Solitude

solitude can bring you wisdom
 but love and companionship brings growth.
I walk among mountains within desert landscapes
to find myself. to find inner peace.  

I then return to the people I love,
and share the insights, wisdom and happiness.
And so together we can learn and grow. 

Next time I take you with me into the desert,
into the mountains. 

JB, 2014. 

Photographs taken in the South Sinai, Egypt.

Spend a moment...

spend a moment outside

and feel

the wind against your face

spend a moment in the sun

and soak

the rays into your skin

spend a moment under a tree

and touch 

the rough skin of its trunk

spend a moment on grass

barefoot

and wiggle your toes into the green

spend a moment in the rain

and taste

the fresh drops wash away the dirt

spend a moment in a field of flowers

and see

the colour reaching into your heart

spend a moment in a forest

and breathe in

the trees and layers of growth and decay

spend a moment in the ocean

and hear

the roar of the water, the power, the rush

spend a moment outside

and be you

be free, be wild and happy.

Janet Botes, 2013

Find your Song

The music is louder and clearer 
to some of us than for others. 
Some people have a drumbeat 
that their life bounces to, 
while others people's days 
are entangled 
as the strings of a broken harp, 
or flowing 
on the throaty tune of a wooden flute. 

We each have a rhythm, 
a song, a spirit song. 
Open your ears, 
open your heart, 
open your mind 
to the notes, 
beat or melody 
of your call to dance."

Janet Botes, February 2013

This poem was written during a writing course that I've been taking, called "Write On". I strongly recommend this course, these sessions have been very inspiring and uplifting! The confidence that I'm developing in my writing is flowing over to my visual art too, so I'm endlessly grateful to Amy's (as the facilitator) encouragement and guidance. Here's the info for Write On:

Write On
Because Everyone Has a Story to Tell. Workshops, Groups & Courses in Unblocking Creativity, Self Expression & Finding Your Voice through Writing. Based in Cape Town, South Africa. Contact us at writeonsouthafrica@gmail.com

• www.facebook.com/WriteOnSouthAfrica
• twitter.com/WriteOnSA