Let's Go Walking in the Storm: A Collection of Poetry and Reflections for Soul and Spirit

By Gloria D. Gonsalves

What happens when soul and spirit face a storm together?

They meet pretence, doubt, fear, anger, grief, revulsion, and desperation. After a walk through the commotions, they get a reality of darkness obscuring them from light. In this divine walk, they may be gifted revelations of what truly matters. Sometimes, there are answers. Other times, there are no answers. The walk through the storm opens the door to godly rooms where divine meaning, authentic truth, and deeper understanding reside.

Let’s Go Walking in the Storm is a soulful anthology of poetry and reflections. It’s the murky walking trail, with stormy stopovers, to the divine. Through poems and reflections, the book delves into human sufferings, environmental problems, violent conflicts and immigration, the COVID-19 pandemic, and racism and discrimination. As a spiritual journey to seek understanding and acceptance in the chaos, the spirit is also honoured with inspirations.

May you find calm when it’s time to walk in the storm.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse UK
• Release date: Oct 28, 2020
• ISBN: 9781665581561

Gloria D. Gonsalves

Gloria D. Gonsalves, also fondly known as Auntie Glo, is an award-winning author and multi-published poet. She likes to take long walks in nature and admire flowers. Her three-year-old son inspired her to learn to draw flowers using crayons. Gloria hopes you will learn to enjoy reading, and perhaps you too can teach someone else about flowers. You can visit her at www.gloria-gonsalves.com.

Book preview

Let’s go

Walking

in the Storm

A Collection of Poetry and Reflections for Soul and Spirit

Gloria D. Gonsalves

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AuthorHouse™ UK

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Phone: UK TFN: 0800 0148641 (Toll Free inside the UK)

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Copyright © 2020 Gloria D. Gonsalves. 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 10/28/2020

ISBN: 978-1-6655-8154-7 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-6655-8155-4 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-6655-8156-1 (e)

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

A PROLOGUE: ON RELIGION AND MY WRITING

A NOW PRAYER

THE MOSS KNOWS

DO NOT PREACH TO ME

CANDID RAMBLING

A CHILD’S PRAYER

MADE OF CHANCES

SHE SPOKE A RIVER; THE OCEAN HAD RATHER FORGET

WHEN A CHILD DRINKS THE BROKEN PIECES

EMANCIPATED CLICHÉS

TINKERING IN THE KITCHEN

OUTCAST

OBLIVIOUS MUSE

CRAWLING IS SIN OF MIND TO HEAR DOUBTS

DRINKING FROM A BLUE TEACUP

A DANCE OF CHANCE

PEACE AND THE DEAD

NOBODY IS LONELIER THAN DEATH

A REFLECTION ON GIVING GRACE WITH OUR WORDS

A REFLECTION ON LIFE IS FRAGILE

A REFLECTION ON GROWTH

A REFLECTION ON WORKING HARD

A REFLECTION ON STRENGTH AND WEAKNESS

SELF-PORTRAIT AS ARES

UNSHAPING THE FUTURE

A DOUBLE STANDARD

PLEASE TAKE MY WINGS

YOUR DREAM IS ALIVE

WHY DID YOU WAVE FOR ME?

2015

IN THE BOAT SAILING TO HOPE

LET THEM COME

IT RAINED A LESSON

OUR FLAGS’ PRAYER

A REFLECTION ON GROWING WHERE YOU ARE PLANTED

A REFLECTION ON CRAWLING

IF I COULD SPEAK WORDS OF HUMAN

LETTER TO BOUGAINVILLEA

THE STORY OF TREES

STOP AND LISTEN TO THE SPIRITS

THE DEAD IN THE FOREST

THE SLAYER WHO WEPT FOR TREES

ONCE UPON THE EARTH

A NECKLACE FROM THIRTY-THREE CORAL ATOLLS

DESCENDANTS FROM THE ICE CREAM ERA

THE OCEAN SEEKS MY SORROW AS ITS WATER

THE FIGHT AGAINST…

WARNING! PROTECT WHAT CANNOT CRY

DEATH OF THE ROSE

WHO ARE WE?

