POETRY AND OTHER ART COLLECTIVELY CREATED BY THE HUMMINGBIRD MEMORY CAFE POETIC PAUSES: Pause to Appreciate
POETRY AND OTHER ART COLLECTIVELY CREATED BY THE HUMMINGBIRD MEMORY CAFE POETIC PAUSES: Pause to Appreciate
Other publications by the Hummingbird Memory Cafe Family Book of Joy Brenda and Billy's Beautiful Balloon Ride Cafe Creativity Collection Children’s Reading List: Books About Dementia Collective Creativity Francine’s Fun Iridescence: A Resource Guide Mikey Franklin's Friendship Springer ‘Spirations The Hummingbird Herald Yanceyisms Available at https://linktr.ee/hummingbirdmemorycafe.
HUMMINGBIRD MEMORY CAFE POETRY AND OTHER ART COLLECTIVELY CREATED BY THE HUMMINGBIRD MEMORY CAFE POETIC PAUSES: Pause to Appreciate
Published 2024 by Hummingbird Memory Cafe All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval without written permission from the author, except for the inclusion of brief quotations in a review. Poetry was collectively written during cafe engagements unless otherwise noted. Cover design and layout of the book by Nicolette McDermott-Ketchum. Images accessed from canva.com except when noted otherwise. Poetry | Inspiration | Gratitude | Creativity | Community Poetic Pauses: Pause to Appreciate shares the collective experiences, emotions and memories of people living with and impacted by dementia. It is not meant to replace professional medical advice or counseling. Users of Poetic Pauses: Pause to Appreciate are encouraged to seek their own advice when deemed necessary. All involved with the creation of Poetic Pauses: Pause to Appreciate disclaim any liability arising from application of information included within. The contents of this book, including poetry and other artwork, is intended to inspire the artist in each of us to create in our own settings. Please adapt to the artist's situation, interests and abilities while using all items safely. Please contact the café if you have any questions about the content of this book.
Poetic Pauses: Pause to Appreciate is dedicated to all of us who are reimagining a better world where we all have access to what we need to thrive and find joy in our JOurneYs.
Foreword Take a moment to pause. Pause to remember the challenges we face. Pause to celebrate the opportunities we share and the chances we take to try something different. Pause to recognize our losses and acknowledge our individual and collective grief. Pause to take a deep breath and believe that we will go on and honor the strength and resiliency of each of us as we look toward new ways of doing things and engaging with each other. Poetry and other creative outlets provide opportunities for expressing ourselves on good days as well as challenging ones. The arts can connect us and allow us to begin a JOurneY of healing. There is no right or wrong when we are creating poetry or other art. Constraints are removed when we express ourselves through the arts. The poems and other artwork contained within capture moments we have taken at our cafe either in person or virtually to pause and reflect on the themes of the cafe as we connected our voices. The Hummingbird Memory Cafe expresses gratitude for everyone who engaged in these creative experiences using words and various art media to create original individual and group works of art. There is an artist in all of us. We all have the capability to manifest our creative thoughts in poetry and other forms of self-expression. May you be inspired to pause and consider how you might utilize the arts to express your joys and your sorrows, challenges and successes. Nicolette McDermott-Ketchum, Facilitator Hummingbird Memory Cafe
Prayer of Affirmation | 21 I AM | 23 Cafe Affirmations | 25 Book of Joy | 27 SPOTLIGHT GRATITUDE: AN ACROSTIC | 17 What words do you associate with the letters of gratitude? POEMS The Gift of You: A Hummingbird Speaks | 7 Gratitude Attitude | 9 Everything is Beautiful | 11 Colors All Around Us | 13 Freedom | 15 Gratitude: An Acrostic | 17 PROCESS There Is No One Way | 31 The Cafe Approach to Writing Poetry | 32 Adapting Our Process to a Virtual Format | 33 Take Your Own Poetic Pause | 34 Worksheet for Creating an Original Poem | 35 PROJECTS Journaling to Express Ourselves | 38 Day by Day Gratitude Challenge | 39 Share Your Gratitude: Write Someone a Card | 40 Creativity Challenge: Repurpose an Empty Jar | 41 Pause Everyday: Mindfulness Bingo | 42 Mandala Meditation | 43 CREATIVITY RESOURCES | 45 TRENDS JOURNALING TO EXPRESS OURSELVES | 38 A journal provides opportunities for expressing yourself in ways you enJOY. THE HUMMINGBIRD MEMORY CAFE STORY | 2 POSITIVITY CONTENTS
POETIC PAUSES: Pause to Appreciate
