Be Kind by Nada Adel Sobhi - Poem

Be kind to yourself

For you are all you have

 

Don't blame

The girl in the mirror

She's human

Entitled to making mistakes

 

Don't yell at her

Or make her cry

Don't call her names

Or shut her out

 

She wants to learn,

Wants to love

 

But treating her

– or mistreating her –

Will only push her away,

Drive her into the darkness,

Where she'll forever be

A shadow,

Fragile,

Broken,

Tainted,

Abused,

Scared,

Alone.

 

Look in the mirror

Look at her

All she needs is a friend

Not another scrutinizer,

Not another bully,

Not another enemy

 

She wants to live

And love

Just like you.

 

She is You.

 

Instead,

You want to break her

 

The result:

A broken soul

A broken mirror

A broken woman

A broken human.

 

Look into the mirror

And be kind

To the person staring back at you.

 

I don't know what this image is called but I'm 
told it's by an artist called Mihail Korubin.

x

Written Tuesday, 10 November 2020 at 01:12 am

 

There's Magic in All of Us - Poem by Nada Adel Sobhi

There's magic in all of us

We may not see it

Feel it, or even understand it

 

But it's there

Always has been

Always will be

 

Sitting deep within

Waiting to be unlocked

Like a whirlpool

Waiting for the lid to be removed

Like a fire

Waiting to be ignited

 

There's magic in all of us

A spark

Waiting for the right moment,

The trigger

To awaken within

To rise

and push and pull you higher

 

Trust me

It's there

Poets have spoken of it

Authors dream of it

 

Some call it love

Some call it passion

Many call it many things

 

How do you awaken your magic?

By exploring

 

Exploring the world

Exploring yourself

Understanding yourself

 

You are not your wants and needs

You are not what society demands

You are not a grain of sand

Tossed by the wind

 

You are water

Ever-changing

Ever-flowing

Ever-growing

Flexible and magical

 

So look out the window

Breathe the night's fresh air

Walk out the door

And discover yourself

 

Look at the stars,

The trees, the flower, the birds

Clear your mind

Look, observe, listen

Enjoy and discover

 

Look at the sun and sea

Be entranced by their magic

Read & read & read

Till your curiosity is unleashed

 

There's magic in all of us

But are you brave enough

To discover

And unleash it?

 

Written Saturday, 12 September 2020

Inspired by a phrase by author Tish Thawer

Exclusive Interview with Author-Poet Sophie Schiller

Today I'm featuring an author and poet whose poems just spoke to me. Meet Sophia Schiller, whose poetry collection On a Moonlit Night in the Antilles I read and reviewed recently and gave a 5-star review.

The interview and review were originally planned to published in April 2019 for National Poetry Month, but due to some setbacks from my end, both were delayed.

About Sophie Schiller

Sophie Schiller was born in Paterson, NJ and grew up in the West Indies. She is a novelist and a poet. Kirkus Reviews has called her "an accomplished thriller and historical adventure writer." Publishers Weekly called her Island on Fire, “a memorable romantic thriller,” her Race to Tibet, "A thrilling yarn," and her Transfer Day, “a page-turner with emotional resonance."

On a Moonlit Night in the Antilles is her first collection of poetry. She graduated from American University, Washington, DC and lives in Brooklyn, NY. She is presently working on a novel about a Founding Father. 

Connect with Sophie Schiller via Facebook, Twitter, and her blog.

On to Nadaness In Motion's exclusive interview with Sophie Schiller!

Q: Did you do anything special for National Poetry Month?

Sophie Schiller: I conducted a giveaway on my Facebook page for 5 free copies of my poetry book. I’ve been posting my poems online to get people to take a few minutes of their day to look at the world a little differently, through the lens of poetic verse. Almost any topic can become more salient through the use of poetry. Poetry allows us to discover more about ourselves.

Q: Your poetry collection On a Moonlit Night in the Antilles was inspired by the Caribbean, what other countries have inspired your writing?

