Emma Major

Emmuk74 | Emma Major | Substack Poetry, art, prayer and faithful creativity. Click to read Emmuk74, by Emma Major, a Substack publication. Launched a year ago.

finally accepting that sharing my #art and #poetry everywhere is impossible with #disability #chronicillness and #cancer
Hopefully I'll be back with more energy soon, until then I'd love it if you could follow me on substack where I share every day. emmuk74.substack.com

A collection of Palm crosses, advertising haiku for Lent 2025

If you are someone who thinks about the Easter story, you might find the haiku that @emmuk74.bsky.social, @curiouswilds.bsky.social and I put together a couple of years back

A painting of a woman sat in a meadow with hair made of shoots and flowers. In the background the night sky sparkles.

I rested the moon on my shoulders
Soft silver light reflecting
Through twilight's breath

As spring warmth developed
I reached deep into the Earth
Growing alongside shoots of new life

#poem

Take time to be still
As leaves are unfurling
Basking in winter sunlight
Accept hibernation as a blessing

Allow your roots to anchor
Whilst your soul is resting
Opening to possibilities
As spring starts emerging

#poem #tree

...
Perhaps it's just me
But the older I get
The more I suspect
That almost everyone feels the same
Which means there is no shame
No truth
In this feeling
Of failing
Because no one is winning
Yet everyone wins

#mentalhealth

A painting all in green of a woman emerging from a garden of flowers

Do you ever feel like you aren't enough
Whilst also being far too much
That you take up too much space
Yet are barely noticed
As if you aren't designed effectively
Were made mistakenly
Live incorrectly
Can't find your niche
Your place
Your space
In a world of perfection

A painting of small islands in an expanse of water at sunset - all in oranges, yellows and reds

Timeless treasures age
Reminiscent whisperings
Captured in moonlight

#poetry #art

It's more than rubbish and it's not ok. Sorry you're having such an awful day

Don't fear the slopes
Speak out your hopes
Or jot them on backs of envelopes

This is the way to live each day
Truthfully
Mindfully
Faithfully
Hopefully
Peacefully
Gratefully

#poetry #art

Mistakes melt like snowflakes
On frozen lakes
As spring awakes

Set aside habits that will be broken
Or frozen
Leave them unspoken

A landscape inspired by Norway with hillsides in red colours and the sky bathed in yellows

January whispers....

"No new beginnings for us"
No need to adjust
Or make a fuss

This journey is forever circular
Spectacular
Yet familiar

We leave time with our stories
In memories
Or lullabies

As the silver moon captures our melodies
As remedies
In reveries

Prancing through the snow
Drawing self portraits with truth
The winter moon shines

A haiku inspired by this freezing cold weather, illustrated with 4 of my white cat paintings. Which is your favourite of these cats?

#art #cat

I have learned over the years that the only way I can create is my way. That my artists voice is varied and changeable, because that's me, and so my style and subject matter and medium changes all the time but my voice is always my own. Prayerful, hopeful, honest and with a heart for justice.

Light in the dark days
Friendships shared in honesty
There is a prayer

There is a prayer
Longing to be heaven sent
Lodged beneath my tongue

Lodged beneath my tongue
Thankfulness far beyond words
Light in the dark days

Landscape of a mountain at sunset in orange colours

In the quiet dawn of the new year’s light
Hope unfurls on petals bathed in dew
Happiness whispers a morning embrace
Promising rest and troubles few

May this year bring gifts old and new
Acceptance shaping our hope into view

#sonnet #happynewyear

A painting of the sea at sunset with rainbow colours reflected on the waves

Life and all it brings
Can be used creatively
The muse of your art
Transforming pain imaginatively

#pain #poetry #mentalhealth #art

Two black cats balancing on wires with the full moon behind them

Despite the storm's rage
Flashlights in monsoons calm dread
We will recover

We will recover
Slowly, carefully, in time
Stars shining brighter

Stars shining brighter
Inwardly and outwardly
Despite the storm's rage

#mentalhealth #art #poem

Six abstract paintings of people in bright rainbow colours

You, me, everyone
We are all masterpieces
Individually
Imperfectly perfected
None greater than another

#poetry #art

When I call out to you What name shall I use? The Word The Way The Truth The Life Beloved Son of God Prince of Peace Lamb of God King of Kings Mighty God Prophet Counsellor Facilitator Alpha Omega Creator Saviour Redeemer Light of the World Cornerstone Carpenter Shepherd Teacher Master Lord Living water Bread of life Vine Branch Rock Star Jesus Christ Emmanuel So many names Every one of them true As we try to describe Indescribable you

When I call out to you
What name shall I use?

The Word
The Way
The Truth
The Life

Beloved Son of God
Prince of Peace
Lamb of God ....

#Christmas

Merry Christmas. Today my gift to you is the prayer that I've written, one line each day, through Advent, illustrated by my paintings of candles.

I hope you have a peaceful and hopeful day.

Text of the prayer is in alt text

#prayer #hope #love #peaceonearth #Christmas

Sing in thanks as Zechariah sang
A saviour is born this day
Jesus Christ our Lord will reign
He will shine a light into the darkness
Guiding our feet on the path of peace
Bringing love to a world in need

One line prayer: we pray for peace across the world this day and always

A large Christmas tree covered in bright baubles with bright coloured bubbles floating all around it

On this holy night
As tapered candles burn bright
Show us signs of hope
Bring light into dark places
Lead us on a path of peace

#Christmas

Advent Day 23: wisdom

Find wisdom in love
Freedom in understanding
Forgiveness in peace
Trusting even in dark days
That there will be light again

One line prayer: as we grow wise in your ways we pray

For me it's a mix of fatigue, pain, illness, anxiety and access issues which mean I won't come along. But to be invited and to feel included and know I can say no without judgement is perfection.

A painting of a cat sitting in a window with a bright abstract scene outside

I want to be invited
It makes me feel that you care
But I probably won't come along
Because it's too exhausting out there

Who else longs to be invited but will be unlikely to make it to the thing?

Advent Day 22: Virgin

Journey together
Through this virgin life with grace
Paint your own picture

One line prayer: help us embrace each day in a fresh new way

An extremely abstract painting in oranges and yellows which is barely seen - the idea being that everyone will struggle to see what it depicts

Advent Day 21: unseen

Unseen
Unknown
Unappreciated
Unrecognisable
Unshakable
Unladen
Unified

Where are you on this uncharted scale of universal love?

One line prayer: bring the unseen into your light of love

We can let go of expectations put upon us
And allow ourselves to grieve any loss
No matter what messages we hear or see
Everyone is worth their place in society
Consumerism isn't the only way
Loving each other
Creates much better days
#poetry #art

In this world I do not need to be anything
And neither do you
Or anyone else
We don't need to earn our right to take up space
We don't need to conquer troubles or win a race

Advent Day 20: twinkle

Hope twinkles daily
In hearts, minds, souls and hands
Offered openly

One line prayer: just as stars twinkle may your hope light the dark