Dandelion Symphony Release Date: September 2, 2025

Hello, dear readers! Long time no see. I have some exciting news. For my book's fifth anniversary, the hardcover special edition for Dandelion Symphony comes out in September! *throws confetti*

 

What's Dandelion Symphony?

This book is my collection of travel poems, experiences and reflections from England, Germany, Italy, and Spain. The poems are arranged by seasons and accompanied by sketches based off of places I've been. For a sample of what you can expect, check out an excerpt, "At my Own Pace."

 

Why a new edition?

Honestly, I wasn't satisfied with the paperback edition. It's cute and portable, but I wanted something a little sturdier, and let's be honest, hardcovers are more fun to photograph! Also, I wanted to move away from Amazon. While you can still purchase the paperback, the hardcover will be the primary copy I will be signing from here on out.

 

How much is the hardcover?

$24.99. With current print prices, this was the best option for the poetry market.

 

When does the hardcover release?

The hardcover will release Tuesday, September 2, 2025.

 

Where can I find a copy?

You can pre-order your copy on Ingram Spark.

 

That's all for now. Happy reading!

Poem: Home

I haven’t been keeping up with my blog lately. I guess that comes with taking the entire summer off. Getting back into the swing of things is hard.

Anyway, poetry is still dear to my heart, so I just had to share another one with you today. I borrowed the prompt from Julia Garcia at Drops of Inspira. This one explores the concept of home. What is home?

For an army brat, home isn’t necessarily one place. It’s not where my parents are from—I never lived there. It’s not the last place I lived because that would ignore all the others. It’s not even my favorite places because that would leave out all the others that made me who I am today.

Home is… well, I think I’ll let the poem explain.

Don't forget to vote on your favorite poem from 2021!

 

Home

 

she sits in the attic collecting dust
                                    and spiders
while my feet are itching without these callouses

how do people do it year after year?
watch the leaves turn
                                    and drop
to stare at the bare wood
that blossoms with green
rich, entrancing full of cicada song
only for the leaves to turn
                                        and drop again

all the world’s a clock—
the month striking twelve,
and I’m still here
strapping on my boots,
knotting the laces while the dog tries to eat them
stay
—she pants—
bleib*

but my heart is yearning to bound up the stairs two at a time
dust off the suitcase
and go

 

***

*bleib—German for “stay.” Since our German Shepherd, Pfeffer, I’ve been teaching our dogs German and English commands.

Let’s chat! What did you think of the poem? What makes home for you?

Similar poems: Blue, Pronunciation, and Homesick

Poem: bricks

Hello, dear readers!

I know I’ve been neglecting my blog lately, but I have been writing a lot. Just not here. I’m recently finished rewriting the climax to one novel, and I’m trying to finish the second draft of another before the end of May. Oh yeah, and I’m also thinking about submitting some poems for publication, and I’m developing a short story which may or may not turn into a series. *cue distant screaming*

Soooo, I’m taking the summer off from blogging, maybe longer, until further notice. In the mean time, here’s a poem I wrote during a writing sprint with friends.

 

bricks

 

brick-red, the russet hue

that clung to calloused hands

and corroded like crumbs,

coated fingers like chalk

 

brick-yellow, the sunburnt shade

that smelled of asphalt and wind

on a summer’s day—petrol

and the singe of a magnifying glass

 

brick-gray, the mind’s matter

that can’t quite recall

the thrill of the path i carved

when i scaled these walls

 

brick-white, the bleached blanket

that coated the face like foundation,

but didn’t quite belong where the dirt

stained its skirts brick-red

 

***

 

Let’s chat! What did you think of the poem? Do you have any writing friends you can do writing sprints with?

Similar poems: The Smell of Earth; Seeking the Song of Time; and Concrete Forest, Paper Meadows

Looking for more reading material until I’m back from my hiatus? Check out my books: Dandelion Symphony and Last of the Memory Keepers.

