If It’s Broke – Fix It: Poetry & Self-Publishing

Love don't fear Half Cover Amazon 12.04.18You may have noticed that I changed the title and the cover of my latest poetry collection. Ha… the book had only been out for a month… ‘Why did you do that?’ one could ask…

Well, that month was the driest month as far as my book sales, on Amazon, are concerned. Not only was this book not selling, but my first book “Do Lend Me Your Ears” took a significant hit too. While they might have been caused by a range of factors – those events were too time-correlated for me to ignore. So, I pulled the plug on “Poems about Love and Fear” ☹ And when I did – my first book sales spiked yet again. Boom! 😊 That was about 1,5 months ago…

After picking up the scattered pieces of my wounded ‘marketeer ego’ (not really), I’m back with a confession: I rushed the cover design and did not take enough time to consider the title. It was me…

I don’t write about Love and Fear as if they’re equal – they’re not… I write about Love overcoming fear, hence the new more appropriate title: “Love, Don’t Fear”.

About that cover… picturing a random couple kissing in the background of the red, red wine… I mean the red, red cover… One of my friends said that, at first sight, she thought she was looking at an erotic novel.👀 Well, the book’s about affairs of the heart, but there’s no direct sexual content in it. “Love, Don’t Fear” explores emotional battles and relationship lows. And then, the plot leads you to inspiring breakthroughs and solutions. That’s what you’ll find within its dramatic and captivating story-lines…

Change was needed, hence poems about love and fear are no more (though Google may not know that yet). The cover’s still passionately red, but the kissing couple is gone. The title no longer magnifies fear – it puts LOVE in its proper place… ♥

Food for thought: If there’s a book inside of you – don’t be scared to write it and share it. You are not a failure if you don’t succeed at your first attempt. It just means that your story will gain a backstory… Gather more information, get all the help you need and go do it again! Just do it better, this time around.

I’m super excited to introduce my new (old) book: “Love, Don’t Fear” to You. It is available on Amazon now. The e-book will soon be available on my website too.

Check it out. Pick it up. Be entertained and inspired to love – not fear…

Monika Ribeiro (writer/poet)

All the Time & Everywhere – Poem

lost found searching

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You don’t just find Him in Love, although

Many people like to think you do…

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His Love & His Peace break through our Hate

You find Him in joys, but more in despairs

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You find Him in dry spells. You find Him in rain

You find Him at night and during the day

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He is all the time. God is everywhere…

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Yet, here is the most beautiful thing

About finding Him…

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When you cannot find – you can’t even search

Your heart is too tired and too weak to care

He will find you…

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Wherever you’re at…

In sadness, in pain,

In the storm, in the rain

He is there…

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All the time & everywhere.

♥

Monika Ribeiro (writer/poet)

Get Free & Stay There – Poem

put on some music

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There are fervent desires hunting for each soul

Don’t let them imprison you. Learn to let things go

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When it hurts to not have what you think you need

Release and defy it – let your mind “stay freed”

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Learn to wait and believe – learn to let it go

Find a happy medium. Take your time to grow

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In the meantime,

 .

Relax… Hear the silence and dance…

Life need not be this complicated, and you only live once

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Free yourself… Don’t be hasty. Get grateful today

When the time is right things will come your way.

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Monika Ribeiro (writer/poet)

The Perfects Tale – Poem

Mr and Mrs Perfect

Mr & Mrs Perfect sat on a Tree

J-U-D-G-I-N-G

They kept looking down from the highest branch

“Let’s gossip a little while we’re having lunch”

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“We’ve got a great view and so much spare time

It’s free entertainment – we won’t spend a dime!”

They looked down upon peeps – never looked within…

Birds pooped on their heads. The Sun burnt their skin

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“Oh, we look so noble. Oh, we have no flaws…

Let’s leap to conclusions. Let’s sharpen our claws

Let’s pay them no mind. No! We know it all!

Let us fix their problems whether big or small…”

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Seemingly quiet, reserved, even shy…

They don’t confront issues and never ask why

Yet, they judge, speculate, imagine, assume…

They’re the last to commend & the first to foredoom

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They have an opinion about everything

They’re so out of touch… like yang without yin

Their faults may be quieter, but equally wrong

Their talks sound so strange like ding without dong

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As they’ve sat there for days filled with evil thoughts

Their hair-dos got messy. Their dreams turned to naughts

Their skin started peeling off from way too much Sun

What they needed to do has been left undone…

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A wild swirl of wind drove dust to their eyes

Their aura attracted a large swarm of flies

Finally, they resolved to come down from on high…

Now, they’re here undercover – next to you and I

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undercover giphy.

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And that is the Perfects’ tale. Yes, this tale is true.

Let’s end with a riddle – I’ll give you a clue…

Do you know a Perfect? Yes? I know one too.

