Writing Poetry - the Art of Words that Transcend

Inspired to Write Poetry by Watching Nature

🌸 Poetry Forms & Formatting Guide

Prepared for Whims of Writing Creative Journal • February 18 2026

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Poetry is the breath of creative life — a meeting between rhythm, image, and silence. Whether you write by moonlight, by morning tea, or between petals of inspiration, each form carries its own creative rhythm.

1. Free Verse – Modern Form

No rhyme, no meter — just the natural sound of breath and pause. Align left, single spaced within stanzas, one blank line between.

a thought drifts  
between wildflowers and smoke —  
unwritten but alive

2. Rhymed Poetry

Uses rhyme for structure (AABB / ABAB). Keep rhythm musical but gentle — sound should guide, not confine.

3. Haiku & Tanka

• Haiku: 3 lines of 5‑7‑5 syllables — tiny windows of nature.
• Tanka: 5 lines of 5‑7‑5‑7‑7 — a haiku with a human breath at the end.

4. Sonnet 

14 lines in iambic pentameter. English (ABAB CDCD EFEF GG) or Italian (ABBA ABBA CDE CDE). The 9th line turns the thought — that moment of change.

5. Villanelle

19 lines (5 tercets + a closing quatrain). The opening line returns like a refrain. Rhyme scheme: ABA ABA ABA ABA ABA ABAA.

6. Pantoum

Each stanza’s second and fourth lines become the next stanza’s first and third lines — a woven pattern of memory and echo.

7. Ode & 8. Elegy

Ode: Praises a person or object with three or more stanzas of uneven length.
Elegy: Honors loss — lament → praise → comfort. Use wide spacing for breath and reflection.

9. Ballad & 10. Limerick

Ballad: Storytelling verse in 4‑line stanzas (ABCB pattern).
Limerick: 5 lines, AABBA, playful and whimsical in tone.

11. Prose Poem & 12. Concrete Poem

Prose Poem: Paragraphs that read like poetry — perfect for blog posts and journals.
Concrete Poem: Shape your poem as a leaf, wave, or heart on the page.

13. Epic / Narrative

Book‑length or sectioned story‑poems, often spiritual or journey‑based.

14. Lyric Poem

Short and personal, 2 to 4 stanzas of 3–6 lines each — emotional and melodic in tone.

15. List Poem / Catalogue

Repetition builds momentum. Each line begins with a shared phrase like “I remember…” or “I believe…” 

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Formatting Foundations for All Forms

• Font: Garamond or Times New Roman 12 pt
• Margins: 1 inch on all sides (6×9 book layout for print)
• Title: Bold, centered on its own line
• Spacing: Single within stanzas, double between stanzas
• Alignment: Left for free forms, center for classical forms

Tips for Publication and Collections

1. Start each poem on a new page in Word (Ctrl + Enter).
2. Use Heading 1 for titles so Kindle recognizes the Table of Contents.
3. Save as .docx for eBook / Save as PDF for print proofing.
4. Keep a master index with poem titles, form types, and dates.

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“Let each poem breathe its own light between lines.” 
— Whims of Writing Creative Journal 2026

© 2026 Whims of Writing Creative Journal. Traditional poetic form names are public domain; descriptive text original and created for this publication.

My Whims of Writing

 

What to write?

I have a whim to write so write I will.
Can’t believe I am being this still.

I type and I type to no avail.
I can’t believe it, so I guess I will.

What says the key — can it really be
an a or a y? I really can’t say why.

I have a whim to write, so write I will.
When night time comes, I pick up my quill.

Some say I’m lazy and others say naught.
When I sit here and write, I’m not such a snot.

I love the sound of the keys that clank,
or the pen that strikes as I sit down to write.

Well here we go again, picking up where we left off —
not quite sure what to write, but at least it’s a start.

Good night my protagonist.
It was good to see you again.
I’ll finish your scene without you letting out a scream.

The days are long and the nights too short.
I’ll finish your story sometime in the morning.

With coffee brewed and in the mood,
I’ll pick up where we left off,
and again we will start.

— Written in 2015

Making art and soap: A combination of talent

🌿 Meet Kaia Lirien – Whims of Earth and Ink

Writer • Dreamer • Artist in bloom

Kaia Lirien is not just a name—it’s a muse sculpted of paper and petal. Kaia means “earth” and renewal; Lirien comes from the Celtic lir, meaning “sea.” Together, they speak of balance—root and tide, soil and song.