Poem: Snow Day

My current home lies where the robins migrate for winter, so we don’t get a lot of snow. For a while, I was afraid that I wouldn’t get to see any in person before the season ended.

Then it came.

Of course, I was delighted, and enjoyed several walks throughout the day between reading and feeding my new bearded dragon, Xephyr “Peaches.” He can’t replace Thorin, but Xeph is adorable in his own way. He’s a little acrobat who wants to climb up everything.

I also got a chance to reflect in solitude on my first walk. Which was quite the contrast from my time living in England, when my family was a channel and half a continent away. During my one snow day in Nottingham, I went outside and watched with longing as families walked together. Now, five years later, with family closer by not always present, I don’t mind walking by myself. In fact, I quite enjoy it.

 

Snow Day

hollow
the way sound reverberates
in canyon

falling
between patches
of blue and gray

glass
covering a thousand
stretching branches

drifting
crystals beneath
a dozen robins

crunch
past the deer prints
on the road

biting
wind until I pull
my scarf back up

slip
back into the
numbing warmth inside

aching
back from hunching
over a book

drip
icicles hang
and shatter on the ground

 

***

 

Let’s chat! What did you think of the poem? Did you get snow this winter? Do you prefer walking with people or by yourself?

 

Similar poems: Ode to Winter, The First Snow, and Weird Winter Weather

Self Publishing Poetry: A Glimpse into the Making of Dandelion Symphony

Hello, dear readers!

It’s been almost two months since Dandelion Symphony came out, and I’m here today to tell you more about my actual publishing journey. I talked a bit about it in my interview with Alicia Canet on her blog, Midgard’s Writers, but today I’m going to go more into the finer details.

A Poetry Collection vs. Novelettes

As you may know, I’ve self-published two books by this point. I started off with a mini fantasy series, Last of the Memory Keepers, and my latest book is my poetry collection, Dandelion Symphony.

What is the difference between the two? Target audience for one. I wrote the LMK series to be a fast-paced adventure for readers who don’t have a lot of reading time on their hands. DS, on the other hand, is nonfiction and isn’t meant to be read in one sitting, though it’s short enough that it could be.

Another difference: format. You can buy both books in e-book and print form. Only, the LMK series comes in individual e-books and a print collection, whereas DS is an individual book in print and digital.

Last but not least is experience. This time around, I know what to expect from sales and how to market better. I incorporated a lot more feedback than before (thanks again to my beta readers, editor, and proofreaders!), and I had a ton of fun with my blog tour. Now, I’ve even set it up so purchasing signed copies is super easy. All you have to do is use Square. When shipping, I’ve even learned to use media mail (which is cheaper!) and to add insurance.

 

Audio and Visuals

Did you know poetry was originally meant to be read aloud? Sometimes, it still is. When it came to reviewing my poems, I read them aloud to some of my beta readers, which helped me figure out what sounded right and what didn’t. Though you can enjoy the book while reading silently, each poem has been sound good too. At some point, I think it would be fun to put together an audiobook, but I’d have to do more research first.

When it comes to the visuals for DS, I had a lot of fun! First, I changed the format of some of my poems, which is always fun to play with. Then, I commissioned an artist to do some sketches based on some of my favorite places in Europe. I seriously wish I could have commissioned each and every one of my favorite places, but then I’d be broke. The ones I did select correlate with the seasons and themes of their sections.

Commissions

Speaking of commissions, this time around, I had an easier time of figuring out how to find the right people. First, I asked on Twitter if anybody knew where to find some great artists for interior sketches. While I received a ton of offers from artists directly, I also got recommended to check out Fiverr, which I ultimately utilized for both my interior artist and cover designer.

I really like the way the site made it easy to search for artists and the plethora of options. I actually had a hard time choosing between two interior artists, but I ultimately went with the one who’s style I liked the best. Though the site had some minor glitches, posting details for my commission was relatively easy to work with.

