The Unfiltered Corner of a Poet’s Mind 🤯
Welcome to the mess I don’t clean up, or plan to ever.
Where I keep the rusted parts of me:
unusable, unhealed, bitter, and soaked in salt.
This part of me leaks rage soaked in grief, unfiltered and always bleeding.
The love that curdled and the hate I never apologized for.
Not tied up with a ribbon; Not made for comfort.
The truth that is sometimes too jagged to pretty up for poems.
Step inside if you dare, the unfiltered and filthy corner of my mind lay bare…
Unfiltered Journals & Unpolished Truths:
You were not meant to find this place…
Do not expect clarity or grace.
This is just me, fraying at my edges.
I will also log my dreams here from time to time.
The strange, half-formed worlds I wander through in my sleep.
I will leave behind bits of pretty things,
too fragile to hold a stanza or verse.
A Warning to Wanderers:
You have encroached on my diary do not blame me for what you see.
Axton N. O. Mitchell
@poeaxtry_
What you’ll find here:
- Unsent letters to people who shaped my story
- Trans experiences too raw for polished poetry
- Grief journals about loss and healing
- Witchy rituals and spiritual explorations
- Dream fragments and midnight thoughts
- Everything I couldn’t hold in.
- Trans‑Masculine Pioneers Through History: Power, Purpose, and LegacyExplore historical trans men and transmasculine pioneers who shaped medicine, arts, activism, and global LGBTQ history with lasting positive impact.
- TDoR- A LGBTQ+ History LessonHonoring trans lives lost to violence, remembering history, and resisting erasure on Transgender Day of Remembrance 2025.
- Northern Lights Central Ohio: Grief and GratitudeUnexpected northern lights over Central Ohio brought a bright moment during a day of grief and chaos, turned into a small victory.
- Zombie Dreams, Birthday Ghosts, and Losing the Only ConstantSleepless nights, vivid dreams, and the raw ache of losing my mom. A reflection on grief, memory, and finding strength through writing.
- Four Years Without Her: Grief, Growth, and Letting GoFour years since losing my mom, grief still reshapes my world. Some days I breathe easier. Others, I fall apart. But I keep creating—for her, for me.
- A Lesson in Indie Promotion: When Paying Doesn’t Guarantee PriorityA personal indie author experience: paying for promotion, miscommunication, delayed listings, and lessons on advocating for your work effectively.
- Respect Isn’t Optional: Transphobia, Cowardice, and the Workplace RealityI’m not asking for validation. I’m demanding honesty. If you can’t respect trans people at work, at least have the guts to say it to our faces instead of whispering
- Four-Year First Date Anniversary, Autumn Adventures, & cute creationsCelebrate our first date anniversary with a spooky gift basket, Canal Greenway hike, Dupler’s Pumpkin Land visit, and finish with handmade jewelry solo time.
- When Silence Speaks BackSilence is both thief and teacher — stealing connection and growth while able to give peace, fear, and the questions that make us human.
- The Scar on My Shin: A Middle School MemoryA scar from 2003 reminds me how chaos, laughter, and pain collided in one middle school gym in Elm Grove, WV, and how memory never really fades.
- Why I Called My Stepdad Dad 1 and My Biological Dad Dad 2My stepdad raised me, showed up for me, and earned the name Dad 1. Here’s why the naming mattered, and why I wrote a poem for him.
- The text message that almost scared me awayAlmost four years ago, Kelsey texted me, “Catch a vibe.” What seemed like a simple reply became a spark. A small moment at the start of our story together.
- The Time I called Dibs and Meant It.I waited until Kelsey was just out of earshot. “Dibs,” I said playfully to my friends. “I call dibs on that one.” Years later, new friends,but same contact.
- You Missed the Call: A Reflection on Grief and GratitudeEveryday I see people take their mothers for granted. But now I’m on the side where I wish I could have one more call, one more “next time,” but it won’t ever come. https://poeaxtry-link.my.canva.site/
“This Is Where I Put the Shit No One asked for. Yet, I still needed to say.”
-Axton N.O. Mitchell
Questions for Fellow diary keepers:
- What truths do you keep hidden from your public writing?
- How do you process grief that feels too raw for sharing?
- Where do you put the words that don’t fit into neat categories
Follow Poeaxtry’s Poetry Prism for more unapologetic &
unfiltered content! Like and share if this resonates with your own fraying edges.
