Bending While Standing on Breaking

By Sandra Blythe

The platform of Bending While Standing on Breaking is a result of many events that have taken place over the past year overlapping into current day. The voice of this poetry is one of concern, sincerity, and pursuit of unity. This book is another project that creates pause for readers to step back and reconsider your own contribution to the world. It also takes a personal journey, allowing some soul-searching and self-evaluation. This assessment may navigate you to a healthier place. In summary, this truly is a three-dimensional life-lesson poetry book that will keep you wondering whats on the next page.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: May 22, 2018
• ISBN: 9781546243151

Sandra Blythe

Sandra Blythe is a native of Dayton, Ohio. She has authored and published three life altering literary works of poetry, the first Poetry in Different Colors, The Silence is Too Loud and now Bending While Standing on Breaking. Sandra is a multi-talented woman who is not only an author/ poet, but she is also a singer, songwriter and a motivational speaker. The guiding force behind her latest workshop is a direct result of her revious book, The Silence is Too Loud. Sandra Blythe continues to chart powerful workshops as well as poetry books that reveal, restore and transform.

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© 2018 SAndra Blythe. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse 05/18/2018

ISBN: 978-1-5462-4316-8 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-5462-4315-1 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2018906097

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models,

and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Contents

Acknowledgment

Foreword

A Poetic Introduction

BURNING THE BRIDGE OR BRIDGING THE GAP

Chapter 1

Bending While Standing on Breaking

A Word That Has Lost Its Meaning

The Answer is the Problem

Threading the Generations

Genderosity (No, Not Generosity)

They Must Be Heard

There Go I

Back to Black

A Difference That Makes No Difference

Black Woman

Hole, Hold, Whole

CATCHING THE SLANT

Chapter 2

Back and Shoulders

You Can’t Make Wrong Right

If, Then, How, Not Why

Secure in Your Insecurities

From Around the Way

A Missed Opportunity is Not a Meant Opportunity

Purposeful Positions

An Emotional Paralysis

In a Moment

Breathing Until I Can Exhale

The Arrival of Fearless

THE CHARACTER OF THE MAN

Chapter 3

Excuses, Explanations and Reasons

B-U-L-L-Y

Loyalty That is a Tragedy

Contaminator

First Examples on the Scene

You Don’t Know My Story

Meet Me at Just Me

An Interrupted Destination

Gaining Perspective Retrospectively

SPIRITUAL NUTRITION

Chapter 4

A Love That Cannot Be Authenticated

Consistently Inconsistent

Giving Up on the Gift

Sugar Sin

And When I Came to Myself

The Nature of God and Me

Bragging on God

A Day Without You

Not Right Now

A LOVE DEFICIT

Chapter 5

Lost at Home

A Change in Climate

The Great Pretender

Too Good, Too Much and Not Enough

From Stop to Start

He is Not Your Man

A Desire That Breeds Desperation

If You Don’t Know No

When You Want It More

When You Think You Don’t Matter

COLORS OF LOVE

Chapter 6

The We That Came After Me

A Perfect Storm

In a Moment

The One Who Got Away

I Didn’t Listen

Saving You from Me

The Others Were Not Me

Your Love

GIVING ROSES

Chapter 7

The Recovery of Friendship

The Joy of a Grandchild

The Silhouette

My Other Big Brother

Part of the Glue

The Cost of the Calling

ALL ME

Chapter 8

Invisible

I Lost My Way

Feared or Fought

He Was… Until He Wasn’t

Damaged Goods

Showing Up for Me

My Poetic Epilogue

Acknowledgment

I would like to thank God for once again navigating me through a compilation of heart-felt poetry that I hope will resonate in the lives of each reader.

Bending While Standing on Breaking is a book that in some ways just happened. Once I had written a couple of poems, the vision became clear as I realized where this was destined to go and the steps I needed to climb to get there. There are some poems which are difficult to process, but are sobering to the mind and spirit which allow you to embrace the message. I must stress if you have followed me since Poetry in Different Colors, this book will not mirror the content of what you have previously experienced. Bending While Standing on Breaking will take you on a universal and personal odyssey where there are no comparisons to my previous books; literally apples to oranges.

It was pertinent to incorporate some objective listeners and have people who did not have tunnel vision to walk with me through these poems. I am very grateful as this has taken a team of dedicated friends to make this come together so wonderfully. Jeremy Henderson and Tymika Maupins made the cover of this book possible and did an incredible job. I had no idea what to expect, but the final product is awesome. Caron Guthrie and Terrie Perdue took on the tedious task of being my second set of eyes by taking the role as editors. And finally, my family who provided me with feedback and supported me in this effort which always is invaluable.

Foreword

It is my distinct honor and privilege to write the foreword for Sandra R. Blythe’s third book, Bending While Standing on Breaking. In her first book, Poetry in Different Colors, she explored many of the lessons from life experiences, meeting readers where they were. In the lyricism of her poetry, she examined the lessons of relationships, from the transience of those romantic to the eternity of those spiritual. In her sophomore effort, The Silence is Too Loud, she guided readers on an odyssey of self-determination and self-examination, promoting personal accountability and responsibility. Her objective was to be the voice of those who had not yet found theirs.

Ms. Blythe’s