A 90’s Throwback

I remember a time
when I turned the tape of a cassette
back with the end of my pencil
because somehow it got stuck
in the wheel of my recorder.
I remember listening to the radio
for hours on end,
waiting for that one song,
that would make me press,
the button to record,
so, I could listen to it over and again.
I would sit in my bedroom,
listening to my favorite songs,
singing and dancing,
until my brother,
would bounce on my door,
asking me for silence.
The neighbors would complain,
about my off-key voice,
or the music being too loud,
but I never listened,
and disappeared in my own world.
This time without phones,
social media, or internet,
was a simple world,
where I could forget everything,
and sometimes I want to go back,
and relive that time all over again.
I wonder,
what is holding me back?

This poem and all the other poetry and content on this page belong to Gineke van Keulen!
Do not use without permission! Thank you!

Confidence

I see you,
with a piece of chocolate,
between your teeth,
and a cup of coffee,
in your hand –
Confidence
is knowing who you are.
It is knowing,
whose you are.
The freedom of being,
without worrying,
what other people think.
You are getting there.
And my love,
it is the most beautiful thing!

This photo and the poem above belong to Gineke van Keulen!
Do not use without permission! Thank you!

Lift Up a Song

I lift up a song
spread my wings
and get carried
on the soft wind
of God’s Spirit

My eyes see colors
I have never seen before
and the longer I sing
the more I know
that singing brings me
so much closer to God
than I have ever been before

So I sing
from the depth
of my soul
until every note
has made it
to God’s throne!

This poem and all the other poetry and content on this page belong to Gineke van Keulen!
Do not use without permission! Thank you!

Be Brave

Be brave enough to love,
more than you ever loved yourself.
By putting someone else first
you learn to forget yourself,
and all the problems,
you keep carrying around.
It is the other at number one,
that allows you to breathe,
and to learn how to trust,
humanity all over again,
after life came crashing down.
Be brave enough to love,
because not everybody is the same,
and the next person you meet,
could feel the same way about you,
putting you first in all you do.
So, be brave to take that step,
to give love without asking it back.

This poem and all the other poetry and content on this page belong to Gineke van Keulen!
Do not use without permission! Thank you!

The World in Bloom

In a world,
so full of herself,
love is forgotten,
and the young one,
only knows herself.

Allow the eyes,
to be opened.
Allow the heart,
to bloom in a garden,
with more flowers,
than just one.

In an embrace,
we can find,
so much more,
than our own heart.

In one embrace,
in one act of love,
we can find,
the whole world,
in bloom.

All the poetry on this page is written by: Gineke van Keulen.
Please do not use without permission! Thank you!

I Wish I Could Tell You

An autumn rain of yellow leaves,
celebrates the season in my soul,
and waits for winter to come.
I look up at the clouds in the sky,
where one lost butterfly passes by.
I reach out my hand to Heaven,
trying to grasp the hand of God,
as in the painting of Michelangelo,
but in my case with clothes on.
Words can come in many ways,
like arrows that pierce your soul,
or an uplifting consolation,
that makes you happy,
but the words of God are both.
Two in one, they pierce my soul,
and fill my heart with indescribable joy.
I wish, I could explain what it is like,
to hold the hand of God,
but it is an experience to be discovered.
It is an adventure to be lived,
that can only be felt,
by the one brave enough to face Him.
My heart pierces with love,
and my gratitude rises up like smoke,
from a burnt offering I made,
in the heart of the Lord’s Temple.
The feeling of my bare feet walking,
on the golden, glass floor of Heaven,leading me to God’s throne,
is an indescribable joy,
that still fills my heart and makes it whole.
I wish, I could tell you what it’s like,
but you have to discover it for yourself,
and I challenge you to give it a go.
Allow God to walk into your life,
so, you can walk into Heaven,
with a pure heart and a clear mind,
to learn about the love,
only God can show.

All poetry and images on this page belong to Gineke van Keulen.
Please, ask before using! Thank you!

When Memories are Made

You are only young once!
something you only realize,
when you are old enough to understand,
there is no going back.
Tears mix with laughter,
as memories flood my mind,
presenting themselves like photographs,
yellow and almost falling apart.
Time has gone by so fast,
and only now, I wish, I could turn it back.
People have come and gone.
I would give the world,
to see them one more time!
On my grandfather’s knee,
or next to my dad eating nectarines,
while having a picknick on the grass.
I would give everything to see,
my mom laugh one more time!
The essence of gratitude,
is knowing that once a memory is made,
it never really comes back.

Written by: Gineke van Keulen
Written today: 20 July 2024

When Miracles Happen

Inside a shell,
a pearl grows.

Inside a cocon,
a butterfly is born.

Deep within the earth,
gold is formed.

The point is,
in order for beauty,
to take shape in your life,
you have to face the darkness.

For when you struggle the hardest,
the greatest miracles happen.

When the Light seems so far away,
it is actually all around you.

Written by: Gineke van Keulen
Written on: 17 July 2024
Please ask before using any of my work.
Thank you!

In a Sea of Love

Almonds in milk.

softness comes from the heart,

seeps into the skin,

and grows like a rose,

on a beautiful summer day.

Ice Cream in cones,

the cold melts in the sun,

when love is revealed,

and spreads like ivy,

all across the world.

In a sea of love,

no mountain can stand,

darkness fades in the light,

and the cactus flower blooms,

for one whole night.

All the poetry on this page belongs to Gineke van Keulen. Ask before using! Thank you!

An Explosion of Joy

Different hues of pink,
flow from my heart,
onto a white canvas,
where it meets,
dances,
and creates,
a new natural world,
with yellow and green.
An explosion of love,
where joy bursts,
like spring flowers,
out into the air.
Where it breathes,
moves,
and feels,
the happiness,
that so far,
always remained inside.
Out of control,
this happiness flows,
out of my hands,
onto a canvas,
where it finds a place,
to shine brightly,
in a dark world,
that is slowly coming,
out of winter.
An explosion of joy,
is what my heart,
had to give,
and in that explosion,
I find a smile,
waiting for me,
every time,
I look at my canvas!

The photo above is from a painting that I created about a week ago. It was my first attempt at pouring art, and it turned out great. I am so happy with the result, and I love looking at it. It is acrylics on canvas, and it is called ‘An Explosion of Joy’, just like the poem. So, the poem I shared today is based on the painting and on the painting process, and I hope you enjoy both! Again, when you want to share my work, please ask, or give me the credit. And maybe good to share as well is that the painting is not for sale! Have a lovely day! Thank you!