current writing projects

Published in Consilience

I am very proud to be included in Issue 12 Struggle of Consilience, an online journal that explores the spaces where the sciences and the arts meet.

welcome

have a look around. You can find a selection of my poems as well as my collaborations. Please feel free to reach out to me if you have any questions.

Hope is a Group Project – Anthology

“Hope is a Group Project – a poetry anthology ” is an inspirational collection of poems about hope, featuring 98 international writers and original illustrations by Scottish artist, Colin Thom and is published by The Wee Sparrow Poetry Press

Seaside Syllables – Anthology

Seaside Syllables is a poetry anthology created and compiled by Kim Brake @kimbrakephotography brought 10 women together in an international collaborative project that collectively inspired creativity and connections

Expressions from the Heart – Anthology

“Expressions from the Heart” is an international poetry anthology containing poems by 40 women writers from 15 countries compiled and edited by Ishita Ganguly and is now available worldwide via Amazon.
I am so proud to be included with a poem.
hold
a dream
turned into paper
sharing space with poets
anthology

Newsletter via Substack

You can now find me and my newsletter on Substack.https://mirjammahler.substack.com/ I will share writing, writing prompts, books I love, ideas, thoughts and inspiration. You can sign up here on Substack

My 22 favorite books I read in 2022

Reading and reading but somehow not keeping up with posting. These are 22 books that stood out last year for many different reasons. You can see all the books I read in 2022 here Homeland Elegies Akhtar, Ayad Ghosts Alderton, Dolly Dependency Ditlevsen, Tove Youth Ditlevsen, Tove Childhood Ditlevsen, Tove...

stability

resilience
things happen
withstand the storm
stay grounded, stay firm
stability

resilience

recovery
impossible expectations
healing takes time
rest, restore, slowly build
resilience

recovery

patience
need most
when have least
mindset key to enable
recovery

patience

memories
tinted objectionably
sometimes even tainted
recall and reconstruct reality
patience

memories

gratitude
telling stories
that grow into poems
bring back long forgotten
memories

gratitude

friendships
help cope
in hard times
trust to be vulnerable
gratitude

friendships

community
finding togetherness
sharing and caring
slowly develop into deep
friendships

community

comfort
danger zone
fenced into sameness
find support, leave boundaries
community

comfort

adventure
choose one
go all in
thrill will turn into
comfort

adventure

gently
but firmly
nudging you to
leave comfort, search for
adventure

accountability

accountability
kind reminder
keep doing something
here to push you
gently

travel

travel
somewhere, anywhere
close or far
never the same without
you
to share
views, laughs, benches
make a wish, travel
time

appreciate

appreciate
fleeting life
inhale passing breeze
live in the moment
now

awoke

awoke
left bed
went to say
hello to the Mediterranean
instead

Mattina

mattina
a venezia
cappuccino e cornetto
una giornata d’arte
biennale
immersione artistica
un mondo creativo
che piacere guardare questo
paradiso

Longing

longing
be elsewhere
be someone else
be with special someone
unfulfilled

Longings

longings
sweet impatience
desire awakening slowly
renew, restart, come alive
beginnings

Dragonfly

dragonfly
request renaming
no simple fly
no fiery fierce dragon
fairysoar
better fit
for beautiful creature
libelle or libélula or
queen

Milky sunset walk

milky
sunset walk
seeking for distraction
head full of worries
comfort

Here for you

you are not alone
holding you from far away
know that I am here

Emerge cold liquid

emerge
cold liquid
infusing calm energy
melting away hot anxiety
renewed

Clouds

clouds
be gone
wish for blue
please come back for
rain

Clouds

distracted
information overload
take a break
head in the clouds
dream

Becoming a poet

becoming
a poet
means noticing things
keep them forever safely
cherished

Book lover

fellow
book lover
left this earth
I will cherish her
thoughts

Orchid

scanty
little orchid
water, substrate, fertilizer
nothing helped, she sulked
miserable
dreading attention
once I ignored
suddenly she thrived beautifully
shy

Wörter, Illustrationen, Inspirationen – Schreib- und Illustrationswerkstatt 23.11.22

Gedichte schreiben – nein, das ist gar nichts für mich, oder vielleicht doch?Wie kann ich meine Ideen und Gedanken illustrieren? 23.11.2022, 09:30-11:00 Kokoschinski UlmHafengasse 19 89073 Ulm Der Erlös der Veranstaltung wird an Frauen helfen Frauen e.V., Ulm gespendet.  Anhand von Mirjams Schreibimpulsen und inspiriert durch Arianes Illustrationen schreiben wir spontan kleine...

