positivity – Emotional Shadows

The #TBR Pile #Writing Challenge

Published on January 13, 2022January 12, 2022 by balroop201366 Comments

She grabs each book with panache
But lets it languish in some corner
Promises would be kept, she knows
When’d that day dawn, she doesn’t decipher.

Decorated with turmeric
Scented by cinnamon
Smeared with her favorite sauce
Some sit at her kitchen ledge, waiting to be read.

They enhance the ambiance of her home
Books are her first love
A unique drape that keeps her
Cloaked in her treasured trove.

Butterflies of her basement,
They charm, but
Keep her away from real beauties
That Mother Nature offers.

Her new beloved ‘Kindle’ is bursting
But the masked beauties
Know their boundaries
No eyes follow and no fingers beckon!
© Balroop Singh

Inspired from Diana’s Writing Challenge, click to join the fun. Thank you.

If you like poetry, click here to hear Magical Whispers

Have you checked my latest release? – Slivers: Chiseled Poetry

#Happy2022

Published on January 1, 2022December 31, 2021 by balroop201345 Comments

Soaking in silver serenity
Another dawn is waiting
Let’s warm it with convivial cheer
The song of life is always dear.
© Balroop Singh

Many thanks to all my readers and author buddies for their lovely support.

#Gratitude: Reminders

Published on November 24, 2021November 24, 2021 by balroop201328 Comments

The tender touch of breeze
The soft sound of brook
Beautiful blossoms smiling
At the light and warmth of sun.

Happiness filtering through the trees
Moonlight streaming through my windows
Hope sprouting around me, every spring
The dusky sky, the merging hues of rainbow,

The warmth of my home
The mirth, the kindness, and
A steady drizzle of love
Seeping slowly into my soul.

The blessings of being alive,
The constant company of friends
Revered reminders of gratitude
Celestial moments of appreciation.

Assimilating the ache of setbacks
Embracing the hurricanes of life
Gratitude grants the serenity
To bounce back, to tap the infinite

To stumble upon and cherish
Those moments of endless joy
Those moments of togetherness
Sparkling on the sand of time.
© Balroop Singh.

This is one of my earliest poems, excerpted from ‘Sublime Shadows of Life.’ Thank you.

If you like poetry: click here to hear Magical Whispers

Have you checked my latest release? – Slivers: Chiseled Poetry

Flashes of Life @pamelawight #BookReview

Published on September 30, 2021September 30, 2021 by balroop201374 Comments

“Life is a mirror and will reflect back to the thinker what he thinks into it,” says Ernest Holmes but life is a tide for my writer & blogger buddy Pamela S. Wight and she derives utmost joy from the tiny moments of the past and present, surfing the waves with perfect coordination. She shares her reflections in the form of short stories (each one better than the other) in her latest book: ‘Flashes of Life – True Tales of the Extraordinary Ordinary.’

Book Blurb:

Wow! Life goes by in a flash.

Philosophers and mystics ponder the mystery of these flashes. Pamela Wight writes about life flashes in her short stories that include family and friends, love and life’s challenges. Wight’s “Flash Memoir” promotes the belief that we all share sparks of the extraordinary that occur in our everyday life. Each short story is true and brings a smile of recognition to her readers: that life transports and enthralls us in all its confusing, amusing, challenging, and astonishing ways. Each story is light-hearted and short – like a flash – but be prepared for a page-turner that keeps you in your seat, smiling.

Here is my My Review:

Flashes of Life by Pamela S. Wight brings to life those little moments of joy, which we often miss, those emotions that remain unexpressed, those relationships that we cherish and wish we could hold on to them as they slip out of our hands, however hard we may close our fists. Wight possesses the knack of converting an ordinary scenario into a humorous one, with her witty style of writing. I’ve never read a more marvelous account of the endeavor of a fourteen-year-old girl, to straighten her hair to look like ‘Jane Asher!’

I know Pamela writes with élan, as I follow her at her blog but this memoir, in the form of little stories and anecdotes from her life is amazing! She can look at the mirror and wonder, “where’s the cute twenty-year-old? Who the hell is this freaky lady?” I must have thought that a million times when I look at myself but only Pamela could express it so well to compress it into ‘Dancing Our Age.’ Her crisp style and ingenious choice of words adds a dash of delight that touches your heart immediately. Her stories flow like a gurgling stream, cascading at times and shimmering like the first rays of winter sun.

