeehouses, clubs, libraries, pubs, festivals, radio stations, and castles; solo and with combos in tow. Musical highlights have included Nashville Music Award and Independent Music Award nominations, as well as many groovy happenings. 2021 also brings a new album of music, The Day Deserved. ("A lot of people write songs, Hoekstra writes five minute worlds" - Wired Magazine).

Mama

Julie Anderson

I know you gave it all away Mama, I know this you don’t have to say it Mama, I know you wanted more, you left your past all by yourself you knew that there was a way Oh, gosh Mama you tried to dig a trench to escape the real Read more

Julie Anderson

Julie Anderson is the Creator and Publisher of Feminine Collective. Julie was inspired to create this safe place for women to share their secrets, desires, triumphs and pain as the antithesis of what mainstream media offers women today. In her column Pursuit of Perfection, she explores the importance of rectifying the balance of inner and outer beauty through essays, poems and articles on self-esteem, shame, family, and self- acceptance.

A Letter to the Mistress, Who Invaded My Marriage

Ashton Saldana

A little over a year ago, you inserted yourself into my world. I never had the opportunity to sit down with you face to face and have a conversation like grown women are supposed to be able to do. I wouldn’t invite you to sit across from me so I Read more

Ashton Saldana

I am a blog writer on relationships, travel, spirituality and women's empowerment - while writing a book. I have endured quite a few trials and tribulations throughout my 31 years of life. Through it all, I continued to reach inside and find the mighty female power inside of me to turn all of my pain into power. I changed my outlook on my circumstances by living a life of gratitude and by truly discovering and falling in love with myself. Being authentic, I now live my life to the fullest. During my hardest of days I turned to writing. Writing became my therapy. Because I want to help others that might find themselves in similar circumstances, I decided to publish my work. I feel that my purpose on Earth is to share my challenges with others as a reminder that success and setbacks are opportunities to get others going - to the place that they are supposed to be.

Rebirth

Brianna Scott

I peeled back the Earth I heard her scream in the hole I placed a seed the wound would heal I looked above, the sun will squeeze through the black fluff there’s a force greater than us but I lacked the tools And like the blind leading the fool I Read more

Brianna Scott

I am an 18 year old naive libra girl who is really gullible and still believes in fairytales and love at first sight. I moved across the country to northern California to find a new adventure.

Chasing the Sun

Jacqueline Cioffa

Don’t look down at your feet The answers won’t magically appear On some tiny telephone screen with videos buzzing megabytes and wasted seconds A billion unknown faces The unfamiliar bizarre millennial Scrolling fast and furious Thunderstorms and lightening threaten Look up and out and dig deep Go ahead look all Read more

Jacqueline Cioffa

A retired, international model, and celebrity makeup artist. Co-Author of Model Citi Zen, the guide. Founder of http://modelcitizenmakeup.blogspot.com/. Author of numerous prose pieces in various literary magazines. Most recently published in Little Episodes Brainstorms the anthology, among esteemed artists Sadie Frost, Melvin Burgess and Todd Swift.

My Husband Doesn’t Want Another Baby

Elisabeth Horan

what kind of canyon is so deep it’s impossible to hit bottom how deep the fault line might go under earth armor, violence as naughty as my tantrum, when he defies me again with the: n.o. I’m terrible twos again choke throat and spine puncture mucus lungs and asthma purveyor Read more

Elisabeth Horan

Elisabeth Horan is a poet mother student lover of kind people and animals, homesteading in Vermont with her tolerant partner and two young sons. She writes to survive and survives to write - We are all battling something. Let's support each other. Elisabeth enjoys riding horses and caring for her cats, chickens, goats and children (not necessarily in that order). She teaches at River Valley Community College in New Hampshire.

I Am

Julie Anderson

Stunned into silence when I joined the ranks of the secret keepers, we speak with our eyes only, that is why my lashes linger, faintly shut. I am protecting my soul from the secret thieves, like the others. We are quietly watching, waiting, wondering when you will be brave enough Read more

Julie Anderson

Julie Anderson is the Creator and Publisher of Feminine Collective. Julie was inspired to create this safe place for women to share their secrets, desires, triumphs and pain as the antithesis of what mainstream media offers women today. In her column Pursuit of Perfection, she explores the importance of rectifying the balance of inner and outer beauty through essays, poems and articles on self-esteem, shame, family, and self- acceptance.