Episode 47: A Poetic Path To Finding Hope 

Welcome to YourCreativeChord, the podcast where creativity and inspiration meet transformation. I'm Jenny Leigh Hodgins, your host. 

This episode is the third of my series centered on the power and positive impact of poetry. Previous episodes 45 and 46 feature my fabulous conversation with poet, writer, storyteller, caregiver, and Let The Verse Flow podcast host Jill Hodge. 

Episode 45, Embracing Care, Creativity, Diversity, covers Jill's caregiver experience that sparked her poetry and podcast. We also discussed how to better support inclusion and diversity through poetry, language, music, and podcasts. 

In Episode 46, Finding YOUR Creative Chord, Jill shares beautiful tips for tapping into your creative flow and simple ways for implementing creative self-care and therapeutic authentic expression within a busy or chaotic period. Whether you're a caregiver, stressed out, in burnout, or just love to get inspired, I recommend you check out those two episodes for some great kernels of wisdom and sincere encouragement. 

I also highly recommend Jill's podcast, Let The Verse Flow, which is one of my personal favorites for nurturing personal self-care. You'll find the link to her podcast in the show notes.

Before we dive into this episode #47,  A Poetic Path To Finding Hope, I want to share a little background story with you. My upcoming book, Kaleidoscope of the Heart: A Poetry & Lyrics Collection, was inspired by a dear friend who encouraged me through many unforeseen chapters of grueling struggle within the past 7 years. Her unwavering emphasis on reminding me to believe in myself helped me work toward strengthening self-empowerment toward all my challenges. Her constant support ignited a strong desire to express my deep appreciation for her encouragement. 

Instead of a store-bought gift, I wanted to gift something more meaningful. I decided to gather a few of my poetry and lyrics to send as a token of my gratitude. It was an intensely involved process, and I was fitting it in around an already insanely chaotic time. It took me about four months to complete the full collection. 

As I dove into the process of finding, sorting, and editing my verses, I realized how large a body of work I'd composed. In years past, I collected verses I composed to create smaller chapbooks that I sent as annual holiday gifts to friends and family. But this was the first time I had put so much into one project. 

As I worked on finding the appropriate pieces for my friend's gift, I discovered a new perspective on my poetic work. Reading my own words began to inspire me with the beautiful through-threads of human potential and hope. Reading my works encouraged me to believe that I have tremendous potential and the natural ability to live a creative life. It also showed me the power of poetry to empower myself and others.

I decided to honor that part of myself by developing a full book of published poetry—to share my work as a poet and lyricist with a broader audience. 

This process led to the creation of my upcoming book, Kaleidoscope of the Heart: A Poetry & Lyrics Collection. It's a testament to the power of friendship and the transformative nature of creativity, specifically of connecting to our authentic thoughts and feelings through writing or reading poetry and lyrics.

Today, we explore the theme of finding hope through the lens of three poems from my upcoming book, Kaleidoscope of the Heart: A Poetry & Lyrics Collection. I'm happy and excited to say that my book will launch on June 4 on Amazon. Please share this episode with others and pre-order my book to help me boost awareness of this heart-centered project.

Today, I'll share readings of three of my poems centered on the theme of finding hope. 

My first poem, "All About Hope," captures the essence of hope in vivid detail. Here's my poem, "All About Hope":

All About Hope  

The color of hope is blue 

beautiful as a mop-head hydrangea in summer's light. 

Tasting hope is a sweet, juicy mango. 

The scent of hope is the fresh ocean breeze. 

The sound of hope is the harmony of  

symphonic orchestras in a crescendo of rich, full chords. 

Hope is the solid confidence of a powerful lion king. 

If hope were an emotion,  it would manifest as my dreams. 

Here's a Reflection Prompt for you:

After hearing "All About Hope," take a moment to reflect on a time when you found hope in unexpected places or small moments of everyday life. 

How did that experience shape your perspective on hope?

"All About Hope" invites us to explore hope through the senses, from the beautiful hues of nature to the sweet taste of a ripe mango. It reminds us that we may find hope in the most ordinary places, even in the smallest and most unanticipated everyday moments of life.

Moving on to my next poem, "Hold On," we tap into the resilience and determination that hope brings. Let's listen to "Hold On,"

Hold On   

Hold On to who you are 

Hold on to hope 

Even if there seems to be only darkness blocking your path 

Hold on to the light burning in your heart 

—even if no one sees it but you 

Hold on to everything you dream of 

—even if you've already dreamt of it for years 

Hold on to belief in yourself 

—even if you can't see your potential clearly 

Hold on to breaking through your struggle 

—even when you want to sit down and quit.

