Struggling with SADD

I haven't had SADD-Seasonal Attention Deficient Disorder this bad-since I lived in Alaska.  Ifelt justified to have it there. The land of the so many extremes-tons of snow blowing, in the Anchorage dust bowl, the arctic blast of frigid air, and the lack of daylight.   Here in the south-I feel I shouldn't be afflicted.   We do not have any snow, but the lack of sunlight and gray dove sky is altering me.  I think losing my beloved furry best friend suddenly-is part of it.

 I have written lines of poetry, but I felt nothing I wrote was worth sharing.   I realize now, being away from the blogging community probably hasn't helped.  Everyone is so kind and respectful,  as we share our corners of our world.   I have become like origami.  I folded and tucked myself away.  It isn't my style and embarrassing to admit.  My family always reminds me I shouldn't share things like that, but it is the truth.  Besides, when we share we usually find out we are not alone.

I was published in Art Journaling magazine about dealing with winter.  I have not seen the issue, yet,  I reread the words I submitted the other day.  I wrote about finding our happy.  Poetry makes me happy-so here I am listening to my own advice.  This and I think I need to try painting again-play with color.  Yes, we need to create our own sunshine, when we lack it.   We need to embrace the playfulness that makes our inner light shine.



                      

Thank you, to Stampington editor, Amber Demien-she is a joy to work with~


Over in the Imaginary Garden I shared a prompt:

“The “Kumulipo” is an old Hawaiian prayer chant that poetically describes the creation of the world. The word literally means “beginning-in-deep-darkness.” Here darkness doesn't connote gloom and evil. Rather, it’s about the inscrutability of the embryonic state; the obscure chaos that reigns before germination."


*The chickadee has nothing to do with my poem-I just like it.

I added to the challenge of picking some symbolism from where one is born and to write about the before process of their poem.   I was born in Vacationland-a nickname for the state of Maine.  I know the natives do not agree-at this time.  My family has 76 inches of snow.

 The Chickadee is the state bird and we are known for having sixty-one lighthouses, besides being known for Lobster, potatoes, tall Pine trees and Blueberries.


Foggy Shoals


Bare branches prison  moon child's eyes
Opal's fire hidden
beneath foggy shoals
in slate blue cracked earth
a
maybe
lingers
between tweets and dove
 gray inked pages.

An island appears
in
sputtering waves
covered
in salty seaweed
creatures squawk in
strange tongues.

Hidden clock
drumming---
floats in circles
of  bittersweet
dreams, parchment, and double click Cosmos.

Scarlet rain appears
falling stars
mirror
gray rose garden
as
 boundary lines of self
are redrawn.

©Ella Wilson 



















Comments

Thanks for sharing!
Blessings to you.
Congratulations, Ella!
It has been so grey and dreary in our area. I see the sun and I wonder what it is.
Reconnect with your friends here. We'll bring you some sunshine!
brudberg said…
Ella.. I was born in the season of SAAD.. and January in Sweden is as dark it can be, probably a lot like Alaska.. Thank you for picking out the happiness of the season.. I needed it. Strangely enough I find this darkness the most inspiring to write in.
L. Diane Wolfe said…
76 inches of snow? I can't even imagine that much.

I grew up in Oregon. It's grey and rainy on a fairly regular basis, so I'm used to it. It was strange living in Albuquerque where the sun shines all the time.

Congrats on being published in Art Journaling.
Gail said…
So glad you here. Winter affects many. I've had little snow and have still hibernated. May your snow inside and outside melt soon.

Congratulations on your published piece.
Fireblossom said…
This is a very sensual poem. I could FEEL it.
Fireblossom said…
ps--Congratulations on the publishment and resultant fame! :-)
Yolanda Renée said…
You've captured winter perfectly and the solution too! Find your sunshine with us, we're all searching!

Love the poem, you've found your happy soul in the words flowing from your pen!

Welcome back!
Mary Ann Potter said…
Your poem is brilliant! You've written your solution there on the page. Do what makes you happy. Ignore what makes you sad.

Congratulations on another published article!
I saw the magazine at Barnes and Noble the other day but didn't buy it. I need to do that!

I'm mailing my submission for the Black and White issue of Somerset Studios today.

In this time of resting, you'll find that your creative sparks are renewing themselves!

Sending a hug from here on the farm.
Mary said…
The image of being folded and tucked away like origami is a vivid one. Not a good feeling to have, but you have to be able to express yourself somewhere...and I do hope you will continue to find yourself returning to blogging / writing poetry.

Congratulations for being published in Art Journaling magazine. It was a good idea to write about 'finding our happy.' The idea of finding one's own sunshine really applies to a lot of us in these dreary days of winter.

Enjoyed your poem....liked the idea of boundary lines of self redrawn. Perhaps there are times in life we must do this?

Hope to see you VERY soon again!
Anonymous said…
"I have become like origami. I folded and tucked myself away."
This is me exactly. I don't feel depressed though. I wondered (for me) if it is part of the aging process of an introvert. Anyway, I worry about it even as I don't want to change.

Keep expressing yourself in your beautiful words.
Gillena Cox said…
you withdraw, iam sure to your inner light

Thanks for coming over to read mine

much love...
Arlee Bird said…
Beautiful lines of verse.