Memory cafes originated in the Netherlands in the 1990's. The first cafe in the United States started in Santa Fe, New Mexico in 2008. There are now thousands of memory cafes throughout the world. Planning for the Hummingbird Memory Cafe in Farmington, New Mexico, began in 2019 with gatherings of various community members who had a personal and/or professional connection to dementia. Community members recognized that people with dementia and their carers could benefit from the social and creative connections that are provided at a memory cafe. Dr. Jytte Lokvig, founder of the memory cafes in the United States, provided training about improving our communication for people with dementia, as well as ideas for engaging in co-creativity at the cafe. Due to COVID restrictions, we pivoted to an online platform and had the pleasure of gathering with others throughout the country and around the world who are reimagining dementia and finding joy in their JOurneYs. The cafe currently functions as a repository for resources that support our JOurneYs in living with dementia as a person diagnosed, a carer or other community members. The Hummingbird Memory Cafe Story 2 | POETIC PAUSES: PAUSE TO APPRECIATE
POSTMODERN PAINTING. Stella alternately paints in oil and watercolor A voluntary leadership approach allows the cafe to maintain its mission, values and vision without compromise. We are grateful to the individuals and organizations who provided space for training and gathering, as well as those who provided in-kind donations and donated their time to the cafe. We also share our appreciation for the volunteers who continued to engage via the virtual cafe format and continue to stay in touch via social media and email. Everyone who has been and continues to be involved with the cafe brings something special to our cafe family--your ideas, your sense of humor, your stories and more. Thank you to everyone involved with the cafe family. We are all so lucky to have each other, especially as the world around us is going through so many changes. elements of a cafe gathering the arts, laughter and social connection photo: Nicolette McDermott-Ketchum HUMMINGBIRD MEMORY CAFE | 3
The deepest craving of human nature is the need to be appreciated. WI L L I AM J AMES
The Poems
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THE GIFT OF YOU: A HUMMINGBIRD SPEAKS Nicolette McDermott-Ketchum You are special. One of a kind. There is no one else like you. We are grateful that you are here. Be just you. Share your gifts, talents and love with others. Let no one hold you back. Not even yourself. Embrace the moment. Be joyful. Fly free. Your beauty radiates amongst all of us. Keep shining! HUMMINGBIRD MEMORY CAFE | 7
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Gratitude Attitude "The" net gathers us together from around the world. A net to catch you if you fall. Connecting and communicating with others. Reaching out so you don't flounder alone. Watch the birds on the feeder. Smell the fresh mountain air. Relish the changing seasons. Some time to rest can sometimes be the best. The best is yet to come. Be the reason someone smiles today. Reciprocate the small kindnesses. We don't miss our water until the well runs dry. Remember not to take others for granted. Attitudes are contagious. Will ours be worth catching? HUMMINGBIRD MEMORY CAFE | 9
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Applique and Art Garfunkel and Simon Sounds of Silence Unique Sunshine Seasons Carnival Rides Cotton Candy Wizard of Oz Kansas Animals BEAUTIFUL EVERYTHING IS HUMMINGBIRD MEMORY CAFE | 11
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Beautiful green leaves Restful to my eyes Bluebirds gliding Over land and skies Sun sets and rises O'er the ocean blue Making for a Beautiful hue This land of wheat And golden grain Thirsts for sunshine And for rain Tie a yellow ribbon 'Round the golden hair Looking at colors Seen everywhere Colors All Around Us HUMMINGBIRD MEMORY CAFE | 13
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FREEDOM Freedom is choice And yet Sometimes we give up freedom By making a choice Freedom is the luxury of being able To do whatever you want within reason It is a happy feeling Like being out in the sunshine and breathing fresh air We are proud to be American Living in a great country Though freedom comes at a price Freedom is not free We respect freedom And do not take it lightly HUMMINGBIRD MEMORY CAFE | 15
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Gratitude: An Acrostic HUMMINGBIRD MEMORY CAFE | 17
Positive Pronouncements
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May I be filled with PEACE. May I APPRECIATE the good in my life. May PROTECTION surround me. May I be fueled by PURPOSE. May I experience PLEASURE. May I maintain PRESENCE with people. Prayer of Affirmation Nicolette McDermott-Ketchum HUMMINGBIRD MEMORY CAFE | 21
