MorningPoems Podcast

She & Me

The MorningPoems Podcast Full Circle

After much deliberation, I decided to take control of my previously published poems that I had on Facebook & Instagram. At the time I enlisted the help of Aina (Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ainaklima) to help me catalog my work.

You’d think someone like me—a former archivist & librarian—would be able to wield their own poetry collection around but it's daunting to organize one’s own work. The sane thing to do is enlist help. It creates distance and that distance creates the right amount of detachment to edit on your own.

I do recommend hiring editors and auxiliary staff to help manage intellectual property.

Any-the-how…

Upon delivery, I couldn't resist doing something with the over 780 poems propped up on a spreadsheet for me to ogle.

Moreover, content platforms like Meta own the rights to use (unlimited usage rights) your work for their benefit.

Last June I read “Poor Doggie” (2015) aloud:

🐕https://tessmccarthy.substack.com/p/morningpoem-319

I began Season 1, Episode 1 with my dog. And, Season 2 is arching on the heels of spending time with my dog.

I'll be moonwalking back to May 2021 for S.2, E.1—and, I can't wait to release it because it's about my late father.

Recently, I got a mixer and finally hooked up my Rode mic with the help of a friend who does mixing & recording for a living. I’m lucky for that.

Here is the bookmark to this mini-episode. Take a listen—

🎧: https://open.substack.com/pub/tessmccarthy/p/me-and-she

Oh. Fantasy!

Credits

The MorningPoems Podcast is spoken, written & produced by yours truly. You can follow me—or not follow me—on Instagram, but I don’t want them having your attention. I just want you, my darlings.

Regrettably, this was posted on my Astrology/Jungian coaching account 🙄

Ghosts Ghosts of my father, my mother, my sister, and brother no longer bother. They still talk to me. My lover ghosts still haunt me —in good ways. I love the help they give me —especially in bed while sleeping. II. But give me the ghosts of my pets, please. Bring back Poogie—who ran away —after eight years. Bring back Piglet —who did not die in my company because I left my ex. And bring back Georgia —oh, for the love of the goddess, please. She was someone I loved so deeply and purely. She’s the ghost I miss the most. I want to hear her stirring in quiet morning hours. I want to hear the couch poof to her psychic landing. I want to smell summer grass at the top of my nose and I want to feel mossy mud between my toes for those are things that remind me of her. Pet ghosts are good things I am not afraid of —even the three ghosts of goldfish I flushed down the toilet —I’m so deeply sorry, forgive me. III. Ghosts are the energy patterns which stand for my love, and our sweet interactions. Ghosts of my friends, my ancestors, and those who have loved me, sit beside me, walk with me, and drive shotgun in my car, please. I miss your company, my Sweeties. — May 8, 2025, at 7:28 a.m.

Season 1’s End: A Tribute to My MomMy parents! Now that they’ve passed, I try to surround myself with their pictures because I miss them deeply. Recently, I heard on a podcast that true wisdom comes from forgiving your parents. While I don't claim to be wise, I can say that I've learned a great deal from forgiving my parents for their imperfections, for being human, for their shortcomings and mistakes, for the times they hit me, called me worthless, ugly, and stupid, for not valuing me, and for not standing up for me. It has taken me several decades to reach this realization. Forgiving my parents has been a long and arduous journey, akin to weeding a garden.

Happy birthday, Mommy (from Lyon)

August 17, 1927

SYNOPSIS

In Season 1, Episode 8 of the Morning Poems Podcast, Tess still talks about Emily Dickinson. She candidly discusses her mission's exhaustion, her COVID bouts, and her reflections on parental forgiveness. Celebrating her mother's birthday, the poet reads two heartfelt poems from 2014 and 2016, reminiscing about a visit to Lyon and embodying her mother's voice in the Lyon poem.

Shoutouts to some Substack accounts and a heads-up to listeners about an upcoming poetry series called Witchlore in Season 2.

