My poem "Love Collapses" has been published on the ZO Magazine website in the poetry section. I just discovered it this morning. Here is the poem. And the art work they paired with it.

Here is the web address to the site and page" http://www.zomagazine.com/poetry/what-cloud/

Love Collapses

By Katherine Norland

Three-dimensional, synthetic DNA-like crystals. . . . . . .

Love
Where does it begin
And where does it end?

Love
Is an extension
Of oneself

Where you don’t know
Where you end
And the other begins

Where there is
No them and no me
No them over there
And me over here

With love
There is no difference
Between them and me

We are all connected
All part of one
And the same

Love extends
Expands
Covers all
Unites all

When true love is present
It collapses the space between us
Consumes and connects

Others become
A natural extension
Of who you are

So much so
That you no longer see
A difference

So that when you look at another
You are looking at a mirror image
Reflection of yourself
____________________
Katherine Norland was born in Minnesota. She Is a poet and actress now living in Los Angeles with her husband and special needs son.

Chasing Scraps - Winner of Indi.com Judge's Pick

The last few months I have been busy with rewrites for my next poetry book.

And while I've been revising and waiting from notes from my editor, I've been recording myself reciting some of these poems from my next book for poetry contests on a website called Indi.com.

This is a really fun website where they post all kinds of challenges for poetry, rapping, cooking, filmmaking, songwriting, singing, comedy, etc... You can win cash prizes, meetings with casting directors, a platform to perform and other prizes.

There are 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners who are determined by who gets the most votes. And then there is the coveted "Judges Pick" which has nothing to do with how many people voted for you, but just you winning by your own merit.

Last month, I just happened to win the "Judges Pick"

Click below to see the winning video about the rat race in life.

Chasing Scraps - Winning Poetry Entry

My First Children's Book - Pammy The Hammy

This year I wrote my first Children's book. Which is something I never pictured myself doing. But I did it. Perhaps I could blame it on the fact that this winter on our January vacation, I was stuck in the hotel room sick every day, and the resort's WiFi was down.

I based it on a poem I had penned many years ago, and thought I could bring a modern twist to it and teach a valuable lesson to kids about the old adage "You are what you eat".

A artist friend Jesus Munoz Quintal I was discussing the idea with, drew me a fun little sketch of one of my main characters, who narrates the story. This is his idea of what Simone would look like. I love how the veggies are almost as big as she is.

The story follows her and her best friend Pammy. Simone's parents taught her the importance of eating her fruits and veggies and Pammy parents let her eat whatever she wanted. When little Pammy got hooked on eating ham at every meal, Simone swears that Pammy starts to resemble a little piggy.

When I begin the process of looking for a publisher, I will let you know how it goes.

Can't I Have It All Today?

I got a poem published in the San Gabriel Valley Poetry Quarterly issue # 56

Here is an excerpt

Have to

Make a living, I’ve got a gigantic

Mortgage to pay!

The joy

Of my future is sacrificed for what

I want today!

Why save?

The interest rate isn’t even worth it,

Why must I wait?

How come?

Can’t I have it all today, a life that’s

Beyond just great?

Why not

The latest car? Did you see my neighbor’s

Shiny new boat?

I know

I’m addicted to caffeine! Without sleep,

I seem to float.

The Pursuit of Happiness...Baring Your Soul

I must admit, I have not been devoting the kind of time I would like to in the pursuit of happiness...for me, that is poetry. A few more things have been opening up for me in pursuit of acting. Which also brings a great deal of happiness...it's just two different kinds and it can be difficult to explain.

I am absolutely thrilled when I am engaged in both acting and poetry, in nearly any form, doing it or observing it. I just like being a part of people sharing their heart. When it come to poetry though, it seems like there is an automatic community, like no matter how different we are, when we come together as poets, we have the same heartbeat, we all know we've been down roads that could have left us stranded or in the ditch, and we pressed on, repaired our flats or hitch-hiked back to the world of pain that had us fleeing in the first place.

Actors also must bare their soul; there is a part of you that must absolutely be present in order to portray a role with any level of believability. Both require a vulnerability that is not needed in many professions outside of the entertainment industry...but there's something about the poet, that extra little courage it takes to tell your tale, not portray another person's tale but to put it out there in order to enlighten, move, rectify, resolve or any other manner of manifestations that take place when your word goes forth, as you spit your last word, holding your breath for the world to devour, or spit out?

"Once Upon A Time" Happy Ever After? NOT

What really happens when the prince saves the princess? Do they go on to a happily ever after? Check out the poem I wrote on the topic "Once Upon A Time" This was read at Borders Bookstore in 2011

Emotions On My Sleeve

My Poem "Emotions On My Sleeve" was recently published in Issue 53 of the San Gabriel Valley Poetry Quarterly Below is a portion from it.

This is an excerpt from the Poem:
"EMOTIONS On My Sleeve"

...I’ve never cried so much,

Unless you count a Jr. high break up,
But that wasn’t even to this degree.
Self inflicted pain from the rental pumps,
Back pack pumps, and professional grade too.

It will never happen.

Everyone tells me of their remedies;
Some say the cure is to take their fish oil,
Drink their goat’s milk, or try their wonder herb.
I’ve downed fields of barley grass to no avail.

I’m depriving my son -

Of the greatest nutrition in the world.
Someone even had the nerve to tell me
That the reason I can’t produce milk is
Because I’m not emotional enough!

I’m aching to hold him…

They said I don’t feel enough for my child-
The biggest insult I’ve had in my life!
Even though we’ve known each other for years
They have absolutely no idea

How desperate my love is

For my child, I long to take care of him,
To be his mommy and to protect him;
I guess I hide my feelings very well,
But on the inside, emotions don’t quell...