National Poetry Month: Fortune Cookie Poetry 30: “It’s not the end yet. Let’s stay with it.

Posted on April 30, 2024 by Michelle Garren-Flye

hee hee ha ha…ya gotta be kidding me?

If ever I’ve wondered if God had a sense of humor, this was answered today. I honestly howled with laughter when I read today’s fortune. And I swear by all that is holy, that is today’s fortune. I’d just been thinking thank goodness this is the last one when I pulled that fortune out of the cookie. I wish there’d been a camera on me because I honestly felt like somebody was pranking me.

Maybe somebody is. Maybe it’s my balloon-man telling me there’s more to come out of fortune cookies than I know. Maybe even a book?

Whatever. This has been a wonderful month creatively. I’ve written some of my best poetry, and I don’t think I’ve written some of my worst this month, so there’s some creative growth that has occurred. So good. I wrote when I was sick, when I was traveling, when work was busy, when I was finishing up an editing project…I never missed a day during all that.

I do thank you for reading it all. I’ll keep you posted if the fortune cookies decide it’s a good idea to fill up a book. 🙂

Photo and poem copyright 2024 Michelle Garren-Flye

It’s not the end yet. Let’s stay with it.

What a Month
By Michelle Garren-Flye

I’m tired and distracted and ready to go.
I’ve other things to do that take up my time!
Don’t overstay, you’re breaking the flow.

Life goes on may be a tale of woe,
and that’s easy to say when it’s not your dime.
I’m tired and distracted and ready to go

We’ve had a great run, but this I know:
drawing out a good thing would be a crime.
Don’t overstay, you’re breaking the flow.

If needs were less or the pace would slow,
if only I could be forever in my prime!
But I’m tired, distracted, and ready to go.

This month has left us much to show.
It hasn’t been easy, but we made the climb!
Don’t overstay now, you’ll break the flow.

I’m guessing you’d like a little quid pro quo,
and I thank you for reading all my rhythm and rhyme.
Now I’m tired and distracted and ready to go.
Don’t overstay. You’re breaking the flow.

Happy National Poetry Month: Fortune Cookie poetry 26, “Good news will [Be] coming from the office”

Posted on April 26, 2024 by Michelle Garren-Flye

At first I was a bit irritated by the typo in today’s fortune. It was the second one I drew, too, because the first was one I’d already done. Not wanting to eat three fortune cookies (I’m superstitious about not eating the cookie or, horrors, throwing away the fortunes), I decided to make the most of this one.

My “office” is my bookstore, which some of you may be familiar with, so this fortune got me thinking about how every time the door opens, there’s the potential for good news to be coming in. And that got me thinking about sitting here at my desk thinking good news was just going to come in and find me without me doing anything at all to attract it or deserve it. So I wrote this little villanelle a little tongue-in-cheek about my low energy days. (They do happen!)

Enjoy. 🙂

Good news will [be] coming from the office.

Potentiality
By Michelle Garren-Flye

Today I could just wait
for potential to find me
because I know I am great.

The way isn’t always straight
when you long to be free,
but today I should just wait.

Strive each day to create;
yes, on this we agree
because I know I am great.

Fake it till that date, 
when all know my pedigree
but til then I shall just wait.

It won’t take long, it’s fate,
and this I can guarantee
because I know I am great.

Perseverance may be key
to arriving at your potentiality,
but today I can just wait
because I know I am great.

National Poetry Month: Fortune Cookie Poetry 15, “It is better not to speak of things you do not understand”

Posted on April 15, 2024 by Michelle Garren-Flye

Haha! Finally a fortune I can work with! I both believe in this fortune…and don’t. Because while I try not to be a know-it-all and really don’t like those who are, I also think it’s possible someone may have something to say on something that they aren’t necessarily an expert on. Provided it’s a well-thought out opinion (and is regarded as opinion, not fact).

So, I took the viewpoint of an expert trying to hush up someone who’d like to have an opinion for this villanelle. And the villanelle form leant itself very well to this subject matter!

I hope you enjoy.

It is better not to speak of things you do not understand.

Greek to You
By Michelle Garren-Flye

Quiet now please, it is best not to speak
about these things you cannot understand;
I know you know to you this is all Greek,

so don’t talk about it, just remain meek,
and let those who do know get it in hand.
Quiet now please, it is best not to speak!

Nope, don’t even utter a single squeak!
Vital knowledge is too much to demand.
I know you know to you this is all Greek.

Okay, okay, come on and take a peek…
you might just as well know what we have planned,
but quiet please, it is best not to speak.

