Padma Venkatraman, our host for Day 14 of VerseLove 2025, is the author of The Bridge Home, Born Behind Bars, A Time to Dance, Island’s End and Climbing the Stairs. Her books have sold over ¼ million copies, received over 20 starred reviews, and won numerous awards: Walter Dean Myers Award, South Asia Book Award, Golden Kite, ALA Notable etc.
Today, she inspires us to read her poem entitled Safe Spaces and think about a place that feels like a safe harbor – and bring that space alive in a poem. You can read her full prompt here.
My friend Margaret Simon, host of Poetry Friday, introduced me to a Shadorma form. I love the short forms, and this one contains six lines with this syllable pattern: 3-5-3-3-7-5. I’m trying this for my safe space poem today.
Safe Harbor Shadorma
safe harbors
places we can breathe
without fear
but tell me ~
do they exist anymore
in this mess of now?
Common Threads 
I know the mess of which you speak. As you know I’m visiting my brother and mother now. Trying to find safe spaces and solace amidst the grief fraught days of aging parents is hard. I hope you are back home on the farm with your pups.
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