If I should cry, my eyes would know, all the feelings I didn’t let show.
If I should cry, my eyes would see, all of the things I neglected to be.
If I should cry, my heart would hear, all of the secrets I hold dear.
If I should cry, my heart would feel, all of the things that can never be real.
Dedicated to my family, those alive and those lost.
(c) copyright 2008 ~ Nina Soden
For more poems, check out by collection on Amazon: Private Words Unspoken
The phone rang.
My Uncle is in the hospital.
He’s been there a month.
A MONTH and no one told me.
The phone rang.
My hands are shaking.
I can’t get the tears to stop.
A MONTH and no one told me.
The phone rang.
I may be far, but I’m still family.
Distance doesn’t make it easier.
Distance doesn’t mean I don’t still love.
A MONTH and no one told me.
The phone rang.
He has a week, maybe two.
It isn’t long enough.
I need him to breathe… to live… to fight.
A MONTH and no one told me.
The phone rang.
Miles between us and my voice betays me…
How do you say goodbye, when the words won’t come?
How do you say I love you when words aren’t enough?
I’m hurting… I’m angry.
A MONTH and no one told me.
The phone rang.
I have a phone; someone should have called.
I have email; someone should have written.
My heart is broken.
A MONTH and no one told me.
It isn’t right. It isn’t fair. SOMEONE SHOUD HAVE TOLD ME!
Dedicated to my Uncle Dan ~ I will love you always~
(C) Nina Soden 2019
For more poems, check out by collection on Amazon: Private Words Unspoken
Today’s #MindfulnessMonday Tip: Don’t take mindfulness to seriously… It isn’t a competition of who can be more mindful. It is about being present in the moment and enjoying life as it comes.
Check out today’s #MindfulnessMonday video to discover a secret about mindfulness. You can check out the video by clicking HERE!
Reading is a huge part of our daily lives. So much so that we often take it for granted. from text messages to emails to social media posts we are constantly staring at our phones, tables, computers and other devises. Find some time during the day when you can put down your electronic devises and focus on reading something in print… a book, a magazine, a newspaper (yes, they still print those). Allow yourself 5-10 minutes each day, when you can let go of all your other responsibilities to just get lost in the written word. You just might find that 10 minutes turns into 20 and 20 turns in to 30. I will warn you, there are some side effects to quiet reading which include…
Mindfulness Journaling Prompt:
Choose a poem you like and read through it very slowly. If you don’t have a favorite poem, do a google search for popular poetry or ask your Google Home, iPhone Siri, Alexa, or other smart device to tell you a poem about nature.
What do you like most about it? What images does it conjure up for you? What do you think about the words the poet chose to use?
Mindfulness journaling can be very private. However, if you are willing to share your experiences with me and my readers, I would love to invite you to comment below and let me know what poem you selected and how it made you feel.
Check out my #MindfulnessMonday YouTube Series and don’t forget to click subscribe so you never miss an episode!
EPISODE 21 ~ Mindfulness isn’t MAGIC!
Would you like to take the 52-week challenge and experience a more mindful existence? Check out The Invisible You ~ 52 Weeks of Meditations, Activities, and Writing Prompts to Help you Discover You!
I’m certified in Holistic Stress Management and Mind/Body Fitness. I’ve been practicing Mindfulness for 10+ years and am passionate about helping others in their pursuit of a more mindful existence.
Today is the 16th Edition of #WritingWednesday!!!
Remember, #WritingWednesday is an EASY, STRESS-FREE, weekly writing challenge.
The goal is 5 minutes of creativity.
Today I am writing as if I were writing in the voice of Molly, a character in a children’s book I’ve started.
Hi, I’m Molly. I’m eight, so I know a lot about the world. My little brother, he’s only six, he doesn’t know very much at all. That’s why I have to teach him. Mom says to be patient; he will learn as he gets older. I try, I really REALLY do, but it’s hard. When we’re in the woods and the Droplops come out, he doesn’t understand that he has to run away. He thinks it’s funny when their drool and slobber lands on him and makes him all wet and sticky. To be honest, I don’t even think he sees the Droplops. If he did, he wouldn’t laugh. He’d probably run away, screaming and crying.
There was this one time, I was up in my treehouse and Timmy came out and was climbing up the ladder calling for me, “Molly,” he yelled. “Molly, open the hatch. I want to come in.”
I was trying to be really quiet, so he would think I wasn’t there and he would go back inside. It didn’t work. I think my mom told him I was up there. Finally, I had to just let him in.
So, we were sitting in the treehouse and I had the windows open. They aren’t real windows, like in a house-house. They don’t have glass or anything, but my dad did put shutters on them so I could open and close them. Anyway, the shutters were open and I was staring out at the sky across the field and the clouds were getting really dark. I told Timmy we needed to go back in the house because the Droplops were coming.
He just laughed. He actually laughed.
I wasn’t going to stick around. I climbed down the ladder and told Timmy to come with me. I knew he would because he wasn’t allowed to be up in my treehouse without me.