Fiverr itself takes a small portion of the commission fee to keep up the website, but creating a profile and browsing is free. At the end, after I approved the final submission, I had the option to tip the artist, which I did and highly recommend. If you like the work you receive, leave a tip! Then, both the buyer (myself) and the seller leave reviews of each other, which is awesome. Though I’ve never sold anything on it, from what I gather, the site is both buyer and seller friendly.

 

Formatting and Publishing

Last but not least came the dreaded formatting. Dreaded for me anyway. I don’t know why I hate it so much. Maybe because it seems like I’d spend five minutes fixing one problem, upload the manuscript to double-check it, wait for it to load, get up, grab some tea, maybe a snack, come back. It’s still loading. Open Pinterest. It’s finally loaded. Check to see if the mistake is fixed. It is! Then I find five more.

So I repeat the process all over again. Or maybe the problem isn’t fixed, and I spend the next half hour tweaking the same thing over and over until I get it right. Most of the tweaking was adding a space or a tab to get the poems’ shapes right. Writing poetry is fun. Formatting poetry for publication? Not so much.

Yeah, it’s a little painful, especially since I don’t have an actual formatting software. Microsoft Word isn’t exactly known for its e-book capabilities. I actually had to call up one of my friends who worked in graphic design to try to figure out how to get some of my pictures to show up in the actual e-book.

In the end, I got it all worked out before my self-imposed deadline, and the final book looks great, if I may say so myself. I had a lot of help along the way, and I couldn’t be more grateful. The best part of self-publishing? Holding the final copy in your hands and smelling it.

To wrap up, if you’re ever considering self-publishing your own book, here are just a few roles I’d recommend looking into. Some of the roles you can fill yourself, but some require a second pair of eyes:

• critique partners (mandatory)
• beta readers (mandatory)
• sensitivity readers (depends on the topic)
• interior artist (optional)
• interior designer (optional)
• cover designer (optional)
• editor (mandatory)
• proofreader (mandatory)
• marketer (optional)
• book bloggers (optional)

There you have it! I hope you enjoyed reading about my self-publishing journey. If you haven’t already grabbed your copy of Dandelion Symphony, you can do so now!

 

Barnes & Noble (e-book)

Amazon (e-book and print)

Signed copy (US only)

 

***

 

Let’s chat! Any other indie authors out there? What’s your favorite part of the publishing process? Have you read Dandelion Symphony yet? If so, what did you think?

Similar posts: Dandelion Symphony Release Day!, Dandelion Symphony Blog Tour, and 3 Types of Writers You Should Know

Poem: Cathedral Caverns

It’s been a little over two weeks since my poetry collection released! *throws confetti* *cat tries to eat confetti* *chaos ensues* Now, I’m actually having a hard time figuring out which poems I want to share on the blog. I’m not sure why. It just happens sometimes, I guess.

As I was thinking about the poems I’ve written this year, I realized I hadn’t written much about what it’s like to live in the American south. I thought about some of the places my dad and I have visited lately, and the Cathedral Caverns came to mind.

Before we went, I was really skeptical. I mean, I’d seen Carlsbad Caverns before, a massive expanse of caves in New Mexico. I’d seen some rather disappointing lava tubes on the Big Island of Hawaii, and the sandstone caves carved out of the rock beneath Nottingham Castle. When we were kids, my dad used to take my brother and I exploring in the amazing lava tubes by Mount St. Helens. What could Alabama possibly have to offer?

The answer: a lot, at least when it comes to caves, hiking trails, and the history of space exploration. Cathedral Caverns actually did remind me of some of the European cathedrals, and it was a pleasure to visit. I had almost forgotten how much I enjoy caves.

 

Photo credit: Michael T. Klein

 

Cathedral Caverns

The way I remember the difference
between this word and that
is by word play—
stalactites cling tight to the ceiling,
and stalagmites act like little mines on the floor,
Though I recently heard they might one day reach higher up.

