I'm in a Paris State of Mind

A girl can dream ...

(photo from http://www.au-lapin-agile.com/)

Wouldn't it be grand to rent a flat in Paris for a week?  In my case the family comes with me, but I could sneak off to a bench - daydream with blank journal in hand. 

I've been to Paris three times.  Each trip had a different purpose or theme.  On one of our trips, my husband and I sought to visit every major gallery we could.  My favorite resting place was Rodin's sculpture gallery.  To be outside, walking through sculpted limbs and curves was heaven. 

Now that we have children, traveling is a bit more complicated, but not impossible.  We've been to Manchester and The Lake District in England twice with our sons, and they had a great time.  Well ... except for the double ear infection and stomach flu on the first trip.  My memory is blissfully fading on that one.

Paris - we could do Paris, right?  We'll see ...

Until we book those tickets to Paris in spring, I'll continue to dream, write poetry and pine away for the streets of Paris.  Le Lapin Agile has a glass of wine with my name on it.  Maybe Picasso or Modigliani will be waiting there for me ...

Paris is My Lover

You are my Edith Piaf song –

slow and sweet.

Your curves like crescent moons sleeping.

I want to touch the River Seine

on the other side –

slick, like oil.

Taking flight,

your lodgers argue over scattered cracks

along the brick path,

imagining crumbs where only shadows of footsteps remain.

You take my hand

and lead me into the rose colored evening,

as if the day is chasing us away.

We are refugees.

I have no home,

but you – Paris

are my resting place,

my soft furnishings.

We nest together.

You flap your wings

in regal display –

a proud showing off of your pavement and edifices.

Even the grayest day

can leave me breathless

for your unselfconscious touch of café life –

an atmosphere of conversation and smoke.

Cristina M. R. Norcross

Copyright 2007

Previously published in Unsung Love Songs (2010)

www.firkinfiction.com 

Usually people prepare for winter in fall, or get ready for the new school year by settling in. As an artist, I am always traveling. My writing takes me on journeys to distant lands, so it's no surprise that I like to travel in my real life too. I've been to Paris three times and fell in love on each trip with the streets, the artwork, the relaxed cafe society. Where is Paris in this photo? Well, it is a state of mind for now, until I can book my next ticket. I wanted to capture that feeling of restlessness that the writer, artist or anyone might feel. The field is where we are. The gypsy spirit is in all of us who long to wander and explore the world. In my former life as a performer, I played the role of Gypsy on stage. It is in my blood to roam. Paris is calling. Who or what is calling you? London? Rome? Barbados? What are you waiting for? ~C. Norcross

Feel free to follow this link to "A Gypsy in the Field" on my Fine Art America page. There may be some other poetry/photography designs that you like as well. http://fineartamerica.com/featured/a-gypsy-in-the-field-cristina-norcross.html

A Gypsy in the Field

Farther afield

you are searching.

Following flight,

following urgency,

following the flow of days

as they burn in the crimson sun

and fall off chairs in the dark.

You jump through

the only open window,

because this is how we leave –

with a gust of wind

and the scent of grass

on our breath.

The corn still grows,

the sky keeps leaning

toward a deepening blue,

but you don’t have to be here.

Paris is calling.

Cristina M. R. Norcross

Copyright 2012

Poetry and Photography by Cristina M. R. Norcross Now Available at Fine Art America

In addition to having poetry/photography postcards available at Books & Co. (and other local bookstores ~ coming soon!), an extended selection of fine art prints, framed prints, gallery wrapped giclees and full-sized greeting card sets are now available to order at the Fine Art America site.

Click HERE to be redirected to Cristina Norcross on Fine Art America.  A selection of both photography and ekphrastic poetry layered over photographs is available.

Here are some sample images you'll find.  If you know of a favorite poem by Cristina that you don't see, feel free to CONTACT THE AUTHOR to make a request.  New poetry/photography combinations added each month.

NOTE: To view the collection of poetry/art collaborations ("Poetic Captured Reflections") of Cristina Norcross and Holly Kallie, please visit Holly Kallie's page on the Fine Art America site.  You will want to browse further and see all of Holly's beautiful original paintings on Fine Art America!

"Painted Perceptions, Past and Present" by Artists Anne Raskopf and Heidi Hallett

Painted Perceptions, Past and Present

by Artists Anne Raskopf and Heidi Hallett

with works by local poets

July 26 to September 4, 2012 at The Oconomowoc Arts Center

*Artist reception on Friday, August 31^st / 6:30-8:00pm*

The Oconomowoc Arts Center (OAC), 641 E. Forest St., Oconomowoc will host a special exhibit, Painted Perceptions, Past and Present, by artists Anne Raskopf and Heidi Hallett.  The exhibit will consist primarily of oil paintings and ekphrastic pieces, paintings accompanied by poetry.  Some of the artwork explores the significance of art in recording history, a story, or an idea and the ways in which these subjects are interpreted.  Other pieces examine and express the natural world highlighting its importance in our lives as a source of beauty, inspiration, and peace.  Poets who created ekprastic poems for this exhibit include: Kathleen Carlson, Heidi C. Hallett, Paula Schulz, Cristina M. R. Norcross, Liz Rhodebeck, Anjie Kokan, Sue Huebner, Mary Jo Balistreri and William T. Raskopf.

An artist reception will be held on Friday, August 31^st from 6:30-8:00pm.  This free exhibit will be on display from July 26 to September 4, 2012.  Summer hours at the OAC are Thursdays, 12-6pm, and Fridays, 12-4pm, and during any scheduled events.  Regular hours start August 14^th: Tues., Wed., Fri. 12-4pm, and Thurs. 12-6pm.

