Poetry & Journaling Archives

Poetic writing can naturally emerge in the pages of your journal. Many journal writers have a love of poetry, words and stories. Many poets keep journals. Be inspired by the poems within our IAJW Journal Blog!

3 Daily Habits to Stay Grounded, Happy & Hopeful

Have you ever noticed how small things, done regularly, can make a big positive difference in your daily life? I was recently speaking with a friend about the importance of staying grounded, optimistic and inspired inside of myself, regardless of outer circumstances. We all know that many things can impact our mood, our joy, our ... Read More >>

Lynda Monk2025-04-21T13:30:50-07:00April 21st, 2025|Benefits of Journaling, Journal Prompts, Poetry & Journaling|

Poetry Journaling – Special Wings by Lynda Monk (inspired by Rumi)

Playing with Poetry Workshop with Beth Jacobs, PhD On March 1st, Beth Jacobs offered an inspiring Playing with Poetry online workshop in our IAJW journaling community. One of the activities in this workshop involved reading the SPECIAL PLATES poem by Rumi. The invitation after that, was to write our own poem inspired by the ... Read More >>

Lynda Monk2025-03-11T12:28:25-07:00March 11th, 2025|Journal Examples, Poetry & Journaling|

Melancholic Alchemy by Stephanie Needham

Melancholic Alchemy By Stephanie Needham It's not so much what makes my heart sing, It's more about the warm glow I long to feel as the spark inside me blooms. I am a woman too often burdened with heavy, this may be the melancholic star I was born under- family of origin sent me ... Read More >>

Lynda Monk2022-02-14T15:19:43-08:00February 11th, 2022|Journal Examples, Poetry & Journaling|

Heron – James Bay, Prevost Island by Duncan Elsey

This is a beautiful example of journaling in nature. It is also an example of how journaling can become poetry, and how meaningful self-reflection is possible through stories and words... Heron - James Bay, Prevost Island by Duncan Elsey A heron skims the calm grey water, chasing its own reflection across the mirror flat surface. ... Read More >>

Lynda Monk2021-11-22T14:03:13-08:00November 22nd, 2021|Journal Examples, Journaling for Men, Poetry & Journaling|

Summer Comes by Jo Ann Koltyk plus Journal Prompts

Summer comes Wedged between the sacred cycles Of Easter and Advent. Summer comes in the liturgical calendar. Of Ordinary Times, the Ordinal, marking of a different kind of sacred. Summer comes like the pool of a lake, Stretching forth without ritual To greet the stars that meet the dawn. Summer is not like spring – ... Read More >>

Lynda Monk2021-09-03T12:00:23-07:00July 29th, 2021|Journal Prompts, Poetry & Journaling|

Blessing for a Writer – In Memory of Pat Schneider

I have been thinking about Pat Schneider, who sadly passed away on August 10th, 2020. Pat was a member of our IAJW Journal Council and an incredible writer who's work I have long admired. Pat was a well-loved poet and author of ten books including five volumes of poems, How the Light Gets In: Writing as a Spiritual ... Read More >>

Lynda Monk2020-10-12T16:26:18-07:00October 12th, 2020|Poetry & Journaling|

Everything Is Waiting For You by David Whyte

I often turn to poetry for inspiration in my life. With everything going on during COVID-19, I am trying to balance keeping up with the news with reading words that are nourishing, encouraging and hopeful. Everything is waiting for you Your great mistake is to act the drama as if you were alone. As if ... Read More >>

Lynda Monk2021-09-02T15:29:37-07:00April 9th, 2020|Poetry & Journaling|

Pandemic – A Poem by Lynn Ungar

Pandemic What if you thought of it as the Jews consider the Sabbath— the most sacred of times? Cease from travel. Cease from buying and selling. Give up, just for now, on trying to make the world different than it is. Sing. Pray. Touch only those to whom you commit your life. Center down. And ... Read More >>

Lynda Monk2021-08-19T15:31:36-07:00March 25th, 2020|Journal Prompts, Poetry & Journaling|

Making Room for the Muse – A Poem by Carolyn Koehnline

Making Room for the Muse We need not be afraid. A thousand gifts will flood the void when we loosen our grip and let our hands fall open. Too easily we fill our minds, our hearts, our homes, with frantic chanting on TV, crowding jumbo cans from warehouse stores onto shelves squeezed tight and flustered. ... Read More >>

Lynda Monk2021-09-03T11:42:27-07:00June 24th, 2019|Poetry & Journaling|

Words by Denise Simmons

Words Words created, used, shaped into form Expressions born Single, duo, trioʼs and more Language shopping store Fantasy of words, spoken, written, Sometimes signed Created master pieces, words, riddles, rhymes, Letters, even musical chimes Shaping lives, history, love and glory Expressions of real human stories Seeing in heart how words create beautiful Mosaic ART Leaving ... Read More >>

Lynda Monk2021-09-03T11:46:10-07:00May 15th, 2019|Poetry & Journaling|

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