Poetry

  • to grow freely. like the flowers.

     it is ok
     to let go of anger
     to quietly forgive those 
     who hurt you in the past
     this is a gift -
     for you. not for them.
     to step out of resentment
     to release yourself
     from the shackles
     of disappointment 
     to be alive inside your skin,
     again.
     to grow freely. like the flowers.
     rising up to the sunlight
     stretching out tall
     feeling hope flood in.
     remembering what it feels like
     to move smoothly,
     exist in the world
     without the burden
     of pain riding your shoulders
     to be weightless. in the best way.
     go on. fly free.
     it is ok.

    ©lotuscarroll2013
    Image & Text All Rights Reserved No use allowed without a license. For image licensing inquiries, email me directly. [email protected]
  • snowflakes

    what if we all defaulted
    to treating one another
    like snowflakes, truly:
    delicate, beautiful, unique
    things of wonder
    that reflect light onto one another
    what if it was not
    a point of shame, an insult,
    to be soft and delicate,
    to melt in the presence of warmth –
    like the bleeding hearts in our chests –
    what if we glisten so brightly
    that we wear down one another’s
    hardest edges, break through the ice,
    and all that is left is
    an infinite swirling mass
    made of prismatic pieces of love,
    little geometric wonders,
    floating and bouncing
    off one another, endlessly,
    in all our vulnerable glory?

    ©2018 Lotus CarrollAll Rights Reserved No use allowed without a license.
  • she whispered to me, softly

    she whispered to me, softly;
    her words spin round my head;
    i cannot soon forget them,
    for this is what she said,
    “each day i hide in shadow;
    by night, i kill and eat.
    those who most despise me,
    i sample like a treat;
    when they are not looking
    i dance into an open sleeve…
    instead of complete draining,
    i only give a ‘kiss,’ then leave.”

    she whispered to me, softly, her words spin round my head; i cannot soon forget them, for this is what she said, “each day i hide in shadow; by night, i kill and eat. those who most despise me, i sample like a treat; when they are not looking, i dance into an open sleeve… instead of complete draining, i only give a 'kiss,' then leave.” ____________________ Image All Rights Reserved No use allowed without a license. For licensing inquiries, email me directly. thelotuscarroll@gmail.com
    _____________________________________
    Image All Rights Reserved
    No use allowed without a license.
    For licensing inquiries, email me directly.
    thelotuscarroll at gmail.co

  • she.leans.in.

    soft breezes blow; her memories stir
    she reflects on lies
    that sounded like love
    the evil seed of deception grew a towering tree
    he thought that it would fruit
    to feed only him
    but wickedness does not equal wisdom
    the tree is now her strength
    and has grown in his absence
    she is stretching her branches to shelter many others
    as a storm marches in
    her deep, strong roots take hold and
    she.leans.in.

     

    soft breezes blow; her memories stir she reflects on lies that sounded like love the evil seed of deception grew a towering tree he thought that it would fruit to feed only him but wickedness does not equal wisdom the tree is now her strength and has grown in his absence she is stretching her branches to shelter many others as a storm marches in her deep, strong roots take hold and she.leans.in. ***** #daysix #blackandwhitechallenge #poemaday ____________________ Image All Rights Reserved No use allowed without a license. For licensing inquiries, email me directly. thelotuscarroll@gmail.com

  • lucid slumber of sadness

    i need you to come now
    and whisper in my ear
    of heartbreak and tragedy
    rap on the walls of my soul
    and shake things up a bit
    wake me, rudely, from
    this lucid slumber of sadness –
    it’s almost morning now
    and there is no time
    in the bright sunshine
    for tears and sorrow
    so come now, quickly,
    before the sun rises
    and fill me up with
    all the agonies i can bear
    so i can wring them out
    and then start anew.

     

    © lotus carroll 2014, all rights reserved

  • sunrise, sunset

    each day the sun rises, the sun sets
    the world turns to create this illusion
    your day may be my night
    my calm, descending orb may be
    your burning, rising fireball
    all the while, the ground we stand solid on
    is actually spinning relentlessly under us
    whatever you “see” is perception driven
    beauty and sadness
    tragedy and joy
    heartache and elation
    all of these things shift forms
    based on what the angle is
    my lens is different than yours
    yours is not the same as
    his and hers and theirs
    even common details
    become blurry, ultimately
    arguing absolutes and opinions, equally pointless
    spend more time accepting
    try harder to be aware and awake
    be ready to receive whatever
    put your energy into love
    open your heart and mind
    prepare to view from a different angle
    try to avoid shame and judgement
    see and feel and embrace all you can
    expand and let in as much light as possible
    before the last revolution completes
    and the shutter closes forever.

     

    each day the sun rises, the sun sets the world turns to create this illusion your day may be my night my calm, descending orb may be your burning, rising fireball all the while, the ground we stand solid on is actually spinning relentlessly under us whatever you “see” is perception driven beauty and sadness tragedy and joy heartache and elation all of these things shift forms based on what the angle is my lens is different than yours yours is not the same as his and hers and theirs even common details become blurry, ultimately arguing absolutes and opinions, equally pointless spend more time accepting try harder to be aware and awake be ready to receive whatever put your energy into love open your heart and mind prepare to view from a different angle try to avoid shame and judgement see and feel and embrace all you can expand and let in as much light as possible before the last revolution completes and the shutter closes forever. ____________________ All Rights Reserved No use allowed without a license. For licensing inquiries, email me directly. thelotuscarroll@gmail.com

  • quantum heart murmurs

    a few yesterdays ago
    in the hours between the deepest of night
    and the rising warmth of the sun,
    when i was feeling how heavy
    the weight of forgetting is,
    i wrote you a letter.

    it holds all of the secrets
    i wanted you to know about my heart,
    and the way that you left things
    like the scattering of leaves
    after a storm that never
    showed up on anyone’s radar.

    it tells the story of how many nights
    i held your shape in the dark with my soul,
    waiting,
    and the way that i could make my breath
    actually say your name even when i held it.

    i wrote about the way that the moon
    reminds me of the shiniest part inside of me
    that you found and then stole
    but that somehow still lights my way home
    when i feel alone.

    when i was done with the damp pages,
    i folded it into a tiny, star-shaped heart
    and carefully postmarked it
    to a future you, who may or may not
    someday care.

    a few yesterdays ago

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  • Birthday Balloons are the BEST!

    seven years ago
    i saw your face for the first
    time – it was perfect

    in so many ways
    you have changed, grown, and flourished
    but this fact remains

    you will always be
    the best thing that has ever
    happened to your mom

    ***

    This photo is from Braden’s 1 Year Birthday. Today he turns 7.
    The time is flying by, but I cherish everything, and with each passing day, ever more so.

    Birthday Balloons Are The BEST!