She writes what wildflowers would if they had ink—melodic, quiet, steeped in sunlight. Every story carries the fragrance of Earth’s Flowers, her natural soap and art brand, hand‑made like her words.

“From earth to ink, Kaia Lirien brings wild grace to every creation—reminding us that nature breathes art, and art breathes life.”

Find her poetry blooming through PrintingYourArt.com and her reflections here on WhimsOfWriting.com—two petals of the same creative garden.

— Kaia Lirien 🌸

© 2026 Whims of Writing • Art & Nature in Bloom

🌿 Meet Kaia Lirien – The Whimsical Muse Behind Earth’s Flowers

Some names sound like music, others bloom like petals. Kaia Lirien does both. She is the soft heartbeat behind Earth’s Flowers—a creative name that sways between sunlight and story, brushstroke and scent.

Her name, “Kaia Lirien,” carries deep roots:
Kaia means “earth” or “pure life,” a grounding source of renewal.
Lirien comes from lir, Celtic for “the sea,” paired with “‑ien,” meaning “of or belonging to.”
Together, they form harmony—root and wave, soil and tide, stillness and motion.

Kaia is a free‑spirited artist and writer whose creativity glows in watercolor shades of peach and cream. She paints in the quiet between daylight and dream, writing stories that drift like wildflower seeds under summer skies.

As the poetic voice of Earth’s Flowers, Kaia celebrates the art of slow, purposeful creation. Each handcrafted soap and each soft verse reflect her simple truth—beauty and nature live best side by side.

Her dreamy imagery lives on PrintingYourArt.com, while her musings meander through WhimsOfWriting.com—where words and watercolors meet in gentle whirls of inspiration.

“Kaia paints morning mist, writes about dew, and celebrates the quiet joy of living in tune with the earth.”

— Flourishing in light and ink,
Kaia Lirien

© 2026 Whims of Writing • Art, Nature & Words in Bloom

The Roots of Color: A Southern Tale of Red, Blue, and Yellow

 

A cozy southern still-life featuring red, blue, and yellow pigments.

Discover the story of the three primary colors — red, blue, and yellow — told with southern charm. Learn their history, how they were made, and how light and shadow change their character.

The Beginning: When Color Came from the Earth

Long before paint came in shiny cans or digital screens shimmered with pigments, colors were made by hand. Folks down South — and across the world — would grind up bits of stone, clay, or plants. They’d boil berries or roots on stovetops, stirring like they were making Sunday jam.

That’s how red, blue, and yellow — the grand trio of all colors — came to life. These primaries are the kinfolk that give birth to every other hue, from grassy greens to royal purples. Each one carries a spirit, a temperament, and a story to tell.

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Red: The Fire in the Heart

Red’s the bold one, full of spirit and sass. In olden days, folks made red from clay rich in iron or from crushed cochineal beetles — a tiny bug with a mighty bite of color.

Red shows up in Southern life everywhere: rust-colored barns baking in summer sun, fresh tomatoes shining in a basket, and that lipstick shade that says, “I got this.”

But red’s mood changes with light and shadow. Mix it with white, and it softens into pink — sweet and tender like a magnolia bloom. Add black, and it deepens into burgundy or maroon — the color of old wine, patience, and quiet pride.

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Blue: The Quiet Soul

Blue don’t boast. It speaks slow, like an old river on a windless afternoon. Back in the day, indigo plants painted the South in fields of twilight blue. Folks would crush and ferment them into dye for clothing that carried the scent of hard work and warm nights.

Lighten blue with white, and you get airy sky colors — soft as morning light slipping through lace curtains. Darken it with black, and it becomes navy, midnight, or storm — the deep tones of denim worn by generations and the horizon before the rain.

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Yellow: The Sunshine Maker

Yellow’s the life of the bunch — bright, easygoing, and always hummin’ a tune. Early pigments came from ochre, saffron blossoms, or clay baked golden by the sun.

It’s the color of cornbread drippin’ with honey, wildflowers dotting an open field, and that first slant of morning light through the kitchen window.

Mix it with white, and it turns to cream — gentle as butter on warm biscuits. Stir in black, and you’ll find mustard — baked-in warmth, sturdy and grounded, like old paint on a well-loved porch.