00:00 Introduction and Host Background

01:32 Housekeeping and Social Media

02:51 Shout Outs and Inspirations

04:08 Episode Recap and Personal Reflections

04:51 Mommy's Birthday and Poetry Reading

13:47 Poem: Happy Birthday Mommy from Lyon

15:03 Poem: August 17, 1927

17:39 Conclusion and Season 2 Teaser

Join me for my next live video in the app

Morning Poems Podcast S1, E7: Navigating Poetry, Gender, and Humor In this episode of the Morning Poems podcast, host and poet Tess McCarthy sinks into a June 2015 poem from her previously published poetry collection, sharing insights into her creative process and personal experiences. Tess talks about her future plans for digitizing her poetry collection, her fascination with Emily Dickinson, and the influence of her own gender identity in the autobiographical poem “I Didn’t Like Going to Mass,” where she talks about wanting to dress up as a tomboy when forced to wear dresses all the time along with their childhood experiences with gender expectations and sensory sensitivities, Tess emphasizes the blend of humor and seriousness in the MorningPoems Podcast aiming to bring levity into the listeners' lives. Stay tuned for more insights and poetry in this engaging episode.

00:00 Introduction 01:20 Podcast Recap and New Formats 02:08 Exploring AI and Voice Recording 05:05 The Importance of Humor in Life 06:38 Emily Dickinson: A Lifelong Fascination 08:47 Analyzing Poetic Form and Medium 10:08 Introducing the Poem: 'I Didn't Like Going to Mass' 11:15 Themes of Gender and Acceptance 15:01 Reading the Poem: 'I Didn't Like Going to Mass' 17:57 Conclusion and Future Plans

POETRY

Sunday? Let's Do This

All I have to do is get off my butt,and put yoga pants on.

The rest of the day is —not to worry about what I’ll do just go to class, do so now—get a spot.

Maybe fellow yoga mates will be there?Maybe that charming lad originally from Pakistan with a British accent?Maybe that woman will wear her green sweater—again? And that new person—another to see—the one who looks like that actor, Michael Fassbender?

Go, Tess. Get a (yoga) move on. Go.

The original version 

Sunday? Let's Do This:

All I have to do is get off my butt and put yoga pants on.The rest of the day is not worrying about what I will do, just go to class--do so now to get a spot.

Maybe your fellow classmates will be there?That English guy originally from Pakistan;The woman who always wears a green sweater; The new guy who looks like Fassbender;

go Tess.Go.

ANALYSIS

The mundane, and daily affairs in life are the topics of MorningPoems and after reacquainting myself with this current catalog of poetry I’m revising, it seems the themes are synonymous with breathing.

ASTROLOGICALLY SPEAKING

Because this author is both a professional astrologer/tarot practitioner, and librarian/educator, the themes are all pertaining to the 6th House. What’s the 6th House? In a natal astrology chart the houses are the life theme the planetary aspects take place. There are 12 Houses and each speak to an area of life or general theme. Therefore, the 6th house reflects, work, daily habits, health (health routines), pets (no larger than a goat according to the ancients), and all the things we do for ourselves to serve others.

But to further explain this, I’ve tapped my AI bot, Oracle von Cleef, a bot I manage on Poe.com to chime in.

LLM ANALYSIS

AI Analysis by Oracle von Cleef:

“The 6th house in astrology is associated with daily work, health, and routines. It represents the things we do on a regular basis to maintain our well-being and contribute to society.

The Conference

We converge(not clash with culture).

We explore city streets with open minds—if not hearts, and cataloguers take note of the typo in a book at a bookstore. 

The director stepson soft gum on the street.

No one laughs, but everyone on the tour is charged with a solution for gum removal.

-Edited 7/8/24 at 9:14 a.m. 

The original poem reads differently:

The Conference

We converge as a group of librarians. We do not clash with culture.

We explore city streetswith open minds—if not hearts,and catalogerstake note of the typoin a book at a bookstore. 

The library director stepson soft gumstuck on the street, —then stuck on he. 

No one laughs,but everyoneon this walking touris chargedwith a solution for gum removal.

-Edited 7/8/24 at 9:14 a.m. 

High Prey Drive

Let me romance you in the winter,—for the summer is too carefree and simple.

There’s too much in the way of hot summer days—besidesI’d rather pursue you in the snow—looking at your body covered in layerslends to the intrigue.

I’ve got a high prey drive.

I’ll go after you with ease.I don’t mind if you tease.

Half of my job—of this doing this romance—is two partslistening to youanother part is watching you,(and that’s pretty much it).

You’d have all of my attention—with no distractions.

My body leans in to shield you from a cold wind,then, in your heavy coat and knit hat,you smile at me—with that smile of yours, and warm lipstick.__July 8, 2024 at 10:25 a.m.

