Eschew/Renew

We sketch our lives in
Invisible ink on these walls
Of air, earth, fire, flesh;
We pass like roses, beauty,
Only present a short while.
Our hands busy, selves,
Creating foundations for
Futures never ours,
Generations we offer
Our best gifts, accomplishments.
Now, we sing against
Doubt, fear, insecurity –
Fighting shadow blight
Where the fruit will flourish, brave,
In gardens of delight, saved
From degradations,
We erase with consistent
Labor over years
Paying in earnest, never
Letting faith, hope, slip away.
Love, our guiding light
Though we fade in brightest glare,
Almost completely
Unknown, contributing hearts
To lives, we wish to see free.
Words cannot bring
Every dream into being,
But speaking, a tool,
Purpose-built to encourage
Change within lives reached, inspired.
Plentiful, we, examples
Scattered over time, what minds
Mend, creating more sublime,
Love, part an art, taught hands-on
Driving history toward grace
Still, counting every life, face,
A precious gift to embrace,
With confidence, each person
Has meaning, purpose, reason,
Position in time and space.

© Jo Ann J. A. Jordan

Relentlessly Engage

To undertake what you
Were meant for every day
Takes belief, courage, strength –
Somehow you conquer shadows,
Trust yourself to make meaning.
Nothing about success comes easy
It is a fight that often gains no
Gratitude and has no surety.
Each day matters because
Changing the world is individual,
Also joint, an endeavor like
Forests growing trees which
Requires energy, patience, time,
Though progress may be slow
And usually go unnoted, benefits
Become evident for all living things.
What you do assists many people
You may never know or see directly;
Keep being, doing, going for the best
Because love has significance,
Living is a grace beautifully shared
Encouraging many of whom
Need constant examples to aid
In avoiding personal defeat.

© Jo Ann J. A. Jordan

Opening the Heart Door

Journal Page with Tanka, Poem, and Illustration
© Jo Ann J. A. Jordan

There are times when showing how things germinate and become seem essential to share. The above is a journal page. I think we all need to know that however our process works, it is okay.

Creativity can be messy. It can also travel in lots of directions to get to an end, and even then, we may wonder what we have. Learning to trust ourselves in our media is why I feel working every day is most important. Even when insecurity and doubt assail us, doing what we love is a refuge and something we cannot give up.

Prompt: Share something you are working on creatively, even if you feel it is still rough around the edges.

Gratitude:
I got up today to sunshine and opportunity.
I found some cool guitar jams.
My workstation.
I have great tools.
Sodas.

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All work on Chronicles and Haphazard Creative are © Jo Ann J. A. Jordan. If you wish to share or use something I have created, please give credit and let me know so I can celebrate.

© Jo Ann J. A. Jordan

Life’s Illusions

He was endless hope
When her smile dipped beneath tears
Puddled in creases
More rapidly appearing
On her face than ever ought.

Somehow she misgauged
The like he felt even though
She wanted to hold
On to who they were always,
He saw she was far broken.

Each day she kept it
Under control, but lost it
When she realized
She was failing in loving
Him without his loving her.

© Jo Ann J. A. Jordan