You know we will not stand for your critique.
Our plan, as you can see, is much too grand.
I know you know to you this is all Greek.

Like a little hen, don’t open your beak;
much better brains than yours are in command.
Quiet now, please, it is best not to speak.
You know I know to you this is all Greek.

National Poetry Month: Fortune Cookie Poetry 12, “Never compare yourself to the best others can do, but to the best you can do”

Posted on April 12, 2024 by Michelle Garren-Flye

I was stuck on this one for a while, but I decided to try it as a villanelle. That worked. Sort of.

Never compare yourself to the best others can do, but to the best you can do.

Winning
By Michelle Garren-Flye

I win again, don’t try to deny it!
My victory doesn’t have to be scored;
I won against myself, you should try it!

Numbers aren’t needed if I supply it…
but there you go, acting like you’re bored.
No matter, I win, you can’t deny it.

The world should rejoice with my win while it
is still fresh; I’m ready to be adored!
I won against myself, you should try it.

You can’t take it away or define it.
I know I have won, my inner crowd roared!
I win again, don’t try to deny it.

Now don’t worry about what that guy hit;
his score doesn’t matter, it’s my record.
I won against myself, you should try it.

For self-improvement this works, apply it
and your faith in yourself will be restored.
I win again, don’t try to deny it;
I won against myself, you should try it.

National Poetry Month: Fortune Cookie Poetry 4, “Love Makes the World Shine”

Posted on April 4, 2024 by Michelle Garren-Flye

Lol. I’m starting to think these freaking fortune cookies are trying to tell me something. And unfortunately for them, I’m not in the mood to write love poetry.

Still, when I got this one, “Love makes the world shine”, I thought, well hell. Maybe I should try a villanelle. (Yes, I rhyme in my thoughts.)

Villanelles were originally meant to be love songs. The form definitely lends itself to that. So I gave it a try. My original thought was an astronaut floating in space looking down at the bright sparkling lights of the cities and towns with affection. However, my brain immediately asked me why he was out there? And this is what I got.

It’s been a while since I wrote a villanelle, and this one was literally finished about five minutes before I wrote this. Still, it’s not awful.

Enjoy!

Love Lights Up the World
By Michelle Garren-Flye

Floating in space, feeling fine,
beauty below fills you with pride;
what makes the world shine?

Golden lights that’ll make you pine
for all you’ve ever been denied—
but you’re out in space, feeling fine.

Surely such beauty is benign
and should not be denied.
It’s what makes the world shine.

Mysterious glow sends a sign
that will not ever be denied
even out here in space, feeling fine.

The stars themselves must align
to serve as such a bright guide,
and that’s what makes the world shine.

Escape the tendrils meant to entwine—
be careful you do not collide!
Safe now, floating in space, feeling fine.

You just couldn’t be part of that design
no matter how much you have tried.
Love is what makes the world shine,
but you’re floating in space, feeling fine.

My first ghazal and thoughts about choosing constraints

Posted on January 24, 2023 by Michelle Garren-Flye

If you follow my writing at all, you know I am fascinated by different styles of poetry. I’ve written haiku, sonnets, villanelle and am now tackling the dreaded ghazal. I’ve often said that if I have writer’s block, I will write haiku to break it.

So when one of my favorite e-newsletters arrived in my mailbox featuring an article about Oulipo, an organization of French novelists and poets, I was intrigued. These writers believe writing with certain constraints actually inspires creativity. For example, very restrictive forms of poetry as far as rhyme and/or length and even more daring constraints on works of fiction. Like writing an entire novel without using the letter “e”. Some of these works have been translated from French to English…also without using the letter “e”, if you can believe that.

What would it be about restricting yourself that actually inspires creativity? I can’t answer this, but I know that historically adversity can lead to great works of art. The Renaissance, for instance, was conceived during the darkness of the Bubonic Plague. Amazing works of art resulted from the pain of the Aids epidemic. Wars have always inspired great art. And the Covid-19 lockdown released a flurry of works of art, literature, and music that we are only beginning to appreciate.

Is it because we as humans have to hope that adversity creates great work? And following that, do we as artists create artificial constraints on our work just so we can burst out of it? Does restriction force something else out of us? Or is writing a sentence without the letter “e” just silly? (Or: Is it silly to try to show our thoughts without using a common symbol?)

I can only really answer to what works for me (and it’s not not using the letter “e”). Although I don’t totally agree with Robert Frost that “Writing free verse is like playing tennis with the net down”, I do believe that I write good sonnets…and haiku…and villanelle. Not sure about ghazal yet. What do you think?

