The world’s on fire in a three piece suit, Smiling on camera while it steals the truth. Kids learn fear before they learn grace, And nobody looks anybody in the face. Bombs fall somewhere every damn day, While strangers online just scroll away. Politicians argue, billionaires grin, And the poor keep paying for all of their sins. The oceans rise while the forests choke, Half the world’s starving, half numb from smoke. Everybody shouting, nobody hears, Drowning in outrage and recycled fears. We traded front porches for glowing screens, Lost ourselves somewhere inside machines. People want love but settle for likes, Building fake kingdoms from hashtags and hype. And still somehow, through all the mess, A tired mother gets her child dressed. A man walks his dog to survive one more day, A poet still sits down with something to say. Because chaos is loud But the human heart is stubborn too. It keeps lighting candles In storms it already knows It cannot control. And maybe that’s the miracle. Not that the world is sane But that some of us Still choose kindness anyway A pause, A breath By Jason Strickland

So I know I said we would be doing a Anthology a month but who am I kidding. There is no way I can do that every month forever I will burn out. So what I have decided is we are going to do Where our Voices Rise and one more after that. Where our Voices Gather. The theme for that is the 🌎 world. I thought that would be perfect way to end the series since we all Gathered from all over the world to The Art of Poetry Community to write these books. If you have not been able to be a part of it you have 2 more chances. Thank you everyone who has participated in these amazing Anthology books. I can't wait for the world to read them.

Let me know your thoughts how it makes you feel

I finished this drawing last night. This is where Donna and I would go mushroom picking up in Northern Idaho by the Canadian border. We would do it this time every year. Write a 15 word poem about a special place you liked to go.

Write a 10 word poem about this image. How it makes you feel.