Create 2 Share Poems

Hi, I’m Beverley Joy of Simply Story Poetry. These are poems I was inspired to write from my blog articles at Simply Create 2 Share, that encourage creative people to share their creativity with the world, however small or large that may be:

Intro: I spent most of my adult life helping others until I realized that I was spending too much of my time helping others. How can that be? Isn’t helping others a good thing to do? Yes, it is, but not at the expense of being irresponsible and negligent of your own talents and goals in life. So, what was the real reason I was neglecting my own talent and goals? I had to face the fact that I was hiding behind my ‘helping’ to avoid facing my greatest fear – the fear of rejection and criticism of my poetry. I had to be brave like David and face my Goliath.

Surprisingly, my daughters were relieved and proud of the new direction I was committed to. I was no longer hiding behind housework and doing things for others in their homes that they were quite capable of doing themselves and preferred me out of the way. “Get a Life Beverley” was the message the winds of life were blowing my way. So I did. I got in and focused on writing and sharing my poetry. I still help my family and friends a lot, but now I balance my time in a healthy way. Beverley Joy

Saying I’m Too Busy Is A Cover Up

No matter what age or life path you pursue

It’s never too late to start something new.

Excuses, excuses, don’t give me excuses

I’m too old, too young, too stuck in my ways

It’s too late, it’s too soon to try something new.

Stop aimlessly bobbing in the ocean of life

Tossed this way and that out of your control

Start swimming with purpose in your stroke

Like a swimmer cuts through the rough surf.

Unblock your fear of what people might think

Like turning on a hose that was once blocked

Once the blockage is gone, the water flows

And you will nourish and refresh wherever you go.

Curiosity can influence every part of your life

In your work, hobbies and relationships

So, live in wonder and awe, eager to know more

A curious attitude will open closed doors.

We can spend too much time living for others

Supporting and working for their dreams and goals

I was doing this to avoid sharing my poems

For fear of rejection and disapproval.

I struggled with jealousy and frustration

Watching other’s achieve their dreams and goals

But, while I was helping, I could remain selfish

And not take responsibility for my gift.

It’s not fair to others when we are thinking

Negative thoughts about them and their talent

We’re not being true to ourselves or our family and friends

Letting fear of our goals sap our creative energy.

It’s healthy to set boundaries, for their sake and yours

And live a balanced life that includes your own goals

Bring your goals to the front and centre of life

DO IT NOW. START TODAY. Your family will say thanks.

You may also enjoy my article that inspired this poem Get Out of The Way of Your Creative Flow at Simple Create 2 Share

Intro: It’s February already. Diaries and calendars are on sale at massively reduced prices because February is the month that the new year has burst out of the starting blocks and is gaining ground. In Australia, the kids are back in school after the long summer break, community events and groups swing back into their regular time slots.

February is the testing month for any New Year’s Resolutions that were made last month. A percentage of people will have already broken their well-meaning intentions, a few don’t even bother setting any goals for the year, some will be slow out of the starting blocks and need another month or two before they get started. Others will have set their goals for the year and are competing in the race against time. I shared in my blog article Plan To Scribble Time, how I scribbled out my writing plan for 2022. I wrote this poem reflecting on how we humans run the race against time. Beverley Joy

A Scribble In Time

Tick-tock, tick-tock, time waits for no man

The relentless rhythm of the hands

As they walk their way around the clock

Day in, day out, never tiring of their work.

Tick-tock, tick-tock, humans, can only hope to find

A way to organise their mind

To sync what they do at work and leisure,

To fit-in-with-times hourly chimes.

Tick-tock, tick-tock, I scribble my goals on a piece of paper

I sit curled up on my comfy lounge

A calendar and diary with art on the cover

With a pen and white-out stick ready in hand.

Tick-tock, tick-tock, determined to achieve my goals this year

I think as I scribble my plan onto paper

I’ll do this today, I’ll do that tomorrow

I’ll go here in September, I’ll go there in December.

