HandWords (tm)
Thoughts come to
mind or are spoken, unless the hand
records them, the words will likely be lost
forever.
A chapbook is a type of small printed booklet originally popular in early modern Europe (16th – 18th century) and referred to as “street literature”. Produced simply and inexpensively, chapbooks were affordable to the average person. These little books, usually no more than 40 pages long, were produced by printers and provided on credit to salesmen, called chapmen, who sold them at markets and fairs and gave these small inexpensively produced booklets their name.
Chapbooks subjects varied from short stories, family history to poetry. These books were often traded among owners giving this “street literature“ wide distribution. They were small enough to fit into pockets and carried to enjoy during the day.
My poetry Chapbooks are 5”x7” covering a wide base of subjects from Holidays to Social Justice to Love, a personal journey, my observations, some humor, some challenging but all authentically me. I use my original art, digital and on canvas, for the covers and within. Find out more about my art at percykleinops.com
I hope you enjoy
my Chapbooks!
I must write poetry. Something inside me forces me to write. But then, I want to write. There is so much inside that demands to get out. I write everyday. I write simply. Words I choose, alone or together, are chosen to create a visual, an emotion, a challenge, a plea or a question; all seeking to be enjoyed, be embraced, bring awareness or be answered.
“Empathy is our ability to connect to
one another by understanding the similarities of our emotions.
Empathy ... is a radical force for social
transformation.” Tracy Rittmueller from her article “Why Poetry
Fosters The Art of Empathy” August 20, 2021
Overtime, I have written poems about love and loving discovering there are so many ways to love and be loved. This chapbook is a compilation of some of those poems and new poems written just for this book. Included are thoughts of love present, past, celebrated, challenged, received and given. This book is meant to be read one poem at a time, maybe shared and contemplated, before going on to the next poem. My hope is that you will discover an emotional experience, perhaps currently familiar, remembered or imagined.
Love Surprises
Love surprises
Its depth bottomless
Reaches where I know not
Feet trembling
Heart pounding
Mind lost from reason
Why now
Is it real
Hope It is
Has to be
Please let it be
Love finally
1 Awake
with Love
2 Longing Begins
3 Knowing Your Love
4 Love So Deep
5 Love Grows
6 Love Surprises
7 Why Love
9 Distance Separates Not
10 I Celebrate Our Love
11 A Kiss
12 May Your Marriage Be Strong
13 All My Love on Valentine’s Day
14 Happy Anniversary To Us
15 Life Together
16 I Love You My Child
17 Happy Mother’s Day
18 Speak Love
19 Love’s Challenge
20 Love Needs a Home
21 My Brother I Love You
22 Doubt
24 Oh Love
Spring is a special time of year. It’s a time of rebirth and planting seeds for new birth. It comes after a season of grays, blacks, whites and dark browns to bring the beauty of pastels and deep color. It’s when we want spend more time outside to appreciate the season of sun and warmth. My poems capture the sprite, the feelings of spring and its anticipation. Originally written in response to a challenge to poets to write 15 poems about Spring in 10 days.
Water from Clouds
Water from clouds
The world knows your tears
Tears of joy, gently falling
Bring blessings and beauty
Tears of rage, overflowing
Bring anger for your wrath
Tears withheld
Bring prayers for your return
Water from clouds
Without you
No rivers flow
No flowers bloom
No rainbows display
No trees grow
No animals feed
No people live
No life without you
1 Spring Begins Slowly
2 Spring Valued in Winter
3 Spring Brings Life
4 Finding Spring
5 I Saw Rain
6 Appreciate Rain
7 A Rainbow
8 My Walk
9 Lavender Flirt
10 Water from Clouds
11 Goodness Sake Spring Break
13 Fish Know It’s Spring
15 Radishes are Fun
16 The Forest
17 I Hate to See You Leave, My Spring