Tiger

elegance
in stripes
power, strength, courage
guardian of the ecosystem
tiger

Tiger

believe
your teen
when they say
there is such a
thing
as being
much too clean
let them set own
standards

smile

smile
stuck below
incapable of reaching
eyes that honestly reflect
happiness

Olive grove

ancient
olive grove
observes and chuckles
as I attempt wobbly
tree

Olive tree

ancient
olive tree
shares its fruits
someone born another century
curing
transforms bitter
into delicious treat
recipe passed on through
generations

Foxes

adventure
await outside
the foxes‘ den
prepare in their sleep
emerge
web both tingle
in anticipation of touch
pleasure

my last poem

if
this was
my last poem
I would keep adding
words
building my
endless elfchen chain
like soft ocean waves
words
and silence
coming and going
never tiring always reinventing
poems

my spirit animal

this
is you
this is me
we are not alike
connect
spirit animal
can show me
to trust, persist, endure
love

Chubby cat

irresistible
chubby cat
web both tingle
in anticipation of touch
pleasure

what if

what
if you
could see me
thriving so after leaving
you

standing

standing
still am
you left me
missing you so desperately
wish
could sit
together on bench
contemplating the endless river
together

missing

s
missing
coffee cup
mine since college
dropped to the floor
shattered

bullies

bullies
aggressive dominators
enjoy inflicting pain
abuse imbalance of power
intimidate

marry me

proposal
never happened
spent months apart
reunion, marry me, say
yes

september

september
fresh start
dreaded summer farewell
both beginning and end
cycle

cinnamon

cinnamon
childhood memories
fill the air
inhale warm delicious embrace
home

star left behind

star
left behind
after the others
have gone to bed
welcoming
the sun
greeting the birds
bow to new day
morning

prompt „morning star# by @altpoetryprompts

Elfchen 69/111

letter you wrote

letter
you wrote
many decades ago
one lonely summer night
remember
endless vacations
no chats, texts
not even landline telephones
isolation
long letters
keep in touch
share our teenage dramas
friendship
sent you
a box full
all your old letters
delivered
younger self
to you doorstep
reminiscing with joy
today

anticipation

anticipation
nighttime dream
turns into reality
after the sun rises
fly

On the other side music video

“On the other side” was published in “Expressions from the Heart” an international poetry anthology containing poems by 40 women writers from 15 countries compiled and edited by Ishita Ganguly @iamauthorishitaThe anthology is available worldwide via Amazon. Watch the video here Music and video editing by Noah Mahler @noahmahlermusic

wish

wish
I could
calmly contemplate beauty
instead of trying to
explain

cowardice

cowardice
superfluous trait
face your fears
extinguish lack of bravery
courage

frog

frog
yoga pose
open hips wide
aspirational goal, remain humble
tadpole

chocolate

chocolate
melting delight
sweet or bitter
charms palate, calms soul
faithful

promise

promise
look up
find solace above
when you feel blue
comfort

hike

hike
summer mountain
cow bell orchestra
conquering fear of heights
panorama

Schreibwerkstatt Kleine Gedichte

Schreibwerkstatt: Kleine Gedichte inspiriert durch die Ausstellung »Malerische Poesie – Grafiken von Chagall und Zeitgenossen« in der Kunsthalle Weishaupt mit Mirjam Mahler am Donnerstag, den 29. September, 15 – 16:30 Uhr. Mehr Infos hier Short poetry workshop at the Kunsthalle Weishaupt inspired by the exhibition “Poetry in painting -graphic works...

air

air
invisible force
absence will kill
presence fills with life
breathe

teal

teal
blue green
like ocean waves
dive into peaceful escape
mystery

release

release
jump in
breathe it out
watch worries float away
dissolve

floating

floating
tranquil glow
after power flow
recover for next practice
bliss

immolation

immolation
coniferous forest
burn to live
rise from the ashes
survive

sweet flaky crunch

tasty
every bite
sweet flaky crunch
tender soft buttery bliss
perfection

surprise

surprise
two deer
morning forest walk
hello my dear friends
goodbye

afraid of falling

afraid
of falling
at lightning speed
from a race bike
instead
just walking
tripped and fell
hurt my knee badly
dangerous

overcome inherent fear

overcome
inherent fear
becomes self-fulfilling prophecy
might fall, will fall
brave

majestic height

sacred
majestic height
touching the sky
far from earthly worries
respite

feast in motion

feast
in motion
famished from flying
ferocious hunger, delicious appeasement
satisfaction

so no yoga today

sorry
mat occupied
sore, hungry, tired
so no yoga today
acceptance

undress each other

sunrise
morning hike
lake skinny dipping
old couple watching amused
laughing
sweet indecency
undress each other
walk into the lake
smiling

wondrous

wondrous
shifting landscape
ever changing scenery
find permanence in motion
solace