Write your own raw journal entry about the truths you keep hidden. Share it on your blog and link back here & let’s create a web of unfiltered honesty across WordPress. Follow poeaxtryspoetryprism & Poeaxtry_ for more content that gives you permission to be messy!
Last updated 11/04/2025
Trail Thoughts, Hiking Hopes, & emotional Elopes Trail Wild Wondering & Ridged Reflections
Overview:
These aren‘t your typical trail guides. Each entry combines several elements.
• Real, unfiltered experiences on the trails.
• Personal reflections on grief, mental health, and finding joy.
• Honest accounts of hiking with me.
• Rock hounding discoveries and fossil finds.
• Photography from multiple states (Ohio, Kentucky, WV, Indiana, Michigan, NC).
• The emotional journey alongside the physical one.
• Accessibility ratings, notes, or comments when available for those who don’t thrive on rugged hikes.
• Video footage, photography, & virtual hikes for those who can’t make it for whatever reason.
Click here & hike alongside me, explore the places I love, share your favorites, let’s swap photos and tales from the trails…
🏞 Hiking Journals
A quiet corner for trail thoughts and earthbound truths.
There’s a rhythm to walking. A stillness between footsteps.
These entries are raw, calm, and deeply rooted.
Each time I hike, I bring back more than stones. I bring reflections.
This page holds all my hiking journals, written from trails across central Ohio and beyond. Sometimes they’re poems. Sometimes full stories. Always honest.
Whether I’m wandering sunlit fields, sitting by a creek, or hiking under a thundercloud. I share the experience as it unfolds.
Beyond the Trail:
The rocks I collect aren’t just specimens. They’re anchors to moments when I felt alive, connected, or even broken. If you’ve ever used nature to process grief, you’ll relate to these stories. For those who used it for mental health or escaping noise, these journals offer familiar territory.
Have a trail suggestion? Contact me with your favorite hiking spots across the Midwest and Appalachian regions.
Poeaxtry’s 🔗
Share your Xp:
Have you hiked these trails? Found healing in nature?
Discovered amazing fossils? Drop a comment on any journal entry I’d love to hear your story!
Know a spot where the rocks tell stories or the silence speaks volumes?
Hiking Posts:
- Winter Quiet at Conkle’s Hollow: Gorge Trail Snow-Covered HikeA slow December hike through Conkle’s Hollow gorge trail, icy cliffs, silent waters, and a quiet memory of upper rim. A winter calm in Hocking Hills, Ohio.
- Early morning snow, slow steps on Robert’s Ridge & ValleyEarly winter walk on Robert’s Ridge and Valley Trail in Granville, a quiet morning of snow, ice, slow steps, nearby trails and hidden local wonders.
- The September Trip: I forgot Falls & Castles in OhioExploring a Lake Erie waterfall and a historic castle ruin with Luna. Picking up handmade gifts, exploring, and hidden charm in a unforgettable Ohio day.
- Beaches or Mountains: Why I Love Them BothBeaches or mountains, I love them bot for different reasons obviously. Hiking, ocean swims, and quiet moments in nature keep me grounded.
- Hiking Salt Fork: A Cave, A Summit, And a Quiet MindWe set out, climbed into Hosak’s Cave, caught the summit at Morgan’s Knob, and discovered how much of Salt Fork is more than just trails.
- A Saturday on the Upper Rim at Conkle’s Hollow: Celebrating Her Life, Finding New PeaksI tackled the Upper Rim at Conkle’s Hollow in Hocking Hills with my friend Kylie, celebrated my mom’s memory, laughed, paused for views—and topped my all‑time hike list.
- Top O’ the World Hike And Accidental Rock Finding AdventureHiking Top‑O the World a Summit Metro Parks with Skylar, The Baby, and Luna the Pitbull. Here we discovered blue, green, and even orange hued colorful rocks. We also enjoyed fall foliage. However, seeing The Baby daughter light up when she saw me after two weeks was priceless!
- Buzzard Roost Hike & Serpent Mound: Southern Ohio Day TripEdge of Appalachia’s Buzzardroost Trail, explored the Serpent Mound, and a quirky rock shop near Peebles, Ohio. Nature, history & hidden gems with Poeaxtry.