I don't recall ever having felt the effects of SADD but I kind of like being pent up for a while. Spring is coming soon. Hang in there.

Arlee Bird
A to Z Challenge Co-host
Tossing It Out
Jazzbumpa said…
your poem is mysterious to me
but i love the way it reads

when the granddaughters were small
and was raining my wife wold tell them
on days like this we have to make our own sunshine

i think you know how to do that

cheers
jzb
Jazzbumpa said…
and IT was raining my wife WOULD tell them
Sherry Blue Sky said…
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Sherry Blue Sky said…
The grey skies get to me too, kiddo. Plus you only recently lost darling Buster, AND you are experiencing an empty nest. More than enough to deal with. Your poem is fantastic - the words have been waiting to be released....I love the moon child's eyes.....the squawking creatures......I love the definitive closing lines "as boundary lines of self are redrawn." YES!!!!!
Carrie Van Horn said…
God bless you Ella....you are such an inspiration to me. I am sorry I have been gone so much. Life has a way of snowballing on us doesn't it? Keep on writing!!
Hannah said…
Your poem is amazing, Ella...I love the fragment-y abstract dreamlike quality that it's imbued with. Gorgeous work my Maine friend!! ♥ Thank you, so much for the inspiring challenge!! 11:11 and a wish!!
kaykuala said…
We need to embrace the playfulness that makes our inner light shine.

Great poem here Ella. Nothing that creates any doubts on its impact. That tells a lot about its creation. Even so the need to go to painting can be a good step. It will work out itself with lots of ideas and inspirations too!

Hank
Ella said…
Hank-Thank you! Yes, play, allow ourselves to embrace what we love to do. We have to be free-thank you and find our shine~ ;D

Hannah-You too make a wish 11:11 right now
Ella said…
I swear Hannah it was 11:11 in my world when I was typing you-I was stunned!
Thank you, Soul Sister, to a Maine girl who knows the true beauty of the world- ;D Thank-you!

Carrie-Your blog has this welcome home feel and it felt so good to visit you~
Thank you, so much~ Yes, lots of snowballs in the world. It seems you are in a good place, now~ (((hugs)))

Sherry-Yes, nature finds a way to eclipse our sight, open our retinas and fill our hearts with rainbows~ Thank you, Sherry! Yes, losing my hound still hurts. I am hanging in there and will do more to comfort myself. I am always comforting others-thank you~

Jzb-Thank you, for sharing this with me. It is true and sometimes we have to make due with what we have, too ;D


Hi Lee-Thank you! You likely have more sunshine in your world-I would bet! I am hanging on and off to find my sun ;D

Gillena-Much love to you, too! Thank you for sharing~

George-Just be you! Be we introverts do need to continue to search for our people. We need those social encounters to appreciate our view on the world. I wouldn't worry about being Origami-I think most everyone wants to hibernate this time of year.
Thank you, for sharing!

Mary-Thank you! It is so nice to read your poetry again and have you visit me. I find poetry tangles my other two creative loves-writing and art. Yes, we all need more shine in our lives! enJOY those beautiful grandchildren of yours-I can imagine they light up a room!!


Ella said…
Mary Ann-Thank you! Yes, I did-didn't I. Funny, how that all goes~ Oh, good luck on the B&W challenge. I know you will grace their publications once again-you are very talented! :D

Yolanda-Thank you! I feel like the bear that has been hibernating-I like your welcome back ;D I have missed you~

Fireblossom-Thank you, I like that~
Yes, still fighting for the cover ;D
lol

Gail-I like those words-inside out!
Clever, you are sweet~ Thank-you

L.Diane-Isn't that wild! I guess we adapt to what is our normal- Crazy, to imagine isn't it! Thank-you~

Bjorn-Thank you for sharing this with me/us. I think the darkness does have its dream like qualities. Perhaps, that is the allure~ I imagine your country is gorgeous!

Alex-Thank you! You already have ;D
And you are right-it seems worse than normal. You are sweet~

Sue-Blessing to you! Thank you for stopping by~
Susie Clevenger said…
I so appreciate your honesty. I understand what you are saying because I have experienced it. Your poem is beautiful. Keep writing, painting and all the other art forms you are so talented in. Bless you
Kerry O'Connor said…
You beautiful description of place is very skilfully linked to self in the final lines.
Congratulations on being published.
I enjoyed your poem, the words remind me of snowflakes - beautiful and fragile.
I hope you find your way to sunshine.
diane said…
I used to suffer from SADD ... I still do, a little. But not nearly as bad as I used to. Love the poem ... wonderfully written.
Stay toasty.
diane @ thoughts & shots
shelly said…
Hope you feel better.
Margaret said…
An overload of beautiful images. !
Ella said…
Hello Margaret-Thank you! I enjoyed your red poem :D

Shelly-Thank you! I will be by to visit~ I thought of you, when I looked at my chocolate stash~ Hugs and okay, I will share my chocolate with you!

Diane-Thank you, for sharing! You keep toasty, too~ You are kind

Delia-Thank you-I love how you put that-so beautiful~ I will be by to visit you~

Kerry-Thank you-this makes me smile~

Susie-Thank you! I do think I need more color in my world. Paint, decorating and making Valentines for others should brighten my mood- :D