“We hope to help promote an appreciation of art in the community through the display of thoughtful, interesting, and creative work,” said artist Heidi Hallett, “The combination of painting and poetry adds an intriguing dimension to the finished piece.” 

The mission of the OAC is to provide patrons and artists of all ages a professional, cultural and educational experience with the highest quality programming opportunities possible.

For more information, visit www.theoac.net

Sometimes You Need to Look at the Fish

Sometimes artistic productivity needs a break.  Sometimes the wheel you are running on needs some oil, and you need to sit in the car dealership waiting room with an instant coffee and a good book.  Better yet, sometimes you need to look at the fish.

After a week of writing four more poems for my new poetry collection, written especially for children, (this will probably take me a year to finish) and after designing three new necklaces to restock the local gallery that sells my work, I did exactly this – stare at some fish, some ducks with their ducklings and some floating lily pads.  It was a delicious two hours, well spent. 

It was the second to last day of school, and I wanted to treat my sons to a scoop of gelato after a blazing hot afternoon at Games Day.  After having our refreshing, creamy cups of pure indulgence, I asked the boys to sit with me under the gazebo.  The boardwalk proved more interesting, so we walked out onto the dock and looked in the water for any swimming creatures.  We found fish!  In fact we found many, many fish of all sizes swimming alone and in schools.  We followed them along the dock, found more fish and kept walking together to the very end, where the warping planks of wood were in danger of being completely submerged by water. 

We came across a family of ducks - two parents and two ducklings.  My youngest said, “they are just like us – a family of four.”  He kept repeating this statement in amazement, and when he saw one of the ducklings swimming too far away from its mother to eat some algae, he said, “swim back to your mommy, little ducky.”  He held my hand when he said this, then promptly jumped on top of a big rock at the edge of the water, his sneakers teetering.  I raised my eyebrows.

On the slow walk back, we saw a small, green fish with a long, flat snout that would rise slowly and then jump out of the water to eat a bug on the surface.  My older son declared a finding, and asked if he could name this new species.  He wanted to claim it as his own, if it was indeed a brand new kind of fish.  Is there anything new in this world anymore?  Looking into the eyes of my eager son told me that there are still new things to be found, if we choose to believe.

In the coming weeks, I intend to use the word “vacation” as an action verb and do it with gusto.  I intend to embark on and enjoy little adventures every day with my two young sons, now that school is out for the summer.  I intend to make every day count and not fret over whether I am producing enough new writing, because the productivity frenzy of energy that often comes over me will return in the quiet moments in between our grand adventures.

Sometimes you just need to look at the fish.  Inspiration comes from everywhere and from nowhere.  Never underestimate the white space.  Keep looking at the fish.

Cristina M. R. Norcross

Random Acts of Poetry & Art!

An Art and Poetry Pay-it-Forward Movement

RANDOM ACTS OF POETRY & ART!

Spread Inspiration on February 20th, 2012

BRIEF DESCRIPTION:

What if you could change someone’s outlook or mood in an instant? What if we all brought art and kindness to others on the same day? Random Acts of Poetry & Art on February 20, 2012 is an international day of inspiration. It is an artistic pay-it-forward movement, with the purpose of spreading light and the pure joy of artistic creation. Wherever you are on this day, please join us in sharing your poems and visual art for all to enjoy!

SOME IDEAS:

*Write a poem on a napkin or a piece of paper, with a special thank you, and leave it behind with your monetary tip at a restaurant or café.

*Print off copies of a beautiful photo of a sunset and leave it behind on the tables of your local coffeehouse with the simple message, “Enjoy!”

*If you have time. Do some preparation. Have some of your poetry or art printed on postcards, or print them yourself at home, and leave them at local libraries, bookstores, galleries, community bulletin boards, community centers and cafes.

*Draw an inspiring design or an impromptu sketch of a scene in your local town and leave it on a park bench. Maybe you will inspire someone else to leave behind some beauty and hope for the next person to find!

It’s up to you what you do! Create, be inspired and share photos of your Random Acts of Poetry & Art on our Facebook event page for our world community to enjoy as well.

Who knows? You could change someone’s day … in an instant of art and poetry!

Yours sincerely,
The Random Acts Inspiration Crew
Cristina Raskopf Norcross, Sonya Shanti Sinha and Shannon Elizabeth Hardwick

A single act of kindness throws out roots in all directions, and the roots spring up and make new trees. The greatest work that kindness does to others is that it makes them kind themselves. ~Amelia Earhart

Visit us on facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Random-Acts-of-Poetry-and-Art/383933244955442

"Fall in Love with the Arts" at the Delafield Arts Center on Saturday, February 11, 2012 (11am-5pm)

POETRY* ART* DANCE* MUSIC

Come "Fall in Love with the Arts" at the Delafield Arts Center on Saturday, February 11, 2012 (11am-5pm) for a special Open House event.

In addition to a dance performance by To the Pointe Performing Arts and a concert by Hartland School of Music, there will be a special poetry reading at 12:30pm featuring poets:

Kimberly Blanchette
Paul Scot August
Cristina Norcross
Liz Rhodebeck
Ed Werstein
Khristian Kay

For more information about events and exhibits at the Delafield Arts Center visit: http://www.delafieldartscenter.org/

"You Are Loved" ~ What If You Could Change Someone's Day Just by Offering a Kind Word?

What if you could make someone smile and feel better about themselves by reminding them how special they are?

