She has a heart of gold, and has inspired, encouraged, and embraced many amateur poets on the web today. Her site hosts a following that is continuing to grow everyday, and has got to be one of the most active posting sites I've ever seen. She exhibits a pure and raw talent in her writings that enlightens and embraces her readers, bringing a more personal touch to her work. Not a post goes ignored as she responds positively and energetically to all works and poets posting them... In my opinion she is a poetic powerhouse and the best candidate for this months One On One... Michelle Bartley aka Krysalis

Whittler: " Hello Michelle! I can't thank you enough for doing this with me! I guess the first question that would be on everyone's mind is exactly who is Michelle Bartley? Where does she live? What's her day to day life like? Why don't you tell us a little about yourself?"

Michelle: "Born and raised in Michigan, I have lived here my entire 40 years of life.
I find Michigan to be a beautiful state, especially the Upper Peninsula
which one day I pray will be my home. Right now, I am living in the southeast
corner of the state almost at the Ohio/Michigan line in a small two bedroom apartment. NOT my first choice to be, but alas circumstances require me to be here at this time.

I have been married since 1977 and my husband and I have two beautiful daughters. All in all, there is not much to really speak of that would catch anyone's attention. I spend most of my time, since I've "retired" from
Property Management, taking care of my home and family, reaching out to others when I can, writing poetry, and enjoying the peace and tranquility that I ever seem to crave.

Most of my time I spend by myself. I am not a "social butterfly" and do not find anything that really amuses me in the world of society. Much of my younger years were spent running the gamut, attempting to find some sort of
sanity in what I now deem to be an "insane world". Now, I find that all I have searched for was always right there at my feet and I embrace my quiet times of seclusion where I can "simply BE" with The Light and myself."

Whittler: "The light... In my short time of knowing you I've seen you refer to this quite a bit. Would you mind giving us some insight into this and its relationship with you?"

Michelle: "The Light, to me, is the sacred connection between each of our souls and the great I AM. It is the essence of the unseen that flows from the Source and
knocks at the door of the human heart. Would this be the Holy Spirit? The Christ? I shy away from using "worldly religious" terms for this because the world seems to have taken the truth and placed it in some little organized box removing it from its LIVING standard.

When I use the term "LIGHT" I am referring to the LIVING, FUNCTIONING, pulse from the great I AM, the passageway through which we travel, unite with, and emanate from the core of our being. In today's society, it has many
different names... Christ, being the standard "Christian" name, but in other cultures I am sure that there are others.

To me, this is an active relationship. Just as active as any I may have in the physical world, if not moreso. It is a relationship to what I often refer to as the GROOM of the soul. It is a "marriage" that predominates all other relationships in my life, and in doing so, blesses them. Only through this FIRST union do I feel any of us are capable of giving love to the extent and depth to which it is meant to be.

When the soul and the will of the heart become united and wholeheartedly serve this sacred relationship, what was once "two" become ONE. You often hear people say "The Light is within you" and although I do agree that the
CONNECTION to the Light is from inside, once the connection is made through a willing heart, EACH individual lives INSIDE THE LIGHT. As above, so is it below.

Often, I do refer to The Light and to love. I will wish others "Love and Light" meaning that I wish them to be blessed with the conscious awareness of their own internal connections readily available to them."

Whittler: "I love your explanation Michelle, now also to many on the net you are known as Krysalis, might there be a story behind this pen name you use? Frankly I love the name and would like to know more about it..."

Michelle: "I took on this name years ago, I believe, if memory serves me right, it was back in 1995. When I first got connected on the internet I used the Prodigy service. It did not take long for me to discover the chat rooms but I found that most out there did not seem too interested in "making friends". Most seemed to want cyber-sex or something like that, of which I am not "into" so I decided to make my "own room" and I entitled it "Want To Talk Normal".
The intention of the room was for those who wanted to come together, share conversation, make new friends, etc. During this time, a friend of mine gave me the name of Electric-Angel and for awhile that was the name by which
I went by.

After awhile, the room took on a "spiritual" type tone to it and much talk was going on about universal symbolism and archetypes. It occurred to me at that time that our bodies were merely cocoons, shells wrapped around our very souls, protecting the growing spirit inside, until the soul(butterfly) had matured, gained grace, and was ready to take flight.

KRYSALIS came about as a variance of "chrysalis". Originally I choose the latter but found so did about a million other people, so I changed the spelling and it all just kind of "stuck". Personally, I have considered changing the name a couple of times, but every time I do, something inside me does not seem to really want the change............... nothing else seems to fit.