As I was running back to the house, a huge glob of Droplop slobber landed on my forehead. I wiped it off with the back of my hand and turned back to see where Timmy was, but he wasn’t there. The only thing I could see was the tall, slime covered Droplop standing next to my treehouse, reaching in through the window with his big green arm. I could hear Timmy, still up in the treehouse, but I had no way to get to him. The ladder was blocked and if I tried to climb the tree, the Droplop would see me.
I stood there, watching, when suddenly…
© 2019 Nina Soden
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Alright, now it’s your turn. I’d love to see what today’s writing prompt inspires in you. So, if you are willing, go to the comment section below and start typing. Take 5 minutes and let’s see what you come up with!
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Would you like more sources for daily writing prompts? Click on the links below for great writing prompt journals I think you’ll really love!
Piccadilly 300 Writing Prompts
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Writers know that good writing is dependent on unique, interesting ideas. Kick your imagination into gear with this collection of… CLICK TO LEARN MORE!
Write More, Write Better – and Have Fun Doing It!
The Love in Ink team is composed of two passionate authors with over a decade of writing experience. We know what good writing consists of – and… CLICK TO LEARN MORE!
Writer’s Block Getting in Your Way? Destroy It, One Amazing Prompt at a Time!
As a writer, you know the woes of writer’s block. There is nothing worse than wanting to write, but lacking the right idea to get you going. We have the solution! CLICK TO LEARN MORE!
This collection of 642 outrageous and witty writing prompts will get the creative juices flowing in no time. From crafting your own obituary to penning an ode to an onion, each page of this playful journal invites inspiration and provides plenty of space to write. Brimming with entertaining exercises from the literary minds of the San Francisco Writers’ Grotto, this is the ultimate gift for scribes of every stripe. CLICK TO LEARN MORE!
Are you working on a manuscript, but need a little help getting organized? Check out SO YOU WANT TO WRITE A BOOK ~ An Indie Author Guide to Outlining and Planning Your Next Novel
Want help meeting your writing goals? Check out JUST WRITE: The Ultimate Author’s Bullet Journal
Remember, #WritingWednesday is an EASY, STRESS-FREE, weekly writing challenge.
• Read the writing prompt below,
• Spend 5 minutes writing (in your own voice or the voice of a character you’re writing) whatever comes to mind,
• DON’T EDIT what you write! IT DOES NOT HAVE TO BE PERFECT!
The goal is 5 minutes of creativity.
Will you marry me?
He was my college sweetheart…my high school sweetheart really. We had been together, off and on, for eight years. He hadn’t asked me, so I did it. I said those four little words and changed my life forever.
Will you marry me?
He said yes and two months later, we eloped. My mother was devastated. I’m not really sure his mom even cared, they didn’t have the best of relationships. That probably should have been my first clue.
Will you marry me?
It was like I had flipped a switch, turned the lights out, released the beast. That’s what he was, a beast…a brut…a monster. He didn’t hurt me, not physically. Mental abuse is different. You can’t see the effects, not on the surface, but they’re there. They might be deep down. You might be able to hide them from the rest of the world, but they are there. You feel them in your gut. You see them staring back at you every time you look in the mirror. You can’t erase them, not with a bath or even a hot shower. Putting on a new dress can’t make you feel pretty, not when the one person who is supposed to love you has drilled into your very soul that you are nothing.
Will you marry me?
I wish he had just said no. I wish he had chosen someone else. I wish he had loved me just a little… loved me enough to leave me.
Will you marry me?
It was the stupidest question I could have ever asked.
Will you marry me?
It almost killed me.
© 2019 Nina Soden
Are you working on a manuscript, but need a little help getting organized? Check out SO YOU WANT TO WRITE A BOOK ~ An Indie Author Guide to Outlining and Planning Your Next Novel
Want help meeting your writing goals? Check out JUST WRITE: The Ultimate Author’s Bullet Journal
#WritingWednesday is an easy, stress-free, writing exercise. Or if you prefer, we can call it a weekly writing challenge! All you have to do is read the writing prompt below and then spend 5 minutes writing. Don’t edit yourself as you go! Don’t worry about spelling, grammar, etc. You can choose to respond to the question/writing prompt literally or you can respond through the voice of a character you are currently writing. Remember, it is important that this be a stress-free activity. So, DON’T EDIT yourself as you write. The goal is 5 minutes of creativity.
IT DOES NOT HAVE TO BE PERFECT!!!
Today, I’ve elected to write in the voice of Sophie, a character from the manuscript I am currently working on, The Beast Within!
Saturday, just another day spent at home alone. I’d go out, but the streets of Seattle haven’t been all that safe lately. With three murders in less than four months, all within walking distance of my apartment, I’ve taken to staying home with the doors securely locked.
I can hear Ms. Jenkins banging around in her kitchen next door and wonder if she realizes how thin the walls really are. Then the smells hit me, she’s cooking spaghetti. Not the kind of spaghetti you get from a jar either, this is the real deal. I haven’t had a home cooked meal like that since I left Alabama and my stomach starts to rumble.
knock–knock–knock.