I don’t recall the drip, drip
of water here so much as the murmur
of the creek below.
shhh
take lighter footsteps
and don’t speak louder
than a whisper
Shhhhh
can you hear it?

After we turn around the column
aptly named Goliath and larger than my house,
past the heard of stone elephants
tromping through the water,
we reach the Stalactite Forest,
and I am stunned
by the way this one
looks like the jellyfish
carved into ice in Sweden,
or how that one resembles
a turtle, a Viking, an eagle,
all stone that would make
the dwarves of Erebor gape.

How I wish I could swim
to the top, but I am stuck to the floor,
pinned by gravity and soon—
total darkness.

Breathe in—
can you see it?
Nothing.
Breathe out—
blink and behold
the starlight
that illuminates
the walls like a three-D model.

Breathe in—
the dark.
I can’t see my hand
in front of my face.
But it’s not the dark I fear,
nor the winter shelter for the bats,
nor even the thought
of being alone.

I am not afraid today,
though I know this tour
is nothing like the great escapades
of Verne or Tolkien,
but I relish the moment
and breath out as the lights come back on.

 

***

Don’t forget to check out Dandelion Symphony, my poetry collection. If you’ve already read it, if you could post a review on your favorite site (Goodreads, Amazon, and/or Barnes & Noble), I would appreciate it a lot!

Let’s chat! What’s your take on caves? Do you have a favorite?

 

Similar poems: Down South (Audio), Ode to Winter (Video), Cathedral

Dandelion Symphony Release Day!

Fall is in the air in the Northern Hemisphere, except maybe in the southern US. I could go outside and get sunburned if I wanted to, though I did wear a sweater earlier this week. It’s Friday, the 25th of September to be precise, two days after Frodo left Bag End. Do you know what else today is? Release day! Dandelion Symphony is out!

I actually found a dandelion in my yard!

 

… pages of this life—

these books take root

in the otherwise hardened patio of the mind.

 

What does it mean to be from multiple places? How does perspective change over time? What happens when a bookworm enjoys the outdoors? How does a situational introvert handle interaction with other people? This collection of poems is an exploration of the life of an army brat living in Europe. From studying abroad in England and travelling in Italy to living and working in Germany, these poems explore settings both extraordinary and ordinary alike.

 

As promised, here’s a quick video of me reading one of the poems from the book and a clip of me unboxing my proof copy.

 

 

Get your copy today!

Barnes & Noble (US, e-book)

Amazon (international, e-book and print)

Signed print (US only)

Let’s chat! What did you think of the reading? How about the “unboxing?” What’s your favorite season?

*** 

Similar posts: Dandelion Symphony Blog Tour, Dandelion Symphony Cover Reveal, and My Process for Writing Poetry

Dandelion Symphony Blog Tour

As you may have noticed, my blog schedule is all mixed up this month. Why is that, you might ask? Well, this Friday is the release date for Dandelion Symphony! In the meantime, I’m hosting a brief blog tour in celebration! 

For details, check out the schedule below.

 

… pages of this life—
these books take root
in the otherwise hardened patio of the mind.

What does it mean to be from multiple places? How does perspective change over time? What happens when a bookworm enjoys the outdoors? How does a situational introvert handle interaction with other people? This collection of poems is an exploration of the life of an army brat living in Europe. From studying abroad in England and travelling in Italy to living and working in Germany, these poems explore settings both extraordinary and ordinary alike.

First stop: A Boggus Life

Sunday, September 21 

Interested in another writer’s take on some of our shared adventures in Europe and some of the places on which I based many of my poems? Check out Faith Boggus’ blog to read more! She also writes poetry and blog posts about baking, so be sure to check them out!

 

Second stop: Midgard’s Writers

Tuesday, September 22 

Want to know about my poem-writing process? Drop by Alicia Canet’s blog to find out! She also teaches a writing workshop in France, so for those interested in the French language, you can check out her other posts as well. For those not familiar with French, some of her posts are translated into English.  

