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Jillian Joy's avatar

It is so so wonderful to see all you strong lionhearts discoursing today <3 There are still some great days up ahead, but I think this was the one I was most excited for. I'm also a Leo (very VERY much Leo haha), but Lion and Lionheart are really essential to the way I live my life these days in so many unexpected ways. In you all, I see this fierce, loving Lion spirit live on, and it is SUCH a joy. I just want to particularly thank you all for that <3 It's a special gift for me today.

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Julie Schmidt's avatar

It has been said before, and it needs to be said again...thank you for creating this space for all of us to write, create, explore, try something new, witness ourselves and each other. A safe space to share from our joys as well as our traumas. It really is a gift and so are you!

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Larry Brickner-Wood's avatar

A roar of complete agreement from here!

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Steven Barbery's avatar

Lionheart

I recall the

most famous Lionheart

of the ages

Richard the Lionheart

a man of history

legend and myth

in my theatre days

I portrayed

the Lionheart on stage

something that

Sir Anthony Hopkins

and I share (he did it in the film)

There is something about

bringing a character to life

even one that is real

the actors both

give and take something

of that part

Lionheart

I hope I did justice

to the character

giving some of my own

Lionheart to you

I also hole that role

changed me for the better

strengthening my

Lionheart

so that I

embody the best parts

of who you were

and what you represent

For when the fall

is all that remains

It matters a great deal

how you do it.

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Jillian Joy's avatar

Wow, I already loved this poem, Steven, but the last lines just really blew me away.

"For when the fall

is all that remains

It matters a great deal

how you do it." ABSOLUTELY.

I really loved the rhythm of this one today too, so much power and respect. Thank you so much for sharing :)

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A. Wilder Westgate's avatar

I was in theater in middle and high school, and I love how you talk about taking pieces of characters with you!

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Steven Barbery's avatar

I don't think I realized that until I performed in plays in college. Getting into the essence of a character really changes us.

Then I took a class in seminary where I met Theodore Bikel and he demonstrated, through a monologue, how we add to characters. It was amazing to watch him do the same piece drastically differently. Words, written and then spoken, are powerful and unlimited.

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Jillian Joy's avatar

Powerful and unlimited, yes!

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Julie Schmidt's avatar

I thought of him too with this topic! Beautiful. I also loved taking the part of the part with you. We can't help be changed by the parts we play!

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Larry Brickner-Wood's avatar

Very nice, Steven. How wonderful to connect your acting in the marvelous role of Richard the Lionheart--I am sure you did Anthony Hopkins proud! So nice to weave that into the forming of your own's Lionheart, sweet and powerful. Roar on!

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Steven Barbery's avatar

Thank you. I really enjoyed that role.

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Steven Barbery's avatar

I think the prompt of Lionheart and the Tony Awards last night, I couldn't help but reflect on "The Lion in Winter".

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Jillian Joy's avatar

Ha, the Tonys were last night? Didn't even know. Excellent timing.

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Julie Schmidt's avatar

Love this Jillian, "I am a lion baby." Your poem is powerful! What a great topic. For me, this brought up a lot, and I am a Leo, so here we go...

.

I am a fierce gentle lioness!

Both courageous in strength,

nurturing in heart.

Neither Madonna nor Whore,

good girl nor bad girl.

More Lilith than Eve.

I am the lionheart!

Claiming what has been taken,

pilfered, defiled, thrown asunder.

Letting this unstoppable roaring rise,

NO more splitting of the woman.

Pulling her apart, wrenching at her roots,

yanking them out from the mother.

NO

I am an edge walker.

Lover of margins.

One who tends sacred fires burning in the belly.

Rider of rivers devoted to tender resilience.

Follower of love poems written on my heart.

Like the lion pride,

I am a lioness who is both hunter for food,

and raiser of cubs

I am both tame and wild.

The rose and the flame.

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Jillian Joy's avatar

Wow, Julie! Yes! Celebrating your lionheart, you wondrous edge walker, you magical rose-flame :) Love this poem!