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When Colors Meet

Here in the South, we know that family traits run strong — and when these colors mingle, something new is born.

• Red and yellow make orange — bold as a summer sunset.
• Blue and yellow give you green — the eternal song of life and growth.
• Red and blue create purple — deep as twilight and full of mystery.

And just like Southern storytelling, every mix is a little unpredictable — rich with character, shaped by balance and light.

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The Heart Behind the Hue

Colors aren’t just what we see; they’re what we feel. They shape our days, calm our nerves, and stir up memories. Red’s for passion and courage. Blue carries peace and promise. Yellow brings warmth and joy.

The old painters and homemakers who ground their colors by hand knew this well: color is a living thing, born of earth, light, and patience — just like all good Southern things.

So next time you watch a Texas sunrise stretch over golden fields, remember — it’s just red, blue, and yellow, tellin’ their story one shade at a time.

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Author’s Note:
Written with a Southern heart and the belief that every color has a soul — if you just take the time to look.

Keywords: primary colors, color history, red, blue, yellow meaning, southern storytelling, color mixing, art and design

Merry Christmas 2025

"For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counseller, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace." 

Isaiah 9:6

Thoughts -vs- Prayers

Prayer

Good thoughts stay with you, but prayers rise up to the throne of God!

Audiobooks are now online at Apple!

Both of these short story books are now online at Apple Books as an audiobook!

Click here for The Birth of Mazzy The Mermaid Princess

Click here for Best Friends Forever 

History, In the Beginning

This didn't take long since GOD already outlined everything in the Bible. Still a work in progress to double check it and correct some of the names!

JAPHETH AND HIS WIFE ARBASISAH
Adam and Eve
Seth
Enos
Cainan
Mahalaleel
Jared
Enoch(his daughter Naamah was Noah's wife)
Methuselah
Lamech
Noah and Naamah
Japheth and his wife Arbasisah
Their descendants of European migration
......Me

HAM AND HIS WIFE NAHLAB
Adam and Eve
Seth
Enos
Cainan
Mahalaleel
Jared
Enoch(his daughter Naamah was Noah's wife)
Methuselah
Lamech
Noah and Naamah
Ham and Nahlab
Their descendants of Africa migration

SHEM AND HIS WIFE SALIB:
Adam and Eve
Seth
Enos
Cainan
Mahalaleel
Jared
Enoch(his daughter Naamah was Noah's wife)
Methuselah
Lamech
Noah and Naamah
Shem and Salib
Their descendants of Middle East Asia migration
......Me
Arphaxed
Shalah
Eber
Peleg
Reu
Serug
Nahor
Terah
Abram (Abraham) and his wife Sarah
Isaac
Jacob
Judah
Perez
Hezron
Ram
Amminadab
Nahshon
Salmon
Boaz
Obed
Jesse
David
Solomon
Rehoboam
Abijah
Asa
Jehoshaphat
Joram
Uzziah
Jotham
Ahaz
Hezekiah
Manasseh
Amon
Josiah
Jeconiah
Shealtiel
Zerubbabel
Abiud
Eliakim
Azor
Zadok
Adi?m?
Eliud
Eleazar
Maltan
Jacob
Joseph
JESUS

Happy New Year 2025

As I reflect on this past year, I think the one thing that is the most important in my life is the belief and profound faith I have in Jesus...may this year BLESS YOU ALL with his love and grace. We never know when our last breath will be, so live it like your last, with lots of love, eternal peace, and plenty of hope. May this year be one where we stay faithful in reading his word, praying for his wisdom and knowledge, and truly love our neighbors as ourselves. Happy New Years 2025 y'all ❤️🎉🥳 make it the best year yet!

Real Love

Alien Abduction?

If I "disappear" it won't be that aliens took me, but that Jesus came to rescue me...♥️♥️♥️

Holy Spirit Inspiration

Holy Spirit inspiration doesn't always come at a time that you want it; it comes when you need it.

The Ancestral Trail - Finding Norway

The Ancestral Trail

Finding Norway

Bergen, Norway

It all started with a phone call from one of our relatives in Norway inviting us to visit them in 2014. It ended up expanding to both sides of my husband's families located in Bergen and the other in Trondheim with a stay in between at the family home located centrally in the western fjords.

