A STAINED GLASS HEART by Carolyn Riker

For the last two days, my garden has been calling me...

The leaves are changing from shades of chartreuse, emerald and peridot to vibrant lemon, sassy scarlet and tenacious tangerine. The roses, once delicate, are faded and rosehips punctuate the bare stems. Hydrangeas, ever faithful, still perform one last burst of color. The earth is blanketed in a mossy sodden nest; ready to take a much needed respite.

Here, in this transformative space the messages unraveled me. My heart, leaky as I raked through the knots and untangled the overgrowth. I combed the garden beds with a heavy rake and unearthed deep secrets. I scraped up the past and folded memories into lumpy piles of mulch. More than a few times, I had to set aside my tools and lend a tissue to my heart. Here, I unleashed another layer of healing and the words spilled out, similar to the falling leaves.

I let go of more, so I can soar.

A Stained Glass Heart

The images fell

like shards of stained glass

she gathered each colorful slice

and laid out an abstract configuration

forgoing the obvious

and letting the rules slip away

she gathered strength from knowing

and ignored the critics.

she snipped the tattered stitches from brokenness

and let fresh chords play harmony into the spaces

she stood in the thickest part of her

heart and rearranged her perspective.

closing her eyes,

she let nature naturally speak,

what you are, is beautiful

your wings are boundless

a semi-circle of luminescence

let your voice be heard

her vision expanded

into an arching opalescent aura

and as she opened her eyes she

could clearly see

through a brilliant stained glass window

etched in her heart and the words:

It takes time to create a masterpiece.

Carolyn Riker is an elementary teacher, mental health counselor, writer and a poet who finds comfort and balance in her kids, nature, music and her sweet cat Copper. She can be seen sipping soy lattes, nibbling on dark chocolate or savoring a full-bodied red wine. Introspective, forthright, kind and compassionate, she intertwines life with yoga, meditating and learning about Vedic Astrology and Ayurveda. She also writes for Elephant Journal and Rebelle Society. Carolyn can be reached via her e-mail address carolynra7@hotmail.com or on facebook here.

~If you are interested in seeing your poetry appear in this blog, or submitting a poem by a woman that has inspired you, please click here for submission guidelines. I greatly look forward to hearing from you!~

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