And thank you for your own kind words <3 It was really special for me today as well. I'm also a Leo :)

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Aleesha Neal's avatar

Oh man, this is power. I just think if the power of a female lion, of the feminine heart (that lives in all of us in some way!), and the power to fight and heal, reclaim and restore, protect and nurture.

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Julie Schmidt's avatar

Agree. Reclaiming the sacred, feminine and the wilds. OR the wild sacred feminine!

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A. Wilder Westgate's avatar

Julie, I love this bold declaration of your power. Fierce, indeed.

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Julie Schmidt's avatar

Thanks A! I could not stop this from coming through. Fierce, yes. Vulnerable too.

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Larry Brickner-Wood's avatar

This is a masterpiece, Julie. It is powerful and empowering. I love your noting of the forced dichotomies constructed by societies, by partiarchy, by systems, and your fierce call for integration and to be seen for the whole of who, you, and we are. This is lovely and exceptional. Your poem clearly roars!

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Julie Schmidt's avatar

Appreciate this Larry. I have done a tremendous amount of work in this area. A reclaiming and integration of the sacred feminine. Necessary for our world right now, for us to not only heal but to survive!

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Larry Brickner-Wood's avatar

I hear you there and agree 100%!

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Chuck's avatar

Lionhearts roar loud.

.

But hearts without lion hands

.

Are paper tigers.

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Jillian Joy's avatar

Wow, I LOVE this, Chuck. I need not say any more words. You capture it perfectly <3 Thank you.

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Larry Brickner-Wood's avatar

This is splendid, Chuck. And so prophetically true.

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Aleesha Neal's avatar

Beautiful, powerful, graceful, alive, and healing.

Thank you for being you, being here, being loud. It’s makes us all better to be a part of this.

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Jillian Joy's avatar

Thank you so much, Aleesha <3 I feel truly seen in this aspect of myself, which I value dearly. It is medicine for all.

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Larry Brickner-Wood's avatar

I echo with a roar, this wonderful note!

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Larry Brickner-Wood's avatar

Thank you for this prompt, Jillian. Despite my best efforts, the words just kept coming in haiku form. Here's a quartet of haiku, for Pride month, for the Montana 16, visionary youth and young adults whose claims against the State of Montana asking for climate action and earth healing goes to trial today.

Lionheart spirits

witnesses against toxic tide

rainbow flags waving

*****************

Lionhearted child

fearful dreams before midnight

lion roars healing love

******************

Lionhearted love

caught between thin dimensions

present moment joy

*****************

Lionhearted youth

brave souls facing power

healing earth prayer

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Jillian Joy's avatar

Wow, Larry, this ripples through my body and field with so much grace and healing. The energy you transmit through these is so strong. I agree with A.; I love the way you've set up each haiku such that each line parallels the others of the quartet. It's a really masterful cohesion between them all, that presents your wisdom tremendously <3 Thank you. Much love <3

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Julie Schmidt's avatar

Love this! It does take a lionheart to face the challenges of this world. To rise fierce upon the tides of such hypocrisy. And to keep rising. Speaking and being truth. Beautiful depth in your work here. Like A. I read it several times, really letting it sink in. More meaning revealed with each read.

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Larry Brickner-Wood's avatar

Thank you Julie. I appreciate the kind woirds and response. I often do not take enough time and care with my poetry, but sometimes it clips in!

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Jillian Joy's avatar

That may be true, but also, to me, you always seem to do what you need to :)

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Chuck's avatar

Haiku on, my wayward son.

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Larry Brickner-Wood's avatar

I hear you Chuck! Carry on!

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A. Wilder Westgate's avatar

These are beautiful, Larry. I read them multiple times and found it especially powerful to focus on the first, second, and third lines of each. There's a gorgeous parallel of a hopeful beginning, the naming of conflict, and a circling back to that triumphant hope in each one.

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Larry Brickner-Wood's avatar

Thank you A. I often feel adrift and not quite sure where I'm heading, and I appreciate you noticing something I was was not even quite conscious of!

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A. Wilder Westgate's avatar

Your observations often reveal things in my own writing I hadn't been aware of!

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Larry Brickner-Wood's avatar

Thank goodness for our teammates!

