I use my middle name — Hi, I am Christine (or Chris). I have used my middle name since 8th grade. My full legal name is Ann Christine Tabaka. In high school, I was known as Christie. All my friends and family know me as Chris. I use my full name for legal, financial, and medical…

What a lovely surprise! — I was surprised and elated when I saw I was tagged in an article published by Denise Larkin. She selected me as one of the two top writers in The Lark for June. How exciting. Denise also shared 4 of my poems and a short story that had all been…

A poem — *(this poem was written so that you can read it two ways, as it is, or the second line of each stanza first, followed by the first line.) A week that never was, on the other side of. What has transpired, trying to forget. To look past yesterday, pain that will…

A poem [sort of] —

Have you ever asked yourself that question? — Some of us go through our day-to-day lives without giving it a second thought. Others are constantly questioning the reason for their existence. As I grow older, it becomes harder for me to blindly accept many things. Even simple chores are not so simple anymore. Everything feels more complicated, When…

Plant some flowers today! — National Pollinators Month in June encourages the planting of pollinator gardens of native, non-invasive pollen and nectar-producing plants. When these gardens bloom, they attract bees, birds, bats, and other natural pollinators. The dictionary describes Pollinators as: pol·li·na·tor noun an insect or other agent that conveys pollen to a plant and so allows fertilization. “bees…

A modern senryu —

Celebrate the beauty of nature — Whether you have containers on a city stoop or acres of land, including native plants in your garden makes a big impact on wildlife. Support your local pollinators (it’s Pollinator Month, too!) and the rest of the ecosystem by planting a native plant this week! If you have read any…

A poem — No more hallelujahs. A withering chorus dies. Words crumble into dust. Paper-thin whispers weep for their loss. Standing lonely on the side, a voice cries out redemption. Single steps and double jumps across a nonexistent page. Invisible to all but a few who seek the mortality of the moment. Too…