Annette Miller, Author

Artist Carolina Whitaker painted Claire the giraffe and I bought a journal that had her picture on it. Her beautiful artwork of Claire comforted me during my darkest days. I often repeated my mantra “Everything’s going to be ok” as I meditated on Claire’s picture. This was a very helpful exercise. This poem is about Claire inspiring my writing. https://annettemillerauthor.substack.com/p/claire-my-muse

I'd love to know your thoughts about these ponderings. It's so important to me that we help make the world a better place.

https://annettemillerauthor.substack.com/p/our-responsibility-to-thrive

You are invited to join this live session on resiliency!

From Evolving with a Pen at annettemillerauthor.substack.com

By the way, this is my most popular poem! Read/hear it at https://annettemillerauthor.substack.com!

Peace is hard to come by these days. May this poem be a gentle inspiration to us all.

Harmony: A Blessing Be kind to birds, flowers, trees

What are You Telling that Little Girl?

What a pretty little girl,
so vivacious, energetic.
What did Mother tell her little girl?

“You can be anything.”
But you said, “No, you can’t be that,
or that.” The girl’s confused.

Mother said, “Take hard classes,
you can do it.”
You said, “You’re not worthy to learn.”

Power mongers,
what are you telling that little girl?
What are you teaching?

In college she stretches her mind,
prepares to fly.
Then bo***ge from a marital ring.

You told her “You can’t be equal to men.
You can’t be a leader.”
Wings clipped. Crippled.

Did you know that little girl believed you?
Did you know how much you hurt her?
Repressed potential is a crime.

Now you are doing the same to others -
LGBTQ+, immigrants, brown skin, non-Christians,
even Christians that don’t bow to you.

You say, “You’re not like me.
So, you’re not equal. You’re not worthy.
You can’t be free.”

Yet we see your ego, your drive to control,
your fear, your narcissism.
But after all those who are not-like-you are gone,

You will be alone. Abandoned. Bereft.
The world you are creating will be lonely and corrupt.
If you weren’t torturing people, I would feel sorry for you.

Seek a new way.

See the candle-lit community through the veil?
There is compassion, sharing, listening, taking turns.
This is not a new path, just forgotten.

In that bright world, what do they tell that little girl?
They show her truth and tell her, “You are equal.
You are worthy. Please, show us your wings!”

Beyond the veil in the free world, people fly with
creativity, harmony, beauty,
sustainability, peace. It is lovely there.

Would you like to hear, “You are equal. You are worthy.
“Show me your wings”?
What would happen to you if you were freed from bo***ge?

Be careful what you tell that little girl.
Because when she discovers truth,
she will fly.

©2026 Annette Miller
From the upcoming book Letting Go: My Spiritual Evolution.
Dedicated to the U.S.A. resistance movement strong in Minnesota. 2/10/2026

Just released! "Fireflies Dancing in the Dark: Hope in Challenging Times" is a compilation of blogs, poems and short stories by Annette Miller.

Where can you find a survivor of some of life's hardest challenges who inspires and thrives? Here, in "Fireflies Dancing in the Dark," you discover Annette Miller's deep grief, awe in being human, hope, recovery and a new lifestyle of resilience...

Read more at www.lifesyncleadership.com/books.