My husband had not visited Norway since he was a small child, so this was especially important to him. I personally had not visited any country outside of the United States, except for our North American neighbors, Canada, and Mexico.

We were both so excited and started planning our trip right away. Passports first, tickets second and then the fun began. What did we really know about Norway? The research was extensive (thanks to google), and by the time we finished, we felt we had already travelled there! With any local excursion in our country, we knew what clothes to wear, what to bring with us and didn't need to research much. This was so different.

Our relatives contacted us and said to leave it to them regarding our adventure in Norway. Norwegians are some of the kindest and most friendly people you will meet. Both sides of the family were going to make sure we saw the sights and tasted the hospitality of the Norwegian culture. We were stoked and couldn't wait for the time to arrive.

We boarded a 747 British Airways plane and deboarded in London due to an extra security check. There was a high terrorist alert in Norway, and I was picked to have a gun powder check on my hands. That was a first. Thank goodness I passed! Due to the extra security, we almost missed our connecting flight, but they waited for us, and the stewardess yelled out our names as she saw us running through Heathrow airport. We just made it, and they closed the door. It was now just over an hour's flight, and we would finally be in Bergen.

Coming down the airport ramp, the excitement surged with us seeing our Bergen family waiting. The day was just beginning even with jet lag. Our first stop, after dropping off our luggage at our cousin's home, was to head to the Bergen historic Bryggen Hanseatic wharf. The 2014 International Tall Ship Race Festival was in full swing with so many beautiful ships moored right at the historic wharf. We didn't plan or even expect this, so it was a wonderful surprise.

As we were walking around the docks and exploring all the ships, we were delighted to find a Starbucks in one of the old buildings to keep us awake until we could take a power nap later. Yes, we even bought Starbuck souvenir cups.

We packed a full day into visiting the sights of Bergen and for several days after we arrived. We bravely took the Ulriken cable car up to Mount Ulriken overlooking the beautiful city, with sights of the mountains and water. I must admit it was scary at first, but we loved the views after we landed on top of the mountain. I'm sure I wasn't the only one who had their eyes closed going up.

Ulriken Cable Car

Another day trip had us take the Fløibanen funicular railway up to Mount Floyen that also overlooks the city of Bergen with spectacular views! Our family tour guides wanted to make sure we experienced everything Bergen while we were there. We crammed everything we could in two weeks!

Fløibanen funicular railway

After our initial stay in Bergen, we headed by car to the western fjords where my husband's mother grew up. It is a scenic area of a fjord village dotted with houses that are white, yellow, blue and red. The theme colors associated with the Scandanavian countryside. It was thrilling to stay in his mother's childhood home that his great grandfather had built in Gjerdsvika.

Ancestral Home in background

We immediately explored the countryside, took an enormous number of photographs by camera and with our mobile phones. We wanted to take back all the memories captured in pictures to remember the best trip ever.

Western Fjords

Before leaving, our last stop was a surprise trip around the fjord to view the midnight sun. We were told we could not leave the country without seeing it. Everyone said it was requirement to have at least one picture "holding" it in their hands. Of course, we were happy to comply.

Holding the Norwegian Midnight Sun

We sadly said goodbye and hopped on the Kong Harold ship headed to Trondheim. We would be staying with another relative on my husband's father's side of the family. We didn't think anything could top what we had seen so far. We were right because it was just as amazing as the first part of our trip.

Kong Harold Ship

While on the trip sailing the western shores of Norway, we captured pictures of waterfalls and high cliffs along the way. We now understand why many Norwegians, including my mother-in-law and father-in-law, chose Seattle to settle in because it was also surrounded by the ocean and mountains. As I like to say, the same but different. Could it have reminded them of their ancestral home? I would like to think so.

Waterfall in Norway

Trondheim was amazing as well. After leaving the ship we explored the city with our cousin as our guide, and then the next day we were on our own. Could there be anything we wouldn't like? No, not at all. Everything was exceeding all expectations.

Trondheim waterfront view

Nidaros Cathedral is in Trondheim and was built over a 230-year period. It was so enormous with so many architectural sculptures that were adorned to it. We were so overwhelmed from seeing it and after climbing the narrow, internal stairs to the top that we forgot to go to the tour below the main floor.

Nidaros Cathedral

We found our new Norwegian troll friend in front of one of the shops located in the town of Trondheim. He was the second one we encountered on our trip. One in Bergen and another one up the mountain overlooking Bergen.

