Broken Heart Lake

One evening a few weeks (maybe even a month!) ago I managed to get myself out of the house to go to yoga at Bally’s gym, only to find when I got there that it had been cancelled. Looking for a place where I could walk alone safely, I found myself at Creve Coeur Park, a beautiful but busy place a few miles from our home in Maryland Heights.

I’d been working on a unit of lessons about Lewis and Clark and learning a lot about the rich history of Missouri. As I walked the path beside the big lake, I breathed in the cool air and enjoyed the soft October light. A few bicycles whizzed by. I passed women in running pants with arm bands hooked to I-pods and kissing couples out for an evening stroll.



On my left a sign caught my eye that said “Dripping Springs ~ Scene of the tragic death of the lovelorn Indian girl whose broken heart is said to have given the lake it’s sorrowful name, “Creve Coeur”.

In all my fifteen years in St. Louis, I’d never heard this story! I was so pleased with my discovery that I made Jeremy and Sophia return to the park with me a few weeks later so I could take some photos. At the time I was hoping to capture the beauty of fall, but it was a little early.




In the end it was my husband who captured most of the images. He went into full-on nature photographer mode. As he shot, I secretly promised myself that one day I’ll know the names of Missouri trees and wildflowers, like a real poet.










These are the infamous “Dripping Springs” up close:




As a writer and would-be poet it’s hard to pass up such a story, so I’ll share some of the thoughts I jotted in my notebook thinking it might make a poem one day:


Broken Heart Lake

Late October sunset
at Dripping Springs.

Sliver of moon rising,
her sweet ghost hovers
beside me.

Silver light
glistens off the
tears on her cheek.

Winter is on its way,
she knows he’s
never coming back.

Only jagged rocks
remember the name of a native girl,
whose sorrow gave birth
to a lake.

***

Happy To Be Home!

Well, I finally made the decision to move my blog back to its original home here at Blogspot. I loved the professional look and some other features of WordPress, but Blogspot is a good place for a writer. I can do everything I want in terms of the creative design (layout, cute widgets, monetizing!) for free.

I know that it doesn’t matter much to most people. I’m well aware that “more people have read this t-shirt than your blog” but I’m grateful to those who’ve taken the time to read and comment on my blog posts. 

I’m slowly building a public platform. I’m a member of She Writes since August of this year. I’ve been working on a fantasy novel lately and trying my hand at poetry. In everyday life I’m a busy mom and a wife, studying hard to become a teacher. In my heart though, I’m a creative person and a writer. It has taken me to the age of forty to be able to say those words to other people:

I am a writer.

More than that, I believe, as Julia Cameron says, that “everyone has the right to write” and that “writing rights things”. It helps us construct and create the meaning of our own lives. Through writing we articulate who we are, what we value most deeply and the spiritual legacy we want to leave for our children. Through writing we become more fully ourselves … and I’m all in for that!

Welcome to my continually evolving blog as I continue my writing, creating, healing, teaching, learning, loving journey!