Hey There!
I’m Jody. It’s great to meet you!
Why the title? The word ‘poem’ comes from the Greek 'poiema' for 'a made thing,' thus the name Poetry & Made Things. Here you’ll not only find poems and poetic inspiration, but also other made things.
I am convinced we can grow in connection to God through opening ourselves up to expression and creation through our words. To that end, I encourage people to think poetically, making friends with poetry through accessible poems and processes, learning to read for understanding and writing poetry of their own.
Poetry can move us in two ways—speaking to us when we read it and through us when we sit down to write. If you are a novice and want to know more about the form and dip your toes into the practice of writing and reading poetry, you have come to the right place!
Be sure to look around my Substack site where you’ll find Curated Poetry Lists, poem How-To’s and More on the Poetry & Writing Resources tab, plus a link to info about my books, Mining the Bright Birds and Hearts on Pilgrimage: Poems & Prayers.
When you Subscribe
Once a week subscribers receive the latest poems from my pen, plus reflections and encouragement. Occasionally, I’ll offer recommendations and resources as well and simple poetry writing how-to’s.
Also, when you subscribe your welcome email includes a FREE GIFT, “Five Things that Surprised Me About Poetry” to help you on your poetic journey.
Consider a PAID Subscription
When you choose to become a paid subscriber for only $5.00 a month, you receive all of the above; also, paying for work you find meaningful makes you a patron, someone who advocates for creatives and supports their work.
Your monthly support helps cover yearly costs of $300 for my author website www.jodyleecollins.com, as well as keeping up the supply of my favorite pencils (Blackwing Pearls) and of course, coffee. I do live near Seattle, after all.
What other readers have said:
"I love poetry and I love your way of sharing it and inspiring others to read and write poetry:) YOU ROCK, Jody!" -Katie B.
"I love poetry, writing, art, and creating things, so Poetry & Made Things is hitting right at the soul level and what God is doing with me in this season. Thank you for being an inspiration!" -Jan
"Jody breathes life into her poetry and it prompts rest and a pause to gratefulness. Thank you for your Peace-filled words, Jody. We need them." -Jane W.
About Me
Awkward third-person Bio:
Jody Collins attended Fullerton Junior College in Southern California, where she majored in English and Journalism. She holds a B.A. in Liberal Studies and K-8 Teaching Credential from Fresno State University, 1991. In addition to 20+ years in the classroom, her writing has appeared online and in print for over 25 years. She is the author of Mining the Bright Birds: Poems of Longing for Home, (Wipf & Stock, 2023), an independently published ebook “Emmanuel Poems-Verses for the Holidays,” 2022 as well as “Hearts on Pilgrimage-Poems & Prayers,” 2021 and “Living the Season Well-Reclaiming Christmas” (2017, rev. 2018).
You can find an archive of twelve years of work at her author website www.jodyleecollins.com where there is also a page of of writing published elsewhere.
I left social media in April of 2023 (sorry, not sorry) so the best way to connect is via email, which I enjoy a great deal. You can reach me at heyjode70 {at} yahoo dot com.
P.S. If you want to know more about why I left social media as a writer, you can read this post which includes a link to a podcast interview with the founders of Writing off Social.
I’m so glad you’re here!
All the best,
Jody
