Guest

Today we drove out of Bakersfield
And into Pismo Beach.
I am ever thankful that
The coast is within reach.

I always wanted a beach house
Since I was very young.
My family vacationed in summertime
At the coast for fun in the sun.

From the Outer Banks of North Carolina
To the beach called Sagamore,
We’d spend two weeks of summer
Swimming and playing at the shore.

I have so many great memories
Of being near the sea.
The beach is my happy place
Where I love to be.

Truly I am a beach bum,
That’s where I belong
Walking barefoot in the sand,
Singing to myself a song,

Feeling the ocean breeze on my face,
Collecting stones and shells,
Watching for whales and dolphins,
Hearing stories the seagull tells,

Sitting under my umbrella
Reading a book, writing a poem,
Waiting for the beauty of sunset ~
The beach is my heart’s home.

—Shelley Evans

Shelley Evans started writing poetry when she was a young girl, and several of her poems have been published. She is working on her dream to publish a book of poetry. Shelley is also a legal secretary, wife, and mother of three daughters. She is an active member of WOK.

Healing is a deeper human connection.
Providing is a superficial interaction.
A Human, with an inner calling to heal others is a healer.
A Person, who does a job, fulfills obligations, is a provider.
A Healer heals, with a passion for perfection.
A Healer heals, to decrease human suffering.
At times, a Healer needs compassion and healing too.
I wonder who heals the healer?
A healer needs to be healed before she can heal others.
I suppose she heals herself

With the satisfaction and blessings her profession brings.

Is it the truth? Or a myth?

Physician burnout is REAL.
More so in today’s medical practice.

Physicians need the same empathy and compassion they share with their patients.
Please help prevent physician burnout
Understand doctors have human limitations
Acknowledge and respect what medical professionals bring to the Art of Healing.

—Sudha Reddy

Sudha Reddy is board certified in obstetrics and gynecology. She is a life-long seeker and learner whose parents taught her true happiness is in helping and sharing. Her life purpose is to decrease suffering in the world, in every possible way. Writing is one of her many activities for staying healthy. Sudha is a new member of WOK.

Close your eyes
And listen to the chorus of birds
To the wind
To the leaves skittering across grass and then pavement
To the creaking of branches as they sway against the breeze

Close your eyes and feel the warmth of the sun
That same breeze, kissing your cheek

Close your eyes and breathe deeply at the hint of the ocean
The fragrance of an evening meal
The sweet, acrid scent of a cigar
Decomposing leaves
Wet dirt preparing for the blossoms of spring

Close your eyes and know that you are loved
And that, if only in this moment, your world is right

—Sandy Moffett

Sandy Moffett has been a writer and lyricist for more than 40 years. She has been published in Mortuary Management. International Mortuary and Cemetery Management, Cup of Comfort: Devotional for Mothers and Daughters, and Chicken Soup for the Soul: Angels Among Us. Sandy is a long-time member of Writers of Kern.

i meant to say…
i remember the touch of your hand,
your melodic laughter at little things.
you left the convent, I left the seminary,
our common experience in different lights.

i meant to say…
that day we explored the museum in LA
left me in awe of you, my private docent amid the masters,
vibrant colors, muted whispers, and you
dwelt amid a world I’d never imagined.

i meant to say…
i was in love with you,
but you were not with me.

i meant to say…
your kindness, your goodness, your gift
of letting go freed me to meet
the one I love and who loves me.
so…

now i say…
thank you
for our time together,
and for my life after that.

—Terry Redman

My card says, “Mystery Fan, Bibliophile, Writer, Raconteur.” I have published in non-fiction, fiction and poetry. My current interests are creative blank verse and reading suspense or non-fiction. You can find my works on my blog and at Facebook.  Drop by and have a cup of coffee.

Give me verse that is terse, that is tight;
With emotions, sensations so right
That my senses of sound, feel and sight
Reel with wonder.

For a song that’s too long becomes dreary,
Dulls all sense and leaves a man weary,
Tired, discontent and with eyes that feel teary
His mind wanders.

—Khoti Sarque

Born: Ahead of his time, after decades of gestation.
Died: Many times on stage and in public.
In between: Traveled, adventured, drank, told lies, loved, formed opinions, corrected his opinions, invented his biography, hid from his creditors, evaded law enforcement and “all the other things one does to prove one is alive”. www.khotisarque.com