Am I one of them? Or could it be you? 😉

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Monika Ribeiro (writer/poet)

Mirage, Marriage, Memoir – Poem

Mirage
He looked good and had a lot
So, she entered the mirage
Only, she had failed to notice
Ugliness & lack, inside

Their mirage turned to a marriage
From hell – especially for her…
Technically, it was not a marriage
She was not the only girl

Damn! Had she known before
Man! Had she shut that door
Now, things are not as they were
And there’s another… inside of her

They remain together
Every day is deader
Well, at least for her
He just doesn’t care

She is black & blue,
Although born to the white race,
With red cigarette marks
All over her face…

‘She’s such a good girl’, they say
‘How?! She doesn’t smoke’, they ask
They don’t want to dig too deep,
She feels safe behind her mask…

Many years ago,
Mum & dad (without a dime)
Saw their ‘once upon a time’…

giphy (1)
Very quickly, in one voice,
They approved her choice
They knew she would share the good life
‘Yes, our girl’s a rich man’s wife!’

Only now,
There’s too much drama
For daddy and mama…
And,
They feel like she failed
Because money’s still scarce
They do get their share, but
they spend & they spend…

She is all alone, except…
There is Another inside of her

She is finally getting there
Tired of sweet little lies
Turned to big & bitter crimes
She is bound & very tired,
But she can pretend no more
Keeps on choking on his waves,
But she’s swimming to the shore

There’s a miracle there, for her
Husband doesn’t want divorce, but he doesn’t care
Technically, he is not her husband
Coz she’s not the only girl

Now, she knows…
A graveyard may look like a park
Until you see its grave stones…
Finally, she’s been hurt enough
He’s fractured enough of her bones

Mirage turned to a marriage
Is becoming a memoir…
He will need to find an ashtray
To extinguish his cigar.

Taken from my new book “Poems about Love & Fear”

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Monika Ribeiro (writer/poet)

My Life’s Long Enough – Poem

time-man trapped

♥

When my time comes (to die)

I want to die with a smile

I want to die young (at heart)

As late in life as I can

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Throughout my days on this Earth

I want to share life & give

I want to live my life fully

And like I know why I live

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I want the people to say

That I was honest & fair

& that I loved from His heart

& that my life’s truly art

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When you say, ‘life is too short’

It just becomes my pet peeve

And when I hear you repeat it

My peace & joy seem to leave

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To me, it’s like hearing this:

Most High does not have a clue

He gives us big jobs to do

And yet, His days are too few

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Not me! My life is enough

To do what I’m made to do

It’s in the setting of goals, in love

And then, in following through

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Oh Yes, I have to agree

Life’s surely too short to fight

Too short to hold on to grudges,

Or to be dead while alive…

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Yet still, your words have the power

Power to add or abort

And by repeating this phrase so much

You might be cutting yours short

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I’d like to lock this advice

Within your heart & your mind,

But I’ve no PIN access code

Just PIN this life-giving quote

Stop fearing death (poem)

 

Everybody dies someday

“How?” is the question, not “When?”

To Live Well & to Die Well

Should be the goal here. Amen.

♥

Happy New Year!!!

♥

 

Monika Ribeiro (writer/poet)

Peace, Love & Poetry – Merry Christmas…

Grandma & I
Grandma’s Cake
Sis & I
Hubby & I

I’ve been relaxing with family ☺️ (in between dramas 😠) while preparing for Christmas which, in Poland, starts tomorrow with a rather fancy dinner called “Wigilia”. We’ve just celebrated my grandma’s 80th birthday & I’m so grateful for being able to share these  special moments with the people I love. I hope you are surrounded by warmth, kindness and loved ones in this wonderful season & that it truly is a jolly season for you.

Reflection time:

In the beginning, I thought I’d start a blog to share & to inspire others, but truly… I’ve been so inspired, challenged and enlightened by your words! I really feel like reading your expressions enriched not only my blogging experience, but my world altogether. Thank you for your labor of love and for your support of mine. 

On that note, this is the season of giving & I don’t want to miss out on an opportunity to give you a little Christmas gift!  With no further ado, I want to encourage you to get your free e-copy of my book “Do Lend Me Your Ears.”

Alternatively, if you prefer to be the giver 🙂 click right here to see how you can support a worthy cause with my book.

I’ve got to run as I still have a few more gifts to get before Wigilia. Yet, once again, thank You so much for being here and for sharing your precious thoughts & time with me.

Stay inspired & inspiring,

Merry Christmas ♥♥♥

♥♥♥

Monika Ribeiro (writer/poet)

There She Goes Away – Poem

doubt, fear

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Here she comes again…

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And she takes my peace away

Then, she steals my energy

She says it’s too late for my life to change!

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Here she comes again…

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And I run, so much faster than I should,

Or freeze disabled by ‘I wish I could’

Unable to hear – unable to see…

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Here she comes again…

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She is the cunning first cousin of fear

She’s so slick. Oh yes, she is & her goal is clear

She wants to destroy my faith

When my victory’s near

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So I doubt…

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Still I know

If I follow her advice

I… will pay the price

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If it’s right it is Him

If it’s not it is me

If it’s done it is we…

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So, I shout:

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Father! This is the first time when it really counts!

I don’t want to make mistakes

I am so scared I could fail!

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Suddenly, I realize…

Whatever He’s promised before

He has always done…

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So I pray…

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I know He remembers me. I know my Redeemer lives!

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There’s no time to rush

There’s no time to wait

There’s no time to lie to myself

No time to complain

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Hence, I say:

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It will be okay, again. I know who I am!

These words paint my future

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There she goes away…

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Monika Ribeiro (writer/poet)