three years sharing hundreds of poems thank you for reading grateful
I started posting Haikus to @mirjamreads my account dedicated to reading in April of 2020 (I later created @mirjamwrites) and enjoyed the freedom of being able to put my words out there without having to go through a formal publishing process.
I have written all my life, but writing poetry never really was my thing. In early 2020 I was lucky to get a spot in a creative writing course. We were given a prompt, asked to write down what came to mind and then to reread our text and circle the most important or meaningful words. The next step was to turn those words into a brief poem.
I was surprised by how much I enjoyed condensing these spontaneous outpours into short haikus. These haikus reflected the essence of what I felt. On my long daily walks I observed nature in a very different way, with open eyes and an open heart. I saw spring kicking in with all her power and I encountered numerous animals. Since I mostly walked on similar routes I enjoyed noticing all the subtle changes. The poems I shared on @mirjamwrites reflected what I observed.
My writing practice has grown beyond haikus into other poems, short stories and essays and I now host the writing course were I started three years ago.
I'm curious to see where my journey will take me next.
I am so happy to be able to share my words, to see my poems published and beyond grateful for the friendships I have found through my writing.
The first poem I shared is still one of my favorites:
pain will leave its mark we can grow around or pain with scars but stronger
My last poem also rings just a true.
empty spaces fill my soul
My words have found a home here
Book recommendations
These are some of the books that stood in the last weeks for many different reasons. Get in touch and I will be happy to chat about them. You can see all the books I read in my Goodreads account. I add new recommendations to my Instagram Books highlight.
Foster by Claire Keegan
The Mountains Sing by Nguyễn Phan Quế Mai
Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano
July’s People by Nadine Gordimer
Dear Edward by Ann Napolitano