I thought ‘Straight Hair’ would be my favorite but then I read ‘How to Embarrass Your Kids’ (loaded with fun) and ‘A Renewal’ – dripping with subtle emotions and ‘Grilled Cheese,’ which is wonderfully narrative: “kitchen as tiny as an elf’s, and it has already taken me four minutes, thirty-eight seconds to find a knife to cut the cheese.” Wight is most creative but it hits the sky with ‘It’s All Golden!’ Just look at this: “my thirty year old son, once my hard child”, as hard as sleet on soft grass. I was the grass.” I loved ‘Nap Time,’ I laughed out loud while reading ‘Burnt Toast’ and would never forget her winter coat that she wore when it was 70 degrees outside! You have to read it to find why!

I have no words to describe the superb beauty of ‘The Weight of the Soul’ and ‘Benji.’ Need I say this is a MUST READ book? I would like to give it double 5 stars and keep it at my bedside to read it again and again.

– Balroop Singh.

Welcome my guest Lauren Scott #NewRelease

Published on September 23, 2021September 22, 2021 by balroop201373 Comments

I am pleased to welcome Lauren Scott, (my author buddy) with her new release: ‘More than Coffee: Memories in Verse and Prose.’ I’ve already read this delightful book and enjoyed it. There is something for everybody in the moments that have been shared in this book.

Book Blurb:

From the early woes of childhood and teen years, this collection of stories and poems paints a picture of young dreams and fears. But as adulthood sets in, these dreams and fears change. More than Coffee touches on love and loss, nature and endurance, marriage and parenting. In these memories, humor diffuses fear and taking risks proves to be a powerful method in boosting self-confidence. Through it all, whether in the wilderness near a sparkling lake or in the comfort of home, there’s nothing like a good cup of coffee. A poignant and reflective collection of verse and prose that is best enjoyed sipping your favorite coffee roast.

Excerpt:

Red Lipstick

With childlike fascination,
I leaned against the door frame
watching her apply a little
powder to her nose,
a touch of red to her lips.
No more, no less. She was flawless.
Then our eyes locked –
an unspoken connection.
Questions never-ending,
I gently tucked her wisdom
in a safe space where I could
draw from it easily.
I’d love to share tales
of life she’s missing.
Perhaps, again someday.
© Lauren Scott

My Review:

More than Coffee: Memories in Verse and Prose by Lauren Scott is a heart-warming memoir that captures lovely moments of childhood, of parents’ love, of attachments, of campfires and hiking with the love of her life. The blissful moments come alive as Scott revels in the good times, letting nostalgia transport her into a time machine, to watch the reel unfold like “pictures on a camera roll.” She talks about the value of some priceless gifts that are handed down from one generation to another; she takes pride in the stories that such “gems” tell to evoke fond memories of parents. Only the happy times have been shared in this book.

Written in a simple and straight-forward style, Lauren’s poetry is realistic. ‘To My Babies’ tugged at my heart and I am sure all mothers can relate to this charming poem. Fragrant memories of “Earthquake Cake” made me smile. ‘Simple Existence’ is thought-provoking and made me pause to comprehend the depth of words that dance across “desert dunes and boundless oceans.” ‘Forever Steady’ too gives you a reflective message to take a breather, look at the magical wilderness of nature and see how “delightfully birds sing and trees welcome our company.”

I loved this book and finished it within an hour. If you value relationships and family bonding, this book is for you. I gave it five shimmering stars.

Meet the Author/Poet:

Lauren has authored two collections of poetry: New Day, New Dreams(2013) and Finding a Balance (2015). In the last couple of years, she began exploring memories from her past, penning them into short memoirs. She lives in Northern California with her husband, Matthew, and their lovable canine, Copper; they have two adult children. Family has been an aspect of life she has always held dear. From her experiences over three decades: raising a family, grieving through loss, finding joy in the smallest things, and the many backpacking and camping adventures, her writing takes a magical path of its own.

The marvelous wild world that surrounds her: the smell of the woods, the sound of a babbling brook, and the chorus of birds never disappoint in providing inspiration. Recent backpacking trips with Matthew along the California coast and Sierra Nevada have stirred up thoughts to write about love, lost friendship, family, and the possibility that anything can happen. Hikes along the Paper Mill Creek remind her that life is fragile. From trout hatchlings to swallowtail butterflies, Lauren is marveled at how the world is interconnected and that every living thing matters. She is a poet, short memoir writer, and nature lover who hopes her readers will find a little nugget of delight, comfort, or understanding in her poetry and stories – some detail that resonates with them beyond her words.