There is no rhyme and no reason I am going through this hard season. I had water and now there is none Water is gone and well is done Good news today, they approved a new site Now to get the well drilling rig going with it's might I went to the Dr yesterday, for breathing trouble Thought it was asthma, no pneumonia, double That is okay too, I am still here and still have fight Rolling with the punches and keeping hope in sight For life can surely throw some unexpected trials But giving in, giving up is not within my style. We all go through tough times in our earthly days But rest assured, this too shall pass, it's only a phase. CDK 07/14/2026

Tomorrow is the last day to submit your poems for Where Our Voices Gather, the final book in the Where Our Voices anthology series. This journey has been filled with incredible voices, unforgettable stories, and poets from around the world coming together through the power of words. Now it's time to bring this series to a meaningful close. If you've been planning to submit, don't wait until it's too late. Make sure your poems are turned in by tomorrow so your voice can become part of the final chapter of this amazing collection. Thank you to every poet who has walked this journey with us. It has been an honor to publish your work and watch this series grow from a single idea into something truly special. Let's finish strong. 🖋️❤️

Jly1026 She is the innocence from a world too big. She is the rebel Who knew she was different. She is the lover that found out what young love was. She is the seeker looking for a family Something to call her own. She is the warrior had to learn about Life and Self love, This is THE BIGGEST VERSION Of Who she Is She is the visionary who created a space for others to not feel alone. She is the one To carry her home She is ALL of these They are all a guest at her table. Knowing of one another's existence. They laugh together as ONE All in unison discovering FUN. SHE IS ME!

There are things in life you never expect. You can't say Never, because that's when Never sneaks up on you — lurking in a dark corner, waiting to pounce like a lion. It attacks and attaches like a leech; you think you're done with the *Never*, but every time you say Never, it appears again and again, leaving you breathless, wounded, staggering, unbalanced. You retreat to lick your wounds. Slowly, you start to see sunshine in the rain. The clouds clear, the storm subsides — calm waters, comforting ambiance, Zen. Yet just as you whisper Never again, it whips you around, staggering you, flipping you inside out. You know that, unfortunately, you have all the resources to manage this. This is your biggest Never yet — the one you said you'd never face. You keep stacking the Nevers until they become Always. Everything Always happens to me. Your tenacity exists for this very purpose. Without it, you cease to exist. The Nevers stack into Always, forcing you to assess where your voice is directed — and that is up. Even if silent, it is still there. We find our voice in the silence. Because if we don't, we get passed over a bump in the road, swept under the rug. © 2026 Lori Geddes (writing as Lxx). All rights reserved.