Monthly Archives: November 2025

***Please note that this was inspired by a writing prompt during a workshop zoom meeting. After sharing it with my group, several members thought I should send it to the author.  I found her author page and submitted it. I have not received a response.

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Dear Judy Blume:

            Thanks for all the wonderful stories that you’ve written for young people. You put into words their thoughts and fears, their worries as well as things they celebrate.

            Your characters are fully-formed, making them realistic representations of children that age.

            I’m sorry that some find your topics threatening and so have organized book bans, pulling your work off library shelves.

            I wonder what that feels like? To have poured heart and soul into writing, hoping it reaches your intended audience, receiving accolades for your work, then suddenly finding yourself as a “hared” author. It must be disheartening.

            We can hope that as time passes, saner individuals will restore your stories to their rightful spots on shelves. That once again young people, especially girls, will see themselves reflected in your work, reflected in your characters.

            Thanks for giving the world topics that are timely, meaningful and accessible to a wide variety of readers.

Questions and Considerations

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Does breath crystalize and fertilize the earth?

Is the soul really tender, breakable?

Or is it strong, strong like iron,

Able to withstand hurt?

Why do lambs cry all the time?

Why do they need the company of others

More than life itself?

Why aren’t humans like them?

Why do we move through life

Cherishing independence, reveling in the ability

To stand on one’s own two feet

Without once, just once, needing

The help of others?

Why do white swans choose the company of other white swans?

Shouldn’t a black one be equally attractive?

Or perhaps more so because of its difference?

Or is there something inside that moves one to select

Ones like itself?

What does that mean for humans?

If anything?

Why do hummingbirds’ wings beat so fast?

Is it out of fear?

Self-reliance?

Or simply because that’s the way things are meant to be?

Why do bears hibernate?

Is it the call of winter?

Something in the air tells them to hunker up,

To settle down before snows fall?

Or is it a need for deep sleep?

Why don’t people do the same?

Close windows and doors

Pull up the comforters

Turn up the heater

Stock up the cabinets

And not go outside for months?

Is it because bears are comfortable in their hides

While people need to lean on others?

People must feel, touch, hold

Cherish, react, love

While bears intrinsically know

That they are okay.

What about stones, tiny and large

Who sit alone along paths.

Do they feel alone?

Do they yearn for the weight of their kind?

Do they fear floating off into space

Unless something grounds them?

While butterflies flight about,

Seemingly without care or direction

Here, there, everywhere on a whim

Lighter than air

Stronger than a breeze

Able to withstand storms

That might send stones tumbling downhill.

So many unanswered questions

So many unanswerable questions

That change nothing

That influence nothing

Not even the beating of my heart.

Alternate Kingdoms

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Consider, no acknowledge,

That there are alternate kingdoms.

The planets come to mind.

Swirling masses of rack and glass

Floating around us

None have been identified as hosting life

Yet there could be

Could have been

Creatures crawling, flying, digging

Multiplying, colonizing

Creating kingdoms of their own

Wriggling in the waters swirling

Below in lakes and streams and creeks

A variety of beings build homes

Reproduce

Celebrating love and life and family

Much as humans do,

But in their words, their thoughts,

Their beliefs.

Flowers and bushes and trees

Send their spores into the void

Populating unoccupied spaces

With vibrant hues of greens, browns,

Reds, ochres

Which then become homes for others

Usually not by choice,

But needed, necessary to foster

New lives, new families, new clusters.

Creeping, crawling, walking, stomping

Through it all are beings with legs

Or no legs

Wings or no wings

Breathing air, inhaling pollutants

That humans have created,

Thinking only of themselves

Their needs, their desires,

Of only what they perceive their lives should be

The world, the kingdom, expands and contracts,

Breathing its own rhythm

Pulsing life-giving blood and fluids

Across the lands, skies, waters

Sharing common space without consideration

For impact, for change, for unwanted influence

On other lives

On other kingdoms

Heart Pain

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Her life with us was short,

Only three years

Her golden years.

She followed us around,

Slept on our laps,

Begged for food and love.

But she hurt.

Day and night she cried

In pain.

So hard to hear,

Knowing there was nothing I could do

Except love her and comfort her.

A time comes to say goodbye.

Unfortunately I wasn’t prepared.

Not after only three years!

She was twelve when we adopted her,

Already a senior cat.

But, oh so sweet!

Kind. Patient. Loving.

Fun to watch when the zoomies

Sent her flying all over the house.

Demanding when she expected food.

Loved her treats!

Noon every day we had to give her something special.

It’s just been minutes,

But already the house feels empty.

My heart will heal.

I will adopt another senior cat.

But until then, I will mourn.

Goodbye, Bingo!