16 Comments
User's avatar
Wildwood Writer's avatar

I loved this stanza:

“I long for gasping, daring hours,

A wind that shoves secrets untold.

Willful steps that stride with power,

And wide eyed wonder, eager to behold.”

Very well written ♥️♥️♥️

The Scarlet Pen / by L.E. Shei's avatar

I love the title in conversation with the poem. "Bold Choices" feels exactly right: choosing the gasping, daring hours over the safer dream. And that "well of black so rich and full" is gorgeous! It makes writing feel like both offering and resistance.

imi's avatar

This was simply amazing! Great work Kim❤️

KD Honaker's avatar

Shades of Keats. Wonderful.

Kim Williams, M.Div.'s avatar

Whoa! That’s high praise.

Jesse Wilson's avatar

This is beautiful, Kim. Inspiring. I deeply resonate with what you're expressing here (and wow, the way you express it, chef's kiss) and your substack generally. I'd love to connect, if you'd be interested. Maybe set up a zoom to chat sometime or something. I can't say I know exactly why, just a desire that showed up in me as I read this, so I thought I'd ask. I'm brand new to substack, so maybe there's a better channel for this kind of message? Feel free to reach out to me through such a channel if you're aware of it.

Kim Williams, M.Div.'s avatar

Thanks for reading and sharing so deeply, Jesse. I’ll message you.

Stone Wolf's avatar

‘Tis lovely

Antonio Castellaneta's avatar

What stayed with me is the refusal to ask life for gentleness. There is something powerful in choosing the hours that challenge us, because they are often the ones that make us feel most alive. The final image of the pen leaving its mark beyond time gives the poem its deepest strength.

Kim Williams, M.Div.'s avatar

Thank you for reading.

Sattie R's avatar

This poem was so beautifully penned.

Kim Williams, M.Div.'s avatar

Thank you. I'm glad it resonated with you.

AsukaHotaru's avatar

Soft days can keep their slippers. Give me the wind that shoves and the black ink, Kim. I don’t want to reach the last page with clean hands and nothing crossed out. Let there be mud on the hem too... I was alive enough to ruin something neat.

Kim Williams, M.Div.'s avatar

Then we are kindred Spirits.

Pretty Thunder's avatar

yes! 🖤🍃