Beautiful is…

Beautiful is

Beautiful is
a strong voice
a compassionate heart
the will to survive

Beautiful is
standing up
showing up
being there

Beautiful is
the courage
to walk through the fire
believing you’ll get
to the other side

Beautiful is
scars that tell stories
and survivors
willing to share them

Beautiful is
those who’ve walked
1 million painful steps
and wake up
each day
excited to
take another

Beautiful is
the struggles
the journeys
the broken roads
that lead you
home

Beautiful is
that moment
you accept
who
you
really
are

To Nettie with love:
Amberley Charlotte ©2022
Photo Cred: https://unsplash.com/@supergios

We Will Roar To Be Heard!

ROAR TO BE HEARD!

Respect is not taken
You cannot
beat
someone
to gain respect

You cannot buy respect
steal respect
or force respect

Silence may be purchased
Respect will not

To be respected
you must be respectful

Men

We need allies
not captors

We need supporters
not protectors

We need your voices
not your silence

We need action
not platitudes

We need men
we can trust
not jail wardens

We are equal
not less than

We are warriors!
We are strong!
We are capable!
We are driven!

We are fierce!
We are protectors!
We are sisters!

We are the wives
and partners
You vowed to love

The children
you promised to protect

The grandchildren
you waited for

The Mothers  
who gave you life

The Doctors
who saved your life

The Therapists
who listen
to your pain

We need men
who are worthy
of respect

We need community
We need you
We need each other

Stand with us!
Our lives literally depend on it!


Do not be silent!

Give us your voice
Your support
Your respect

And then
You will have earned ours!

We are Lionesses!
We will protect our children!
We will protect each other!

And if we have to
We will
ROAR TO BE HEARD!


Amberley Charlotte @2022
Photo Cred: https://pixabay.com/users/pf%C3%BCderi-199315/

I will rise!

Knock me down
I will rise up

Lock me up
I will escape

Force me into submission
I will gain
strength

You can’t break
A Mother fighting
for her children

You can’t silence
A woman with
a broken heart

You can’t stop
Me!

I will find hope
in the evil
of your eyes

I will find light
in the darkness
of your heart

I will find strength
in your threats

You fuel my fire
You feed my determination
You solidify my resolve

The sun will rise again
and when it does
the world will see

My strength
and your insecurities

My courage
and your cowardice

My compassion
and your hatred

Because in the end

No matter
how hard you try

You will
NEVER
break me!

You will
NEVER
hurt me
AGAIN!

And I will
NEVER
be like
YOU!



Amberley Charlotte ©2022
Photo Cred: Nettie Atkisson

What if?

What if?

I didn’t know
I could

I didn’t believe
I would

I hoped
but never thought

The stairs are
steep
narrow
and winding

When I look
down
I get sick

What if I fall?
What if I fail?
What if I can’t hang on?
What if it destroys me?

What if?
What if?
What if?

STOP!

BREATHE!

One

step

at

a

time

Don’t look down
Don’t look back

Blinders on
Goal in sight

Focus Forward!

Can you live
with a lifetime
of regrets?

What if
you find peace?

What if
you find joy?

What if
you heal?

What if
it’s everything
you wanted?

Don’t wait
any longer

Start now!

Amberley Charlotte ©2022

Photo Cred: Nick Fewings: https://unsplash.com/@jannerboy62

I’m listening


I’m listening

I’m cold
and scared

What comes next?

We’re scared of
what we don’t understand

We’re scared of
what we can’t see

We’re scared of
paths not yet walked

Who told you
dark was bad
and light
was good?

What if
what lurks
in the shadows
are blessings?

What if boogeymen
are angels
protecting us?

What if
a team of angels
we’re around you
right now?

Are you still scared?

In every darkness
there is light

In every light
there is darkness

We’re not meant
to control it

We’re meant to
experience it
live it
overcome it

There is beauty
in darkness

Peace in the
silence

And strength
in all of us

The unknown
doesn’t have to be
scary

Take my hand
you’re not alone

We will walk
this path together
with courage
and bravery

The Angels are here
what do you want
to say to them?

