Blog - Susan Cowger

1. FROST

Wooden Woman pours a cup of boiling water and slips out the front door into ten-below-zero winter. She nods to those watching from the window, steadies the contents as she pulls her arm back, and without warning flings the water in a violent arc overhead. Instantaneous cloud making. Quite miraculous. Nothing at all drops to the ground. It ... read more

NA PO MO National Poetry Month

What is in a name? In this case, permission. National Poetry Month: Permission to write a poem. Or read a poem. Consider poetry. Poetry. The most condensed form of language. Don't be afraid--its all just playing with words. Each year I try to change it up. This time a Pantoum. Please join me. Post your poem in the comments. The basic Pantoum ... read more

For Lynne

Undeterred by clouds or other routines, she checks each day for a message testing the tension on a thin wire of patience strung across wide wide skies. ~ I love you for this. ... read more

FIFTH ENTRY

Do hard things. I went to Kenya recently. Was it hard? Hmmmmm. What is hard? I have imposed on you, gentle readers, the notion that at the very least, I have become flabby, flaccid, can I say spineless when it comes to stepping into adversity, stepping into the unknown, even seeking to enjoy hard labor. Kenya held all these ... read more

FOURTH ENTRY: Patience

Oh goodness, you are the one praying for patience? Look at the trouble you stirred up. Didn’t you get the memo? * This is how we pray. What would happen if when impatience rages, it is deemed an alert. Suddenly you blurt out …. BRING IT ON. Bring. It. On. Can we do that? Should ... read more

THIRD ENTRY: Riding Wind

A firm stomp on the pedal and I am part of the bike. I hop on and drift down the driveway, while the other foot flips the pedal and clicks in. I am now committed to both speed and balance. Circular rhythm, head down gaining speed, I surge toward the short hill ahead. I consider what it might be like to clip into wings, suspecting that ... read more

SECOND ENTRY: Mirror Mirror

Let me just say it: I am vain. Sunlight slipping behind the clouds, as a five year old I’d tug on a pink tutu, play my music box (Three Blind Mice) and dance. As I danced beautifully, God would uncover the sun. Again and again. Yes, certainly God loves beauty. I wanted that. But I must be clear—I did not necessarily want to work ... read more

FIRST ENTRY: Go to your room and come out happy

“Go to your room. You may not come out until you are happy,” my daughter quietly instructs one of her children, who is pitching a fit. Do not come out until you are happy (period). That is a capital period. But but but … In all of 5 seconds the irascible child marches to the bedroom and back. No sour sigh or slouched shoulders, no dragging ... read more

DO HARD THINGS

A bow of respect to Alex & Brett Harris who wrote a book called DO HARD THINGS. Let’s get to it: our culture teaches us to AVOID hard things. Not out rightly, of course. We have the means to make life Fun, Easy and Entertaining (FEE). It’s a no-brainer. Lemons to lemonade—DOING HARD THINGS has been overcome. No lack of ... read more