A little while ago, I started a new journey, studying expressive arts facilitation. One of the courses I’ve taken is Expressive Writing: Foundations of Practice through the Therapeutic Writing Institute. Today, I’m sharing an assignment from that course.
My Reflection on the Writing Process
I love to read poems, but in recent years, it's been a challenge to write them. Reviewing the different poems in this chapter - “Poetry and Emotional Intelligence” by Perie Longo in Expressive Writing (It’s Easy to W.R.I.T.E. Expressive Writing), I chose the one that felt most accessible for me - "My Secret Place1." When I began writing, I envisioned "my secret place," Prayer Mountain Dallas.
Significant life events have happened here, and still, some of my favorite moments are when I'm sitting still, hearing from the Lord, taking it all in. I wrote from that perspective, sitting with what I saw and heard, focusing on literal, descriptive imagery first, then moving to my emotions and experiences being in that place. I opened up writing about a physical location that holds meaning in my life, and as the poem progressed, I found myself expressing what it truly means to me.
Along the way, I also included my awareness and appreciation for others in that space. In my revision, I changed the first few lines to reflect my ritual upon arriving at this place, describing the "opening scene" in greater detail. I found a flow and ended up writing a whole new poem. I also jotted down several ideas and prompts to either expand this particular poem or develop a collection about "my secret place." I'm excited to continue exploring this one!
My Secret Place
My secret place is the rickety red bench on the big balcony
(there’s a smaller one a few feet away, but it doesn’t have quite the same vantage point).
From here, I can see and hear clearer than anywhere else on earth.
The trees swaying in unison, the leaves tumbling to the ground,
Birds soaring high, but they seem almost within reach compared to the planes flying by.
The whispers of the wind and the words of songs and prayers fill the air,
Some I know by heart, others I can only interpret from the depths of my soul.
Do you have a “secret place”?
If so, I’d love to hear about it!
About Something Worth Sharing
Something Worth Sharing is a collection of stories, reflections, and spiritual snapshots written by Brandie A. Johnson in the margins of motherhood, marriage, ministry, and ordinary moments.
About My Secret Place
Here, I’m sharing one of my writing assignments from an expressive writing course from my expressive and creative arts studies. This assignment included a reflection on the writing process and a short poem based on a specific chapter we read.
Perie Longo is a poet, poetry therapist, and marriage and family therapist. She was also a poetry teacher through the California-Poets-in-the-Schools (CPITS) program. “Secret Place” is one of the activities that Perie did with grade school children through CPITS.
From your description it makes me imagine the amount of prayers and praise that must go up from that place. I can see the air filled with angelic forces as they gather to be ready to spring into action or simply dance in the wind in worship with each of you who visit. Mine place is at the creek behind my house. There is a large rock that is laying down that I call my sitting rock and that is where I go to be in silence with Him. It has been so long since I have taken the time to do that. Thank you for this reminder.