Chingonas, Encouragement, Latino culture, Sandra Cisneros, Strong Women, Wisdom, Writing

The Wisdom of Sandra Cisneros

I read an article about the author, writer, poet Sandra Cisneros turning 60 years young. To celebrate, she dressed up as a cake-A. Cake-and celebrated in her new town of San Miguel de Allende, Mexico.

This is why I call her a chingona. Strong, fearless, badass (in a good way).

“I have never felt younger or happier – now I can take care of me,” she says. “It’s a good time.”

She had a few things to say about life at sixty. This is part of a list she composed the day after her birthday, which began with “This is what I know…”

Channel of Light-Love.

When I let go of these distractions, then I write and live from a place of forgiveness, generosity, compassion, and humility.

Generosity  and Selflessness
Generosity and Selflessness

Err on the side of generosity.

Divine Providence
Divine Providence

When in doubt, sleep on it. Ask and you’ll get an answer.

Do the thing you fear most.
Do the thing you fear most.

 

Trust what comes from intuition; doubt what comes from my brain.

On love and life.
On love and life.

And you’re probably wondering how did she dress up as a cake? Well, here’s the photo:

Sandra Cisneros as her own birthday cake. Piñata skirt by Eva and Jorge Rios, photo by Tracy Boyer
Sandra Cisneros as her own birthday cake. Piñata skirt by Eva and Jorge Rios, photo by Tracy Boyer

We marched down the street like a parade to the jardin, the town center. A row of brilliant mariachis dressed all in white and gold serenaded me on my arrival with “Las Mañanitas,” the traditional birthday song.

Like I said, buen chingona.

poetry, Poetry Month, poets

Poetry on Wednesday: Haiku

Poetry On Wednesday (POW)-alvaradofrazier.com
Poetry On Wednesday (POW)-alvaradofrazier.com

 

Today is Poetry on Wednesday (POW) day.

Last week I mentioned Poetry Month and how I’d contribute to the celebration of words.

Because I just learned how a Haiku is structured, by terrific instructor Sonya Sones, I decided to do a Haiku for POW day.

Traditional Japanese Haiku not only have 17 syllables, they must also contain an inference or allusion to nature or season, in an unrhymed sequence, and be in the present moment. Very Zen like.

Haiku on Cherry Blossom-gettyimages
Haiku on Cherry Blossom-gettyimages

There are several forms/rules on the traditional, but for my novice self I’m adhering to the  5/7/5 syllables for each line:

 

You can’t force poems-they

force you to pick up a pen

and write the words you hide

 

Richard Wright, author and poet, composed over 4,000 Haiku’s during the last 18 months of his life. Prolific, indeed.

These three are traditional Haiku’s and some of my favorites:

 

Whitecaps on the bay:
A broken signboard banging
In the April wind.

 

 I am nobody:
A red sinking autumn sun
Took my name away.

 

In this rented room
One more winter stands outside
My dirty window pane

 

I’m going to work my way to traditional haiku and do some bilingual haiku, in tiempo ( time).

Give this poetic form a whirl. I believe you’ll learn to love its simplicity, form, and presentness.

It just might place you in a zen state.