This poem that I wrote for a project I was working on a few years ago, became that poem for me, and it has become my "go-to" poem that I give out randomly, when I think the world needs a little more love.

I was invited to give a talk about poetry a couple of years ago for a school in Milwaukee, but was unable to attend, so I sent a box of these "You Are Loved" poems in my place, to let the students know that ~ they are loved.

This poetry postcard also goes out to any new member who joins the National Endometriosis Association. The Endometriosis Association provides support, information and educational materials about treatment for women who have been diagnosed with a painful reproductive condition called Endometriosis. I have had this illness since I was 18 and have had several surgeries over the years. I donated a box of these cards to help other women feel cared for and nurtured at a time when facing a chronic medical condition can be quite scary.

I hope you enjoy this poem too. We are all LOVE. We are all sacred. Be the Light that brings light to others.

YOU ARE LOVED

You are exquisitely made.
With a splash of deep purple at the edges,
and a vibrant center –
you shine.

Like the many layered hues
of a rhododendron
with blushing petals,
you have innate gifts –
both seen and unseen.

The wind whistles a melody,
encouraging the dance of galaxies.
In unison, all of nature
follows the same, beautifully orchestrated score,
and we float forward together.

In another time
you see the outline of this day
in all of its divinity.
You smile a perfect smile,
knowing that –
you are loved.


Cristina M. R. Norcross
Copyright 2008

NOTE: If you know of a non-profit organization that would like to have some poetry, I will be happy to send out these free poetry postcards for their members who need a little love and care. Find my "contact me" page at my website: www.FirkinFiction.com

Poetry Writing Workshops at the Delafield Arts Center with Author Cristina M. R. Norcross

REGISTER EARLY for Poetry Writing Workshops at the Delafield Arts Center with Author Cristina M. R. Norcross. One-day classes for elementary, middle school and high school age students.

Cristina M. R. Norcross, author of Land & Sea: Poetry Inspired by Art, The Red Drum and Unsung Love Songs will be offering 3, one-day poetry writing workshops at the Delafield Arts Center (803 Genesee St., Delafield) in March, April and May 2012 for elementary, middle school and high school age students. If you have a young, aspiring writer in your household who is looking for inspiration and hands-on writing exercises to hone their skills, these classes are a perfect choice. Each workshop provides positive feedback, a supportive educational environment and an atmosphere of nurtured creativity. This is a unique, literary opportunity to work with a published writer and ask questions about both the writing process and the world of publishing.

Poetry Writing Workshops @ the Delafield Arts Center
w/ author Cristina M. R. Norcross

Brainstorm Poetry
Sat. March 10, 2012 / 1:00-2:30pm, ages 10-13

Word Paint: Writing about Art
Sat., April 21, 2012 / 1:00-3:00pm, ages 13-16

Multi Media Poetry ***(THIS CLASS HAS BEEN CANCELLED)***
Sat. May 19, 2012 / 1:00-3:00pm, ages 16+

For more information and to register, please visit the Delafield Arts Center website:
www.delafieldartscenter.org or phone 262.303.4865.

To learn more about the writing of Cristina M. R. Norcross, please visit her author website: www.FirkinFiction.com.

NOTE: please register early to reserve your spot, as class sizes are limited.

Patience, Prudence: Sometimes Writers Need to Learn the Art of Waiting

Dear Prudence open up your eyes
Dear Prudence see the sunny skies
The wind is low, the birds will sing
That you are part of everything
Dear Prudence won't you open up your eyes?
~The Beatles



Dear Prudence,

Sometimes you have to wait.

So you’ve spent several months polishing a short story, and you feel good about this, as you should. You even carefully researched just the right literary journal to send your precious new offering to, and now you must wait. If you are submitting a short story, poem or prose piece to a typical magazine, it can take 2-4 months to receive a response (3-6 months for a book publisher). Having to wait is hard. It just is. If you are sending out simultaneous submissions, you might not have to wait as long to hear about the future of your story or poem. Many magazines don’t allow this though, and to be honest, it makes life much easier, if you simply send one work of writing to one journal at a time. You can send out many different works for consideration, just don't send the same work to more than one magazine.

Some magazines don’t even send you a “no” letter, they simply don’t respond. Waiting is something we must all face. My personal record for hearing back from an editor is 6 hours. (Don’t get excited, this is not the norm.) It was a non-fiction article for a magazine that I submitted on-line, and they were probably close to their deadline and had space to fill. Needless to say, I was doing my writer’s happy dance when that e-mail came through.

The honest truth is … if you feel yourself getting antsy, train yourself to take a breath.  Listen to The Beatles sing about the Prudence you should be – the one who opens her eyes and looks around at the world – and sit tight. A letter of some kind will eventually come. I can’t promise it will be the letter you want, but it will give you the news you need to either celebrate by buying some new pens and blank moleskin notebooks (maybe a nice bottle of something deep red?) or to send this story out to another place. Feel free to have a Beatles break during this article, to find that calm center we all need while waiting. Every time you see the word, Prudence, it is a link to a You Tube video of The Beatles singing, “Dear Prudence.”

What you need to know in your heart and deep in your gut is that your story, article, poem or book WILL find a home. Have the confidence to know this with every fiber of your obsessive, passionate, can-stop-scribbling-ideas-down soul of a writer that you have. I believe in you! You need to believe in yourself too. This blog post is your literary cheerleader, to give you the boost you need to keep going!

I love the article in MORE Magazine, which features The Help author, Kathryn Stockett. She received 60 rejections before finally receiving the “yes” letter that led to her book becoming a best seller and eventually a film. She had to live through 60 editors and publishers saying, “no, this book isn’t for us.”

