#TankaTuesday: #SynonymnsOnly for sanctuary & follow

Posted on by Colleen M. Chesebro

This week’s TankaTuesday poetry challenge is synonyms only, using the words sanctuary and follow. I wrote a tanka using the word ‘sanctum’ for sanctuary, and ‘reflect’ for follow. 

my inner sanctum—
a space for contemplation
psychic solitude,
where whispered prayers sent skyward,
reflect all good intentions


© 2021 Colleen M. Chesebro

Life is always an interesting journey. After one week, I decided that working as a part-time receptionist in a salon was just too stressful. In some ways, I wanted to prove to myself that I still had it… which I don’t, which isn’t all bad.

I’d changed as a person. In the last few years, I’ve grown more introverted. After all, I’m a writer and a poet… maybe that is what I needed to prove to myself. Don’t try to be something that you’re not. Just be YOU! Lesson learned. ❤

35 thoughts on “#TankaTuesday: #SynonymnsOnly for sanctuary & follow”

  2. I love this poem and the picture:) Beautiful spot to send up those intentions. Sorry the job didn’t work out but I’m glad you are doing what’s best for you. Yay to introverts 🙂 xo

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    1. LOL, Denise. I’m so introverted! I have no idea why I thought this would be fun when all I really wanted to do was write in my sanctuary! 🤦🏼‍♀️😂❤️

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  3. I’m sorry the job didn’t work out–you seemed so excited about it. But if it’s not something you have to do, then there’s no reason to do so if it’s causing you stress. We’re fortunate to have that choice. I would have a difficult time going out to work after all these years of working from home–and now with COVID, it would be even more stressful.

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    1. Yes! This a part of my writing space. My altar has become eclectic like me. I have Mary (she represents the mother goddess), Quan Yin (goddess of compassion) and the Morrigan, my Celtic goddess. The crow is her bird. The skull represents my ancestors. All of them are part of me. ❤️

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  5. Beautiful, beautiful Tanka. I love both the verse and the photo. Our journeys often surprise us with gifted realizations, don’t they? Thank you for sharing the blessing with us. 💗

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    1. Thanks, Gwen. Sometimes what we think is a blessing is more of a stopping off point, where we are forced to reassess what we really want in life. I had no idea how precious my writing was to me until I lost some of that writing time. I’m good with my decision. I know where I belong. LOL! ❤

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    1. Thank you, Franci! We’re never too old to learn new things about ourselves. I’ve moved into the loft. It’s kind of in the middle of the upstairs. I may end up moving into the spare bedroom and moving the spare bed into the loft! It never gets used, but I lack the privacy for Zoom calls and such. We’ll see. I had fun setting up my books and altar. ❤

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    1. My altar has a little bit of everything! LOL! But that’s me. I love the inspiration! I’ve moved into the loft and live in the middle of the house. I wonder what feng shui says about that. LOL! ❤

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  10. Pingback: #TANKATUESDAY #POETRY STARS | #SynonymsOnly: Sanctuary & Follow | 🍃Word Craft: Prose & Poetry🍃

  11. You are so right in saying that one should be what suits us best. That’s so very true. Try as I might, I just can’t be an extrovert. I enjoyed your take, Colleen. 🙂

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  12. Too often we hold others expectations as our own baggage. Sometimes we have to open that luggage and take out what doesn’t belong to us. And even that which is solely ours we need to sort it through and realize that we need peace for ourselves. Always good to try new things. For about a year I worked full time in a grocery bakery. It was fun – the baking, the decorating – but too often the people (especially those in charge) get in the way of the product and demands.

    I waffled between introvert, then extrovert for survival, and am happy once again to lean more towards introvert.
    But blogging isn’t the same as full face interactions and the folks are generally very nice and accepting and share the strength of shared passion. 😀

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