Quatrain

Kylie

The featured photo was taken of me and my daughter on the day she graduated from cosmetology school at just 18 years old.

On day 11 of the Alphabet Challenge, I celebrate my middle child, my only daughter, my favorite “K”, Kylie. Love you!

My little girl
With big blue eyes
That sparkle bright
Like summer skies.

Tiny princess,
Great big heart.
Meant for greatness
From the very start.

A scholar’s mind,
An artist’s soul,
A future within
Your own control.

You got this now
Do me proud.
Never stop living
Your life out loud!

Kylie has dreamed of a profession in cosmetology since she first picked up a brush. Immediately upon graduating high school at age 17, she began cosmetology school. She has been recognized for her achievements in make-up and hair on a national level. These are photographs of her early successes:

KylieMakeupMake-up

KylieHairBefore/After

Follow Kylie’s career: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Kylie-Rose-Smith/435685946511365

Grand Rapids

Steven Fox Writing’s Alphabet Challenge, Day 7, “G” ~ A poem about home: Grand Rapids, MI

Grand Rapids, Michigan
Or, Beer City USA,
The place that I love,
Live, work and play.

It’s a city of culture.
It boasts fine cuisine,
Breathtaking landscapes,
And sunsets pristine.

Beaches and fishing,
Symphony, ballet,
Fine artisan markets,
Film fests and Broadway.

Home of Art Prize,
And Blues on the Mall
Swing dance, ice skating
Hockey and baseball.

A remarkable town
Not one to be missed
A visit belongs atop
Of your bucket list.

ArtPrize-2012

Photo from Art Prize 2012, courtesy of http://www.knightarts.org/

Friends Are the Family You Choose

Day 6 of Steven Fox Writing’s Alphabet Challenge ~ The letter “F”. I dedicate this poem to the people that know how crazy I am and still choose to be seen with me in public.

I tell them my secrets
With nary a thought.
Every word spilled
Locked in their vault.

The times I gave up,
Laid down and cowered,
They hoisted me up,
Left me empowered.

They are my champions.
They know the real me.
They forgive me my faults
And love unconditionally.

They are my family,
We come in all hues.
The best of friends are
The family you choose.

The above picture was as close as I could get to having my closest friends in one photo. It is missing Michael, Terry, Lee & Julie. Love you guys!

Exposed

My soul is on display
All the world’s a critic,
Subject to their judgment
Vicious and sadistic.

Navigating within this dream
Vulnerable and naked,
Put before prying eyes
Only to be degraded.

Shackled by the fully veiled
The ridicule they impose,
If I could, I’d run away
And put back on my clothes.

Dreams

Foggy haze
Undefined shadows
Utter silence
Technicolor meadows…

Time stands still
There is no end
One scene plays
Over and again…

Feet of stone
You cannot scream,
Entangled within
An unsettled dream.