It takes submitting and re-submitting. It takes realizing that maybe you need to go back and edit that manuscript, yet again, to make it more publishable. Perhaps you are targeting the wrong publisher? Don’t submit a book of short stories about a women’s knitting club to a publisher that mostly comes out with thrillers. Investigate your target venue and find the best fit.

If you believe in your book, others will too. It just might not happen today, so brace yourself for an empty mailbox or inbox.

Besides, while waiting to hear back from a magazine or publisher, you should be spending those precious days creating something new. What is your next project? Map it out – now! Start working on what comes next AFTER you get the current work out there into the world. It might sound like writer’s ADHD, but I always have 3 writing projects going on at the same time. Depending on the day or week, different projects appeal to me. If the poetry collection is leaving me blank one day, I’ll switch to a short story, or writing something on this blog (I promise, that I don’t just come here when I’m bored and can’t think of anything to write about.)

Writer Commandments:

1. Write every day.
2. Keep sending out submissions.
3. Your first draft is never your last draft. Edit and polish your work.
4. Expect to wait, wait and wait some more to hear back from editors.
5. While you’re waiting, keep writing new things and fine tuning your craft as a writer.
6. Never stop writing, just because you’re not receiving the feedback or recognition you crave.
7. Have patience with yourself and your progress. This is not a race.
8. You have to live in order to write. Have experiences – write about them!
9. A writer writes every day, because he or she can’t imagine a time when they would ever stop writing.
10. Writing is a way of life. Whether you have had huge success with being published or your slips of paper with words are stowed in a drawer, like Emily Dickinson, never doubt that you are a writer. If you are reading this blog post, connect with its message and regularly keep a journal to write in, then you are a writer.

OK, now stop reading this blog and just write! What are you waiting for?

Peace & poetry,
Cristina M. R. Norcross

Poetry Writing Workshops @ the Delafield Arts Center w/ author Cristina M. R. Norcross

Poetry Writing Workshops @ the Delafield Arts Center
w/ author Cristina M. R. Norcross
Brainstorm Poetry
Sat. March 10, 2012 / 1:00-2:30pm, ages 10-13
Word Paint: Writing about Art
Sat., April 21, 2012 / 1:00-3:00pm, ages 13-16
Multi Media Poetry ***(THIS CLASS HAS BEEN CANCELLED)***
Sat. May 19, 2012 / 1:00-3:00pm, ages 16+
To register visit:
http://www.delafieldartscenter.org/
OR phone: 262.303.4865
List of classes also HERE

CLASS DESCRIPTIONS

Brainstorm Poetry (ages 10-13)
Hands-on, in-class exercises will include: emotion poems, partner interview poems, mystery word box exercises and “where I am from” poems. We will share our brainstorm poems in a circle, encouraging supportive comments and thoughts. There will be no formal feedback for this younger age group, but each person will be asked to say one thing about a student’s poem that they liked. We will explore poetry by “doing” poetry, so that the students will come away feeling capable of creating in an art form genre that is often mystified.

Word Paint: poetry writing about art (ages 13-16)
We will cover the basic definition of ekphrastic poetry (poetry inspired by art), I will provide both visual and poetry examples in the form of handouts, as well as real artwork viewed throughout the gallery, as we take an “art stroll.” We will have 2 “sprint” poetry exercises, 2 longer writing prompts, as well as an ekphrastic poem exercise where the students will choose a piece of artwork at the Delafield Arts Center to write about. There will be a roundtable feedback discussion after each writing session. The focus of feedback will be to provide positive discussions.

Multi Media Poetry (ages 16+)
Explore the world of visual poetry. Do you have a story to tell that moves, speaks and jumps off the page? This is the poetry class that will make your words sing in unique and innovative ways! The nature of poetry is changing. You can be at the forefront of a new age! In this workshop, we will view and discuss multi-media poetry on the web, including examples of Prezi, Wordle and kinetic text mini films. Students will have hands-on instruction on how to create visual art through words on the web and should bring at least one finished, original poem with them to work with in class.

"We Are Love" - poetry & photography, Cristina M. R. Norcross

We Are Love

We are all sacred.
We are all love.
See through the veils
which you and others
hang in the doorway
and walk through.

Cristina M. R. Norcross
Copyright 2011
www.FirkinFiction.com

"You Are Free" poetry & photography, Cristina M. R. Norcross

You Are Free

The only limits that bind us
are self-created shackles
of fear, apathy and ego.
Untie your hands –
you are always free.

Cristina M. R. Norcross
Copyright 2011
www.FirkinFiction.com

Poetry/Photography Postcards by Cristina M. R. Norcross NOW AVAILABLE at Books & Co.

Pastoral and lake scenes of Lake Country, WI

Poetry and photography by local author Cristina M. R. Norcross

Large Cards $1 each / Small Cards $0.75
Packets of 10: Large Cards $7 / Small Cards $6

AVAILABLE AT BOOKS & CO.
An independently-owned community-based bookstore serving the Oconomowoc Lake Country and Waukesha area since 1983

1039 Summit Avenue Oconomowoc, WI 53066-4457
(262) 567-0106


Learn more about this author:
www.FirkinFiction.com

"Be the Breath" - poetry and photography, Cristina M. R. Norcross

Be the Breath

The breath connects to the beat –
the sway and swoon of the body
moves to this rhythm also.
Look how you breathe
without thinking.

Feel how the heart beats
without instruction.
You are trying too hard.
Be the breath.
Be the beat.