I wasn’t expecting any visitors, but Kim, my only friend, didn’t have the same reservations about going out that I had. She had lived in Seattle a lot longer than me and she happily walked the mile from her place to mine, on a regular basis, day or night.
“What are you doing?” Kim asked, as she pushed her way around me and into my small one-bedroom apartment.
“Just working…” I said, a bit hesitant. Kim wasn’t just a friend, she was also my boss and although I loved my job down at her shop, what I really wanted to do was programing. That’s the other reason I spend all my extra time locked up in my apartment, a slave to my laptop and the crazy world-building game I’ve been developing.
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#WritingWednesday – In this weekly post, starting January 30th, I will be sharing a weekly writing prompt. Of course, if you want to share in the comments what you write, I would love to read what the writing prompt inspires in you. If you prefer to keep your writing private, I hope you will use the prompts to help boost your creativity and push you toward more active writing.
Are you working on a manuscript, but need a little help getting organized? Check out SO YOU WANT TO WRITE A BOOK ~ An Indie Author Guide to Outlining and Planning Your Next Novel
Want help meeting your writing goals? Check out JUST WRITE: The Ultimate Author’s Bullet Journal
The dark night shields her as she swims in the glow of the moon.
The setting sun brings with it the strength she’ll feel soon.
In the eve her afterlife she cherishes.
As the sun rises her afterlife all but parishes.
Where others fear, she shakes with excitement.
It is her fortitude not her indictment.
Where others hide, covered in a blanket like a shroud,
She stands tall, confident, and proud.
Where others crumble in shame,
she drives on to lead them to fame.
On dry land she’s fluid and all but floats through the air,
but into the water and a master is what you’ll find there.
Her speed… Her skill… Her freedom within,
they allow her powers that have never been.
For she is one with the waves, and in control of the night.
Open your heart to her beauty or it is you she may smite.
(c) Nina Soden
He stood in the doorway, back against the cold brick wall, hidden by the dark shadows of the night. The rain poured down in sheets, but with his keen hearing he heard every drip… every drop… every splash as if the goddesses were playing a beautiful symphony just for him. He waited patiently until finally from across the street he saw her step out of her door.
She pulled the umbrella over her head, to shield herself from the rain. As the street light softly lit her face he could see the bruise covering her left cheek and the tears pouring from her eyes. It took less than a second and he was across the street and through the door before it closed behind her. All she felt was a cool gust of wind as he passed. Then she continued on her way.
Once inside, he didn’t give him time to react. Grabbing him off the couch and smashing the liquor bottle he was sucking down over his head the went down easily. He could hear through the thin walls of the old building the little old woman next door phoning the police. He knew he had to act fast and finish what he had started, but he wasn’t worried about being caught.
With his teeth like blades he bit easily into the drunk man’s neck and drained him quickly. Wiping the blood from his chin he stepped back into the rain. For only a moment he closed his eyes and breathed in deeply. He could smell her… sense her… feel her. Hearing the sirens approaching in the distance he took off down the road, turning right… then left following his instincts and his heart.
Her trail ended in a dark alley between two old abandoned factory buildings. He was confused… Worried for her safety… He had never lost her scent before. He had never been more than a stone’s throw away from her and he always made sure he could see and hear her at all times. He was like her guardian angel from a far… If guardian angels killed.
Although he knew he could never hold her… feel her touch… or taste her lips he would always protect her and in his heart and soul he would always love her. His heart, though it no longer beats, would always long for her and his soul, though condemned to walk alone, would always belong to her.
Falling to his knees he cried out in pain.
He searched for days covering every inch of the two buildings and the property. When he finally gave up and stood in the shadows silent and alone he turned to leave. But then, a feeling came over him… Her scent… Her touch… She was there! Something was different… He couldn’t hear the beat of her heart. He turned and in seconds her body was against his.
Her lips so close to his that he could taste her breath… Her hand softly ran down his arm, and she leaned in close and whispered in his ear, “It has always been you.” He took her in his arms grabbing her tightly… passionately… not willing to let go, and he kissed her hard with everything he had.
Torn between good and evil… heaven and hell! His heart pulls him closer and closer toward the forbidden angel. Her beauty strikes like a knife deep into his heart. He longs to be with her, but knows it shall never be. He forces his hand and strikes back. Attack… Attack… Attack… It’s easier now to go into the dark. Follow the light from hell’s burning flames.
Alone in the dark he finds his soul shattered and torn apart. He is tormented by his love for this angelic beauty and his propensity to destroy everything and everyone around him. The fight inside him grows until he can no longer stand it. He runs into the night searching for anything he can sink his teeth into. As he turns the corner there she is…
Not quite as beautiful or as sweet, but she would do to ease his pain. From behind he moves like a ghost, not making a sound. With hands of fire and ice he scoops her up and is out of sight in seconds. Under the cover of the willow trees he looks deep into her eyes calling to her fear to show itself. She screams!
A grin appears on his face showing his fangs like blades. He sinks them deep into her throat and drains her as her breath slows and her screams stop. His thirst is gone, but still he longs for the lovely angel he cannot have.
Copyright: Nina Soden 2014
Nina Soden 