life & death realities | Laura Bruno Lilly

Shout Out: “Distorted is the View” by Khaya Ronkainen

laura bruno lilly — Sat, 24 Oct 2026 13:00:34 +0000

Khaya Ronkainen was born and grew up in the Eastern Cape, South Africa, and spent much of her adult life in Johannesburg. She now lives in Finland. Her work is largely inspired by nature and place, often examining the duality of an immigrant life. Ronkainen is the author of three poetry collections. Distorted is the […]

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Joy is the Justice We Give Ourselves – J. Drew Lanham poet, ornithologist

laura bruno lilly — Sat, 28 Feb 2026 22:11:20 +0000

On this last day of February*, after scrapping several attempts to craft a blog post based upon my own feelings of overwhelm during the relentless escalation of ICE these past months, I received the March newsletter from The Poetry Society of South Carolina** in my email. Therein I learned of SC native son, J. Drew […]

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ShoutOut: “When Things Go Missing” by Deborah J. Brasket

laura bruno lilly — Thu, 18 Sep 2025 11:17:53 +0000

Mini Review: When Things Go Missing by Deborah J. Brasket Sitting cross-legged on the bed as Franny sorts through old journals and piles of stuff, I was there with her. As she discards pieces of her life no longer relevant to who she has become or where she wants to be, I was ushered into […]

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Giving Voice: A USAID-funded researcher’s perspective on 2025 changes-pt3

Michelle L. Solorio — Sun, 07 Sep 2025 21:14:39 +0000

Notice the byline on this post? Yes, the ‘USAID-funded researcher’ is none other than our middle daughter, Michelle. And yes, she is one whose voice was silenced on 1/20/2025. A few months ago, Michelle asked if she could share her perspective with my readers.It was time. Part 3: Unresolved My belief in people’s capacity to […]

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Giving Voice: A USAID-funded researcher’s perspective on 2025 changes-pt2

Michelle L. Solorio — Sun, 13 Jul 2025 13:39:58 +0000

Notice the byline on this post? Yes, the ‘USAID-funded researcher’ is none other than our middle daughter, Michelle. And yes, she is one whose voice was silenced on 1/20/2025. A few weeks ago, Michelle asked if she could share her perspective with my readers.It was time. (note: part 2 is the longest of this 3-part […]

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Giving Voice: A USAID-funded researcher’s perspective on 2025 changes-pt1

Michelle L. Solorio — Mon, 30 Jun 2025 11:55:00 +0000

Notice the byline on this post? Yes, the ‘USAID-funded researcher’ is none other than our middle daughter, Michelle. And yes, she is one whose voice was silenced on 1/20/2025. A few weeks ago, Michelle asked if she could share her perspective with my readers. It was time. PART 1: War and Life The room was […]

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A Roundabout Post for Black History Month

laura bruno lilly — Tue, 18 Feb 2025 01:01:15 +0000

Note: It would not be prudent for me to share how the past 29 days of our lives have been personally & directly changed within our family and friends since 1/20/2025. Or specific instances of how those changes reach farther than just us. Instead, what follows is an attempt at showing in a less threatening […]

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XLV

laura bruno lilly — Sun, 18 Jun 2023 00:17:00 +0000

1978-2023 (and counting!) June 17th. Our 45th wedding anniversary. Over the course of a long love story, what was once a single ‘our song’ becomes a whole playlist of songs. Marking myriad events in the ups, downs; ebbs, flows; crushing sorrows, magnificent joys; everyday living out of our love & life in this world hand-in-hand […]

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Weekend Notes 3.18/19.23

laura bruno lilly — Mon, 20 Mar 2023 16:02:53 +0000

Hubby and I just got back from 2 weeks in Albuquerque (almost home!) caring for a dear longtime friend pre, during and post TAVR (heart valve replacement surgery). Originally on-call to help with the household, that same household* got struck down with RSV and then COVID so details of how we were to help changed […]

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I Am A Slow…

laura bruno lilly — Sun, 25 Sep 2022 11:05:00 +0000

…Stitcher. Not as in the current trend of the Slow Stitching Movement but literally. I Am A Slow Stitcher. Skillful, yes. Speedy, not so much. I am a turtle when it comes to making a quilt and/or creating fiber art of any sort. Quickening my pace often results in frustrating mishaps that require more effort […]

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