Author: Dawn Renee Miller

Lifelong writer of boring things like specs and reqs ready to spread her wings with some creativity.
poetry, writing

The Maze of Life

Posted on by Dawn Renee Miller

I once thought life was a labyrinth,

A set path full of twists and turns we each take on our own.

The characters we meet along the way are but fleeting and random.

Now I see it is a maze, with intersections and decision points.

We encounter many and decide to join on a path for the journey.

We face dead ends, hearing others on the other side of the hedge, wanting to find them.

We come to places where we must make decisions to go back together or separate as the maze is too narrow for two.

We share this maze with our world and we come and go in each other’s lives.

The strongest connections find ways in the maze to reconnect, sometimes for just a moment, but others for a lifetime.

Perhaps these lucky few are tied together with an invisible string which can bring them together if they pull hard enough.

Am I one of the lucky few?

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writing

Chaos

Posted on by Dawn Renee Miller

Seditionists wave their flags, thinking they are the only true patriots while the rest of the country watches in shock.

They struggle to understand they are not the majority. They can’t handle believing they didn’t win. Is this the result of trophies for all attitudes?

They believe the lies they tell themselves because it is reinforced by a conman, yet they do not see.

They work to destroy the very foundation that grants them freedom.

Liberty and Justice hang in the balance as chaos makes its way up the capitol steps.

Will they see in time? Will they learn? It isn’t freedom they support, but authoritarianism.

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Uncategorized

New Year’s Morning

Posted on by Dawn Renee Miller

Good bye 2020! This last year has been a real ride.

2021 is upon us. I awoke this morning to a new day and found my way to the soft sand of Melbourne Beach to watch the sunrise.

The waves churned against the shore as the dark faded away to the dawn. I was kissed by a rogue wave, up to my knees, as I walked along the surf. It was refreshing and cool, soaking through my sneakers.

I found a high spot in the sand and settled in to see the Sun’s glow against the distant clouds. Slowly it shone through the breaks and illuminated this new day.

Happy New Year!

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writing

Reflection

Posted on by Dawn Renee Miller

She stared at her phone. Not the display, but the reflection in the screen.

She didn’t like what she saw. Sad eyes looked back at her, knowing her pain.

This was not the life she wanted. This was not the life she planned.

Tired, heavy with weight and thoughts, her mind struggled to pull her out of the tar which pulled her under.

Just one small step, just take it. She set down the phone, laced up her shoes, and walked out the door.

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writing

Break In – Chapter 1

Posted on by Dawn Renee Miller

She stood among the chaos around her, unsure of where to begin. The storm had been brief, but destructive. A chair overturned. The glass top of the table shattered into shards on the rug now wet from her spilled drink when the table broke.

The sirens wailed and lights flashed outside her door. She raised her hand to her face to wipe away the wetness, only to see blood smeared on her arm as she pulled it away. Her eyes welled up with tears.

Why did he do this? Where did that anger come from?

She was perplexed by the whirlwind of madness that came from him. She looked through the door, ripped from its frame when he busted in.

‘Ma’am, are you alright? I’m Officer Tatum. May I come in?’

She raised her head up, showing her tear soaked face. Her right temple dripped blood. She nodded in agreement.

‘Send in the EMT. She needs some attention,’ the officer guided her to the sofa. ‘Careful. Have a seat. First, what is your name?’

‘Shana Lee,’ she squeaked out.

‘Hi Shana. Do you know what happened?’

She really couldn’t recall, other than seeing the flash of upset in his eyes. The rest was a blur.

‘Do you know who did this?’

She nodded no. She didn’t even know his name. ‘He barged in, asking for Joelle. There is no Joelle living here though. He was so angry.’

The EMT cleaned her wound and applied a bandage. ‘We can stitch you up right here.’ The EMT smiled kindly at her as she applied pressure. ‘Did he do anything else?’

‘No. He, he didn’t.’ her muffled voice still shaking. Her hands quivered, her mind still trying to make sense of it all.

Officer Tatum moved through the room, gathering evidence of the break in and damage. ‘Did he say anything else. Any reason why he would unleash this kind of damage?’

Shana shook her head no again and looked around the room.

‘Is there someone we can call to stay with you, or maybe you can go stay with a few nights?’

She shook her head yes, and reached for her phone, looking up her cousin’s number. ‘I just moved here to get a fresh start. I don’t understand any of this.’

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poetry

Reality

Posted on by Dawn Renee Miller

Reality awakens her from slumber.

She stands there, confused.

Letting go of her every memory.

Wondering if they were but dreams and fantasy.

The truth stares her in the face.

Broken and shaking, she steps forward into the light.

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poetry, writing

Lives Never Lived

Posted on by Dawn Renee Miller

Dreaming of lives never lived,

she wakes and wonders.

Could those lives had been her own?

As she returns to the real world, she ponders

lives full of adventure and travel,

lives with sophistication and grace,

one of a blue-eyed child, never to be her own,

and one with a love from long ago.

Were these just whims of fantasy and wishes

or glimpses into what could have been?

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writing

The Stolen Kiss

Posted on by Dawn Renee Miller

10 minutes between classes, that was all she had to move between South and North Campus. That was all the time she had.

It was a good 7 minutes from the far corners of school on a good day. Today, she wore heels, so add a minute to climb up the stairs. She knew she needed to move quick to make it in time as she also needed something from her locker. There would be no time for lolly-gagging or chitchat with friends today.

She spied the clock and saw the time. Her books and notebooks were heavy in her Jan-Sport backpack, but safely stowed and bag zipped. The bell rang and she swiftly threw her bag over her shoulder, straightened her skirt and waved a quick bye to her best friend. They’d see each other in an hour, she’d explain then.

Click – clack – click. Her heels struck the cement sidewalk between campuses.

The side door to main campus was crowded with people, so she headed to the back of the building to the outside metal staircase.

Clang! Clang! her heels rang out as she bounded up the stairs.

Three quarters the way there, the top door swung open. She paused, and looked up. Oh, that smile. It melts her heart. She wondered if he knew the effect he had on her. She grabbed the railing a little tighter just to avoid losing her balance.

His light eyes caught her brown eyes and she felt her cheeks turn red. As he approached her, his hand reached for her cheek. He stepped on the same step where she stood and leaned in for a kiss.

The kiss felt like time stopped as they turned on the stairs. His soft lips caressed hers sweetly. Her free hand played with his blond hair as he stepped down a stair to be at the same height as she.

In the distance, they could hear the bell ring, signaling time to get to class. She wasn’t ready for the moment to end, but they both needed to go. As they continued on their ways to the next class, he stole her heart. She was heady with giddiness giving it away to him.

She found her way on up the stairs to the door. She knew she would be late, but it was worth it. Her cheeks were still hot as she slid into her seat and settled in for the next class.

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