By Gwendolyn Brooks
Oh mother, mother, where is happiness?
They took my lover's tallness off to war,
Left me lamenting. Now I cannot guess
What I can use an empty heart-cup for.
He won't be coming back here any more.
Some day the war will end, but, oh, I knew
When he went walking grandly out that door
That my sweet love would have to be untrue.
Would have to be untrue. Would have to court
Coquettish death, whose impudent and strange
Possessive arms and beauty (of a sort)
Can make a hard man hesitate--and change.
And he will be the one to stammer, "Yes."
Oh mother, mother, where is happiness?
Dedicated to creative expression via poetry and prose.
ERIKA "SAGE" KELLEY
Sage \'sāj\ - One that has wisdom through reflection and experience.
About Me
- esk
- Erika Kelley, pseudonym Sage, Founder and CEO of Sage Horizons, trains professionals, parents and caregivers on trauma using an arts-based approach and healing centered poetry framework. She enjoys spending time with her family and traveling.
Love for Writing
Sage's love for writing inspired her to create a literary blog, Sage Creative Corner, and writing group, Creative Scribblers, which is designed to help motivated writers refine and polish their writing skills through group interaction and critiquing. Erika has had social commentary published in online publications and poetry published in various anthologies and online magazines and journals.
Followers
Published Poetry: Literary Journals
- "Extroverted to a Fault" and "At Odds" The Word Place, 2011
- "Circus Monkeys" The Bicycle Review Issue 1, 2009
- "Beautiful" River Poets Journal Volume 3, Issue 3, 2009
- "Mine, Yours...Ours" River Poets Journal Volume 2, Issue 2, 2008
- "Daydreaming" Poetry Super Highway 2008
- "Rainbows," "The Cemetery," "Me, You, Music," "My Passion," and "Beyond the Shoreline" NUMBAT pdu Issue 2, 2008
- "Relatives by Marriage" Flask and Pen, 2008
Published Poetry: Anthology and Chapbook Features
- "Finally" Poetry of Marriage Anthology, Canadian Federation of Poets, 2009
- "Daydreaming" The Leaf Gatherers Chapbook, Lilly Press, 2008
- "Natural Rock" If You Believe, You Will Succeed Anthology, Mud Puddle Books, 2008
- "My Darling Love" For You, Daughter Anthology, Mudd Puddle Books, 2008
- "Blue Skies," "My Rejuvenation," "My Summer Love," and "Apprehensive Independence" Acts of Faith Anthology, Wright Jusino Publishing, 2008
- "Nature's Musing" and "My Sweet Revival" On the Quiet Side Anthology, New Jersey Poetry Society, 2008
Published Prose
- "Over Starbucks Coffee" River Poets 55 Word Short Stories Collection Chapbook, Lilly Press, 2009
- "I Do It Once A Week" River Poets 55 Word Short Stories Collection Chapbook, Lilly Press, 2009
- "The Male Perspective" The Coil Review, October 2009
- "Female Bullies...as Children and Adults" Feminist.com, September 2008
- "Women in the Workplace: Assertive vs. Aggressive" Feminist.com, July 2008
MY PASSION
Third night in a row you kept me up past midnight. This will have to stop…eventually. I can’t take the black circles under my eyes much longer, nor the fatigue. Yet, my brain remains animated, hungry for more. Tangled with my emotions, dripping with my creativity, hanging on to my every word. At least for one more night…I write.
--esk
--esk
RALPH WALDO EMERSON
In good writing, words become one with things.
All material contained herein, unless noted otherwise, is copywritten © by Erika "Sage" Kelley and may not be copied, published, or distributed without permission from the author.
