#refinedgodliness

I love Dr. Seuss ...

I love him a lot!

I love Dr. Seuss ...

His books I have bought.

I’ve read them alone -

I’ve read them in a crowd.

I’ve read them to myself -

I’ve read them out loud.

I read them as a child -

And later in life.

I read as a daughter,

... a mom and a wife.

They’re full of good lessons ...

They’ve taught me so much.

To be helpful and kind ...

To be honest and such.

To try new things -

To love who you are.

To share and be friends -

To those near and far.

So please don’t take

any more books away.

Let us keep them and read them...

... please let them stay.

© Gina K. Judy 2021 All Rights Reserved

yeah ok so i’m fucked about it,

could break a glass with my bare hands about it,

crack you open and read your empty guts about it,

haruspicate here,

in holy verse,

tell you go with a curse,

thou chill and wily snake

that i cherished in my bosom.

i could just throw myself on your fangs.

you hollow church ritual, 

took my confession, 

became a concrete wall

surrounding every direction--

you promised you would leave but you never leave you just 

go far enough to jerk me like a dog on a telephone pole, 

enough to stretch what’s between us into taffy-thin strands but 

never enough to split it in half.

  i take to the streets and i go,

clutching pocketed keys like a knife and i grow

by your presence, i grow

by your silence, i grow

by your absence

i wait, 

i wait, i ripen in hate,

chart the colors of my rotting.

the air is sharp here

tonight,

the curdling of your sweet milk light

(tafkas77)

Artistic Collaborations is starting a reoccuring project called “Popup Peer Review.”

What is it: This project is - surprise - a peer review project designed for people interested in growing as writers through mutual feedback.

How it works: Simply pay attention to the theme/requested specifications for the popup. Either post your piece to your blog and tag it #acpopup OR send Artistic Collaborations a message indicating that you have a COMPLETED draft (ready to be reviewed). On the deadline, you will be paired with another author. You will peer review their piece and they will peer review yours. If you would like additional feedback, simply request it (you can have as many partners as there are available for any piece). You can then revise your piece and choose to be part of the popup compilation, but you do not have to!

If you are a little confused, don’t worry. AC will walk you through all of the steps!

Please read the post on submission requirements and peer review etiquette. You may be removed from future popups for poor etiquette. AC is looking for passionate individuals who want to grow and help others grow as writers. The first Popup Peer Review will start tomorrow (Oct 10)!

Because I've been screwed over before

A lot of times

By people I trusted

I trusted them more than myself

And they used my trust

Against me

And they really fucked me over

Several times

And the people I could talk to?

I felt like they didn't want to hear it

I felt like they didn't want to know about muy problems

Because I thought "they have it worse"

And in some cases, they really did

I felt insignificant

I felt detatched

I felt like I was alone on a raft in the middle of the ocean

Taking the brunt of a storm

And I wish

I wish

That someone had been able to help me

To be willing to guide a boat through choppy waters

To find me

To rescue me

To rescue me from myself

And drag my sorry ass back to shore

Instead of just washing up here with the tide

Because I had fucking drowned

I will always strive to be the person

Who is willing to navigate choppy waters

To save the people I love

From themselves

Because nobody was willing to do it for me