Helpers in The Dark Forest
speak to me
I’m listening


Amberley Charlotte ©2022
Photo Cred: https://unsplash.com/@jannerboy62

Blogging, Chocolate and a Jedi mind trick

“Be courageous. Be brave. Be proud. Your talents, gifts & unique
qualities make life worth living. Step out of the box and live life fully, not
fearfully.”

This is the tagline on this blog.

When I started this blog a few months ago, I had no idea what I was doing and I didn’t care.

I wanted to share my stories while being transparent and honest.
I wanted to be a light in the darkness.
I wanted one person to feel less alone and all people to feel welcome and safe.
I wanted to hold the umbrella in the storms we all battle through, but mostly, I
wanted to be of service, and if one person read them and found hope or could
relate, I’d be content.

I tend to forget myself in the shuffle of life and place myself at the back of the line. I’m not saying this to be a martyr, but I have responsibilities that come first. I genuinely forget myself and must remember that I am valuable too.

But somehow, this little blog pulled a Jedi mind trick on me.

While taking my Chocolate tasting courses, I started writing poems about Chocolate. Soon after, I started posting Chocolate Heart Stories, and my world flipped.

I gave myself permission to be 100% authentically Amberley. I opened up about synesthesia when I was so ashamed of it. I began to live my life without fear. I accepted myself for having these different aspects of my life that I now call gifts and blessings, and I dared to share them here!

In this process, I stepped out of the box and started living my life fully, not fearfully. I began to write without judgment and fear, excited to see what each day would bring.

Now I have built The Chocolate Poet blog. I finished the final draft for my first children’s story, I passed a chocolate course, but most importantly, I fell in love with writing again. I couldn’t figure out why I felt empty until I started this blog. It feels like my best friend and I have connected again. I don’t know where it’s going and don’t care because I don’t want to get off this ride.

So this blog will be where I write anything I want and enjoy whatever comes next.

The Chocolate Poet blog is where I post all of my Chocolate poems, and that’s where information for the book will be, and then when I publish the children’s stories, there will be another website for that book.

This may sound confusing, but this is how my brain works. I have to compartmentalize things, or I forget them. Each part of my life has to have it its own space to make it easier for me.

Thank you for reading. I appreciate you.
Please click on the links to follow The Chocolate Poet if you like and take good care of yourself.

Cheers!

Social Media Exhausts Me

I need to be real here.
I love posting poems and stories here, but social media exhausts me!

Maybe I’m too old for this?
I know we must change with the times, and I love meeting people from all over the world, but it’s so loud that I can hear banging sounds.

I am an introvert with PTSD, synesthesia, and sensory overload.

Gone are the days when a writer could hide in a little dark room with a pen, paper, computer, chocolate, and wine and pop out masterpieces.

Now everyone wants to be seen, the number of followers matters, and how popular you are on social media comes with perks of being published, etc.

I got on TikTok today. I lasted maybe 10 minutes, and most of that time was trying to figure out how to delete my account!

It’s exhausting!

I don’t want to be seen. I came here to tell stories, inspire people, and help them feel a little less alone.

I process things slower than some. I live life on high alert with PTSD. One minute I’m bold, the tough girl no one can mess with, and the next, I’m filled with anxiety, worried about everyone, and wishing I could save the world of all the pain and hurt.

As an empath with synesthesia, all my senses are on 24/7, and I never rest. I’m constantly feeling the pain of the world or seeing, feeling, and experiencing so much energy at once.

When I’m writing, my head quiets down, and for a moment, I’m right where I need to be.

I want to share my stories with the world. I want to publish my poems. I want to be seen in that way. I just wish I could do it without the banging sounds of social media.

Oh, to be one of those prolific writers who hides in a corner office, popping out inspiring prose that changes lives while being invisible and safe in my world of solitude, exploration, and fantasy.

Or maybe thats just a fantasy.
There has got to be a way to have both.



Amberley Charlotte ©2022
Photo Cred: https://unsplash.com/@crisaur