Third stop: Drops of Inspira

Wednesday, September 23 

Want to know what a recipient of an advanced reader copy (ARC) thinks of the book? Check out Julia Garcia’s book review on her blog to find out! She also writes poems of her own, so be sure to check them out!

Final stop: Here! 

Release day, Friday, September 25 

Check back on release day to hear me read “Dandelion Seeds,” the poem that helped in part to give the collection its title. 

Thanks again to all my fellow blogger friends who took part in this tour! 

Don’t forget, you can pre-order Dandelion Symphony now! For my US readers, I recommend Barnes & Noble for the e-books. You can download the Nook app on most computers. Or you can pre-order a printed signed copy here (US only). For my international friends, you can pre-order the e-book on Amazon.

Happy reading! 

*** 

Let’s chat! Has Dandelion Symphony made it to your TBR list yet? What is your favorite element of poetry? Do you like writing poetry? 

Similar posts: Dandelion Symphony Cover Reveal, My Process for Writing Poetry, and Poetry Collection Announcement

Poem: Pterolycus

Pterolycus: mythological creature, a winged wolf

 

After people ask me where I’m from and get a plethora of answers—Germany, Italy, Texas, Washington State—they often ask me which place I like the most. Another impossible question. I usually tell them that I don’t have a favorite. I like wherever I’m living at the time while I’m there. It’s not fair to compare places by ranking. Germany has some gorgeous forests and mountains, but nothing compares to the climate and beaches of Hawaii. Even the Chihuahuan Desert of Texas is beautiful with its striking blue skies and endless sea of poppies that covers the mountain foothills in the spring.

Sometimes though, I’ll miss an aspect of one place while I’m living somewhere else. I missed the beach in Germany. I missed the sunshine in England. Yet there are still places I miss less than others. I have less sentimental attachment, in other words. I like to jokingly call Missouri “misery” because of the pronunciation similarities, even though I was never really miserable living there. It’s just that the state has little attraction for me, aside from the people who live there.

I have a similar detachment regarding England. Hold on, you might be thinking. Didn’t you love England! Sure, I write about it a lot. I love English Literature. I love the rain. Living there was an adventure! But it’s like Bilbo said before he set out: sometimes adventures are “Nasty, disturbing, and uncomfortable things.” Yes, I had plenty of good times in England, and I did earn my MA in Literature there after all, but it was a hard time for me as well. Though a lot of it is fictionalized, this poem is about such a time.

 

 

Pterolycus 

All my life, I’d been told,
“My how fast you can run—
don’t you want to join the pack
in a hunt or maybe
scout the paths ahead?”
Why ever would I want
to lope up the slope
only to stare and howl
at the Moon?

Now that I’ve found
the green where they leap and soar,
I realize
I’m not ready.
I know these wings of mine
are meant to fly,
but I can barely get off the ground.

They say one in every two wolves
that roam these plains
turns out to be a loner—
I didn’t ask for the way
my legs get scratched when I falter
in the air and crash into the rocks,
nor the way my feathers are ruffled and bent
from yet another fight,
bared fangs,
snapping jaws.
This is nothing like my song
to the Moon.

Now I limp onward,
blood crusts over my wounds, 
and I spread my wings.
Only when I am able
to lope again
can I finally
                        finally
                                        get off the ground.
I may not be able to fly as high
or as long as you—
not yet—
but maybe someday I will.

When I return to the forest,
my scabs have turned to scars,
hidden under tufts of fur and feathers,
and I’m asked,
“Don’t you miss the freedom of the green?”
If freedom is a fight
encrusted with snapping teeth
and empty days,
I don’t miss it
at all.

Yet I wouldn’t change
the way I now
take to the sky,
surpassing the limbs of trees
and climb higher
until I reach the cliffs,
rest on my haunches
and howl at the Moon.

 

***

 

Let’s chat! What did you think of the poem? For those who have moved, is there any place in particular you miss? That you don’t miss? If a mythological creature represented a part of your life, which creature would it be?