Tick-tock, tick-tock, When I’m finished, I lean back and sit tall in my chair

With a smirk on my face, I say “I’ve won the race

With the hands of time, I’ve silenced its chimes

My plan is sealed in whiteout and ink.”

Tick-tock, tick-tock, at Christmas time I know I will find

My diary, full of whiteout and scribbles in time

Confessions of frustration and of cause celebration

In my race to chase time to the finish line.

For a different concept of time, read or listen to my poem A Rose Of Time

You may also enjoy reading the article that inspired this poem A Plan To Scribble Time at Simple Create 2 Share

Intro: I wrote this poem when my daughters had grown up and moved out of our family home and were living independently. I had always been there for them. I was a proud, doting mum. I had continued to push my goals to the side. I don’t regret a minute of my motherhood years. But the time had come when I had no more excuses. Even my girls were telling me to do more with my life than be a servant to everyone. It felt strange to throw out my old ‘motherhood’ lifestyle, that I was so comfortable and safe in, to replace it with a new unknown lifestyle as a single mature aged woman.

I was getting older, my youth was slipping away. I needed to smarten up and start working on achieving the goals that had sat dormant in my heart, but that now were stamping their feet to be let out. I didn’t know where to start or what to do first. I had never made plans that revolved around just me. I felt guilty and selfish. But I did realize that to achieve my writing goals, I needed to stop procrastinating by being ‘busy’ doing non-goal related tasks around the house, which I could always find plenty of them to do, and learn to focus my attention and time on goal-related tasks. That was easier said than done!

Then, one day, in 2014, I sat down at my tablet and spent three days straight typing my memoirs. It would be another six years before I gave my rough notes to an author to write them into a novel, which will be released later this year, 2022. It was during that six-year period that I wrote many poems, which I published on this website and my podcast last year and will self-publish into books this year. This poem is the last of three poems I have shared over the past few weeks. I wrote these poems when I first started thinking about sharing my poetry with the world. Beverley Joy

Stop Wasting Time And Get On With It

My confidence is shattered

I can’t trust myself

To make wise decisions

That will move me on in life.

I want to move forward

Solider on, as usual

But, I hesitate to change my ways

I wish my life could stay the same.

My desires don’t shine in neon lights

My voice doesn’t echo with thunderous might

I’m invisible, like a waiter, I’m here to serve

To assist when required and then, step aside.

Now, I can no longer say I don’t have the time

To pursue the gift that God chose as mine

But, fear weighs down the soles of my shoes

Self-doubt resists my need to move.

My mind is shouting,

“Stop and listen to yourself

Can’t you see the opportunity?

You’re at a crossroad in your life

You can’t stand still, you must decide.”

“It’s time to walk a creative path

Explore your talents; record your memoirs

Gather the skills your journey will need

Travel with your friend – curiosity.”

“Now get on with it

Stop wasting time

Before it’s too late

And you’re dead with regret.”

Ok, I’ll pack my bag

There’s no turning back

I’ll change my life path

I’ll follow my heart.

I’ll let go of others

To look after themselves

Trust them to be guided

By someone other than myself.

I’ll let others give to me

A helping hand in my time of need

I’ll feel their love and kindness

Which I will gratefully accept.

This new dimension to my life

Is unusual and uncomfortable

A creative step, so necessary

To allow me to explore my creativity.

You might also like to read or listen to My Poetry Story

Intro: This poem was inspired after I read for the second time, the book titled Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway, by Susan Jeffers. I had read this inspiring book years earlier. But as the years rolled on and new life experiences tumbled in on me, I needed to take a fresh look at a brick wall of fear which was blocking my path forward in life. Although I had overcome smaller fears, there was this root fear whose strength resisted my attempts to remove it from the garden of my heart – the incredible power of the fear of rejection. I made the decision to stop running away from fear and somehow learn to make it my friend. Beverley Joy.