Welcome to Wild Ground!
I’m Lisa—poet, novelist, mom of 3, and literal hugger of trees.
I first arrived here on Substack in the summer of 2020, with my life turned upside down and inside out by long Covid. There were words I needed to read—words about navigating a brand-new-to-all-of-us and utterly-life-changing-for-some-of-us illness. I couldn’t find those words written anywhere, so I launched Corona Café, where I wrote the words I needed to hear and shared them with the little circle of Covid-19 long-haulers who gathered there. But a couple years into my journey with long Covid, it became clear to me that the most important lessons that chronic illness was teaching me weren’t about being sick. They were about being human. I craved a space in which to connect with others not in spite of our wounds but directly through our wounds, whether or not they came from the same source. And so, Corona Café became Incurably Human.
It turns out that the kinder I am to myself and to my wounds, the stronger the impulse inside me becomes to play, to create, to explore. In 2023, I began dabbling in poetry. And then in 2024, I just dove straight in. I turned my primary focus away from Incurably Human and launched 100 Poems, where I wrote and shared 100+ poems in the first year, as well as prompts so that others could write along with me. I thought “others” would pretty much just include my sister and one or two friends. Instead, I was greeted by a whole playground of lovely poets and humans.
I am still writing and sharing poems—and I still feel a parallel yearning to explore the human experience in prose. Having these yearnings play out on two separate Substacks leaves me spread thin, though, and as a result, Incurably Human has been comparatively neglected. To address this, I’m blending my two Substacks into one. Wild Ground is born of the longing to live into an ever-fuller range of creative exploration and expression—and to invite you, whoever you are, to join me in that journey. This space is a reflection of my desire to be fully alive in this world, with its shifting, gorgeous, shattering terrain. And it’s an outgrowth of my yearning to gather with others, right here, in the jagged beauty of the present moment.
So, what now?
Now I hope you’ll join me on this journey! Admittedly, I don’t know exactly what that will entail; the ground beneath our feet is wild and alive and changing. But my plan is to post here once a week (allowing for an occasional week off here or there). Since I’m already in the habit of posting a poem and prompt every week, most of these posts are likely to follow that pattern. But I expect to share mini essays, as well, exploring anything and everything related to being human. Topics that I have a hard time shutting up about include the natural world, creativity, the writing process, and pretty much anything related to being a human who is trying to show up in this world with an open heart. It’s possible that stray bits of fiction or even songs may find their way into this space, too.
Everything I post will come with an invitation, prompt, or question for you. Nothing makes me happier than to be in conversation with other readers and writers. So please don’t be shy about sharing your own thoughts, feelings, experiences, or creative work in the comments thread. I look forward to getting to know you and your work!
Do I need to pay for a subscription?
Nope! Paid subscriptions are deeply appreciated. I’m a single mom living with chronic illness, trying to make it in the world as a writer, and every dollar helps. But at this point, a paid subscription doesn’t come with any extra benefits (beyond my gratitude and some good karma). It’s just an optional way to support the writing of this Substack and help me pay bills or access classes/workshops to hone my writing skills. To me, it feels like the equivalent of a digital hug or pat on the back or a keep going, your words matter. If you are already a paid subscriber or choose to become one, thank you from the bottom of my heart.