Here's a Reflection Prompt for you:

Following the reading of "Hold On," consider a challenging situation you've faced where perseverance was key. Reflect on the sources of strength and resilience you drew upon to keep moving forward, even in the face of adversity.

When I wrote both of my poems, Hold On and All About Hope, I was struggling internally to feel hope. I wanted to give myself concrete imagery I could latch onto so that I could begin to shift my negative feelings toward a breakthrough. I wrote All About Hope to provide myself with a clear picture of ideas that resemble a positive way forward.

When I composed Hold On, I was in a place of utter hopelessness about my life and situation. I loved how this poem emerged from my wiser, stronger inner voice, telling me exactly what I needed to hear. Even now, when I read it, I feel the wisdom and compassion in my words. 

"Hold On" speaks to the strength we have the potential to find within ourselves during challenging times. It urges us to persevere, even when the path ahead seems obscured by darkness. This poem is a beacon of hope, guiding us through the storms of life. It's about the extra little push we need to just keep going forward, trusting in our capabilities to overcome eventually. 

Finally, we come to "Power In Your Heart," a poem that celebrates the indomitable spirit of hope. Here's my reading of "Power In Your Heart:"

Power In Your Heart 

In my life, I'm looking for a way—

Trying every day— 

to show proof of the power in my heart. 

This dream I have inside—wakes me up—springs alive! 

Keeps me moving even when my body wants to quit. 

It must be something mystic that I never quit 

Since everything around me has gone crazy! 

I can feel how people are misunderstood… 

why they are saddened and confused by how the world moves. 

That's the way it is. 

Still, I cannot give in to the battles—til I win. 

To show others there is POWER in one's heart. 

This is the key to opening one's life—to let victory inside. 

There is only one way: show the power in your heart. 

If I could say how to find a strategy 

to get through a catastrophe or the pain of uncertainty, 

then I would say this: 

Keep your dreams ALIVE with expectation. 

See any situation as a golden moment to feel the POWER in your heart.

Here's a Reflection Prompt for you:

Upon hearing "Power In Your Heart," contemplate the idea of inner power and resilience. Think about a time when you felt empowered to overcome obstacles or achieve a goal. What strategies or beliefs helped you tap into your inner strength?

Again, in the midst of great struggle, I poured my sincere, seeking heart into my words. My poem, Power In Your Heart, expresses the crux of my life philosophy that embracing one's inner potential and sharing one's authentic feelings and heart as a cause to show others the power within is the key to transforming difficulties into victory. In Buddhism, this translates to the simultaneous practice for oneself and others. In simple terms, it's how altruism lifts an individual out of darkness. When we align with a noble cause, like empowering others or bringing hope to others, we experience the benefit of that effect within our own hearts and circumstances.

My poem, "Power In Your Heart," reminds us that within each of us lies a limitless reservoir of strength and resilience. It's a call to action, urging us to harness this innate power to overcome obstacles and pursue our dreams.

Here are a few Final Reflection Prompts for you to ponder:

• Reflect on the process of writing poetry as a form of self-expression and empowerment. How does the act of writing poetry help you navigate difficult emotions or find clarity in challenging situations?
• Consider how the poetry shared in this episode resonates with you. How do you envision these words impacting your own journey toward hope and empowerment? 
• Reflect on how journaling or writing down your thoughts and feelings can serve as a powerful tool for self-expression and introspection, even if poetry isn't your preferred form of creative expression. What messages or themes from the poems do you find particularly meaningful, and how do you plan to incorporate them into your life moving forward?

My mentor in life, Daisaku Ikeda, talked about the importance of becoming a person who could take a moment to communicate with the moon in the night sky in a wordless poem from the heart. He was a poet himself and urged everyone to cultivate a poetic spirit by writing thoughts or poems.

I sincerely hope my words from today's episode resonate with you. My goal is to uplift, inspire, and provoke your authentic reflection through my creative work. 

As we come to the end of today's episode through these poems on hope, I invite you to join me on June 4 for the launch of "Kaleidoscope of the Heart: A Poetry & Lyrics Collection" on Amazon. This book is a culmination of my creative life, and I'm excited to share it with you.

Thank you for joining me today. Until next time, remember to keep forging strong belief in yourself, keep pursuing your dreams, and keep expressing your true feelings. These are the steps toward authentic expression, which leads to inner breakthroughs and, by extension, a positive impact on everyone around us.