#mirjamreadsbutforgetstopost

Reading and reading but somehow not keeping up with posting. I also read this year: Olive, Again (reread, to be discussed in the Book Club I host)Daheim by Judith HerrmannDie Heldin reist by Doris DörrieRebecca by Daphne du MaurierA Room of One’s Own by Virginia WoolfThe Hours by Michael Cunningham...

notice

pay attention
beauty standing out
stop motion, look closely
appreciate

recovery

take apart
stiff, unaligned body
rebuild piece by piece
recovery

consistency

hail or shine
my mat and me
consistency

pool jump in

pool
jump in
break favorite goggles
get out, replace, adjust
swim
arms trembling
eyes bright red
rest proud, writing poems
motion

morphology

morphology
masterfully designed
size, shape, structure
united in liquid home
coexistence

bench

bench
welcome respite
breathing, eyes closed
wind sings, sun warms
replenish

path

path
outdoor home
by the river
every walk new discoveries
solace
poems come
thoughts roam freely
accompanied by singing birds
comfort

stars

bestowed
cherished legacy
light long extinguished
continuing comfort and guidance
stars

humming

tree
concert hall
bees humming fortissimo
the sound of silence
gone

a tree stood tall
concert hall
orchestra of bees
humming fortissimo
now it’s gone
the sound of silence

adjectives

adjectives
randomly assembled
harmonious word display
is this really poetry
question

spark

spark
slow singe
flickering glow ignites
sizzling hot scorching combustion
ash

clouds

clouds
cotton candy
cute caressing clusters
charming collection clean cumulus
calm

nonabrasive

nonabrasive
feeling vulnerable
words can hurt
gently use thoughtful consideration
self-protection

nonabrasive

nonabrasive
soothing force
elements of contradiction
freeing wind, cleansing rain
nature

rise

rise
after setback
weather the challenges
remain full of hope
resilience

note to self

abandon
old habits
self-deprecating hurtful words
be proud of your
accomplishments

prolific

prolific
create endlessly
quantity becomes quality
write more, write better
ameliorate
prolific
keep trying
again and again
million grains of sand
pearl

Copenhagen Trilogy by Tove Ditlevsen

Book Club Apri 2022 The Copenhagen Trilogy by Tove Ditlevsen is breathtakingly beautiful and incredible sad. What a voice. Childhood, motherhood, love, marriage and writing, all the writing. 

Sula by Toni Morrison

Sula by Toni Morrison is a book about friendship and family and about everything that can go right and everything that can go wrong.

blue, how dare you

blue
perfect sky
how dare you
on this horrible day
gloom
thank you
I needed perfect
on this horrible day
hope

birthday

miss
your way
every single day
until no more days
birthday

music

neglected passion
resurrected my biography
music in my life
comeback

Homeland Elegies by Ayad Akhtar

Book Club March 2022 Not easy, not fun but smart and well crafted and very important to understand our world a little better. Everyone should read Homeland Elegies by Ayad Akhtar, find some nice people to discuss it after reading it. 

anyway

anyway
even if
just jump in
do not stop, go
brave

jump

jump
go ahead
forget the fear
you can do it
thrill

mediterraneo

mediterraneo
deliciosamento salado
con mis lagrimas
y momentos muy felices
añoranza

mediterranean
deliciously salty
with my tears
and the happiest moments
longing

longing

longing
pencil chewing
not paying attention
boring tulip biology lesson
glancing
shyly towards
the cool row
a most beautiful person
ache
unrequited love
felt my glance
annoyed look, I blushed
reciprocate?
pounding heart
scribbled love letter
torn into small pieces
heartache
deep breath
get over it
next spring new tulips
love

see

look
really notice
pay close attention
what do you see?
find

embrace

impatient
waiting anxiously
for your arrival
relief when I finally
embrace

first

people, rules, expectations, beliefs
worthy
reassess value
forget about appearances
do not hesitate, claim
ownership

trapped

trapped
let go
don‘t belong
please set me free
release

The Overstory by Richard Powers

After reading The Overstory by Richard Powers I look at trees in a different way. Read it. In July of 2021 I wrote a daily tree emotions poem. Read them all here.

nightswimming

soft water
caresses my skin
dissolves all my worries
float

inspiration

inspiration
sublime superpower
share sensational sentences
shine a light on
us

tender

tender
need little
adapted to harshness
humble keeper of life
succulent

tranquility

tranquility
inner peace
waves of calmness
stormy ocean of life
comfort

golden light

golden
light bathing
transforms mundane entities
into priceless rare treasures
ephemeral

