creative writing

My Favorite Mirror – Poem by Me

BrookeLeave a comment 
come on, you've got to see this
i'd always tell all my friends before dragging 

them upstairs into my bedroom. i would thrust
them before my innocent looking full-length 

mirror. chipped white wood, a design chiseled
into the stand, and shorter than me. no one 

ever understood why it was so special. 
always absentmindedly staring into this 

extraordinary ordinary mirror while sitting 
at my desk, i soon discovered its magic.

when i gazed into the glass, i saw a different me.
not different enough that i wouldn't recognize 

her, but different all the same. blonder hair,
bluer eyes, clearer skin, a more delicate frame.

the minute details that would make me more
confident in my appearance. at first i thought

i had just matured over night, growing into my 
body. but after running to the bathroom mirror

and my parents' mirror, i knew this wasn't the 
case. i didn't know whether to be disappointed

or relieved. i returned to my mirror, this magic
mirror, once my favorite mirror, and shattered

the thin layer of glass. as special as it was to see
myself in this way that no one else could, i

didn't want to be stuck on that version of myself. 
i didn't want to be the girl in the mirror if i 

would never actually be her.

I hope you enjoyed this piece! Just like my poem from yesterday, this isn’t inspired by my life, which made it interesting to write. It’s also a bit of a longer piece. Let me know if you have any feedback on this piece or any writing challenges for me to try out in the future. Stay safe and healthy.

Brooke

It’s An Honor – Poem by Me

BrookeLeave a comment 
strolling onto the stage while people clap
her scarlet dress clings to her body

and she fights a blush that would turn her
face almost as red as her lipstick

now at the podium, the shiny gold award
is in her hand. it doesn't seem that different

from a high school sports trophy (anymore).
she's at the podium, a microphone is shoved

in her face, and it's time for her speech.
you know, the impromptu one that the 

veteran celebrities prepare in advance, and 
the newbies don't think to-- she clears 

her throat, stares into the microphone 
rather than facing the crowd, and says

thank you, it's an honor. she doesn't use 
the impromptu speech she made up for fun

when she was a little kid performing
for her family- this has been my dream 

my entire life. instead, she lists off 
names of people, things, and places 

to thank. she smiles and hopes the cameras
aren't picking up the slight blush that 

managed to creep into her cheeks. she clutches
the award tightly, because it's an honor.

This was interesting to write since I normally write poetry that’s somewhat inspired by my life, and this definitely isn’t! I hope you enjoyed regardless. Please let me know if you have any feedback on this piece or writing challenges you’d like me to try in the near future. Stay safe and healthy.

Brooke

On the Shelf – Poem by Me

BrookeLeave a comment 
i stack my old books on the shelf
blowing the dust off the chipped wood

to make a clean, safe home for these
prized possessions that possess all the

knowledge in the world (my world)
combined. books that represent the

person i want to be, the world i want to
live in, and books that represent the 

person i am, the world that i've had to
accept. neatly organized by color, the 

sight of the shelf is one i admire. it's 
much too beautiful to share.

i step back from the stacks, turn away
from the shelves, and walk out of the 

room. i lock the door behind me to 
keep my precious books safe.

I hope you enjoyed this piece! Please let me know if you have any feedback on this poem or any writing challenges for me to try out in the future. 🙂 Stay safe and healthy.

Brooke

UV-Ray Vision – Poem by Me

BrookeLeave a comment 
some people wish for x-ray vision as a superpower
but i wish for uv-ray vision as mine.

to stare into the glowing orb of light we call the sun,
to look past the sunspots and stop our eyes from

watering when it's a sunny day and we look into 
the sky. to see what we can only partially see

to know more about our favorite star and be 
able to gaze into her eyes. to prevent her from

blinding us when we just want to get to know her.
to take in even more of her light, and become light ourselves

I hope you enjoyed this poem. I know it was a short one, but if you’ve been reading my blog for a while, you might notice I mainly write short poems. I’m working on a few longer ones to post in the near future 🙂 Please let me know if you have any feedback on this piece or any writing challenges you’d like me to try out in the near future. Stay safe and healthy.

Brooke

Procrastination – Prose

BrookeLeave a comment

Why does it never feel like there’s enough time to do anything when I have more than enough time? We’re all blessed with the gift of time- after all, we’re alive today.

I make a to-do list for each day, and I guess you could call me an optimist for thinking I can check off all of the items. Sometimes I do, but most times I don’t.

I spend too much time reading what I wish I could write, and too much time writing what I wish I could read. It’s difficult to figure out what the best use of my remaining time in the day would be, or if there even is a best use.

I reorganize drawers that are already fairly organized, considering I don’t plan on getting rid of the already limited contents inside. I fold endless loads of laundry; the laundry basket always seems to be full.

And then there’s the unwritten list of tasks I’m putting off.

Painting my walls because the sea foam green color that once seemed trendy now makes my stomach churn. Shaving my legs since I hate to do it, yet my mother’s nagging and society’s standards coerce me into thinking I need to. Doing an actual workout, more than just going on a walk, and one where I keep going and finish it all the way through. Writing the stories I think I’d be best at writing, the ones about myself, because I’m not sure I’m ready to make myself that vulnerable.

Sure, I procrastinate on normal things once in a while. The essay that I just don’t have an idea for. Studying for final exams that I don’t want to accept are coming. Cleaning my pretty much all-white bathroom that’s become varying shades of brown. It happens to me just like it happens to anyone. But for the most part, I’m pretty good at staying on task and getting these things done. I’m comfortable with my hamster-on-a-wheel lifestyle jumping from one task.