Sophie Schiller: No other countries, but other poets have inspired my writing, such as Emily Dickinson, Derek Walcott, Alfred, Lord Tennyson, Rudyard Kipling, Percy Bysshe Shelley, and John Keats. Their poetry inspired quite a few poems in my collection, such as “I Found a Danish Skilling” which was inspired by “I had a Guinea Golden” by Emily Dickinson, and “Annaberg” was inspired by “To Helen” by Edgar Allan Poe, and “A Song to Hugo Larsen” was inspired by “Ode to Salvador Dalí” by Federico García Lorca.

Q: Where else do you plan to travel in search of other adventures and inspiration?

Sophie Schiller: I think the West Indies is the place where my soul is most at home, and where my creativity comes alive. I would love to see St. Vincent, Nevis, and St. Lucia, not necessarily in that order.

Read Nadaness In Motion's 5-star book review of On a Moonlit Night in the Antilles by Sophia Schiller.

Q: I noticed that your poetry mostly rhymes, do you have difficulty with rhyme while not making it sound forced? Have you tried writing in free verse?

Sophie Schiller: During the course of my writing I have found that for every problem (in rhyming) there is a solution. If you work on a poem for a long time and it’s not working, in other words, it if sounds too forced, it probably means you have to approach it from a different angle. The solution will come to you eventually. Sometimes you have to put the poem away for a few weeks or a few months and approach it from a fresh perspective. I have never tried writing in free verse. I would have to take a course in it to really understand the technique and the artistic elements of it.

Q: I see you have several books of historical fiction. Are you a history teacher?

Sophie Schiller: No, I discovered late that I love history and stories set in the past, so all my novels are historical. There’s so much to discover!

Q: What are you currently working on? And what books are set to be released in 2019?

Sophie Schiller: Currently I’m working on a novel about Alexander Hamilton’s boyhood in the Caribbean. The novel should be released in 2020. The only book I released in 2019 was my poetry book and it has turned into one of the most fulfilling projects I have ever worked on.

Q: If you could give one piece of advice to aspiring writers, what would it be?

Sophie Schiller: Never give up. Nothing good ever came without some sacrifice.


Check out more exclusive author interviews on the Nadaness In Motion book blog.

The Blank Page by Nada Adel Sobhi – Poem

The blank page

Stares at me

Taunts me

It knows I'm blank inside

I call words to my mind

But none land on my page

They slip through,

My hand unsure;

They don't fit,

Unlike Cinderella's glass slipper

I watch the waves before me

But they too offer naught

They water spray attempts to hinder me

But I am adamant,

Pen in hand,

Resolute.

I will not falter

Before the blank page

Before my lazy muse

Before my tired body

You will not deter me

From my quest

To fill a page,

Fill the void

I call upon the ancient power

Of the mighty sea

Fill me with your words,

Wisdom spoken to thousands before me,

Philosophers and storytellers

I know you bear the power,

Give me an inkling of it.

The pen moves

Words flow

I lose control

Like a trance

An avalanche

Fills my page

Finally

I lay my pen down

Close my eyes

And breathe.

I open them

To see pages upon pages

Of words and wisdom

A gentle wave at my feet

Reminds me whom to thank

I bow my head,

Whisper my gratitude

I have conquered

The blank page!

By: Nada Adel Sobhi

Takhayyal Writing Prompt 88: Once Upon a Time

Welcome back Ladies and Gentlemen, Artists, Poets, Writers, Authors, Dreamers, Friends and Family; Welcome EVERYONE to Nadaness In Motion's monthly picture-prompt writing challenge Takhayyal/Imagine.

I'm a tad bit late posting this but I honestly couldn't find anything "inspiring" for an image. I searched on Pinterest, my old images, and a few other places – and I decided enough with the beach pics.

Then I found this one. The opportunities and the ideas are limitless!

Happy writing

Arabic for Imagine, Takhayyal is a challenge for writers of all ages and genres; a place to spark creativity and explore new genres.

Your post can be in English or Arabic, prose, poetry, short story, flash fiction; you name it and write it.