Cristina M. R. Norcross
Copyright 2011
www.FirkinFiction.com

Loving Your Skin, A Meditation

Loving Your Skin, A Meditation

You are taken by the wind
when the strings begin to play –
like a lover’s attentive touch to every inch of skin.
Wave upon wave of sound reverberates
and refreshes your eyes, mind and muscles,
because you are exactly where you need to be.

You are the pearl with glowing curves
rolling toward an open hand.
Every length and depth of you is beautiful –
from the rising of your shoulders in sleep
to the tender arch of your foot,
held with care by softened leather sandals.

Your divine purpose reaches across every golden field
and every pebbled road to meet the beginning of you.
For you are the world,
and the world exists in you –
in beauty and in acceptance.

Behold, you are the sheen and honeyed glow of your skin.
Know that you are this fullness –
this rich delight.
Whole and healed –
you are the gift.

Cristina M. R. Norcross
Copyright 2011

Poetic Captured Reflections Contest Giveaway!

Win a FREE Poetic Captured Reflections fine art/poetry giclee by artist Holly Kallie and author Cristina M. R. Norcross. Simply click HERE to read Holly Kallie's giveaway blog, leave a comment, and you will automatically be entered in the contest to win a print!

Each Monday, Holly Kallie "will be offering a different canvas print from our Poetic Captured Reflections collection. Each giclee is gallery wrapped and ready to hang. They are also signed by each of us and come with a certificate of authenticity. It is our way of celebrating the gift of life, creativity, our families and friends and these beautiful holidays."

This week's giveaway is "Finding Her Treasure." Please enjoy viewing an image of the giclee below and read the poem.

Finding Her Treasure
(Inspired by the painting by Holly Kallie)

A pilgrim’s journey
of overlapping, ever increasing circles of light –
you step into the caress of summer’s awakening,
with foam surf and crystallized grains of sand.

One furtive step follows another,
until only tracings remain –
fading footprints on the beach.

You carry a collection, a treasure trove –
overflowing like the hungry tide
that washes the land clean in crescent brushstrokes.

Hidden within your heart –
the fear that nothing can contain your precious gems.
Set them free today.
Like flowers with wings,
these gifts are Love’s Light to be shared.
They take flight towards the grand horizon,
just beyond our sight.

You are the treasure,
Dear One.
You are the Light.


Cristina M. R. Norcross
Copyright 2008


Author's Note: I was fortunate enough to meet my dear friend, artist Holly Kallie when I moved to Wisconsin 4 years ago. I feel very blessed to collaborate with Holly on our art/poetry collection. Her beautiful images of water, nature, women and children have inspired me to write many poems. Each poem provides me with an opportunity to connect with my higher self creatively. How blessed I feel to share my path with a kindred spirit of Light. I hope you will enjoy our Poetic Captured Reflections collection. ~Cristina M. R. Norcross 12/6/11

"You Were Meant for More" poetry & photography, Cristina M. R. Norcross

YOU WERE MEANT FOR MORE

Seek your passion,
play it out –
hold it in your hand
like the delicate bird
that it is,
and then let your soul’s
free flight dictate
where you will go next.

Sitting on the branch
is your regret,
your lack of courage,
your last try
that didn’t quite work.

But this is not you –
this is not the you
that was meant to flourish
and drink up the sun.

You were meant for greater things
than atrophy –
than ennui.
You were meant for life!

Cristina M. R. Norcross
Copyright 2011

"Conversations with an Angel" - poetry & photography, Cristina M. R. Norcross

Conversations with an Angel

A shock of light
permeates the air –
each breath
welcomes you home –
closer to your truth.
Listen –
this is all you need to know.

Soft, silken tones –
these are words of grace.
Flowing like a fountain,
caressing the mind
with water whispers –
forgiveness carries you.
You have everything you need.

Cristina M. R. Norcross
Copyright 2011
www.firkinfiction.com

"Water Stories" - photography & poetry, Cristina M. R. Norcross

Water Stories

I am the afterglow -
wild roots that keep growing.
I am the words looking for song.

I am the tall reeds amidst the wind –
my need for story,
written upon the bluest, open sky.


Cristina M. R. Norcross
Copyright 2011

"Remember the Joy" - Poetry & Photography, Cristina M. R. Norcross

Remember the Joy

Observe this happiness you dwell in,
and never forget.
Remember this day
like the first light of summer sun -
the first kiss,
the last dance,
the first sip,
the longest look -
the only thing your body remembers
and sings about.
Remember this joy
on the down days.

Cristina M. R. Norcross
Copyright 2011

"Searching for Miracles" Poetry & Photography by Cristina M. R. Norcross

Searching for Miracles

There is a holy tree inside you
where leaves blanket the earth –
where silken petals fly and hover
around your thoughts,
traveling like perfume
on the wind.
This is where you should pray.

A golden, threaded, light source beams
from roots –
to the tip of your violet head.
Eyes seeing for the first time
that this is who you are.
Here – now –
this is who you are.
Why have you come?
What are you waiting for?

Cristina M. R. Norcross
Copyright 2011

YOUR DIVINE PURPOSE SHINES

Your divine purpose reaches across every golden field
and every pebbled road to meet the beginning of you.
For you are the world,
and the world exists in you –
in beauty and in acceptance.

~C. Norcross (From the poem, "Loving Your Skin")

When we open up our hearts to discovering and honoring our divine purpose, light pours forth and guides us in directions we are meant to go. When we are walking on our true path, doors open, we are met with welcome smiles and all is well in our earthly world. When we find ourselves pushing a rock up a hill, no matter how hard we persist, if the direction is not in alignment with our higher purpose, that rock is going to fall ... on our heads!