Whittler: "Oh yes... Don't change Krysalis. That name really does suit you. I've known you for so long as Krysalis, its hard to realize that its not your real name!
Okay Michelle, so when did you first start writing poetry?"

Michelle: "Oh my, I think the very first actual poem I ever wrote was back when I was around nine years old. The parochial school I attended did a weekly newspaper type thing and they accept submissions of short stories, letters, poetry, etc and on a whim I wrote a comedy poem on dieting. Of course, I was too shy to sign my actual name so I submitted it without a name and for weeks everyone kept questioning on who it was who wrote this funny piece. I don't think I ever did come foreward and admit to it, at least if I did I don't remember doing so.

After that, I kept on writing little bits of verse here and there but nothing to really speak of. When I reached my teenage years, writing took on a new form and importance to me. Most girls kept a diary or journal to write in, but not me. I wrote my feelings out on paper, then would quickly throw them away so they could not be found. I had the unfortunate experience once of one of my poems being found and I got questioned so much that I became determined that never again would anything I write be seen by anyone.

After getting married at 17 I had given up writing all together. My interest level waned and the fear of my writings be read by anyone was just too great and I was not about to take the risk of having my husband find poetry laying about. This went on for many years, then in and around 1992 I met a friend who gently persuaded me to begin writing again. After a bit of time I agreed and wrote a few short poems and found that the "fear factor" of the poems being read had disappeared to a great degree. At that point in time, it still made me a bit "nervous" but the intense fear had subsided.

From that point on, it was like someone opened up a proverbial floodgate. I began writing and writing and writing. So much flooded out onto paper and screen that often it was hard to even keep up with myself. I began noticing that something had "changed" once again in my form. Where once I used to write down what I was feeling, now the poems seemed to "write themselves" the more I wrote, the more I did not KNOW what I wrote. Most of the time the words fly out so fast that I have to reread what showed up on the paper.
I also noticed, that much of the poetry spoke to emotional spiritual connections, and for a time this really threw me.

Now, I have come to take my writings with a bit more understanding and acceptance. I know that the creative field of writing verse, for me anyway, is an avenue of bringing into conscious awareness the things buried inside
myself and the flow of "message" from The Light.

Whittler: "Early in your life were there any poets that you read that might've influenced you?"

Michelle: "No, not really. I was not one to really "read" other peoples work. As I said, my "reasons" for writing were never really from a "literary" standpoint. I did, for a while, get hooked on Rod McKuen back in the mid seventies, but again, this was not because of an interest in "poetry" as much as an interest in what HIS particular verse "spoke".

Even now, my reasons for writing and reading is very far removed from the "literature" perspective. I could not tell you anything of form, meter, style, etc. I view poetry as the language from the heart, and we all speak
in different, yet the same tongue. So, to answer your question, I would have to say "no" I was not influenced in anyway by other poets while coming up."

Whittler: "Okay, I understand that you won't feel comfortable with questions you feel expect an educated answer about poetry. So I will do my best to avoid asking questions like that. But if one were to ask you what style of poetry you felt most comfortable writing in, how would you answer?"

Michelle: "Since I don't know WHAT style I write in I find that a very hard question to answer. Maybe you could help me here since you have read much of my work. If you had to classify it, what style would you say I write in?"

Whittler: "Okay, I liked the way you turned this around on me! Touche!
I would say you write in a more contemporary, classical style. Though you have upon occasion attempted different styles, your best and most frequent work is expressed in four line stanza block rhyming schemes. You usually keep to a strict meter throughout your poems, which adds to its readability. To me this, along with your personal and spiritual content, has endeared you to many aspiring poets on the net.
Now keeping this contemporary rhyming style in mind, which seems to be almost second nature to you, I've only got one more question about it... Why do you think this style works so well for you?"

Michelle: "Wow, I really like how you summed up my writing "style"! I would say that this style works best for me because "that is the way it is spoken in my
head". When I sit down to write, as you already know, seldom is it a concentrated effort, the words come in an almost "sing-song" type fashion and fall onto the page, or screen, if you will.

I rarely take credit for anything I write for I truly believe that it is NOT ME writing it, the simple truth of the matter is that it "works well for me" because it is NOT MINE. It is a "flow" that comes from the "otherside".
Hopefully, the readers pick this up and through the verse they find that it speaks to their souls. That it opens up that little door inside their hearts and gently calls them forth to touch the divine."

