AWARENESS by Tracie Nichols

Reaching the ripe and slightly terrifying age of 53 I realized that I don’t really know myself anymore…

At least, with children nearly gone from our family home and all manner of changes happening personally and globally, it feels like I don’t. As if I’m a fuzzy photograph I can’t quite make out, or a book with a stuck cover. I don’t quite get what my role is, or what my next moves in the dance are...

So, when a friend and colleague offered a class that meant I would spend a year and a day writing a book of me, I tumbled right into the chance. She mentioned that one of the themes we’d be exploring was “awareness.” The next thing I knew, there was a poem on my computer screen, and a whole new way of thinking about awareness.

Awareness

by Tracie Nichols

Awareness...

is wings

is needles of rain on my arm

is opening

o p e n i n g

eyes and mouths

hands and lungs

uncurling toes and

unclenching teeth

awareness

is droplets of my soul

scattered wherever

I go

wherever

glimmering

on sidewalks

in tree leaves

on blades of grass

becoming snowflakes

droplets of my soul

kissing

everything

at once

awareness

is taking

the

world

as my

lover

Photography by Eric Jousse

Tracie Nichols has written poetry since she was 11 years old. While most of her early works are gone (this is probably a good thing) she continues to scribble poems at odd hours about everything from the state of her soul to the sounds of her kitchen. In truth, though, her poetic heart belongs to the deep green places of our wildly, fiercely, sacred, earth. When she isn’t making poetry with words she’s listening to the whispers of the green world, making alchemy with plants and stones and moonlight wildness. Tracie blogs, shares resources and generally nurtures at her website here. Connect with her also on Twitter or Facebook.

~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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