shaping the soul

an exercise in bending the logical into the lyrical, the verbal into the visual; and entwining the flow of fire and water in my veins All content of “Shaping the Soul,” including text, photos, and imagery (excluding the theme), is the intellectual property of the author, Leah Shaper, (c) 2012, unless otherwise indicated.

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circle http://wp.me/s2ExCN-circle you speak I hear you because you hear me I listen because I speak

[shapingthesoul]

circle http://wp.me/s2ExCN-circle you speak I hear you because you hear me I listen because I speak

[shapingthesoul]

brass & steel

brass & steel

Concrete tension pulled on steel strings that caged a song

of time’s skin, pressed into leather by flat notes and punctuated with sharp

bellows of dissonance in brass blows long enough to make diaphragms quiver.

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this was written somewhere but I don't remember

this was written somewhere but I don’t remember

Leah Shaper:

Thank you Indigo Hotel for the reminder of this special quote.

Originally posted on The Indigo Hotel:

“You are a child of the universe no less than the trees and the stars you have a right to be here and whether or not it is clear to you no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.”

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in tandem

I engage your stress because I’m trying to draw it all out of you so you can release it.

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in tandem

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it gave

It didn’t show me anything I didn’t already know about love

It didn’t well up in me a new voice with which to chase lyricism

It didn’t make me remember something I forgot I lost nor propel me to seek it again.

But it did gift me courage to live even…

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time is light

I love the look of melted wonderment glowing up your face as you inhale light and breathe sky.

A flicker of thoughts moisten your mouth and a tongue of music graces your lips,

as flutes spring from your ears and calves power the pace

down the spine of…

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touch

touch http://wp.me/s2ExCN-touch

So raw I was growing scales on the small of my back where you were touching to turn me into chamber music.

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catching up

Dear readers,

It’s been quite some time since I’ve posted anything here at Shaping the Soul, and I’m hoping to get back to posting regularly again soon.

In the meantime, I’m honored and humbled to announce that my poem, “Glacial,” published in the July…

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unsung sailing sweater

Time threads of your pasts and mine tangled, a fractaled whirl on wood floors.

A land of loops we tiptoe through while the cats jump in to mingle.

We un-snag one claw, another foot gets caught, but an outstretched arm cuts a wire.

On repeat we sweep the…

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rats' nest

They say the devil’s in the details – I think the devils are in the dust

of plaster raining down upon my head – sledging it from the rafters.

Punch and swing with violent shakes, striking feebly at this rats’ nest –

it clings in webs and snakes through…

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charcoal

charcoal http://wp.me/s2ExCN-charcoal

Writing in the heavy charcoal fog of morning –

breath’s density lifted.

  – 

5 May 2011; edited 27 August 2013

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publication of "Quick Words" and "Storm" by Four and Twenty

I’m thrilled to announce the publication of two short form poetry pieces by Four and Twenty today! Much appreciation to Four and Twentyfor their consideration of my work, and congratulations to all the other authors whose work appears in the August 2013…

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desert dying for monsoon (edited)

Chaco cracking (© Leah Shaper, 2012)

Monsoon in my mind brittleness on my skin

water pressures from

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