Christine Poole

Scientist. Writer. Facilitator. Artist. Curious about what helps us grow.

nature

  • Surrender. Listen. Trust.

    I was heading into my third blog series, hoping it would be something along the lines of becoming a creative who earns an income and makes a living from their work. But something else has shown up instead, and I feel I would like to honour it. Perhaps it’s the change in season. We’re moving… Read more

  • Searching for the Stillness 🌻

    Yesterday, my second poem was published in Flare Issue 32. It’s called Searching for the Stillness. When I wrote it, I was searching for something. I was asking myself, what is my purpose? I spent a lot of time in my head, thinking about life and meaning, sometimes so caught up in the questions that… Read more

  • Beginning Again 🐦

    This third break has been different. I’ve stepped away with more awareness of the break itself and what happens when I stop writing. I’ve been keeping a few questions in mind: What did the break give me? What was it like not writing? What am I bringing back with me? Has anything shifted, even slightly?… Read more

  • My first writing retreat✈️

    This weekend, I went away. On my first writing retreat. I brought my notebooks, my ideas and, importantly, no expectations about what I needed to produce. Stepping away from ordinary life.  Making space.  Allowing my mind to roam free. Sometimes, you have to create the space to discover what lies beneath the surface. ☀️ Read more

  • 💌 Keep Going Anyway

    I’ve been thinking about rejection. Not the dramatic kind. Just the quiet little emails that arrive after you’ve sent something you’ve spent time making. Thank you for your submission… Unfortunately….. Not this time….. I’ve had a few of those recently. And, if I’m honest, they sting. Because there is something vulnerable about sending your writing… Read more

  • 🪶 When the Words Find You

    I’m working on my first poetry collection, so I’ve been spending time with my poems and writing some new ones. It’s been interesting to stay with one art form. And I’ve been asking myself: What happens when I keep returning to one art form and learn how to see through it? I think I’m beginning… Read more

  • ⛏️First draft = excavation

    I think I’ve just learned something about how I write poetry. I used to think the first draft was where I was supposed to write the poem. Now I think the first draft might be where I excavate it. I start with what happened. Not beautifully. Not cleverly. Just the details. The things I noticed.… Read more

  • 🐌 Boredom Is Good for Creativity

    Last week I was bored. Not a little bit bored. Properly bored. And apparently, this is excellent news for my creativity. Because when I have nothing to do, I write.  In the boredom, my mind has time to run free and, as a result, I wrote two new poems. One of them came from looking… Read more

  • 🌊The Lightness of a Break

    Last Sunday, we went for a cliff walk in Wicklow. We walked along the coast, enjoyed the views, and saw two lovely seals in the water. We also saw a jellyfish, ate golden pear and picked blackberries. It was one of those simple days that makes you feel light. There was something about that moment… Read more

  • Starting Again 💜🍄

    I’ve had a two-week break. Starting again feels harder than I expected. There’s a temptation to try to catch up, make up for lost time, or wait until I feel ready. But I don’t need to wait. I just need to begin again. So today, on the school run, stepping out with my phone, looking for… Read more