Kathy Joy (Speak Wonder) reads an original poem for caregivers that frames words as vessels and uses harbor imagery as metaphor. She also shares writing-prompt inspiration from her unedited journal.
Kathy Joy: On the Cadre, I'm known as Speak Wonder. She loves to talk about all things harbors and harbor pilots on caregiver day. She also has a book full of writing prompts. So if you're here, send me a heart or a sunshine and tell me where you're from.
Today, on caregiver day, I'm going to read to you a poem for caregivers. Words are vessels. They carry you home. Let's fill our arsenal and set sail for hearts that need to hear a poem.
Hi, good morning. Good morning, Cadre. Good morning, everybody. I'm Kathy Joy. On the Cadre, I'm known as Speak Wonder. That's my email, Speak Wonder, and that's my Cadre name. And I love to talk about all things harbors and harbor pilots on caregiver day, which on the Cadre is every Thursday. And I love how all the talks spill into one another and feed one another. On any given day in the Cadre, we're taking care of each other, whether it's caregiver day or grief awareness or recovery, any kind of mental helps the workplace.
C. lippold is doing with different content makers and speakers who are becoming familiar and who are friends on the feed. The I don't know what we call that. The conversation stream that is always active and vibrant and robust. The Cadre. So if you're here, send me a heart or a sunshine and tell me where you're from, please. It's really neat to find out where we hail from. Where is your stomping grounds? Where are your stomping grounds? So one thing I love to do every morning is look in this book.
It's called My. Well, it's probably going to be backwards on the screen, My Unedited Writing Year. And it is a book, a very thick one, full of writing prompts. Oh, I don't know. I could give you an example. Here's one. Make a list of adjectives. Those are adjectives. Those are words that describe. Then use any of the words to write a story starter or a poem. So as a wordsmith and someone who likes to bend words into poetry, I've done so today for you, for the Cadre, JC was on earlier talking about words are vessels and they.
He was putting them in context, how words carry things and meanings and aha. I had an aha moment. I sure hope I'm on. Oh, good. Dream Big has joined. Sometimes I don't know if I've pushed all the right buttons. Thank you for the hearts. So, yes, I had an aha moment. Hello, Jules. When JC mentioned words are vessels, and I even typed in the chat that he gave me an idea. So I wrote a poem about words are vessels. As you know, if you've been with me for any length of time, I love to write haiku or other kinds of poetry or essays, so to speak, and blogs on things that happen in the harbor.
Because I do believe harbor things are such a metaphor for life. So today, on caregiver day, I'm going to read to you. Words Are Vessels, a poem for caregivers. Hot off the presses, you guys. I just typed it this morning after it came out of my heart. Words are vessels. They carry you home. They sail into your waiting, aching heart, to soothe, to rejoice, to sustain. They are container ships loaded with supplies, with life giving reinforcements. One word can be an icebreaker, its prow plowing through the obstinates, breaking up the bitterness, slicing through generational hostilities, melting animosity into absolution.
Words are vessels. They are steamships, ocean faring and seaworthy, propelled by good intentions, tender, caring hearts. They are windjammers, scooting passengers to high adventure or to a quiet cove. Words are vessels. Words are waiting aboard the flagship, dripping with meaning, heavily armed with grace, humility, delight. A fleet of word vessels follow in its wake, a nimble convoy of support at the ready to shore up your rigging, to prevent despair, to stand in the gap for your fractured, weary soul.
Words are ferry boats inviting you to park your vehicle and grip the railing and breathe in the salt sea air, gently delivering you across the waters to a new perspective. Words are vessels. Choose yours. They can be your very own kayak, light and watertight, singular in the vast blue water. Words spoken tenderly over yourself. Words like, Try again. I've done enough today. I will stay in this moment. It has something to show me. I am enough. It's okay to lift my paddles out, to allow my hands to relax in the whispering current.
It's okay. I'm alright. I'm going to be alright. Words Are vessels. A splendid regatta of sailboats racing into the harbor, each bright and brilliant sail speaking life, each voice hollering. I see you. And your voice echoing back. Hey. Yes, I see you too. Words. Our vessels. Words are mighty fleets, and yes, they are sleek, agile, tiny catamarans. They are spoken, wind driven, imagined and ethereal. Let's fill our arsenal and set sail for hearts that need to hear a poem for you today. Thanks for being here.
This is probably not a very long Cadre. I just really wanted to recite that poem for you. And thank you, jc, for using that phraseology. Words are vessels. Because it poured right into my waiting pen so that I could write a poem today. It's my favorite day when words show up and I can capture them and pin them down. So, my friend, as a caregiver, I want you to feel buoyed up and recognized across the water. There are folks who see you, who might not always say it, might not always have the words, but they see you and they notice you and they're traveling.
Maybe not an identical journey of caregiving, but one that is similar and we can echo back our gratitude. Dream big 30. Thank you for your magic. Thank you for that. It's a hard slogan. My mom, who is the focus of my caregiving and a pure delight. Funny lady, tenacious lady, 93 years of age. Her name is June. My mom is my priority and being my priority, I've had to let some things fall away that will probably sail into new seasons in the future when the time is okay. Right now, it's about mom and it's okay to say words over ourselves that give us courage, that give us grace.
And it's really great when someone speaks words over us. So I'm inviting you today to think of someone who might need your words. The last part of that poem said that we need to fill our arsenal and set sail for hearts that need to hear what heart is coming to mind, what individual person, soul is coming to your awareness that maybe you could encourage today with your words on a text, in an email, in a phone call, inside of a poem, on a card. Let's keep bolstering each other up with encouragement as we do here on the Cadre.
And thank you for being with me. I'll see you next week on Caregiver Day and enjoy your voyage wherever it takes.
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