Similar poems: Homesick, Origins, and Silent Words

Dandelion Symphony Cover Reveal!

I have some exciting news! A couple months ago, I announced my next book, a poetry collection named Dandelion Symphony. Today, I am proud to present you with the cover reveal and official release date!

*throws confetti*

*chokes on confetti*

*coughs*

*runs from people who think I might be sick*

A couple of months ago, when I was initially looking for an artist for sketches within the book, somebody recommended I check out Fiverr. It turned out to be a great resource, and that’s also where I found my cover designer!

A couple months ago, my grandparents on my dad’s side came down to visit. My grandma has stage 4 cancer, and the doctors gave her a year to live last summer. Not having much to do since everything was closed, she told me stories about her childhood and her favorite jobs over the course of her life.

Then I read her my poetry collection all the while trying to figure out a name. I already liked dandelions, since they’re the symbol for military brats like myself, but I couldn’t figure out what to put with it. Until my grandma suggested something to do with a symphony. Dandelion Symphony. It was perfect!

More recently, I had the cover commissioned. This is the result:

… pages of this life— 

these books take root 

in the otherwise hardened patio of the mind.

What does it mean to be from multiple places? How does perspective change over time? What happens when a bookworm enjoys the outdoors? How does a situational introvert handle interaction with other people? This collection of poems is an exploration of the life of an army brat living in Europe. From studying abroad in England and travelling in Italy to living and working in Germany, these poems explore settings both extraordinary and ordinary alike.

Dandelion Symphony will be available on Friday, September 24, 2020! Soon you will be able to pre-order it on Amazon (e-book only) and Barnes & Noble (e-book only). I will keep you posted when the print edition is available to order. For now, you can add it on Goodreads!

I also plan on doing a mini blog tour the week it comes out, which I’ll be posting more details on soon. Happy reading!

***

Let’s chat! Have you added Dandelion Symphony to your TBR yet? What’s your favorite poem? How about poetry collection?

Similar posts: My Process for Writing Poetry; Poetry Collection Announcement: Dandelion Symphony; and The Importance of Poetry

Poem: Sandcastles

I probably over explain my poetry. So today, I’m going to let this one speak for itself. Enjoy!

 

 

Sandcastles

I carve a castle in this sand,
the wet clumps damp and soft
between my fingertips
until the water drains
and lets my walls stand solid
and proud.

As the waves lap at the shore,
I dig a trench out for the water
to fill and drain,
using the excess sand to stack
trickles of towers
atop this architecture.

Yet even with my best effort,
the water comes again
and again
and again,
finally streaking away my reinforcements
and eroding the outer walls
now crumbling.

I had a dream of arches
and pinnacles and grandeur—
I had a plan,
but now, the final wave
washes away my last wall,
now little more than a lump
on the sand,
barely a reminder
of what was.

I know I can build again,
but my arms are sore,
and I’m just
so tired
of fighting
this tide.

 

***

 

Let’s chat! What did you think of the poem? What are some things you are tired of doing that your progress seems to be eroded too quickly? Have you read about my up-and-coming poetry collection yet? Be sure to check it out!

 

Similar poems: Fog; Fireflies; and Concrete Forest, Paper Meadows

Dandelion Symphony: Poetry Collection Announcement (Featuring an ARC Giveaway!)

I have a new project in the works, which I may have hinted at a couple of times now. No, I’m not talking about that secret fantasy novel, shhhh, but rather a collection of poems called Dandelion Symphony, from my time spent living in Europe. Why a dandelion you might ask? The symbol for military brats is often a dandelion because, like the flower, military brats can “bloom anywhere.” That and I like dandelions.

 

What’s in a poetry collection?

Poems, of course! Okay, okay, I’ll tell. With some help from my lovely readers, I’ve selected some popular pieces from my blog to include. Many of them are nature themed, but not all. I’ve also commissioned an artist to sketch some minimalistic pieces for each section and will soon be commissioning a cover designer as well. Art is awesome—it goes so well with poetry!