Have you ever felt as though you were repeating the same mistakes, faced with a series of "no" letters, or as if life was just not moving? This feeling of metaphysical mourning for not yet realized goals, is merely a teaching tool - a stepping stone to something beautiful in your life. Listen to and observe the day, the situation, as if it were a wise teacher. The path exists in you, you just haven't found the entrance yet. Or perhaps, you've lost the light leading you down the right path, and you need to find it again.

Set aside time each day to listen to your inner guide. This knowing, nurturing self is always there for you, waiting for you to start a conversation about the present and the future, if you choose. Listening is a very important tool. It opens us up to the beautiful possibilities in our lives, even when things feel "stuck" or without momentum.

I remember feeling stuck at different times in my life, because I wasn't doing what my soul truly wanted to do. Whether it be a job that doesn't quite fit, a group project that doesn't quite resonate or a relationship that feels out of alignment with the holiness of self, sit with your inner teacher and listen. Answers will be revealed in the most stunning ways. New people may enter your life and provide a creative spark. Doors will open and opportunities will suddenly appear, if you are willing to be open to your best self waiting in the wings.

Promise yourself that you are worth it ~ that you were meant for more than dissatisfaction or "just enough."

This is not you –
this is not the you
that was meant to flourish
and drink up the sun.

You were meant for greater things
than atrophy –
than ennui.
You were meant for life!

~C. Norcross (From the poem, "You Were Meant for More")

One Vision - Saturday, October 22, 2011 at the Oconomowoc Arts Center at 7pm

The Pewaukee Area Arts Council proudly sponsors the third year of "One Vision: A Fusion of Art and Poetry in Lake Country," bringing together 8 pairs of artists and poets, as well as the new element of interpretive dance this year, in partnership with To the Pointe Performing Arts (Hartland, WI). Please join us at 7 p.m. Saturday, October 22, 2011 at the Oconomowoc Arts Center (641 E Forest Street, Oconomowoc, WI) for a fine art exhibit, poetry reading and dance performance. Our artists, poets and dancers will be unveiling the final results of a summer-long collaboration. A reception with live music and refreshments will also be part of the evening's event. Our special musical guest this year will be local musician and composer Chip Cruz (www.myspace.com/chipcruz). This performance is free and open to the public. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. for a preview and meeting with the artists, poets and dancers.

Artists participating in this year's project are: Anne Raskopf, Albin Erhart, Melissa Schoechert, Judith Reidy, Dara Chappie, Dint Sweitzer, Heidi Hallett and Susan Foley. Poets participating are: Mary Jo Balistreri, Khristian Kay, Cristina Norcross, Anjie Kokan, Fred Kreutz, Liz Rhodebeck, Janet Leahy, Paula Schulz and Judy Wucherer. Co-editors Liz Rhodebeck and Cristina Norcross are coordinating the project with the assistance of Art Advisor Dint Sweitzer and Dance Choreographer Nina Gaydos-Fedak.

This year's project funded in part by the Wisconsin Arts Board with funds from the State of Wisconsin through a grant from the Arts Waukesha Fund.
For more information, visit www.pewaukeearts.org.

To watch a preview of the One Vision show, please visit the You Tube link HERE and enjoy a slide show of artwork and poetry.

The One Vision exhibit is FREE to the public and will be on display through November 20, 2011 at the Oconomowoc Arts Center.

"Holding the Rope" (This is NOT a Cancer Poem)

Holding the Rope

Blue gowns sitting in lounge chair rows –
one woman taps her foot furiously –
a nervous rhythm,
while she waits for her name to be called.
I wish she would tap somewhere else.
Out-of-date magazines
collect on side tables,
while three wide screen TV’s
drone on with home improvement shows.
Hardwood floors and bathroom tile choices
seem even more trivial today.

The machine presses and folds.
It pushes on the skin like a hard kiss –
taking a picture at five different angles.
I hold my breath and pray.

The woman next to me taps her foot again.
I sip apple juice,
wondering why none of us speak.
Then my name is called
for the next room –
the next test.
I drift off to a semi-dream state.
Allowed to lie down,
I stop guessing –
stop craning my neck to see the screen.

The last table is the coldest –
so is the needle,
until it burns.
Then there is a tidal wave of tugging
and pulling.
My eyes wide to the ceiling –
I try to see how many tiny holes I can count
in the white squares above me.

Kind nurses bandage the skin.
They cover me with warm blankets.
Ice – rest – ice – repeat.
You’ve been to the wars,
said my friend Ali in England,
after my first surgery 15 years ago.
I hope this is the last body battle.
I’m done now.

The car keeps moving forward.
I see cornfields and gold turned trees
on the way home.
Behind the clouds
shines the faintest autumn light.
I follow that ray
and try to hold the rope.


Cristina M. R. Norcross
Copyright 2011
(This is NOT a cancer poem, because I received the good news today, that my biopsy came back negative. Feeling thankful. God is good. 10/19/11)

Review Quotes: Unsung Love Songs

Quotes From a Book Review of Unsung Love Songs
Reviewed by Kathleen Serley

(July 2011 Issue of Verse Wisconsin Online)



“But it is her descriptions of love in those everyday moments that draw us in.”



“One of the strengths of Norcross’s love poems is the imagery she creates to capture the depth of the love she feels.”



“Each poem in this collection has a special appeal, but “These Things Matter” captures the essence of this collection. We reach for love and must remind ourselves to find it in ordinary moments as they come to us in our imperfect lives. We make love happen in the everyday events of our lives.”



