Finally, a fortune that makes a good title, too! And definitely one I enjoyed. Just yesterday I was thinking about all the things I want to do, places I want to go. And I was making some big plans. When I retire, I’m going to do as many of them as I can.
In the meantime, I had fun with this fortune. I think this poem spells out what I always imagined my retired life would be like. So here we go!
Photo and Poem Copyright 2024 Michelle Garren-Flye
Make Big Plans By Michelle Garren-Flye
Let’s make big plans for someday. Together we’ll travel round the world and stop where we want to play then spend each night curled
by a fireplace in some remote cabin on top of a mountain, who knows where? We just have to make it happen so we can breathe in all that fresh air
out on the sea, sailing in a big ship from country to country, shore to shore. Don’t doubt my ability to make this trip real—reality really doesn’t matter anymore.
ETA: It was brought to my attention that I neglected to attach the poem…it’s here now. Sorry about that!
Laughing is one of my favorite things to do. It’s good exercise, right? It’s also hard to make yourself do when you don’t feel it. In fact, I think making yourself cry is probably easier than making yourself laugh.
So, this fortune is right up there with “You’re more attractive when you smile” for me. Yeah, it’d be great to laugh everyday, but life sometimes doesn’t allow for that.
With that said, maybe my sonnet will sense.
Photo and poem copyright 2024 Michelle Garren-Flye
Make sure to laugh everyday…it’s good for your health.
Lifestyle Choices By Michelle Garren-Flye
Why not just laugh and sing and play all day? It’s good for your health, your outlook, and life. Take a moment, is all I want to say, for merriment and to avoid the strife.
Love and life are difficult? Oh come on! I’m sure you can find a reason to laugh… Just find the funny stuff on which to fawn— wait, I’ll find it myself on your behalf.
Look, here’s a puppy playing on a meme, a cat in a bag, a man falling down. There is plenty more along the same theme! Use stuff like this to wipe away your frown.
A giggle or two is all that it takes. Laughter costs nothing, and fixes heartaches.
Happy National Poetry Month to you! Welcome to April. My favorite month of the year.
Every April, I try to post a poem I write every single day. This year, I’m actually incredibly busy with my bookstore, my new editing business, and trying to get my first two novels republished by me instead of the traditional publisher that had them until recently. (See previous post.)
So, instead of trying to master a particular type of poetry (I’ve done haiku, sonnet, and villanelle in previous years), I’m opting for what I hope is a simpler route. I’m writing what I call fortune cookie poetry.
It’s pretty simple. Each day I’ll break open a fortune cookie, read the fortune, and write a poem based on it.
A little background about me and fortune cookies. A few years ago my life took a turn I had never anticipated. At the time it devastated me, and I became obsessed with wishing I could know what was coming at me before it actually hit me. Astrology, online Tarot and Magic 8 Balls (I recently got a real one for my birthday), hitting shuffle on my iPhone music after asking it a question…and fortune cookies.
Have any of these things helped? Probably not. Life is life and sometimes it smacks you around. Unpredictability is just what the world is, and no amount of crystal balls are going to help you see what’s around the bend…or, sometimes, right in front of you.
With that said, I still eat fortune cookies. And right now I have the sweet taste of one in my mouth and I got an even sweeter fortune. And I wrote a poem about it. It’s a sort of sonnet with a kind of cool rhyme scheme. 🙂 Hope you enjoy.
Photo and poem copyright 2024 Michelle Garren-Flye
Love is in the Air By Michelle Garren-Flye
Love is in the air, you say? Well, that explains it all. I’m not looking up today so I guess I missed its call.
Don’t bother looking out for me. I don’t think I believe anyway. Love has no real allure, you see, and on my nerves, it will fray.
Seductive whispers just won’t work now that I’ve been set free. I don’t want to sound like a jerk but I don’t think love is my key.
So go ahead and float about! Someone else will hear you out.
BREATHE: Michelle Garren-Flye 