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I AM valued worthy powerful appreciated special enough HUMMINGBIRD MEMORY CAFE | 23
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Cafe Affirmations I choose joy. I am happy. I am open to new adventures. My dog brings joy to my life. I am grateful and blessed. I am excited to have a new day. I need a nap. HUMMINGBIRD MEMORY CAFE | 25
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WHAT BRINGS YOU JOY? WHERE HAVE YOU FOUND JOY IN YOUR LIFE? The Hummingbird Memory Cafe artists share their thoughts about finding joy in this easy-to-read book appropriate for all ages. https://heyzine.com/flip-book/170a1eda41.html Book of Joy provides opportunities for readers to reflect on joy in their lives and consider how joy can be shared with others. May all readers live well and find joy in their JOurneYs. Joy makes you happy. It puts a smile on your face. Joy must be foundwithin yourself to sharewith others. Shout for joy! Joy comeswith faith. Joy is awonderful feeling. Joy to theworld! Getting together during holidays can bring joy. Cooking together as a family is very joyful. Share childhood memories. Hewas a good friend of mine. Joy to theworld! Joyful towake in the morning. Joy is a purring kittywhen I come home at night. Joy iswhen the football team you are rooting forwins. Joy can come from success, good fortune or a sense ofwell-being. Joy makes you happy. It puts a smile on your face. HUMMINGBIRD MEMORY CAFE | 27
The Process
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What I love about poetry Is that there is no right or wrong There is no one way To write our song The letters may be TALL Or the letters may be small There may be a rhyme Or there may not The words may be solo Or the phrases may be l o n g There may be stanzas Or one l o n g song So it doesn't really matter How you get those words down Just write down your feelings Whether with a smile or frown There Is No One Way NICOLETTE MCDERMOTT-KETCHUM HUMMINGBIRD MEMORY CAFE | 31
1 C O N S I D E R A T H E M E . A theme can provide a springboard for poem ideas. THE CAFE APPROACH TO WRITING POETRY Creating poems collaboratively allows all cafe voices to be heard. 4 A R R A N G E WO R D S A N D I D E A S . The arrangement of your poem will depend on how you would like words and ideas to flow. For instance, will your poem rhyme or not? Will your poem be a listing of the words or ideas that were shared? Will your poem be arranged into stanzas? S H A R E Y O U R P O E M . Celebrate the beauty of your creation with others in your circle and beyond! 7 R E A D Y O U R P O E M . One person may choose to read the poem and/or the poem can be read aloud together. 6 5 Again, no right or wrong. What title would capture the spirit of your poem? T I T L E P O E M I F Y O U L I K E . BRAINS TORM WORDS AND IDEAS RE LAT ED TO THE THEME . There is no right or wrong in this process. What words or ideas come to mind when you consider the theme you have chosen? 2 CONS IDER RE LAT IONSHIPS BE TWE EN SUGGE S T ED WORDS AND IDEAS . How are individual words and ideas related to each other? Are they similar or opposite, for example? 3 32 | POETIC PAUSES: PAUSE TO APPRECIATE
ADAPTING OUR PROCESS TO A VIRTUAL FORMAT The whiteboard function of Zoom was used to record and organize the poets' words in real time. We are creative. We sing. We play. We connect. Grateful for friendship. Creative Together: A Haiku HUMMINGBIRD MEMORY CAFE | 33
TAKE YOUR OWN POETIC PAUSE: Create an original poem. After reading this collection of poetry and reviewing our process for writing poems, what's on your heart to express through this form of writing? Use the worksheet on the next page to brainstorm your ideas. Contact the cafe if you would like to share your work. 34 | POETIC PAUSES: PAUSE TO APPRECIATE
2 661 1 CONS IDER RE LAT IONSHIPS BE TWE EN SUGGE S T ED WORDS AND IDEAS . 3 A R R A N G E WO R D S A N D I D E A S . 4 1 T I T L E P O E M I F Y O U L I K E . 5 1 C O N S I D E R A T H E M E . R E A D Y O U R P O E M . BRAINS TORM WORDS AND IDEAS RE LAT ED TO THE THEME . 2 S H A R E Y O U R P O E M . 7 Worksheet for Creating an Original Poem HUMMINGBIRD MEMORY CAFE | 35
Other Projects
A journal provides opportunities for expressing yourself in ways you enJOY. Some writing or drawing prompts to consider: What have you learned over the last year? What do you look forward to learning more about in the upcoming year? What are you most thankful for? What inspires you to be creative? How will you celebrate life today? What motivates you to begin your day? JOURNALING TO EXPRESS OURSELVES 38 | POETIC PAUSES: PAUSE TO APPRECIATE Additional creative tools to inspire your journal entries might include story starter or affirmation cards, along with coloring materials.