A REFLECTION ON MUSHROOM SPOTTING

A REFLECTION ON ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

A REFLECTION ON RAISING A NATURE-LOVING CHILD

THE WILDERNESS OF OUR OLD LIFE

PANDEMIC PROTOCOL

THE OUTSIDE CALLED ON THE INSIDE

THE NEIGHBOUR’S PRAYER

EVENING MEDITATION OF PANDEMIC LIFE

THE SUN BRINGERS

THE ALMANAC OF SMALL THINGS IN LIFE

A LIFE OF MANY DEATHS

HYMN TO GREEN SPIRIT

A REFLECTION ON SMALL THINGS DURING THE PANDEMIC

A REFLECTION ON RESILIENCE

THE PLEASURE OF BATHING IS NOT NATIONAL

A THOUSAND CUTS

HOW DOES THE FLOWER FEEL?

AT THE EDGE OF THE MOUNTAIN

THE ODIUM STOPOVER

THE WIND

I STAND HERE TODAY

I WAS FINE AS MARGARITA

MADE TO SHINE

JE, WEWE NI MBAGUZI?

YOU AND ME HOLDING HANDS

HEARTS AJAR AND LOCKED

MOUNTAINS AND THIS MOMENT

CLINGING TO HOPE

2020 SOLILOQUY

A REFLECTION ON RIGHTEOUS ANGER

A REFLECTION ON NURTURING RACIAL AND CULTURAL TOLERANCE

TO DAUGHTERS AND SONS OF DAVID

A POEM BEGINNING WITH A LINE BY ANNE CARSON

IN THE ALLEY OF THOUGHTS

A WEARY SOUL CONJURING UP LIFE

RHYME OF LIFE

WISHING ON A STAR

MEDITATION ON REDEMPTION

THE LEAF

WHITE MAGNOLIA

LIFE AS WHITE MAGNOLIA

A DEITY IN THE SAVANNA

THE CORONATION

THE SUNDAY VERNISSAGE

FROM WEST-EAST (WE) YOU ARE NEVER ALONE

WE’RE THE CENTRE OF LIGHT

CHILD, WHERE IS YOUR COLOUR?

UNDER THE AEGIS OF SPIRITS

A SUMMIT IN THE ALPINE HILLS

OF HOLY AND HUMAN

THE LORD’S WINTER BLUES

COALESCED INTO HOPE AND LIGHT

UNTIL YOUR LEGACY IS SANCTIFIED

A HYMN TO THOU SPIRIT

INEXORABLE

A REFLECTION ON CREATIVITY

A REFLECTION ON AUTUMN SEASON

A MOON REFLECTION

A REFLECTION ON SAVING THE WORLD

THIS PLACE

A REFLECTION ON WORDS FROM ANOTHER FAITH

A SUNDAY REFLECTION

THANK YOU

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

EXPLORE POETRY AND PROSE FROM OTHER COLLECTIONS

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

BOOK SYNOPSIS

A PROLOGUE:

ON RELIGION AND MY WRITING

There have been occasions when some of my readers have confronted me regarding my religious denomination. My response has been and continues to be, Did you see a religious criterion to read any of my writing?

Religion should not be about converting or judging others. I would like to think that as humans, we need to give each other the freedom to grow spiritually in (or without) any religious faith. Each one of us connects with a Higher Power in a way that makes sense to us, whether through Jesus, Muhammad, Yogananda, Buddha, archangels, the Great Spirit, etc. Therefore, my faith, your faith, and anyone’s faith should not hinder us from treating each other with respect and love.

My messages are focused on inspiring readers regardless of their religious background. Sometimes I may lean more towards my Christian faith. This should not be translated that I want you to become one. It only means that I can express myself better that way. Also, I grew up in Tanzania, where all religious faiths are embraced with respect. The country’s public holidays include Christian and Muslim celebrations. As such, I do not hesitate to acknowledge lessons from other religious groups to help me grow spiritually.

As a reader, I thank you for understanding and respecting one another regardless of our religious background.

A NOW PRAYER

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Whoever,

whatever,

you are.

Here we are

two spirits

as they are.

Thanking

where we are

what we are.

Praying for

all as they are

for we are.

Bless finder

of this are

and ever are.

Are.

THE MOSS KNOWS

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I was born to mothers of rich silence.

Some truths buried like a contagious body.

They were the generation of ample unspoken.

I played with sisters of obedience.

We respected without question.

The