Star Falls

By Michelle Garren-Flye

Recite poetry in a husky voice—I hear your calls!

Tell me the story of the world and the star that falls.

How is it okay to whisper it all in my ear?

Count every moment from now to when the star falls.

It won’t matter anyway, I won’t let myself care.

I’ll run away—I swear I will—run ‘til that star falls.

But wait!, you say, are you sure that’s really okay?

The moments don’t pause, though, no, not until the star falls.

You’re silent at last, peace surrounds me and I will stay.

Last chance to wish on my whisper (sun’s rising!)…and star falls.

Promoting Learning Curve

Posted on December 2, 2022 by Michelle Garren-Flye

I’ve been making up some graphics to help me promote Learning Curve, which will have its official release day next week. If you can’t wait, you can order it on Amazon now, of course, but if you’d like a signed copy, my bookstore is the place to come, specifically next Friday from 5-8 p.m. (although any other of my open times works as well).

Here’s a bite-size tidbit to help you decide if you want to join me on the learning curve of life…

Welcome to December. What should I write?

Posted on December 1, 2022 by Michelle Garren-Flye

Happy December! It’s cold today. My hands are cold as I type. But it doesn’t usually stay cold here for long. Tomorrow will be warmer. Maybe I’ll find something else to write. Any suggestions?

Learning Curve is coming soon!

Learning Curve is at the printer: Want a peek?

Posted on November 19, 2022 by Michelle Garren-Flye

I just sent my latest poetry book, Learning Curve, to the printer. This is the third poetry book in my Poietry Diaries series, my sixth poetry book overall. I think. If I counted them right…

Anyway, it’s done. I started this one in July. Now in mid November, almost exactly four months later, it’s done. And I’m proud of it. The poems are well written, edited and illustrated. The format of the book makes sense. I’ll be proud to have it on the shelf at my store. It’s a good addition to my repertoire.

Here’s the blurb for it:

Learning Curve is a contemporary collection of poetry written in the style of villanelle, originally a rustic Italian song, later developed into a French form of short poetry and then into a format with a rigid and demanding rhyme scheme and format. Award-winning poet Michelle Garren-Flye takes on this form in the latest volume of her Poetry Diaries, taking the reader along on not only an emotional journey but also one that promises to introduce the reader to a beautiful form of song-like poetry that will delight and enchant any poetry lover.

Let the reader beware, however. As the poet acknowledges, poetry is the most true of any form of literature. If the truth is anywhere, it’s definitely in these pages.

And finally, it took me a while to decide on how to format this book. It’s a little different from my others. For one thing, I went with black and white again. I was going to go with all simple line drawings, which is more my forte anyway, but I wound up adding shades of grey (lol) to many of them. Here’s one I particularly like that I thought I’d share with you. If you like it, stay tuned. Release date will be announced soon!

Putting on my author hat…over my bookseller one.

Posted on November 16, 2022 by Michelle Garren-Flye

This Sunday, November 20, I get to do something I don’t often get to do anymore. I’ll be just an author selling her books.

I’m not totally certain I remember how to do that…

Running a bookstore was a dream of mine for a long time. I used to haunt the two little bookstores in my hometown. The Book Nook was my favorite because it was used books that I could actually afford. (I did buy my first new hardback book there, though. Black Beauty and Other Horse Stories. It cost $15 and I still own it.) Highland Books was where I went to dream. I didn’t have enough money usually to buy the books, but the owners were tolerant and didn’t say anything if I curled up in a corner with a brand new science fiction novel they knew I couldn’t buy. I wonder how many people bought books there that I had already read?

But I digress. I dreamed of owning my own bookstore for a long time but I didn’t realize that when I got one, I couldn’t just be an author anymore. Yes, I write in my bookstore. And sometimes I sell one of my own books. I’m on the bestseller table here, so I do sell some here and there, and it’s definitely exciting when I do. But I’m mostly here to sell other people’s books.

On Sunday, however, I will be at the New Bern Farmer’s Market from 1-4 p.m. with a slew of other authors, all selling our own books! I’m planning to take all the books I have here at the store (well, maybe leave one copy of each on the shelf) and hope to sell them and maybe get some people reading my poetry.

And still I won’t be able to resist asking what kind of book people like to read. And I know enough of the other authors there so I’ll know if their books are a better fit than mine. And I won’t hesitate to send them that way…so it might not be that different from being in my little bookstore at all. 🙂