🪄 The poem that wrote me

I've got a little extra pluck to share something different.

Hey there!

So today, I’m doing the brave thing.

I’m sharing one of my poems. Since that’s not the usual writing you expect from me, I recorded a bit of the backstory about it, and you can listen to that above.

I had the rare (and exquisite) experience of having a poem come through me organically and unexpectedly rather than something I sat down to write. The simple act of a regular freewriting (scribbling) practice can prime the pump for moments like this.

It’s called Anam Cara which refers to the Celtic concept of a “soul friend,” and it’s also the title of a fantastic book on Celtic Wisdom by John O’Donohue. (Highly recommend it.)

I hope you listen to the 5-minute recording above and enjoy the poem. In the next few weeks, I’ll share a few stories and photos from my latest adventures in Morocco!

Harris Manchester College, Oxford

Anam Cara

I woke last night with quite a start

Finding so many poems to you etched in my heart

The years flew back to a time when our friendship began to part

I paused and pictured a different start

One where we let our parents’ ways fall to the ground

And went for a walk in the woods where our untold stories could be found

We left the room and halls and gossip of college walls

To let our Oxford guards fall

There, we talked about the feelings we saw at home

About parents who pushed and cajoled and called us their own

For a moment we let the other see where our hearts had turned to stone

I let my shadow side come unbound

Acting in ways that totally let them down

And in an instant, my soul did take flight

The embers inside suddenly began burning bright

As we came out of the woods, finishing our talk

We sat together on a big, jagged rock

The comfortable silence between us did indeed feel right

And the warmth in our hearts was all we needed that night

When I woke — I saw it was this part of our friendship that was not heeded

And asked myself — how many poems has this episode seeded?

Oriel College, Oxford

P.S. We’re getting a June date on the calendar for another Scribbling Circle. If you’re feeling creatively blocked or emotionally down right now, opening up on the page in a supportive and safe space can help you move through it.

Something about tapping into your inner voice through your writing builds resiliency and strength. Trust it and do the brave thing. 🪄