Professional Inspiration

By Dr. Traci Lawson

A compilation of poetry from over four decades, Professional Inspiration is a book that will appeal to many audiences. Primarily including love poetry inspired by men from many walks of life who loved the author, the book encompasses poetry on a wide variety of topics. For those who love poetry, Professional Inspiration is the perfect mixture of

• Language: English
• Publisher: Dr. Traci Lawson-Kelley
• Release date: Apr 13, 2023
• ISBN: 9786388325454

Book preview

Professional Inspiration

Dr. Traci Lawson

Copyright © 2022

Dedication

You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view... Until you climb inside of his skin and walk around in it.

― Harper Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird

This is what you shall do; Love the earth and sun and the animals, despise riches, give alms to everyone that asks, stand up for the stupid and crazy, devote your income and labor to others, hate tyrants, argue not concerning God, have patience and indulgence toward the people, take off your hat to nothing known or unknown or to any man or number of men, go freely with powerful uneducated persons and with the young and with the mothers of families, read these leaves in the open air every season of every year of your life, re-examine all you have been told at school or church or in any book, dismiss whatever insults your own soul, and your very flesh shall be a great poem and have the richest fluency not only in its words but in the silent lines of its lips and face and between the lashes of your eyes and in every motion and joint of your body.

― Walt Whitman

Have enough courage to trust love one more time and always one more time. – Maya Angelou

This book of poetry is dedicated to

First and foremost, to God, His Son and Savior of the World, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit who not only created me with every good and flawed attribute I possess but continually inspires me to fulfill the purpose for which I was brought into this world to be and do.

My daddy, Thomas Guy Lawson, who wanted to become a writer himself but sacrificed his dream for my mother, whom he dearly loves, and my sister and me to provide for us from the day he said I do until the day he utters his last breath on this earth. He has been the best daddy, role model, and support system that this girl has ever known. I will always be eternally grateful for the time he spent reading to my sister and me every night and the love he shows for us each and every day.

My mother, Carolyn Lawson, and sister, Terrie Pinion, for their unconditional love that grows stronger amongst us with each passing day.

My best friend, Joan Beebe, who keeps me grounded, true to my convictions, and guarded against the pitfalls of this world. She has been my rock for five years now, and I could not have finished this project without her love and support.

My 6th grade English teacher, Dr. Gwendolyn B. Mundy, who saw something in a little girl from Oakwood, GA, that I could not see in myself. She took my friend Sharon and me to the play South Pacific at Pearce Auditorium, Brenau University in Gainesville, GA, one night just because she wanted us to have the experience of viewing and hearing an outstanding musical. Her act of kindness and belief in me allowed me to always know that I could do more than I thought I could.  She is the reason I became an English teacher. One person can make a major difference in another’s life, and she certainly made a difference in mine!

*I would be remiss in saying that this book is in many ways dedicated to every person I’ve ever met thus far in my life, for I, just like Alfred, Lord Tennyson, believe that each person and experience shapes each of us in ways we cannot know. At this point in my life, you all have shaped me for such a time as this, so I thank each of you for your contribution to the words that flow on these pages.

Author’s Note

Dear readers, please note that the poetry contained within this book was written over four decades of my life encompassing many topics. The poems contained within this book are primarily ones I wrote from the inspirations that various men provided to me as I fell in love with them during different stages of my life. I have used these men’s professions as a way to protect their identities; I have also changed names and places as warranted in many poems as well. As a younger woman, I struggled with self-esteem and weight which caused me to always view myself as less than others. While I was one of the brightest students in my class at Johnson High School, I was always looking for the perfect relationship with a male companion. These struggles have continued throughout my life as I have been married and divorced three times with many other relationships between failed marriages. In retrospect, I may have contributed more to their demise than I could have ever admitted at the time due to my own personality. I am hypersensitive and highly empathetic to a fault. Perhaps my greatest weakness and overwhelming fault is loving too much. In some cases, loving too much caused enabling behaviors that hurt me, exacerbating my issues of low self-esteem. While I have always been a strong person, upon the loss of a relationship, I rarely gave myself time to process the loss or heal, but rather I would jump right back into the sack to feel alive again. Those behaviors were not only risky but could have cost my life. Only through God’s grace and mercy am I still here to share my life through poetry with you.

Growing up in the church, I was very much aware of right and wrong, and I accepted Jesus Christ as my Savior when I was ten years old; however, I gave in to temptations from boyfriends and men every time. I could not seem to sever my ties from my need for men. In this book you will see through my words my life and the love I exuded with various men during my life – some of it expressed rather creatively using poetic license and some in a very realistic depiction. Please keep in mind that names and places have been altered to protect these men’s identities; however, I cannot rewrite my own history, as sordid as it became during some time periods. While I cannot condone my risky behaviors at times, I cannot deny them either as I am far from a perfect person. Fortunately, once I came to terms with my temptations from men and asked God to deliver me from the ongoing problem, He did. I surrendered everything to Him, and He forgave me for my sins and replaced my angst with peace. I no longer have to participate in risky behaviors or have a need to be chasing after a man. I have been set free!

There are three chapters on the Love of God in this book to emphasize that my love for our Savior far surpasses the love for all other things, family, friends, or men. God created me, and I belong to him, and I try to serve Him through service to my fellow man. This book is a contribution of service to others as many of you will be able to relate to my experiences. Additionally, this book is for all people and is not gender-specific. We all struggle in various ways and allow different temptations to keep us from living out our purpose or using our talents or gifts. For anyone who believes that having reckless sexual encounters is a glamorous lifestyle, you are terribly misguided. The poetry in this book was never written to glamorize any aspect of my life. Please know that the consequences of such a lifestyle are nothing to rejoice about but rather lead to more disappointments about oneself that can last a lifetime. Without God’s forgiveness, my life would remain empty and full of regret. May this book serve each reader to find God and develop a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, His son, to overcome the sinful life that we all lead without Him.