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A. Wilder Westgate's avatar

As a Leo, I was really excited by this prompt. And then as I was writing, I started to worry that it might seem narcissistic to be naming only my strengths, and I considered inserting the more "negative" traits to add balance - but I decided against it, because we're allowed to celebrate ourselves without qualifying it.

Forged in fire

amongst August's

hazy heat, a heart

loyal and loving,

with desire in

the driver's seat.

.

Poised for progress,

engaging growth's

bold birthing, a beat

pursuing passion,

with willing warmth,

most worthy.

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Jillian Joy's avatar

Thanks for sharing this part of your process today, A. I think this is precisely the medicine of the lion and lionheart - to feel and identify our strengths with grace, and to also know that doing so doesn't have an implication of scarcity or guilt, but is simply... living :)

Also, your poem is written with SO much respect and integrity. It is so very pure and clear, every word. It is *chef's kiss* <3 I love every line. Thank you :)

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Julie Schmidt's avatar

I too am glad you went with the strengths! I truly love and relate to allowing desire and passions have a say. More than that to lead. To see what comes from such bold and fierce creativity.

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A. Wilder Westgate's avatar

Yes! I saw a lot of the same energy in your poem today!

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Julie Schmidt's avatar

❤️

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Larry Brickner-Wood's avatar

I love this A. and so happy you decided against the "balancing" of your affirmation with noting negatives. Heaven knows, we all have them, and like most of us, I often think of those first. It is empowering to see you claim your strengths and affirming gifts. Douing so is a wonderful retraining of our congnitive awareness, to go to the affirming rather than the negatively critical, by default. I celebrate your many wonderful gifts and postive quaities. Keep on shining!

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Larry Brickner-Wood's avatar

This is wonderful, Jillian! Thank you for sharing this amazing song--I am listening to more of Steph Sings music as I type. It means so much that this prompt speaks to you so personally, and what a gift for you to share this with us. You help me put on my lionheart in this pride month and throughout the year, finding my own particular fierceness laced with compassion and love. Yur poem is empowering, fierce and prophetic. The music you create helps all of us roar!

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Jillian Joy's avatar

I LOVE this song too, Larry :) It literally had me leaping and roaring for quite some time when I first discovered it :) Glad you appreciate it as well!

And thank you so much for your overall appreciation today! As I said, this is a very special topic for me - perhaps my favorite of them all in its way - so to be received so warmly within it is such a blessing.

Andddd such a MIGHTY roar right back to you, Larry :) It's just such a joy to hear your self-reflections and witness your growth over these weeks. Not knowing you previously, I wouldn't have said that you were ever anything but the fierce, compassionate, and loving soul you always show up to be <3

Much love to you!

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Larry Brickner-Wood's avatar

Thank you Jillian. You are lion of lions!

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Larry Brickner-Wood's avatar

I like the playlist Jillian, and have listened to it throughout the day. I am an ardent new fan of Steph Sings!

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Jillian Joy's avatar

Oh that makes me so happy, Larry :) Then we're in quite a similar position! haha

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Astrid's avatar

What a glorious and special prompt and BEAUTIFUL poem from the most wonderful lion I know <3 I just finished writing a section in my dissertation about Richard the Lionheart so in the end I just had to go for knights-and-ladies-themed poetry, but I'm also feeling so much lion energy every day while participating in this challenge <3

.

Raise your sword and rally up the cry,

The people, they dream of a man like you!

You have the skill to turn their blood to fire

And drive them towards what God wills them do!

Yet merciful, ever a gentle king,

Protector of those mild and weak of will,

Their valiant champion, ready to spring

‘Twixt innocent and those who mean them ill.

I’d always be too soft for such a man,

Awed though I am by what I see in you.

No taste for ambition or cosmic plans;

I keep my small horizons well in view.

So I would always have to say farewell,

The time would come when you would ride away,

And though I loved you more than passing well,

It weren’t for me to try to make you stay.

Yet, though I know your nature bids us part,

Save me a soft place in your lion’s heart.

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Larry Brickner-Wood's avatar

I like this Astrid! Thank you for the context regarding your dissetation. I wish you well with that. I like the noble nature of your poem, the swing and flow, and the period flavor of your words. Here is to the soft places in the heart!

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