Ali Mitgutsch

imagination
discover stories
find your language
pictures full of surprises
grateful

phantasie
entdecke geschichten
finde deine sprache
bilder voller überraschungen
dankbar

pool

waves
discover life
come and go
find peace in pool
survive

Ghosts by Dolly Alderton

I read Ghosts by Dolly Alderton as a “palate cleanser” between several of my book club books. I had read about it but did not know any details and was pleasantly surprised by this story about love, relationships, friendships, parents, mental health and living in today’s world. 

homeward-bound

walk
with me
hold me close
so we stay warm
homeward-bound

hope

efforts
not wasted
let us build
it will work out
hope

silence

silence
forever quiet
witnesses without voice
what have they seen?
silence

emerge

emerge
same renewed
see the light
perspective changes the mood
optimistic

Der Gang vor die Hunde by Erich Kästner

Der Gang vor die Hund – Going to the dogs is the original title Erich Kästner chose for this book, his editors went with Fabian, the last name of the protagonist and edited the book that was published in 1931. The original title is exactly what the books is, a...

Five Tuesdays in Winter by Lily King

Five Tuesdays in Winter by Lily King blew me away. What an incredible collection of short stories – they could all go out into the world as full books with highly layered interesting characters and stories. I don’t reread very often, but I’m sure I will reread this. I truly...

A Boy Called Christmas by Matt Haig

A Boy Called Christmas is a lovely story with many unique new and very creative ideas and explanations in a story you thought you knew. Not just for children and not just for Christmas. 

emerge

emerge
come up
come to notice
come into the light
unfold

I Will Judge You by Your Bookshelf by Grant Snider

I Will Judge You by Your Bookshelf by Grant Snider has been sitting on my bookshelf only partially read for way to long. What a delightful treasure. An ode to reading and writing with so much wisdom and insight. Give it to a reader or writer in your life.

11 elfchen 21 – me

definition
who, what
search, find myself
everything falls into place
me

Grand opening

welcome
grand opening
come and try
most luxurious insect hotel
relax
room service
safe and secure
no birds, frogs, bats
unwind
astonishing views
delicacies to feast
be our guest today
exhale

These Precious Days by Ann Patchett

Oh Ann Patchett, reading These Precious Days is like getting a hug from your favorite person or being wrapped in a warm fuzzy blanket. I loved, loved, loved this collection of essays about love, friendship and being a decent human being. Thank you for sharing your words with the word....

Read 12 classics in 2022

This year I want to read 12 classics that I have not read before. So far I have thought about reading the following:

Books I want to read

Do you know that table in the bookstore with all the book you’ve always wanted to read? My table gets bigger and bigger with every book I read, but I still want to keep track, so here is a new category for that. TBR I own

Bonjour Tristesse Françoise Sagan

Bonjour Tristesse by Françoise Sagan is another wonderful book that I wish I had read sooner. An insight into a young woman’s thoughts and life and into another time. I wish I could discuss it with my mother, I know she loved this one.

Harlem Shuffle by Colson Whitehead

Colson Whitehead creates a whole universe of multi-layered characters and plays with language in such a delightful and wise way. I felt transported right into the story. 

In the dead of night

in the dead of night
savory hot snack brings calm
famished from dreaming

Apples Never Fall by Liane Moriarty

Apples Never Fall picks up when most of the other stories have long ended, kids are grown, marriage is crumbling and then boom, everything changes. Not my usual genre but I have enjoyed every book by Liane Moriarty so far and this one was very entertaining. I also love learning...

The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton

Our Book Club pick for November 2021. Another surprisingly current story and cast of interesting characters in what might appear to be a very old and dusty story. We had a very lively discussion in Book Club about love, happiness and choosing your destiny.

Mrs Dalloway by Virginia Woolf

I read and discussed Mrs Dalloway by Virginia Woolf with my Book Club and was really surprised by how much this story that might seem dated and dusty touched all of us. It was my first time reading Virgina Woolf and I’m so grateful to be able to discover “new”...

All We Left Unsaid by Natalie K Martin

I could relate so well to All We Left Unsaid by Natalie K Martin, a story about sisters and grief and starting over. The relationship between the two women, the tensions of being both close but very different and the way we deal with expectations really drew me in. The...

The Glass Castle by Jeannette Wells

The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls has made a lasting impression on me. Like the somewhat similar story in Educated by Tara Westover I was horrified by the family and fascinated by the beauty in the words used to describe it. Touching, a story about resilience, family and love. Very...

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

I was „forced“ to watch the 1931 Frankenstein movie during a family vacation as a child and remember being very, very afraid. Reading the original story by Mary Shelley has been a surprising experience and has left me with so many open questions. Looking forward to discussing it with other...