💌 Opening Reflection

Dear Reader,

Late April often feels deceptively peaceful. Trees sway gently. Light lingers. But beneath that calm, something stirs.

Big changes are underway. In a matter of days, the lake goes from ice-covered to open—spring rain, wind, and warm temperatures do their quiet work.

A few days ago, Earth Day passed seemingly with little fanfare. But the earth rarely makes noise about its labor. Beneath melting snow, roots thicken. Asphalt hides where wild seeds wait. Even when the world looks paused, life is busy becoming.

This issue explores those unseen movements—emotional, spiritual, creative. What are you carrying beneath your stillness? What truths whisper from below the surface?

May you find strength in the quiet, and courage in what flows beneath.

With steadiness,
Herb
Poet of From the Quiet Verse

✍️ A Quiet Line

“each caw a punctuation,
a declaration of existence
in a realm
where silence reigns supreme”
— The Crow Caws, from Deep Resilience

We see earlier dawns and later dusk. April often shrouds the growing light in thick clouds and endless rain—but even the bleakest days carry the sharp edge of presence.

🌱 From the Garden: The Roots Awaken

Above ground, tulips don’t tremble. But the roots? They woke—exchanging nutrients, anchoring deep.

In my writing life, I’m learning stillness isn’t stagnation. Even when we can’t see it, something is always becoming.

My spring poem collection, Leaning Toward Light: Essence of Spring, is growing nicely—and should bloom in late May.

📖 Featured Verse: Beneath the Thaw

Beneath the snowmelt’s
whispered sigh,
our eyes caught in the
current—
wild as the rivers’
rush beneath ice.
I did not know then
my thaw was beginning.

This month’s featured verse from Leaning Toward Light: Essence of Spring honors the hidden strength of the quietly watchful—reminding us that below still waters, we find deep currents.

🕊 A Gentle Prompt

"What Moves You (That Others Don’t See)?"

Write a short poem or reflection about a transformation others might not recognize in you. Optional: Write from the perspective of the unseen force within you.

🌸 Quiet Gift

A Companion in Stillness

If the poems in this issue stirred something quiet but persistent in you, you might enjoy Wisdom of the Quiet Muse—a small chapbook filled with reflections on silence, self-care, and the subtle strength of staying soft in a hard world.

It’s not loud. It doesn’t rush. But like still water, it runs deep.

📥 Download Wisdom of the Quiet Muse

🌙 Until Next Time

We’ll return May 9 with Issue #8: The Bloom Beneath the Ash—exploring the courage it takes to rise after the burn.

And with more news about Leaning Toward Light: Essence of Spring.

Until then, breathe deep, trust the current, and know: you’re not alone in the quiet.

Warmly,
Herb
From the Quiet Verse