General rules:

·        No nudity, violence, and/or abuse.

·        Leave the link to your post in comments below OR post your piece as REPLY to this post

·        Your piece MUST be inspired in some way or other by the above picture

·        Multiple entries allowed

·        It is not required but it is a nice and encouraging gesture to comment on others' pieces.

·        Feel free to add your Twitter handle (@....) so I can tag you in my tweets!

Let's IMAGINE!

Takhayyal Writing Prompt 87- July: TIME

Summer here is going head strong, which means we're melting or hiding next to the air conditioner. I'm taking 38 Celsius/100+Fahrenheit almost all week. 

For June, I thought the mighty Mediterranean would be a good inspiration and writing prompt. For July, I'm thinking it's all about TIME. 

How you spend it - or waste it, plans and deadlines, all of that. Feel free to mix the June and July writing prompts.

Ready? 

Get set...

GO!

Arabic for Imagine, Takhayyal is a challenge for writers of all ages and genres; a place to spark creativity and explore new genres. Your post can be in English or Arabic, prose, poetry, short story, flash fiction; you name it and write it.

General rules:

·        No nudity, violence, and/or abuse.

·        Leave the link to your post in comments below OR post your piece as REPLY to this post

·        Your piece MUST be inspired in some way or other by the above picture

·        Multiple entries allowed

·        It is not required but it is a nice and encouraging gesture to comment on others' pieces.

·        Feel free to add your Twitter handle (@....) so I can tag you in my tweets!

Let's IMAGINE!

Takhayyal Writing Prompt 86: Raging Sea

Welcome back Ladies and Gentlemen, Artists, Poets, Writers, Authors, Dreamers, Friends and Family; Welcome EVERYONE to Nadaness In Motion's monthly picture-prompt writing challenge Takhayyal/Imagine.

I was a bit stumped with what to post for June, the first month of summer for a lot of schools here, although I must note that sweltering heat has already started here (Egypt). We had a couple of 40-Celsius weeks already and they call it spring!

Anyways, this is an image I took last year of the Mediterranean Sea towards the end of the season. The sea had gnawed at the rocks and it was impossible to swim at this point.

I hope you find inspiration in this sea as it has inspired me year after year.

 

North Coast, Egypt, KM 87. Photography by Nada Adel Sobhi/Nadaness In Motion

Arabic for Imagine, Takhayyal is a challenge for writers of all ages and genres; a place to spark creativity and explore new genres.

Your post can be in English or Arabic, prose, poetry, short story, flash fiction; you name it and write it.

General rules:

·        No nudity, violence, and/or abuse.

·        Leave the link to your post in comments below OR post your piece as REPLY to this post

·        Your piece MUST be inspired in some way or other by the above picture

·        Multiple entries allowed

·        It is not required but it is a nice and encouraging gesture to comment on others' pieces.

·        Feel free to add your Twitter handle (@....) so I can tag you in my tweets!

Let's IMAGINE!

Takhayyal writing prompt 83: Skull Cave

Who's ready to get their creative juices flowing?

Welcome back Ladies and Gentlemen, Artists, Poets, Writers, Authors, Dreamers, Friends and Family; Welcome EVERYONE to Nadaness In Motion's bi-weekly picture-prompt writing challenge Takhayyal.

Is this image beautiful and serene, or horrifying and foreboding? Perhaps beautifully foreboding?

Your writing, your decision!

Skull Cave by Quentin Mabille

Arabic for Imagine, Takhayyal is a challenge for writers of all ages and genres; a place to spark creativity and explore new genres.

Your post can be in English or Arabic, prose, poetry, short story, flash fiction; you name it and write it.

General rules:

·        No nudity, violence, and/or abuse.

·        Leave the link to your post in comments below OR post your piece as REPLY to this post

·        Your piece MUST be inspired in some way or other by the above picture

·        Multiple entries allowed

·        It is not required but it is a nice and encouraging gesture to comment on others' pieces.

·        Feel free to add your Twitter handle (@....) so I can tag you in my tweets!

Let's IMAGINE!