Whittler: "Yes, I totally understand the idea behind "The Flow." The idea that poetry flows from another source beyond our human experience. I've heard you talk about that many times and am kind of drawn to the idea myself.
Okay, so now tell us about your site "Beyond The Bridge." And if you have any other sites tell us about them too."

Michelle: "Years ago, I used to have a website entitled The Cafe that a friend had put together for me as a gift. I had been posting some of my work on his website and he decided it was time for me to have a "place of my own".
Keeping in mind that I was still somewhat nervous about posting my work for all to see, I found this a bit overwhelming. As time went on, and my nervousness subsided, The Cafe became a very important thing to me.

My hopes were that The Cafe would reach out to others, spiritually and emotionally, and bring them inward. I quickly found though that my poetry alone could not accomplish this. After about three years, my interest level died a bit on the place and once again I found myself withdrawing, finding myself feeling quite vulnerable and exposed with everyone reading my work.

The vision I held of what The Cafe would be did not come to fruition so I decided to take it down. After about a year, I discovered the messages boards and slowly once again began posting my work. After awhile, I decided to just go ahead and start my own. That is how Beyond the Bridge came to be.

The NAME of the place actually comes from my "visions", a place I see inside my head, a place I quite often refer to as "the otherside". Originally, I had hoped that a "few" people would show up and that somehow a level of depth could be reached and found within peoples work. I am a FIRM believer that all poetry, each and everything a poet writes, speaks in analogy and universal symbolism of their own emotional/spiritual connections within.

Well, it turned out to be MUCH MORE than what I had originally expected. The board took off in a way that completely and totally amazes me. So many people say that they "FEEL" something coming from this board, something
special, something different. I think what they are feeling is the actual FLUX of their own internal connections, the vision has proven itself out to me once again, but in a form of which I never expected! The Light is sooooooo amazing, for through the Bridge, I truly feel that my original pulse for The Cafe, the one that was never met, came to life."

Whittler: "Wow! Now that's a neat story! Do you post at any other sites besides "The Bridge"? If so name them and tell us why!"

Michelle: "Originally I did. Whenever I wrote anything I would make a point of going to all the sites listed in the "Favorite Poetry Sites" I have listed at the
top of Beyond The Bridge. As The Bridge took off I scaled down on where I would post and now I find that by the time I keep up with the posts at The Bridge I don't have the time to wander far from home.

When I do get out I tend to post mostly at The Frozen Realm, Whittler's Poetry Place, Mutington's Meadow, and Path To Riches."

Whittler: "Okay Michelle, just two more questions to go! If any, what advice would you give to other aspiring poets?
I don't mean this question to put you in another uncomfortable position by impliying advice on a professional basis... On the contrary... As a writer and internet personality you know the pros and cons of posting on thre internet... Its a big and often times intimidating place..."

Michelle: " Ahhh, an EASY question! :-)
The number ONE piece of advice I would offer to others is to always write from the heart. Always write what comes through and do not pay too much heed to critique and NEVER take the critique personal. I know people write for various reasons, but when push comes to shove, ART is ART. It is an expression of what is inside an individual and should never be altered due to someone elses opinion, judgement, or regulations. Too often I have seen
people write a wonderful poem, something straight from the heart and soul, then torment over the piece attempting to make it better, bigger, brighter, at the suggestion of others. The main thing I feel writers need to remember
is that you can't please all the people all of the time. For every piece that flows outward and shows up on paper there are going to be a handful of people who it touches in a very dramatic way and another handful of people who will simply see nothing in it."

Whittler: "I totaly agree with that Michelle! Now finally I would like you to summerize for us the importance of poetry in your life, as well as reflecting on its importance to others and life in general."

Michelle: "For me, poetry has been a path to the inside of my heart. It has taken hold of my hand and led me inward, to places I don't think I would have ever discovered without it. It has been a "friend" to me throughout the years and like any "relationship" has changed, grew, and become more important as the years go on.

It is a something that I truly feel would be of enormous assist to everyone. Writing, can reveal so much of what lies within an individual and whether they decide to post it for others to see, or hold it unto themselves it is
bound to bring inner awareness and clarity to the inner heart of the individual. So many go through life simply going through the motions, doing what is expected, following the course of life from the outer perspective.
Poetry can ever so enrich was life, opening doors to worlds within that get so unnoticed in our busy society.