“How fortunate to know such love to inspire her poems. Unsung Love Songs by Cristina M.R. Norcross is worth remembering.”

*Read the full review in Verse Wisconsin Online (July 2011)

IF I WERE A DOLL

If I Were a Doll

If I were a doll,
my shoes would light up,
and there would be
a button that would play music.
I think everyone should have
a soundtrack to their lives.

Today my personal power song
would be Moon River,
because it feels like it’s 2am
all the time,
and the window ledge is
probably the safest, quietest place
in my house, right now.

If I were a doll,
I would have a twistable scalp,
just like the Tuesday Taylor doll
from the 70’s.
One day I would be blonde –
the next day, brunette.
It’s called hair fashion bi-polar disorder,
but the Mattel toy company
will never admit to that.

If I were a doll,
the downside would be
not being able to taste fried calamari
or cheesy quesadillas with sour cream.
I wouldn’t be able to feel my limbs stretch
and crack
after sleeping in late
under a down comforter.
I wouldn’t even be able
to feel Ken kiss me,
because Ken is just a doll too,
and I would be made of plastic and rubber,
so …
I guess I don’t want to be a doll after all.


Cristina M. R. Norcross
Copyright 2011

(Beloved "Blue Mommy" doll belonging to the poet many decades ago)

ONCE UPON A TIME IN MY REAL LIFE ...

Every night before bedtime, I tell my young sons a story. Each story starts the same way - Once Upon a Time, in My Real Life. As you can see, my sons prefer real stories to made up ones. My memory of the past isn’t always quite accurate, so sometimes there is a mixture of what I can remember and creative non-fiction. Last night, as I was recounting the latest chapter from my mommy memoir, I realized that we are doing something very important here – something my own father did for me growing up. We are preserving the Raskopf-Norcross family history through oral tradition. I don’t read the stories off of a computer or from a journal. It all comes from the deep recesses of my mind and the scents, images and touchstone experiences that make me who I am. My family is part of who I am.

Regardless of how independent I felt striking out on my own, that first day of freshman orientation in college, I am still the result of many generations of Hassells, Schreppels, Della Cortes and Raskopfs. My sons will have Norcross family stories to share with their own children, but the generations who came before them offer up a smoke signal of life – of child rearing, careers, voyages, aspirations and family meals.

My greatest memories arise from the meaty, zesty, steamy scents coming from the kitchen. When I was expecting my first child, I embarked on the journey of thumbing through all of my Grandma Josie’s recipe cards, slips of paper stuffed into books and the The Joy of Cooking with little notes scribbled in the side margins. This compilation of recipes and memories became the book, Promise Me Anything … But Give Me Kartoffelklösse, Remembering the Recipes of Josephine Schreppel Raskopf. There are recipes for butter cookies, chocolate cake, fish chowder and of course, Kartoffelklösse (dumplings). I recently dug up my copy of this book (published about six years ago) in a moment of comfort seeking, and realized that the memories came flooding back just from seeing my grandmother’s face and her recipe for almond horn cookies. I was back in my grandparents’ dining room with the mahogany china cabinet where chocolates were secretly stashed away in a crystal bowl at the back. I was looking at the painted pottery along the high shelves near the ceiling. I was feeling the rug fibers beneath my feet. My arms were resting on the big armchair in the corner. I was home.

Last night when sharing another installment of Once Upon a Time in My Real Life, I started off with a memory of buying bagels with my brother at the bakery down the road in Great Neck, and was then transported to my grandmother’s living room again. She was sitting in her chair with the side table lamp. Next to her was a cup of steaming, Tetley tea with lemon only. No milk, no sugar - just lemon in hot tea. My son looked up and said, “that was a nice story mommy.”

Yes, that was a nice story, a nice time, and now he will remember that scene. The family he never knew is sitting beside him, having a cup of tea and watching him grow. I know that my grandparents would have loved seeing my boys grow up, play soccer and practice guitar. I know now that with each bedtime story – they will appear.

Cristina M. R. Norcross
2011

Promise Me Anything ... can be found at the Blurb website (listed under Cristina Raskopf Norcross).
http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/20175

Don't Be Afraid to be UN-lovely

When we create from the source, not from a place of accepted rules, we are truly being authentic.

Has someone ever told you that your poem or painting is “just lovely,” when clearly you know that, by convention, it is most certainly NOT lovely, or pretty or pleasing? Did you think to yourself, this person just does not understand my creative aesthetic?

I recently shared a poem with friends that was accepted for publication. It was a different kind of journal to be sure, and I chose a poem from my repertoire that I knew would be a good match for the themes they usually publish. After sending out the poem, I received kind words of congratulation, as well as a few neutral comments: “I liked your poem,” and “it was interesting.” Then there was the “it was lovely” comment. This is someone I’ve only been friends with for a couple of years, and she isn’t a writer or an artist. This doesn’t mean that non-creatives are unable to be open-minded. I know plenty of creative engineers. OK, I know one creative engineer who writes music. That’s another blog entry.

I wrote back to this friend, who is truly nice and kind, to tell her that no, my poem was not lovely, but the magazine liked it enough to publish it, and it captured a moment. I think I need to sit down over a cup of coffee with her and explain that writers and artists sometimes capture a moment of intense emotion through art, and then that moment is gone. It doesn’t mean that you live in that moment ~ that anguish is your permanent emotional state. Of course, maybe it is, in some cases. I enjoy exploring human emotion and placing my fictional speakers in different situations to see what happens.

