You & I
a poem plus an exciting announcement!!
Coming Soon!
Hello, dear friends. I’m so glad you’re here. If you’re new to This House of Longing, welcome! If you’ve been around for a while, or simply pop in now and again, welcome! It’s good to be together, even if it’s through the simple sharing of words from afar. There’s something magical that can happen through the reading of poetry if we’re willing to slow down and “chew the cud” as Thomas Cramner so famously put it. I pray there might be something here for you to savor today.
I want to share some exciting news with you all today. Over the past few months, I have been honing a small collection of poems that I wrote in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene called After the Storm (poems & prayers). It consists of sixteen poems, along with roughly eight photographs that I took in and around Asheville in the days and weeks that followed the flood. These are poems about grief and loss, anger and confusion, grace and hope.
Long story short, I recently reached out to a local journalist named Mindy for publishing ideas who put me in touch with a local poet and editor named Luke who shockingly agreed to review and edit my collection who then suggested I reach out to a regional publisher in a season of transition called RedHawk Publications who graciously connected me with a kind soul named Tyler who has now bravely agreed to publish After the Storm under his newly-formed imprint, Copper Finch Publishing!!!
(If any of you whom I’ve mentioned in the connect-the-dot above are reading this, I see you, and I’m grateful! THANK YOU!!)
I’m publishing a chapbook of poetry, y’all!! (For those unfamiliar with chapbooks, they are typically short collections of poetry, short stories, or other forms of literature, often centered around a particular theme. They were popular in 16th and 17th century Europe and sold by traveling salespeople and have found a resurgence as of late. Chapbooks’ smaller size make them easy to carry with you in a back pocket, suitcase, or shoulder bag.
Stay tuned for more details. In the coming weeks, I plan to share a few of the featured poems here on Substack. The plan is for After the Storm to be available before the holidays.
If you enjoy today’s poem, or if you’re feeling kind-of-heart this morning, consider leaving a tip or buying me a chai :) Ginger-forward chai (especially Appalachai) is my poetry fuel-of-choice; also matcha with a drip of honey and a dash of lavender. Any small “thank you” means a lot as I look to keep This House of Longing subscription-free.
You & I
The two of us, we were beach buds rather than mountain mates, but I often wonder what it would have been like to stroll the Appalachian pathways with you… I can hear you now, your voice bent low, nearly kissing the ground— Look at those rugged ridge lines, how they dip & rise, just like you would when you pointed out the brown pelicans skimming the waves as I ate my cereal next to you... I know you would have stopped & gawked at the monarchs, orange in their blaze like the sun all those mornings over the surf when you woke me early to cast a line next to you... You know, come to think of it, maybe we were mountain mates after all, you and I…
An Invitation
Is there a word, phrase, or image that captures your attention in today’s poem?
What stirs in you (emotionally, physically, spiritually) as you consider the image above the poem? Is there someone in your own life, past or present, that comes to mind?
Consider reading the poem one more time, asking the Holy Spirit, What invitation are you offering me here today? Listen, linger, and rest in God’s love for you.
If today’s poem spoke to you in any way, I’d love to hear about it! Consider dropping a word in the comments below or sending me a message. You might also consider sharing it with your friends!
Peter, that is great news about your chatbook After the Storm!!! You do have a way with words!