Melanie Garfinkel ~ has been blessed and fortunate, to have traveled extensively meeting dynamic people as well as capturing Nature’s beauty and purity, both in photography and verse.
 
She grew up in Johannesburg, South Africa, emigrated alone to Israel, eventually finding love in the snow… Canada!

When she’s not writing, she devotes her time to elderly dementia patients, as well as tutoring young students in creative writing.
 
Her mottos for living:
#Having FunWhilst Doing Good
#OwnYourNow & #SpreadTheCare

A number of her poems have been aired on Fine Music Radio Inc, published online at Spillwords.com, printed in Open Skies Poetry Vol 1, Wheelsong Poetry Anthology 2022 and Dark Reflections: An Open Skies Collection.

Poems published and read on her Instagram:

@onemeldoll and @1melzifleur

Tiktok.com/@onemeldoll

“I Am Breathing, But Feel I Have Died Too…”

After the earthquake in Turkey & Syria

The resounding chilling words
that tumbled aimlessly
out of his mouth,
as the natural earthquake disaster
ravaged cities in the south.

I felt his unendurable
pangs of pain
as he struggled for composure
to regain.

A deafening piercing
shrill scream-
a wall structure, a falling beam
toppled amidst rubble,
ruin and dust,
he witnessed his only child, suffering,
being crushed…

Still clutching beige teddy bear-
tear stained face,
he stood in despair…

Breathing-
though emotionally dead,
wished it was HE instead…

Playing cruel mind games
with his head,
‘Voices’ rose from the depths…
He battled to take in
much needed breaths.

“I am breathing…though I am dead…”

We’re Breathing…But, Are We ALIVE?

Hearts beat, pulses race
caught in the thicket of
daily chores.

With much endurance
enthusiastic assurance,
desired pace- reality
underscores…

Breathing – achieving –
the limelight convincing…
rounds of maddening applause
ignore distinctive flaws-

Are we truly ALIVE,
          thriving
                  enjoying;
                           spoiling;
          indulging;
                  appreciating;
                           loving;
                  flourishing?

Or … merely breathing…without
Living…