This poem was recorded at a coffeehouse about a block away from my home. I hope you enjoy the adventure of becoming a bit undone.
I was born with a last name
and all the expectations that
came with it
from birth, I was crafted
to be an origami swan
-to have perfectly folded edges
-to exist on a shelf
-to be looked at from a distance
-to appear complete
-to live precisely
I tried to live that way ~ I swear I did for so so so long I would resist the urge to let go of the form I was told to live by they said my happiness would be directly tied to how impeccably I held my shape they said that I couldn’t show any blemishes or faults if I wanted to be honored even during the days when I could feel the geometry inside of me start to become wild poetry I stayed as folded as I possibly could despite the growing sound of crinkling paper coming from inside of my loose leaf heart ~ I clung to my folds but one morning - not too long ago I woke up and i noticed that one of my perfectly shaped swan wings had a single wrinkle in it I tried to hide my imperfection from the world by only letting people see my good side -my faultless side -my seamless side a short while later I noticed that my other wing had lost its tight fold and was starting to curl outward I was coming undone and unfolded right in front of the world the rest of me started falling apart soon after within a short time I no longer looked like a perfect swan I had become a flattened out piece of paper with more crows-feet creases in my form than I could count eventually, a breeze came and took me off of my shelf and carried me out of the window into the untamed wild it was that moment when I was my most unfurled self that I called out to God “where are my perfect folds? where have my straight lines gone?” I asked the empty sky God spouted out of the ground next to me in the form of a wildflower “they are gone, my love, all those things you once thought you were are now gone” God said with petals for lips I cried “why are you crying?” God asked while stretching out above me with flower petals of at least a half-dozen colors that had never seen before from the safe shelf I had lived most of my life from. “because without my folds and lines that I was given I have no purpose,” I sobbed. “Without my hard edges and defined creases I don’t know who I am anymore.” “I do,” God said while exploding into an Easter bloom. I held my breath. “You finally get to be you. You are now an untouched canvas who decides what it gets to be marked with. You are lucky enough to be a piece of blank paper that gets to choose what is written on it. You get to be a selection of art that you get to help create. You are now able to leave behind the expectations this world has for you to be perfect - and now you get to become whatever you want to be.” God was now a towering wildflower that was riding up to kiss the sun. “Oh,” I replied while looking at myself with new eyes. Instead of being tightly bound together, I was now an outstretched creation. Instead of being a perfect sculpture, I was an open hand. “What now?” I asked the wildflower of God. “What now?” God laughed. “Anything. Everything. It’s all in front of you. It’s all adventure from here.” Suddenly a gust of wind picked me up again and started carrying me to the horizon. Even though I had been a swan my whole life the first time I ever flew was when I lost my wings. Oh. What an adventure it is to come undone. ~ john roedel
6- WEEK ONLINE WRITING COURSE STARTING SOON!
So excited to announce that I’m teaming with the ab-fab, force of goodness and hilarity, Michelle Francois Walsh for a 6 week ONLINE writing course starting in June.
In a world saturated with polished images and meticulously curated social media feeds, the essence of our true selves often gets buried. We’re taught to mask the messiness of life, to smooth out the edges of our stories until they fit neatly into the expectations of others.
But isn’t life inherently messy, wonderfully chaotic, and brimming with unforeseen adventures? It’s this unpredictable journey that makes our existence so profoundly beautiful.
John Roedel and Michelle Francois-Walsh are thrilled to be co-facilitating this Heart Write Soul experience. This is a 6 week online opportunity welcoming each of us to embrace the wildness of your narrative, to celebrate imperfections, and to write with unguarded honesty.
Poet, writer, and comedian John Roedel, will guide you through this transformative experience with his signature blend of humor, heartfelt insights, and engaging activities. John’s approach to writing is not about crafting a perfect narrative but offering a mirror to the soul, allowing others to see their reflections within your words. Through the art forms of writing and storyteller, this experience peels away the layers of pretense to reveal the raw, untold stories that reside within us all.
Writer, Community Builder, and off-key singer, Michelle Francois-Walsh, understands the therapeutic value of writing from personal experience. Michelle utilizes LIFE as her main source of writing material - from too loud holidays with her family, to chasms of grief as she walked her mom through Cancer, to her own faith walk and all the questions that come with it. Michelle believes fiercely in the fact that creativity requires safety, using this mantra to regularly lead writing groups online in My Village Well. Michelle has witnessed first hand the power of community held in a sacred container: we show up bravely, we tell the truth, and we set ourselves free.
What To Expect
6 Online Writing Sessions - Dive deep into the well of your memories, dreams, and reflections to uncover the stories that have shaped you. We will meet online for 6 Wednesdays from 12-1:30 pm PT June 5, 12, 19 and July 3, 10, 17. This is perfect for those that crave to make writing a practice but logistically cannot travel far from home.
Group Camaraderie - Engage in meaningful writing, sharing, and witnessing experiences that foster a sense of community and mutual understanding.
Creative Exercises - Challenge your creativity through prompts and activities designed to spark your imagination and bring your stories to life.
(AUDIO) origami in reverse