For all of the many poetry lovers who will read the poems contained within, may you enjoy this summary of the book in poetry format:

Poetry is the way I choose to express myself,

The way I communicate with my readers.

You’ll see beneath the surface a reality

That may surprise my foes and defenders.

The poems you’ll read within these pages were hard lessons,

For they show the sordid past I’d like to forget,

But then you’d not realize my many flaws and all my scars

Nor how the Savior gave me love and recompense.

A new creation now I am since Jesus changed my path.

He took a reckless girl with quite an impure past

And rearranged her trajectory now free from God’s wrath.

And now she lives in Jesus’ arms, loved and no longer bound.

So as you read these poems and see some shame and guilt

Know I’ve changed, and now upon our Lord, my life is built.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1 - Love Of God

God LOVES You!

Our Spinning World

Healing Power

How Much Longer?

Paradigm Shift

The God of the Universe

Chapter 2 - COMPUTER TECHNICIAN

Those Eyes of Wonder

Alex

My Little Man

My Son

Thinking of You

The Ghosts of Thanksgiving Past

Provision of Adversity

May Peace Remain

Chapter 3 - Christian Broadcaster

A Safe Place to Land

Communication With a Little Imagination

Conflicted

Friends Forever

Happy Hearts

Hopeful for the Future

I Like Having A Friend

I Miss You Most

Love Came Down

One More Chance

Over My Head

Please Don’t Rearrange

Rhythm and Rhyme

What I Want It to Be

What to Do?

Chapter 4 - Doctor

Midnight at the Oasis

My Dream with You

My Eclectic Life

In the Middle with You

Let’s Sing

Are You a Foodie Too?

Words You Speak

What Do I Want to Say to You?

Being Awesome for You

I Won’t Give Up

The Struggle Is Real

Morning Blessings

It's Your Turn

The Star of My Show

Chapter 5 - Landscaper, Salesman, and Student

Happy Birthday, 38!

Thirty-Nine

My Heart

A Time for Love

I See Us

It’s Over Again

Thinking About You

I Write Out of Boredom

Goodbye, Allure

My Organic Friend

Stuck in Indecision

Finding True

Chapter 6 - Poet

In Between Me and I

Justification of Injustice

Forgiveness

Please Forgive My Psychosis

Jail Without Bars

Empty Words

Home Depot Diddle-Daddle

Knowing that You Care

Missing West Hall

Missing You

Pass Over My Turkey

The Day Comes Upon Us

Second by Second

Mark Upon This World

Glistening Moonlight

Pray

Symbiotic Transformation

The Language of Love

The Rules of the Day

Tutoring Challenges

Tutoring Time

Chapter 7 - Soldier

A Broken Valentine

Fifty

For My Valentine 2006

Hope

I’m Feeling It

Inside Out

It’s All About the Simple Things

Long Time Home

Missing You

So Cold

Success

The Song I Couldn’t Finish

Waiting Here to Hear Some News

Look Up

Chapter 8 - Love of God – Personal Needs

Stepping Aside

Reminded of the Sacrifice

Going Beyond

One Deserving Kiss

From Pieces to Peace

Waiting on You

Lonely Loneliness

Just a Girl Like Me

God’s Plan

The One I’ve Only Dreamt

Walking Through the Pain

What Matters to Me

Chapter 9 - Tradesman

There You Were

To Close My Eyes and Dream

All I Have Are Memories To Remind Me Of Our Time

Sparklers and Firecrackers Light Up the Night

What Happens to A Love That Cannot Be?

What’s This Special Feeling

To Wish for What Might Have Been

Sharing The Dance

Whenever I Hear the Song

The Look of Love

My Hope Springs Eternal

It’s Not the Way You Say It

I Know That Dreams Do Come True

Sometimes My Heart Feels Empty

I Know You’ll Never Leave Her

Chapter 10 - USDA Inspector

A New Path

Indecision

My Passion

My Romance

One More Fantasy

The Angst of Love

The Answer

When Night has Fallen on a Cold Winter Night

While I Sit Confined

While You Were Sleeping

Chapter 11 - Corrections Officer

Love Gives New Life

God Sent You to Rescue Me

Contemplation

Beloved

You are My Gift

Words You Speak

Shall I Compare Thee

Begin Again

New Life

Because You Care

You Make It Feel Like Thanksgiving

How Quickly Things Can Change

I Want You to Know

Take Me to a Cabin

Christmas with You

Why Should We Wait?

My New Life

Chapter 12 - Writer

Marching to Time

The Sunny Daylight

Janus Splits My Mind

Mend, My Friend

Haiku Selections

There Came a Man

Philosophy of Educational Leadership

On the Completion of EEN 709

Experience of Loss

When Looking Back Upon This Time

When Is Life Normal?

Another Challenge Comes with Every Age

Dark Depths

Unique Commonality

Where I Come From

Inside Me

Chapter 13 - Friends and Family

A Talented Artist

At Seventy-Four

From ATM to Brent

Happy Birthday, Joan – You are 73 Today!

Happy Birthday, Tim!

To Godmother Eula with Love

Happy Anniversary, 61 years

A Mother’s Love

Happy Birthday, Daddy!

The Towering Man

My Sister - Happy Birthday!

My Best Friend

My Life Is Measured

Best