Tag: author

Hidden

Folded in, hiding from the outside,

Keeping everything that she can, safe.

Not just her beauty, not just her thoughts,

But her growth, potential, even faith.

The sun, heat, and wind had beat her down.

Without any sign of rain, relief,

She had given up and adjusted,

Accepting her loneliness and grief.

Then the sun shifted, clouds took the heat,

And the wind brought in the needed rain.

She was hesitant, fearful, unsure,

Worried she’d lose, before she could gain.

But the weather stayed patient, kind, sure,

Even through her doubts, her pain, her fear,

He kept peaking through, showing her love,

Reassuring her he was right here.

He saw her, knew her, through the damage,

And treasured, cherished her, and could see

Not just who she had been, or was, but,

Also, always, who she could be.

Found Poem: Caroline’s Purpose

She took a deep breath,
she closed her eyes,
to hesitate, straining to see,
to focus on the script.

Her eyes shined with tears,
identical gazes staring at him.  
She was an outsider,
between you and me.

A crisscross of light,
from a white crescent moon,
opened up his heart, to the
hurt she felt inside her chest.

Lanterns caused stones to glisten,
from the rain, from wanting to believe,
From the longing to find a way back,
from wonder turning into a sense of hope,

The first time a smile had ever reached her eyes,
Their elbows brushing every few steps,
cold drops of rain, the sense of relief,
the top of the last hill.  

Explanation! I’m teaching my students how to write Found Poetry. You flip through a book or a magazine, or anything with words really, and you make a list of phrases and words that stand out to you. Then, you arrange these phrases and words to write a poem. To give them an example, I used my book, Caroline’s Purpose. Let me know what you think!

If you want to know more about the story behind these words, order your copy of Caroline’s Purpose today!  

Alone

Alone. But always facing the sun.
Hope and strength in the unlikeliest
Place.

Broken. But always pushing though.
Beauty and grace from an unexpected
Face.

Growing. Despite the pain and fear.
Faith and courage setting a different
Pace.

Belief. Clinging to what is true.
Lies and doubts disappear, crumbling to
Waste.

Trusting. Even when it’s impossible.
Love and peace from the One who erases
Every mistake.

Caroline’s Purpose: Blame Excerpt

“Caroline put the pile of ribbons aside and came to the last item in the box. To this day, she didn’t know who had been kind enough to do this, to save the only part of Beau they could. She gently fingered the braided piece of black and gray tail that was tied together with maroon ribbon, and lifted it from the box. Maroon had been Beau’s color. She lifted the tail to her face and inhaled. Even after years of being in that box, it still smelled like her beloved partner.

The touch of his tail and the smell of Beau was too much to take. Caroline found herself sobbing again, crying for the horse she had loved and couldn’t save, but also for the girl she had been.

Minutes passed before she felt like she was all cried out. Her eyes were red and raw, and her heart was torn open. Exhausted and trembling, she put the ribbons, the letters, and the article back in the box. She clutched the braided tail to her chest and lay back down, turning off the light.

Caroline fell into a brief and restless sleep. The desperate whinnies of Beau and Edison in her dreams woke her up. Her pillow was damp with a mix of sweat and tears, and her heart was pounding. She rolled over on to her back and stared up at the ceiling. She watched the fan whirling above her head and thought about the part of her secret that no one knew, not even Connor.

That she blamed herself for Beau’s death.

If she’d ridden him to that jump differently, or hadn’t been trapped under him after he fell, she could have saved him. If she’d put up a stronger fight as the paramedics loaded her into the ambulance, she could have begged the vet to try something, anything, besides putting him down. Or if there was truly nothing that could have been done for him, she could have at least been there to say goodbye. To ask him for forgiveness. And now another horse would lose his life because she was trapped…”

Caroline’s Purpose is available on Amazon and wherever you order books! https://www.amazon.com/Carolines-Purpose-Erica-Zaborac/dp/1611533929/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?crid=DRAQ2EDNJVR7&dchild=1&keywords=carolines+purpose&qid=1630895240&sprefix=caroline’s+purp&sr=8-3

Two Years Passing

Time flies by, and drags on,
Opposites true in an instance.

We wait for something that never comes,
And miss significant, small moments.

What is two years, besides the passing
Of days? What remains? What will be?

Two years is the time that has now passed
Since I lost you, and a huge part of me.

The ache stays in place, the tears still fall,
Roses, growth, change-all have new meaning.

I’ve changed, a lot, I’m growing up now,
I hope my life would have you proud, beaming.

I talk to your memory, I miss your advice,
And most country music now makes me cry.

We’re doing alright, Mom and me, but we’re
Different, changed, with each day going by.

I wish I had one more chance to thank you,
For everything you did, and still do,

You shaped me, loved me, cared for me,
And I will forever and always love you.

Something Beautiful

She landed where she didn’t belong,
In a place of fear and uncertainty.
None of her plans worked out,
Not a single dream came true.

She questioned why she was there,
What good it could possibly be for.
She’d ruined everything else she’d touched.
Why would this be any different?

She felt out of place, not good enough,
To stay put where she had been placed.
She was hurt, frustrated, ready to quit,
Until she was gently and sweetly reminded

She doesn’t do anything alone.

It’s through His strength, and not her own,
That she is used for His plan.
So even in a place she never thought of,
In a dream she had never had,

He can make something beautiful.

Caroline’s Purpose: Letter Excerpt

“I wanted to answer my own question. I asked you who you were, and you told me you didn’t know. You are a great person. You are a person who has dealt with a lot of pain and loss. You are a girl with a gift. And most importantly, you are a girl God cares about. I’ve read a few verses this week that I wanted to share with you. I’m sure you’ve read them, back before you didn’t believe.
Matthew 11: 28–30: Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.
Romans 8: 28, 38–39: And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose… For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
I know in the middle of loss, it is hard to believe that He cares. If He cared, He would have kept the bad stuff from happening, right? Believe me, I’ve struggled with these thoughts myself over Emily. But I’ve come to understand it doesn’t work that way, even if we wish it did.
God is the master planner and creator. He sees an image and a story that we can’t even dream of. He can use our pain and our loss, and our doubts, to fulfill His plan. We just have to trust Him. I know this is all easier said than done.”

This excerpt is part of a letter Connor wrote to Caroline. Do you want to read all of it? Or do you want to know everything that led up to this moment? Order Caroline’s Purpose now! If you’ve read it, comment below and leave a review on Amazon.