Hi There…

hi there, let’s talk over a cup of hot salted caramel macchiato.

it has been a while since i get a little personal here with you guys. so here i am, checking in. how are you? i hope that January has been kind to all of you. i pray that February will be more forgiving. but whatever happens, life goes on. i read somewhere someone says “when life gives you a shit, cultivate it with dreams and hopes.” may we never lose track of our dreams and hopes despite life’s complexities and intricacies.

me? January is almost over, and so many things happened in just one month. 

the much-awaited anthology by Gabriela Marie Milton, is now #1new release on Amazon. my poems were included as part of this anthology. “Hidden in Childhood” is a publication of Literary Revolutions. this is just wonderful. another best-seller book for me. now, i’m off to update my bio with another best-selling poetry anthology.

i’ve had two poems published on MasticadoresUsa by Barbara Harris Leonhard; “Breathe” (January 12) and “Peace” (January 27).

“My Body Aches More Than My Heart” was published by Terveen Gil on MasticadoresIndia last January 10.

my New Year poem “2023, Our Year” was published on Spillwords Press last January 3 as part of its New Year opening salvo. the poem became the #1 popular post on Spillwords for over a week. 

and of course, as you all know it, “Love Happens” was Spillwords December Publication of the Month and is now up for the title “Publication of the Year (poetic). this piece is up against other stunning pieces written by brilliant poets from different parts of the world. i am truly honored and humbled to see my poem alongside these wonderful pieces; that alone feels like winning already. 

i have other submissions which were already set to be published by February.

voting for SPILLWORDS PRESS 2022 AWARDS is still open. i would be glad if you could head over the link and vote for my poem “LOVE HAPPENS” as Publication of the Year (Poetic). 

kindly find the link below to vote.

https://spillwords.com/vote/

January has been so kind to me and my poetry. with this, i say thank you to all the editors and publishers who believe in my poetry.

thank you, too, my dearest friends, readers, followers, and fellow poets; you never failed to amaze me with your love and support.

“Peace” by Michelle Navajas

My poem, “Peace” is up now on MasticadoresUsa. I would like to thank Barbara, the editor for publishing my poem and for believing in my works.

Please head over MasticadoresUsa to read the full poem. I would love to hear your insights about the poem so don’t forget to leave your thoughts in the comment section.

Subscribe to MasticadroesUsa to get full access of its daily dose of literary pieces from brilliant poets all over the world.

voting for SPILLWORDS PRESS 2022 AWARDS is still open. i would be glad if you could head over the link and vote for my poem “LOVE HAPPENS” as Publication of the Year (Poetic). here is the link to vote: kindly find the link below to vote.

https://spillwords.com/vote/

thank you so much to all those have voted already.

my love and gratitude to each of you always and forever.

MasticadoresUsa // Editor: Barbara Leonhard

and just when you thought solitude
is what you need to live and survive
what if, it’s but a mere illusion?

in fact,

there isn’t stillness in seclusion?
there isn’t freedom in liberation?
there isn’t hope in ambition?

‘cos, no matter what you do

the war is in your head
the rage is in your soul
the inferno is in your heart

and, peace is just

a product of your imagination
a manufactured information 
a fabricated deception

go, fight

the demon in your head
the evil under your bed
the culprit that said

“you are not good enough and you will never be”

accept the challenge

spring up. climb.
rise up. grow.

prove them all wrong.

unlock your fullest potential.

Copyright © 2022 Michelle Navajas
Rights Reserved

Michelle has authored eight books“After – Rain Skies: A Million Stars”for Perak Women for Women Society (PWW), Ipoh, Perak Malaysia, during…

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“Love Happens” – Spillwords Publication of the Year Nominee

 i am grateful and honored to have my poem “Love Happens” nominated as Spillwords Publication of the Year 2022 (Poetic)

kindly find the link below to vote.
https://spillwords.com/vote/

“You have received this email because you have been nominated in one or more of our categories for ‘Spillwords Press Awards’ for the year 2022.

Congratulations to all on your nominations, and we look forward to celebrating the winners throughout the month of February.

VOTING will be officially held from January 26th – January 31st on our voting page: https://spillwords.com/vote/

Please note, you need to register and/or login to vote.”

P. S.

congratulations too, to my fellow  nominees.

Cry (A Poetic Flash Fiction)

Cry (A Poetic Flash Fiction)

“i wonder how service personnel in a 5-star restaurant feel about serving the best food, yet unable to provide the same to their own families?”

i saw you raised your eyebrows with my question.

“i also wonder how bank tellers feel counting money every day when their problem is lack of money?”

your eyes widened as your forehead narrowed.

 “i admire your imagination and your compassion and empathy for people.” you finally said.

“i wonder ‘though, did you ever think of me when you left me broken, hurt, and devastated?”

i didn’t see that coming. i didn’t realize that even after all those years, you still remember the day i left you without the much needed explanation.

i didn’t realize that you are still hurting. i could actually feel the hurt in each word as you uttered them.

your words ushered me back to a doorway to the past. i could almost see your eyes in suppressed tears as I said my goodbye. i could see your blood oozing out of your face, for it has turned bloody red.

and for the first time, i saw your look of pain and agony, the looked i failed to know because i had just walked away.

i walked away and never looked back.

i didn’t see you cry.

but you did.

https://lifeafter50forwomen.com/2023/01/23/what-do-you-see-170-january-23-3023/

Phone Call

Phone Call (A Poetic Flash Fiction)

sometimes a minute is what we need to change our lives for the better forever. sometimes, it’s just a second of receiving a phone call unexpectedly.