But what about the things I want to do? The things that would be good for me?

People don’t realize that you can procrastinate those.

I hope you enjoyed this piece! I know procrastination is something that everyone struggles with at some point, but I wanted to acknowledge the fact that it manifests in different ways in different people’s lives, just like any other habit. Please let me know if you have any feedback on this piece or any creative writing challenges for me to try out in the future! Stay safe and healthy.

Brooke

Daily Dose – Poem by Me

BrookeLeave a comment 
there's a shooting pain in the crook of my neck
but i refuse to take an aspirin today. i refuse to 

take an aspirin most days. it depends on my mood,
how independent or dependent i'm willing to feel

i tilt my head back slowly, until i'm looking up at 
my smooth white ceiling and i feel it- the pain.

i turn to the left to look at myself in my chipped
full-length mirror. if i turn more than that, i 

feel it. i can't stop feeling it and i can't resist 
turning. i don't want my vision to be restricted

to one field, not even right now. i don't want to 
always be chasing my own tail (figuratively, of 

course) and if the pain's going to stick around,
                                                        i want to feel it.

I hope you enjoyed this piece. It’s a little bit more dramatic, but I will admit I’ve been struggling with pain as described in the poem. I’m not exactly sure how to deal with it other than writing, but it’s not too bad; creative license was used 🙂 Please let me know if you have any feedback on this piece or any writing challenges for me to try out in the near future. Stay safe and healthy.

Brooke

Morning – Poem by Me

BrookeLeave a comment 
i don't know whether i dread or look forward to
the dizzy sensation of waking up and stumbling

out of bed. realizing it's another day, opening the
blinds, and letting the light stream in to my tiny 

bedroom. gaining my footing like a duck coming
back onto land, and getting ready for the day.

my head spins a little bit- jumping out of bed jump
starts my senses. my eyes can only see colored spots

for a moment, and i almost lose my balance while 
standing in front of the bathroom sink. 

the light becomes visible and my eyes zero in on the 
brightness; i can see my neighbors going for a walk

outside. the ground feels solid again, and i can go 
along with my day- it all took less than sixty seconds.

I hope you enjoyed this poem! It’s a little mundane, but I got the inspiration to write it when I was going through all of these morning routine motions this morning. There is something to be said about the odd, lightheaded feeling I get when I first wake up… hopefully that’s not just me! 🙂 Please let me know if you have any feedback on this piece or any writing challenges for me to try out in the near future. Stay safe and healthy.

Brooke

When The Ink Runs Out – Poem by Me

BrookeLeave a comment 
i drew the big dipper on my inner thigh
accidentally, of course; the pen jabbed 
into my flesh before i could stop the ink
from soaking into my skin and

it just happened to look like my old
favorite constellation. on my other
leg, you might notice a few random dots
and lines. guilty as charged, i don't

seem to have control over my pen.
and yet the ink ran out that day, thick
black letters becoming a meek shell
of what they used to be as the dry

tip of the rollerball dragged across
the page. i couldn't help thinking
these marks on my thighs were a 
waste of this precious commodity

but i didn't care. when the ink runs out,
you know where to find me.

I hope you enjoyed this poem! I actually do have a line that looks somewhat like the Big Dipper on my inner thigh right now. I’m weird and often do my work at my desk with one leg raised up (not very ladylike, I know), and sometimes when I’m writing really fast or get distracted, I end up making marks on myself. I’m just clumsy like that- there’s no other way to explain it. 🙂 Please let me know if you have any feedback on this piece or if you have any writing challenges you’d like me to try out in the future. Stay safe and healthy.

Brooke

Be Silent – Poem by Me

BrookeLeave a comment 
the quiet envelopes us in this room
       we say nothing to break the silence
but i like spending this time with you
       and the outside world is too loud

if only everyone could learn to be silent
       the birds pecking at the trees in the yard
the neighbors mowing their lawn 
       the kids across the street who don't

yet know how quiet the world can get
        if you just let it be

This is a super short piece, even for me, but I felt it was best to keep it short. I mean, that’s kind of the point of it. I hope you enjoyed it, and I would love for you to leave any feedback or any writing challenges you may have for me to try in the future in the comments. Stay safe and healthy!

Brooke

Bumpy – Poem by Me

BrookeLeave a comment 
i hadn't ridden a bike in a long time, but here i was- three miles
         on the smooth, flat Palm Springs streets. all identical,
brown tones, desert landscaping, community pools
          seemingly endless, which is why i kept going. i'd never gone

on such a long ride. a mirage; i showed no signs of tiring, even
          in the April desert heat, instead picking up speed, whizzing 
by golf carts and happy families unloading their cars. 
           i probably wouldn't have stopped, if i didn't find myself 

back at the vacation rental. i put the bike in the garage, where it 
           wouldn't be touched for who knows how long. but i didn't 
even consider going on a bike ride when we came home.
            "the roads are too bumpy" was the excuse i'd give

i didn't want to navigate the sloping, cracked streets of my
              neighborhood, or pass by people i knew. i wanted to chase 
that desert mirage, and navigate the roads of life that were less
               bumpy.

I hope you enjoyed this piece! It was a fun one to write; I got the idea while I was reminiscing on my spring break vacation to Palm Springs last April. Luckily, the weather is heating up where I live and it’s pretty nice (not as hot as the desert, that’s for sure!) so I can comfortably blog from my backyard while basking in the sun. Let me know if you have any feedback on this piece or any writing challenges for me to try out in the future! Stay safe and healthy.

Brooke