Trondheim Norwegian Troll

The final week of our trip we did so much. We took an excursion down to the border of Norway and Sweden spending the night enjoying our cousin's cabin. We then ventured back to Trondheim to catch our plane back to Bergen. Our trip was ending, and we were flying home the next day.

Our adventure was filled with lots of fish and potatoes, meeting up with many different relatives to get a glimpse of the family and culture. We also met relatives from Askøy and took a tour of the old homestead of my father-in-law's childhood home as well as the school he attended, local shops, and the graveyard where ancestral relatives were buried. We even took a trip to see the King's castle! If we only had more time we would have ventured to Oslo. That trip is listed on our bucket list!

King's Castle

This was a vacation of our lifetime that we will treasure forever in our words and pictures. We connected with our northern European family. We made the right decision by travelling Norway and experiencing it. The only regret we have is not spending more time while we were there. Things have changed a lot since 2014. The Askøy homestead no longer exists, and the Gjerdsvika family home has been sold. Time changes things. We were lucky to go when we did, otherwise, waiting we would not have seen with our own eyes as much of the family history.

Where is your ancestral trail? We found ours in Norway!

https://vocal.media/wander/the-ancestral-trail

The Gospel in a Nutshell

For God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

What does that mean?

I'm not a theology professor or preacher, but I know that the Lord lives and that he was crucfied for my sins. How awful it must have been for him. Yet, he did it. He sacificed himself for ME. Yes, for ME, and for YOU, if you accept him as your Lord and Savior, he will be with you always.

How do I do what he wants? It is simple, I must tell everyone I meet. If they accept, great. If they don't, that is their choice. Why? Because they have free will. God gave it to us.

I love him so much that my life is nothing without him. I love him. I need him. I know him. I will always worship him. He has saved me more than once in this life. I know he will save me for the afterlife. I am HIS.

I want all my family, friends and even enemies to know him the way I know him. Will that happen? Maybe, maybe not, they have their choice to accept HIM in this world or not. I can't speak for them. They need to find HIM on their own. I pray for their souls in this world, and my hope is on HIM that reins in Heaven and Earth. He is my redeemer and my LORD. He can be yours too before it is too late.

Read revelations and ask GOD to give you the insight into his plan to save mankind. It is so close to having the choice in this life. If not, you will need to accept or deny him after we are all gone. He is the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through him.

Choose today, don't wait or it will be harder for you.

With all my love in Christ.

The Power of Prayer

"The wonderful thing about praying is that you leave a world of not being able to do something, and enter God's realm where everything is possible. He specializes in the impossible. Nothing is too great for His almighty power. Nothing is too small for His love." ~ Corrie Ten Boom

A Child of God

I believe yet I'm not perfect.
I know, yet I'm not the most knowlegable
I care yet I'm not the most compassionate
I am yet I don't truly know myself
I love yet don't always feel loved
I  reach out but can never totally
grasp
I explore yet don't feel I'm moving forward
But, when I pray, I move mountains!
When I trust and hope I feel the power!
When I give my all to Christ I am all of the above...

I believe
I know
I care
I am
I reach
I explore

When you know God, Christ and the Holy Spirit you are a child of the most high God ❤️

What Endures (last) Forever?

The grass withers, and its flower falls away, but the word of the Lord endures forever. 1Peter1:24-25

What About You?

What About You?

You may have free will, 

that is true.

Picking your path 

without a clue. 

You look to your own device knowing 

you will only gain the world. 

I can't emphasize enough that 

in the end it will fade like a mural. 

Your eyes are closed as 

the world draws you in. 

I can pray for you, but without God 

my words just melt in the wind. 

You sow what you reap. 

We all do, be it for good or evil. 

The difference you may ask 

is not what equals. 

The difference is God, 

the rapture is true, 

we shall ascend, but 

what about you? 

There is a slim chance 

on a tribulation date, 

you will have to sacrifice your body 

on God's holy slate. 

You can ask him to save your soul 

in a world filled with fool's gold.

Your reward will be to enter the gates 

made of pearls but void of hate! 

Eternity is my goal. 

I want to take you as I go. 

Don't hesitate to preach the love 

as the Holy Spirit makes you bold. 

Go in true love.

Go in peace. 

Listen to the WORD 

and eternal life you will keep! 

So, what about you?