Well, hello, my pretty pretties. It’s me, Tess—the Great Tyrant. What possessed me to write this? I was on public transportation, and I saw someone who delighted me, that’s what. But I didn’t want to invade visual boundaries either, so I turned away, and being the helpless romantic that I am, I whipped out my phone and texted the first few lines of “Let me romance you in the winter—for the summer is too carefree and simple,” knowing that I’d have fodder for poetry come my morning coffee.

Analysis

“High Prey Drive” is a modern-romantic poem about Primal Play.

About Primal Play—the fetish

I’ll come out with it: in the world of BDSM, I’m not wholly a Dominatrix, although I’m Dominant. We can call me a power bottom, too, but the kink that best describes me—according to bdsmtest.org, is Primal (Hunter).

Psst: Don’t look at that score of Sadist. I don’t get off hurting people. I am just exceptionally good at doing what I’m told and vice versa. Do you want me to spank you? Does it make you happy? I’ll allow myself to do that if it pleases. Okay. Fine, dear. Take it.

What is Primal Play? According to “The Primal Play Reference Guide,” from the site domsubliving.com, Primal Play is a specific type of role-playing and power exchange between individuals that can often be linked to dom or sub-roles.

Take the fur out of your mouth and quit cooing. If we go down to that page I cite, it’s a no, hell no. I don’t want to put on animal sounds for our music playlist. I’m not an animal. I’m a Huntress (Hunter).

What’s a Hunter? Therefore, a Hunter (we generally capitalize a Dominant role, forgive me) is a primal “who typically maintains a human mindset and does not take on an animal role while hunting prey.”

I agree and disagree because both primal partners can be animalistic. There doesn’t have to be a “human mindset” with some pairs because having a human mindset is insidious at times. If a pair is into reciprocity, then a Hunter who is ‘leonine’ and prey that’s gazelle-like, I’m sure, is game. However, they don’t have to embody the traits. Primal Play, to me, isn’t what you think it is. It’s more about embodying the power dynamics and actions instead of mimicking animal traits. I can expound further

* Almost all of the suggestions listed for Primal on that PDF are deal breakers.

* The last thing I want to do is think about sex when I’m having sex with someone. All these questions get in the way: Am I doing it right? Is she liking this? How much can I do? How far can we both go? With primal play, we both agree we’re going H.A.M.

* Going primal doesn’t mean I’m into bestiality. It doesn’t mean I like to act like an animal—like howl at people or bark in bed, either. No. No. And, no.

* From an astrological standpoint, I also think it’s because my Mars is in Sagittarius, and my Venus is in Capricorn. Yes, that sounds tangential, but it makes sense to another astrologer.

But what does that mean?

It means that I do what excites me—and what my partner desires, and where consent is paramount. Specifically, what do I like?

* I like being in my body—I don’t want to talk or think. I want to be in touch with my raw emotions and desires. I want her to do whatever she wants and with reason and consent.

* I want to totally invest all my senses in another woman/femme/person.

* I like the high state of arousal, and sometimes it’s biting, scratching, and wrestling—but not growling. I stop there. That’s as far as the boat goes.

* Power dynamics. I like to explore this with a partner who sees me and makes me feel safe enough to be my Dominant self in the bedroom.

* Submissives who get it. Submissives can have lots of fun play-fighting, and in my poem, they can explore being the object of desire—without being overly objectified by me. The sub has to be a very intelligent, resilient, and open-minded partner to allow the game even to begin. And the sub can’t be a total doormat. There are boundaries. If I want you, I ask; if you want it, you’ll agree.

* This agreement is the “take/allow” power dynamic at play. I’ve had a history of allowing partners to do so much to me without my consent because I often don’t enjoy giving up control. The gift of allowing. Allow. “I’ll allow you to do x in order for you to feel joy/satisfaction.”

* Allowing is one of David Richo’s 5 A’s in loving relationships; however, allowing is discussed in Betty Martin’s “Wheel of Consent,” as seen below.

