Hi, Jenny Leigh Hodgins here with YourCreativeChord. I'm popping in to do a short episode with a few sneak peek personal readings from my upcoming new book, Kaleidoscope Of The Heart: A Collection Of Poetry and Lyrics, which is launching on Amazon on June 4! 

These are just extras that I thought would be fun to share some of the poetry. So, you know, grab yourself a cup of tea, sit back, and take a few deep breaths. I'm going to start reading you some poetry, and you can just go to your happy place. 

So, this poem is on page 121. It's called Symbolism of Fruit and Tea, and I wrote this poem about my experience of living in Japan and my bicultural relationships there. One specific one. So the poem, my poem, Symbolism of Fruit and Tea, goes like this:

Sipping hot roasted twig tea

Steam floating from my cup

Like a cloud of memory fills my lungs with nostalgia 

as I recall my days of life lived in a foreign land

Sitting with you there, we snuggled under the kotatsu (table) 

grateful for the warmth of the heat underneath

A cold January wintery day

Grey and smoky skies

We shared our afternoon inside, 

savoring strong green tea and juicy tangerines of the season

What a mix of emotions between the two of us

On the one hand, blissful happiness in the air

On the other, anticipated dread 

for what was to come out of our mystic bond

We pulled at each other like magnets cursed with sharp edges

Nothing we could say in words could ever bridge that gap, 

which hovered in the atmosphere of our intense gaze

Paradox of profound attraction and karmic love, 

always trampled by our words and actions

So worn down were we by this that drinking tea and munching fruit became an oasis for us to call a truce and momentarily taste 

our deepest wishes for peacefulness and trust

I could never eat another tangerine nor drink a hot green tea 

without the overwhelming deja vu of my love and life with you

That was from my new book--coming out on June 4, 2024-- Kaleidoscope Of The Heart: A Collection Of Poetry and Lyrics. 

I'm going to read another one. This one's called Building A Life. --I'm just randomly picking some things to share with you to give you a sneak peek of what it's like inside my new book. I'm so excited to share it'll be launching on Amazon on June 4! This one is called Building A Life: 

Been moving lightning speed 

Busier than bees 

I am too suddenly slipping out of sight 

Out of shape--losing might 

Out of touch--clinging tight 

But losing dreams 

Losing steam, feeling trapped

Heavy strapped where I'm at 

Skills I had now look bad 

Makes me sad 

I keep on this road

Lugging my load

Feeling too old 

Dragging my ass 

Losing my sass

Broken like glass 

Shattered in pieces 

Where am I, Jesus?! 

Paying my dues 

Singing old blues 

I'd rather lose 

Old tapes spin 'round my head within

Same old thing again 

Oh, I want to break free 

Get inside the real me 

Be able to see some kind of vision

Some sort of mission 

Not stupid wishin' 

Deep dark struggle in my head

Pounding noisy pain instead of 

Believing in what I can get 

From just being myself 

There's nothing else to ease my health 

Burn this notion in my brain;

Get me back to being sane 

Find my way to light again 

Gotta get it in my life;

Winning is in this fight 

Not quitting is still doing right 

Need a dose of a larger view 

Need to know that what I do 

is what it takes to make it through 

Jolt me with my own faith 

Know the night must turn today 

The same as winter gives way 

to warmth and colors in the spring 

How I can change everything

--Even the tune of what I sing

Just going through this place

Seeing it as another phase

Holding in it, the chance for grace 

My moment to deepen

Embolden and strengthen 

Savoring this memory when 

I'm fighting toward my dreams again 

This is where I'll look back one day 

and treasure going through such pain

Grasping it was HERE I trained 

For building a life to hold;

a joy of pure and solid gold

I like that poem.

Okay, so let's do one more sneak peek into my new book coming out June 4. These are poems and lyrics that I've written for my book, Kaleidoscope Of The Heart, launching June 4--I'm super excited about that. I know I just keep saying it over and over again! But this is super exciting; I'm very proud of myself for launching this. 

Okay, I'm going to do one more, at least one more called Lifelines. And this is from the Loss section, the Loss chapter of the book. I have different themes labeled by chapter. This one is called Lifelines from Kaleidoscope Of The Heart --A Poetry and Lyrics Collection--by yours truly. Here's how Lifelines goes: 

Silence breathed in between songs I play 

with a devoted touch of fingertips to piano keys 

like a gardener singing softly to her lavender and lilies 

Music brings me the sounds of love today 

Moments of sweetness in each tune 

balanced with the beat of rests in between 

The rise and fall of all I have seen 

Cries out the song of a goodbye too soon 

Alone, I go deep within to hold all those memories of you and me 

I find them all most usually when my guard is down and uncontrolled 

as in the pulse of rich piano chords pouring from me 

like rivers flow and melodies that seem to know 

exactly which way sings forwards 

Or, in the quiet softness of morning dew 

while carefully planting sunflower seeds 

Nature knows well just what I need to hear and feel--remember you 

When I'm lost and nearly incapacitated 

In desperate need of consolation 

I trust in music and nature's vibration 

I feel how these lifelines are related 

to my heart, my soul, and the outside world 

So, I give myself to this all encompassing place 

Raise my tender hopes to this Divine Grace

While the Pain of Loss, Regret and Sorrow 

still swirl like angry bees around my lowered head 

But push on through in the garden of my muse 

I know it is the time--I cannot refuse 

to face this misery my heart has bled 

As usual, I've said too much 

I spin around in dizziness 

Confuse myself with busyness 

My words defy me like a crutch 

So, back to breathing 

Let stillness be 

My healing, hope, and path to rescue 

Yet never will I ever forget you 

For you inspired the best of me

That's from my book, Kaleidoscope Of The Heart: A Collection Of Poetry and Lyrics, which is launching on Amazon on June 4! 

Thank you for sharing this moment with me. I hope that you enjoyed it, and if you did, please go buy my book on Amazon on June 4! 

And share this with anyone you think might be interested. Thank you so much. Have a wonderful day.