When I start the journey of a poem, I don’t always know where I’m going. I might start with an image, a state of mind, a setting, or a first line that came to me just as I was falling asleep. If I were writing a novel, I would probably map things out a bit with bubble ideas and mind maps, but for my poetry, I like to glide on a thought and ride it out like a wave. I have no surfer training, mind you, and I might get tumbled in the waves, with gritty sand in my bathing suit that itches for days. Nice image, huh? You could write a poem about that!

Do not back away from the uncomfortable. Live with it – breathe in the awkward moment, the painful, the bitter ~ the bittersweet chocolate of life. If you can’t be fearless in your art, where can you be? The path not taken will lead to people who tell you in a rather mild voice, “that poem was lovely,” with a glance to the sky that says they don’t quite know what to say. Brush it off, pull up your sleeves and dig in, because the hard work, the real work of creation, has just begun. You need to go under in order to reach up. Light and dark live side by side, and your angel’s wings poem will have even more VERITAS if you know how to explore shadows as well.

The next time someone says “lovely” in reference to your poem, sculpture, canvas or song lyrics about why grief feels like “a wet, woolen mitten that constricts and pulls you down to empty caverns,” nod your head demurely, say thank you, and then keep creating. Keep them guessing. Keep them thinking. Someone has to wade through otherness with a smile. Let it be you!

Cristina M. R. Norcross
Copyright 2011

Unsung Love Songs Reviewed in Verse Wisconsin!

The poetry collection, Unsung Love Songs, by Cristina M. R. Norcross is reviewed by Kathleen Serley in the current online issue of Verse Wisconsin.

Read the full book review in VW Online, Issue 106 / July 2011 by clicking
HERE


Unsung Love Songs (Lulu, 2010) is available to order from Amazon.com, Amazon.ca, Amazon.co.uk, barnesandnoble.com, lulu.com, and at select independent bookstores.

Please visit my author website for more details.

One Vision 2011 - An Evening of Fine Art, Poetry and Dance at the Oconomowoc Arts Center on Saturday, October 22, 2011

One Vision: A Fusion of Art & Poetry in Lake Country / 2011

The Pewaukee Area Arts Council (www.pewaukeearts.org) proudly sponsors the third year of “One Vision: A Fusion of Art and Poetry in Lake Country,” bringing together 8 pairs of artists and poets, as well as the new element of interpretive dance this year, in partnership with To the Pointe Dance Studio in Hartland, WI (www.tothepointe.com). Please join us at 7 p.m. Saturday, October 22, 2011 at the Oconomowoc Arts Center (641 E Forest Street, Oconomowoc, WI) for a fine art exhibit, poetry reading and dance performance. Our artists, poets and dancers will be unveiling the final results of a summer-long collaboration. A reception with live music and refreshments will also be part of the evening’s event. Our special musical guest this year will be local musician and composer Chip Cruz (www.myspace.com/chipcruz). This performance is free and open to the public. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. with music for a preview and meeting with the artists, poets and dancers.

Called “ekphrastic” (that is, art or poetry inspired by other creative mediums), the project’s goal is for the artists and poets to interact with each other to create a new expression of art or poetry from that experience. Poets and artists will spend the summer viewing/reading each other’s work as they got to know each other and how the creative process works in each of their respective mediums. From this exploration, a poet could write a new poem to a piece of artwork, the artist create a new piece inspired by a poem, or the two could craft a whole new expression of art and poetry. This year we have the exciting new element of interpretive dance to add an extra layer of creativity. Dances will be choreographed for select pairs.

“Working toward a creative vision that incorporates many different genres and sources of inspiration has been so fulfilling for our participants,” says Cristina Norcross, co-editor of the project.

Sponsored by the Pewaukee Area Arts Council, this is the third year for the program, which had a successful debut in 2009 at the The Raven Gallery in Pewaukee and an expanded show in 2010 at the Oconomowoc Arts Center. One Vision continues to give many area artists and poets the opportunity to participate, and to bring awareness of the diversity of the arts to the community as part of PAAC’s ongoing mission.

"Adding the element of dance brings a new dimension to the project," says co-editor Liz Rhodebeck. "We can't wait to see the results of this collaboration."

Artists participating in this year’s project are: Anne Raskopf, Albin Erhart, Melissa Schoechert, Judith Reidy, Dara Chappie, Angel Troyer, Heidi Hallett and Susan Foley. Poets participating are: Mary Jo Balistreri, Khristian Kay, Anjie Kokan, Fred Kreutz, Janet Leahy, Katy Phillips, Paula Schulz and Judy Wucherer. Co-editors Liz Rhodebeck and Cristina Norcross are coordinating the project with the assistance of Art Advisor Dint Sweitzer and Dance Choreographer Nina Gaydos-Fedak.

An outgrowth of the project has been the production of limited edition notecards featuring the artwork and accompanying poem of each pair; sets will be available for purchase the evening of the reception. All profit from the sale of the notecards will support PAAC’s programs and outreach in the community.

Both the artwork and poetry will be on exhibition to the public at the OAC (www.oasd.k12.wi.us/page.cfm?p=96) through November 20, 2011. There are plans for winter 2012 exhibits at local libraries and other venues.

Please visit and join our One Vision Facebook group page for more updates: www.facebook.com/home.php#!/home.php?sk=group_105325084866.

One Vision is sponsored by the Pewaukee Area Arts Council and funded in part by a grant from Arts Waukesha.

For more information, visit www.pewaukeearts.org or contact co-editors Liz Rhodebeck (262-695-2761) or Cristina Norcross (Bookndz@yahoo.com).