Consent: The Fast and DirtyConsent is about giving and receiving. But there’s another component: taking and allowing. There are distinctions between the four concepts. Dr. Betty Martin, who added the distinction of "taking and allowing,” was a former chiropractor and, then, a Sexological Bodyworker and Intimacy Coach. Oftentimes, we need more in sex and in life. Betty Martin’s “matrix” is broken down into two halves and four quadrants, and in her video, Giving is Serving. Receiving is Accepting. Taking action is taking action for your own benefit, not only in bed but also in the world. > “We think of our culture as me, me, me, get what we can…on the other hand, most people have difficulty experiencing pleasure in a direct, simple, tangible way (taking). Our inability to experience real pleasure contributes to our tendency to grab, grab, grab.” —Betty Martin.Since I can’t make a diagram using mermaid.js right now and/also, I’ve conveniently “nicknamed” the roles:

A1. YOU, THE GIVER (Also the Doer)- - Serve (aka “Giving” as an action to wholly benefit your partner) // Serve —> Accept

A2. YOU, THE DOER (Also Receiving)— Take (an action you and only for your benefit) // Take —> Allow

B1. THEY, THE DONE UNTO (Also Giving) — Allow (you allow for others to do as they want) // Allow ← Take

B2. THEY, THE RECEIVER (Also Done To)__ Accept (aka “Receiving” benefits from the actions of others) // Accept ← ServeI learned about Betty Martin from a fine, ol’ sex education library/archive/gallery helmed by Dr. Carol Queen and Dr. Bitch Sir (Robert Morgan Lawrence) in San Francisco. At the same time, I learned a lot about consent through the literature there. I served as a library intern and then the archivist-in-residence at the Center for Sex & Culture from 2012 to 2014. I gained valuable experience there. Before I got the role, I asked my advisor in library school, “Should I take this role? Would it taint me?” “Hell no. Experience is an experience—we need to be discerning when managing the material, not judging it.”

Lastly, everyone who is sexually active, whether or not you are into kink, should learn the Wheel of Consent. We can even apply Martin’s Wheel to interacting in other areas of our lives as well as visually understanding our boundaries. While my poem may sound misogynistic, it isn’t from the poet’s standpoint. The reader/listener buys into the notion the speaker had acquired consent before the poem begins. Personally, I’m working through trauma, layers of shame, and inner misogyny through this work and the poet’s Byronic voice. In turn, I’m finding a voice I lay dormant for so long.

July 10, 2015, You Live Your LifeMorningPoem #588

I see visions of your pretty, smiling face, learning to walk and giggling with delight.

I see a teen version of you on the phone, the cord wrapped around your finger, talking to friends until all odd hours of the night--your parents: only mildly exasperated.

You live your life so fully and elegantly, and no moment passes by where your energy is dulled.

No, not yours.

Yours is the energy of a million butterflies fluttering, overwhelming the senses, and stunning the simple folk.

MorningPoems

SYNOPSIS:Morning Poems Interludes: 'You Live Your Life' by Tess McCarthy

In this mini-episode of Morning Poems Interludes, host and poet McCarthy—a prolific poet with over 1,400 poems to her name—introduces a reading of her earlier work, 'You Live Your Life' from the Morning Poems catalog dated July 10th, 2016. The poet also makes a playful reference to Emily Dickinson's poem count and how badly she wants to beat writing 1.800 poems. The episode offers a heartwarming and vivid depiction of life's moments through Tess's poetic narrative. TRANSCRIPT:00:00 Introduction to MorningPoems Interludes

Welcome to Morning Poems Interludes. This is a short mini-episode in which I read poems between episodes, so there aren't any to be missed.  

00:12 I'm Your Poet

Hi, I'm Tess McCarthy, and I've written over 1,400 poems. Ha ha. Top that! And I'm well on my way to besting Emily Dickinson's record of 1,800 poems. You know her. 

00:34 Who is Emily Dickinson?

Who in the Dickinson was Emily Dickinson?  You have to ask. You don't know? She was the 19th-century recluse and poet who wrote… God! title slips me. 

00:52 Today's Poem: You Live Your Life Intro

Today is July 15th, 2024, and I'm reading a poem from the primary morning poems catalog dated July 10th, 2016, entitled “You Live Your Life.” It just so happens to be Morning Poem 588 in the collection. Enjoy.

  📍   

01:20 Reading the Poem, You Live Your Life 

You Live Your LifeI see visions of your pretty, smiling face, learning to walk and giggling with delight. I see a teen version of you on the phone, the cord wrapped around your finger, talking to friends until all odd hours of the night—your parents are only mildly exasperated.

You live your life so fully and elegantly, and no moment passes by where your energy is dulled.

No, not yours. 

Yours is the energy of a million butterflies fluttering,  overwhelming the senses and stunning the simple folk.MorningPoems

02:16 Conclusion // What's Next

And that concludes our mini episode of  MorningPoem Interludes.  Written, produced, and spoken by Tess McCarthy.  

Next up is probably another poem or possibly another episode in which I read poetry in between my longer languishing episodes. Stay tuned.