“hello,” was all i could say when i heard you speak, “how are you?” on the other end of the line.

i knew it was you (even without asking). your voice hasn’t changed a bit. your tone hasn’t changed either. and oh, your sarcasm, it’s still the same. it has never changed too.

we started with a simple “how’s life” to exchange stories of how’s life has been since you walked away (or maybe, you were right; i walked away). either way, though, the truth is we both lost each other.

how long has it been? so long.

what i thought would be a simple “hi, hello” one-minute phone call turned out to be 30 minutes, then an hour, and before we knew it, it was as if there wasn’t over two decades of gap between now and then.

there wasn’t a need to catch up and get to know each other again. there wasn’t a need for some time to reconnect and bridge the gap. it was as if yesterday when i spoke to you last. but in reality, it was over two decades.

where am i goin’ with this? you probably will ask.

well, this is me saying, i am grateful for this phone call. i am thankful for this opportunity. i appreciate that you took a chance on me this time.  

no matter what happens and where life has taken us, we choose to return to where and how we started.

for Reena’s exploration challenge

https://reinventionsreena.wordpress.com/2023/01/19/reenas-xploration-challenge-264/

Search

Search

against the chaos that surrounds
i searched for your loving eyes
in the crowd.

i need to see you look at me saying, “it’s gonna be okay.” even if i know in my heart it will never be okay.

i lost my dreams in my search for peace.
i lost my faith in my search for hope.
i lost myself in my search for freedom.

and

i lost you in my search for tomorrow.

now, i’m left with nothing but your loving eyes that says “i told you, it’s gonna be okay.”

it’s time to give up searching for things beyond my control, for opportunities that may never come, for stories that may never happen, for chances that were never meant to take, and for tomorrows that will never come.

for today, unlike before, it’s genuinely gonna be okay. i believe in you, so i surrender. i have faith in you, so i submit.

“i’m sorry it took me so long,” i said.

“don’t be sorry,” you replied.

without a word, you took my hand and put a ring on my finger.

For Sadje’s WDYS:

https://lifeafter50forwomen.com/2023/01/16/what-do-you-see-169-january-16-2023/

“2023, Our Year” up now on Spillwords

🌹🌹🌹 a blessed 2023 dear friends and poets.

i am opening 2023 with my first published poem on Spillwords.

my New Year poem “2023, Our Year” is up now on Spillwords.

here is an excerpt of the poem:

“will this year be the year we finally say
damn, with the past mistakes that made us astray
damn, with the “what ifs” and “what could have been’s”
let’s start over and make this year the grandest ever.”

to read the full poem, kindly go to
https://spillwords.com/2023-our-year/; please don’t forget to click the ❤️ button for me.

I sincerely thank Dagmara K and the Spillwords team for publishing this poem.

P. S.

If you visit Spillwords.com, you will see my poem “Love Happens” ‘ on their website’s sidebar through the month of January in the widget called Post of the Month, and then you will also see this poem “2023, Our Year”. i am truly honored, humbled, and grateful for this once-in-a-lifetime experience as a poet.

Love Happens- Spillwords Pub of the Month

🌹🌹🌹”Love Happens” is Spillwords’ December 2022 Publication of the Month.

i received a congratulatory message from Spillwords, January 1, 2023…

“We want to congratulate you as your publication ‘Love Happens” has been voted by Spillwords Press Members as December’s Publication of The Month 🙂

Your literary work has received the largest amount of votes which is a testament to its popularity and your writing abilities.

‘Love Happens’ will appear on our website’s sidebar through the month of January in the widget called Post of the Month.”

to read the poem go to https://spillwords.com/love-happens/

thank you so much to Dagmara K and the entire @spillwordspress team for honoring me with this recognition.

thank you too to all my beloved readers, followers, friends and families for taking time to cast their votes for “Love Happens,” i am truly grateful for all your love and support.

what better way to kick off my 2023 writing journey than winning this award. 💕💕💕

thank you, from the bottom of my heart.

Some

Some

some hugs should have never happened
some kisses should have never allowed

some poetries should have not been written
some songs should have not been sung.

some movies should have not been made
some theatrical acts should have not been played.

some love stories should have not been told.
some happy endings should have not been said.

after all…

some ends up in breakups

https://skepticskaddish.com/2022/12/28/w3-prompt-35-weave-written-weekly/

Paula’s prompt guidelines

• Write about a breakup (not necessarily romantic) in any poetic form, not to exceed 20 lines.

Vote for “Love Happens”

i’ve been nominated by Spillwords for Publication of the Month many times and won once; but each nomination means a lot to me as a poet.

for December my poem “LOVE HAPPENS” is nominated as Publication of the Month. You can cast your vote here https://spillwords.com/vote/

voting will cease on 12/29 and soon after the winner will be revealed.
Please note, you need to register and/or login to vote.

we can pretend not to care for as long as we want; but “Love Happens” when it happens and there is nothing you can do about it…