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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.

I pluck stretchy, stringy,
fruity, flavors from
beige tile,
school books,
Birkenstocks.

He relishes
chewing it.
Chomping globs
leaving pieces
peeking out from
white shag carpets,
under clothes,
his hair.

Creating chaos,
with no concern
for time I take
to pry,
peel,
unstick,
undo,
all his messes.

I yell, chase him
through the house
finding traces
on lace pillows,
in my hairbrush,
inside my laptop.

Oh why,
did I ever
share
my bubblegum
with Wilfred,
my Saint Bernard?

—Joan Raymond

Joan Raymond, a member of WOK since January 2012, completed her BA in English/Creative Writing in Fall 2014 and MA in English/Creative Writing in early 2017. She writes women’s fiction, creative non-fiction, and children’s picture books, and dabbles in poetry.

(A finger rhyme to the tune of Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star; Actions in italics)

Wiggle, wiggle, little worms,
Wiggle fingers.

Down the sidewalk, slide and squirm.
Wiggle one finger in an S shape.

When the rain comes pouring down,
Hold hands up high.  Point fingers down and shake.

Earthworms crawl up from the ground.
Point fingers up.  Shake and move hands upwards.

Wiggle, wiggle, little worms,
Wiggle fingers.

Down the sidewalk, slide and squirm.
Wiggle one finger in an S shape.

Wiggle, Wiggle, Little Worm

—Rebecca Langston-George
Copyright Highlights for Children, Inc., Columbus, Ohio. All rights reserved. Used by permission.

Rebecca Langston-George is the author of several poems and ten non-fiction books for children including the upcoming The Booth Brothers: Drama, Fame and the Death of President Lincoln. She is the Assistant Regional Advisor for the Central-Coastal SCBWI and a member of Writers of Kern.

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.