Then there’s end notes, which are totally optional. I’m a very wordy person, so I’ve put them at the back in case anybody wants more background on specific lines or terms, complete with formatting for you digital readers so you can click back and forth with ease.

 

What’s new?

I like to publish print editions with exclusive content. In addition to the internal art and footnotes, I’m also including some poems I’ve never published before. I’ve been saving some of them for a special occasion, and this collection is it!

 

When is it being released into the wild?

I don’t have a definitive date yet. I released my last project way too quickly, so I’m planning on taking the necessary time with this one. That means, I’ll be waiting on beta readers, bloggers, my editor, and my artists, then proofreading everything and formatting and formatting again… you get the picture.

It must be perfect!

Let’s say September. I’ll keep you updated when it gets closer to being ready. I’d also like to host a blog tour upon its releases, so that’ll be fun! Until then, enjoy a quick sneak peek:

 

Internal Sketch by Vera

 

Thoughts of Place

 

I find

that the first time

I visit a place, I am

drawn to the way

the red roofs slope,

the snow-capped mountains tower,

the oceans lap at the white shores.

Yet the second time,

I see how

the locals meander the streets,

the salamanders navigate the moss,

the acacia thorns guard the sand.

How did I miss it

before?

Living in a place

is not like visiting—

is not like returning

to where I lived before—

for the image

in my mind

of what was

is no longer

what is.

 

***

 

Before you go, don't forget to check out my ARC giveaway! Please keep in mind that receiving an ARC means I would like an honest review from you. It can be as short or as long as you please. Blogger changed their editing format, so while I try to figure out how to insert code again, check out this link to enter the ARC giveaway.

Let’s chat! What’s the last poetry collection you read? What’s your favorite of my poems?

Similar posts: Poem: Seeking the Song of Time, Origami Swan: Novel Title Change and Cinnamon Rolls (aka Characters), and Last of the Memory Keepers Book Birthday!

Recommended poems: At My Own Pace, Still Life in Spring, and The Christmas Market

Poem: Pronunciation

As a child, I was perhaps a little more self righteous and indignant than I am now. The more people I meet, the more mistakes I make, the more I come to understand how we’re all just people. I’m not saying we should just forget every mistake, but if we take the time to try to understand, it can make relationships easier.

Take names for instance.

I have a unique one: Azelyn. No, not the lion as I’ve said countless times before and will say countless times again. Many people have trouble pronouncing or spelling it. It’s Az-lin for those wondering, and the spelling is actually an alternate spelling to its Hebrew origins, Aslin (meaning: spared by the Lord). See, it’s not like the Turkish Aslan (meaning: lion), which I’ve always pronounce Ass-lan. Yet I’ve been called many names from Aslind to Evelyn to Az. Don’t you dare with that last one. I am not a preposition.

At my latest job, I’m working with new kids and adults on a weekly basis. I meet people from across the world and there are. So. Many. Different. Names. The struggle is real. But I try to say them all. I try really hard. Maybe I don’t always get it right, and when that happens, I’ll ask for the right pronunciation. And I’ll ask again. Maybe again. Because I know how hearing somebody say your name right, even if it’s the third attempt, can make you feel welcome.

Pronunciation

I don’t know this word.

My tongue trips over

                                    the pronunciation

one more time,

but what’s really frustrating

are the words I

                                    know

but can’t say right.

Why is it so hard?

As a child I found

my nose wrinkle at the scent

                        of my name

said wrong

                        again

                                    and again

and again.

Didn’t they hear me?

Today I handle new names

like an octopus wrangler

            tentative

                        touching the syllables

and shrinking back a bit

            but always ready

to try again.

How do you spell that?

***

Let’s chat! What did you think of the poem? Any of my readers have a unique or difficult-to-spell-or-say name?

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