Presents...
The Journey of Abigayle
Inspirational Poet and Songwriter
(My time in the beautiful Arizona desert, 2001)
(Click on category below to view its contents)
FOOD FOR THOUGHT POEMS FROM THE HEART LYRICS
This website is your invitation to join my adventure as I travel the back roads of America in my RV (named "Lucky"), accompanied only by my faith and my passionate love of life.
Just me and my RV named Lucky,
my faith in Jesus Christ at my side.
Someday, I'm going home to the Kingdom
but for now I think I'll just enjoy the ride!
(Abigayle, 1998)
It's time to put a NEW face on a very old art form. Poetry should be fun as well as thought provoking. It should make you laugh, as well as cry. "Art" is a tool... and I choose to use mine to put smiles on sad faces and hope in tired hearts. I write for people who don't like poetry. I write for main-stream America. I write for you! Abigayle
The Journey
It began with the devastating West Coast flood during the winter of 1996/97. I had just spent seven action-packed years developing and building my childhood dream; an ocean front equestrian resort on the Southern Oregon Coast. At long last, the dream became a reality - and we were open for business. But then came the flood.
Because we'd only been open for a few months, we weren't eligible for FEMA or SBA reconstruction funds... and the dream ended. No, that's not right. It wasn't the "end"... it was merely the "beginning" of something new and wonderful.
In every ending lies a new beginning...
Yes, I loved my seven years on the ocean. I rode my horses on miles of pristine beaches and secluded mountain trails. I tamed wild ducks and geese and called them "friends". I caught salmon and steelhead while sitting in a lawn chair on my deck overlooking the river. I have to admit that if it hadn't been for the flood, I'd still be in Gold Beach enjoying my little piece of heaven.
But that was not to be... and things have a way of turning out for the best. So, in the Fall of 1998, I climbed into a 21 year old RV and drove away from my life in beautiful Gold Beach, Oregon with $97 in my pocket, no savings account and a heart full of hope and joy. After all, I was on a mission... a true calling from God to use my gift to make a difference in this amazing but sometimes confusing world... (If you would like to read the story of the miracle that sent me on the road, click HERE).
I would be a "cheerleader" for the people... a reminder that life on Earth is nothing more than a blink-of-the-eye and that every moment (bad or good) must be treasured. I would remind people that no matter how difficult life seems, we are truly rich... and that our Lord loves each and every one of us. After all - we are royalty!
We are the children of God.
You'd think that losing everything you own in a flood would be a BAD thing, but it wasn't. It was a blessing, and one that changed my life forever.
And now that all the possessions I spent a lifetime gathering were gone, I discovered something wonderful. I discovered that I didn't really need them after all. I had my faith and my health. I had people who loved me and people I loved in return. And now, I had the most important calling of my life. My Lord and Master wanted me to use the gift he gave me for something other than money and ego. He wanted me to use it to further His work... and to offer joy and comfort to His people.
BUT HOW?
Financially speaking, the flood took almost everything I owned. But by selling the 24 ocean-front acres my home and business stood on, (and with the help of some kind and generous family members), at least the business was able to avoid bankruptcy.
That still left me with nothing but an older car and the few objects that had survived the flood, (mostly wood or metal). So I sold the car and then held a "moving sale" with the rest of my belongings. With the proceeds, I was able to buy a 21 year old RV that had been stored for many years. I had a home... and I was ecstatic!
So what if I'd never driven a motor home before... and so what if she'd been stored for nearly a decade. At least I would have a roof over my head - and that's why I decided to name her "Lucky"... because I was so darn Lucky to have her. (Check out the "journal entries" for more of that story.)
Lucky is truly an "oldie but a goodie"; 27 feet long with only 60,000 miles. Because I've always been a horsewoman and animal lover, my houses always had acreage and lots of living space, but now, for the first time in my life, the 27 feet I call "Lucky" felt like a mansion.
The problem was that I knew absolutely nothing about driving an RV and even less about engines. At 5 miles per gallon, I did know that my $97 wouldn't take me very far, but I wasn't worried. I had a soft bed to sleep on and food in my cupboards. I even had a bathroom. What more could I want?
AND NOW...
"Lucky" and I travel the country putting on shows in rest homes and senior centers, hospices and women's shelters. Schools, churches, libraries and even teen camps have welcomed us... and the list goes on. If THEY will listen, I will entertain, encourage and hopefully even enlighten them.
The only thing I DON'T like is that I find it necessary to put on one fund raiser in each town. It feels wrong... but I must eat and Lucky must have gasoline. I still won't allow the passing of a plate or charge admission, but I do put a little basket on a table BEHIND me with a sign that says, "If you would like to help keep this Poetry on the Road, your contribution would be appreciated." It's truly amazing, but after every single one of these "open" performances, there's just enough money in the basket to take me to the next town and stock my cupboards with food.
But what really surprises me is the audience response. Usually my shows are scheduled for one hour, but so far they've ranged anywhere from 2 to 5 hours because the people insist on hearing more. And it's not just an evening of songs and poetry; it's my chance to bear testimony and share the joy and contentment that unshakeable faith has brought me.
And what an exciting journey it has been!
I've been swarmed by Africanized bees, (my one and only phobia in life), burned in a campfire explosion, (2 months to recover), and stalked by an escapee from a mental institution for the criminally insane (who swore that Satan promised me to him). I've been lost in the desert, broken down with no money or help in sight and once, Lucky even burst into flames as I crossed the Mohave desert in 120 degree temperatures.
After each and every performance, people say to me, "I wish I could do what you're doing. I'd LOVE to just take off and travel the country," which is why I'm writing a book about my adventures on the road. It's a story of faith, hope and joy. It's the story of a middle-aged woman (me) who finds the second half of her life is only the beginning.
The journal entries on this website are just a small sample of what will become the book... so join me on this amazing journey. (See the "journal entries" link above.)
If you would like to email me directly with comments, requests or just to talk, please use the Email address below.
abigayle@poetryontheroad.com
I hope you enjoy the samples of my poetry that clicking on the links at the top of the page make available. Please feel free to make copies and give them to anyone who might enjoy them.
After all, we are all family... and you, my brothers and sisters, are the reason I write.
May the Lord bless and keep you,
Abigayle