- Four-Year First Date Anniversary, Autumn Adventures, & cute creationsCelebrate our first date anniversary with a spooky gift basket, Canal Greenway hike, Dupler’s Pumpkin Land visit, and finish with handmade jewelry solo time.
- Third Time’s the Charm at Sylvania Rock Park: Dolostone Finds and a Climb to the TopStopped at Sylvania Rock Park on the way home from Michigan and found dolostones, good company, and a climb that only I could conquer.
- Not Escaping—Just Living: Why Hiking Isn’t About Running AwayHiking isn’t about running away it’s about being alive. Nature isn’t an escape; it’s where I think, heal, and find joy in waterfalls, wild trails, and quiet air.
- Golden Light on the Trails: An Evening at Infirmary Mound ParkEvening hike at Infirmary Mound Park, Granville, Ohio: sunset, Mirror Lake, Fairy Trail featuring fairy houses and quiet forest strolls with friends.
- The Scent of Honeysuckle: How a Summer Smell Carries My ChildhoodThe smell of honeysuckle and freshly cut grass takes me back to childhood summers in West Virginia—swimming at Oglebay Park, hitting grand slams, and sharing cookie dough Blizzards with my mom.
- Honey Run Waterfall Hike & Ledges AdventureExplore Honey Run Waterfall in Knox County, Ohio. Come splash under the falls, hike scenic ledges, and enjoy a sunny adventure along the Kokosing River.
My Hiking Approach:
• Phone (for photographing everything from fossils to ridiculous poses & alltrails)
• Bluetooth Tripod & selfie stick duo
• Hiking sack & First-Aid kit
• Smokeables & lighter
• Rockhounding tools (hammer, chisel, bags for specimens)
• Water & snacks (hiking hungry is hiking hangry)
• Friends when possible (for laughter, safety, and “paint me like your French girls” moments)
• An open heart (ready for both joy and grief)
What makes a trail Worth it:
• Geological features (especially fossil-rich areas)
• Water elements (falls, rivers, lakes for swimming)
• Unique formations (caves, ledges, overlooks)
• Places my mom would have loved
• Scenery & Overlook views
• A fire tower or large lookout to climb
• Haunted, spooky, or historical
Daily Thoughts, Prompted or not
Responses to Prompts & daily sparks: unflinching responses with a usually poetic twist
Not your typical prompt responses, they blend:
- Unfiltered & uncensored reflections on the prompt at hand.
- Not the average take: no typical boring responses.
- Creative experiments, poems, essays, prose, digital art, or photos
- First-hand insights into things like: parent-loss, grief, transgender identity, mental health, & much more
- There are ways to engage with writing prompts and with me. This begins from Day One through WordPress. It includes my own prompts and others I find along my way.
- Readers are always welcome to respond & continue the conversation in the comments. They can also make a blog post of their own and link back.
Click here to write alongside me, explore my unique responses, share your own sparks of creativity if you wish
Welcome, stay awhile, & unpack some baggage
Read my Replies & respond if you’re rowdy enough
🖤 Each piece is a work in progress, some will land, some will miss. I welcome honest feedback: what connects, what falls short, and where it can be pushed further.
Every insight, positive or critical, is valued.
Daily Sparks: 🧨
- What Sparks My Admiration: Celebrating Talent, Courage, and KindnessI admire people who create, protect, and uplift. Individuals who are artistic, brave, patient, and quietly kind. Inspiration is everywhere.
- My Favorite Ways to Stay Active: Hiking, Swimming, Kayaking, and MoreDiscover my favorite physical activities: hiking, swimming, kayaking, and resistance training at home. Fun, healthy, and free from the gym stares.
- When History Repeats: The New Attack on Rights and Justice in AmericaWe once saw some history as a warning. Today, a convergence of policy shifts demands our urgent attention. This isn’t hyperbole. It’s happening.
- A Poet’s Reflection on Isolation, Freedom, and Staying Humanwho says I even want to go to The moon? No poetry, no land below my toes, no nature, no weed, no me. I’d rather stay grounded where I can breathe free
- Living Freely: My Five-Year Leap Into Full-Time CreationTrading scrubs for stones and stanzas—my five-year plan to live freely, create boldly, and make Poeaxtry_ my full-time heartbeat.
- Poetry, Hiking, and Building a Grassroots Creative MovementFrom poetry and hiking to building The Prism and growing our grassroot community, look behind the scenes at what I’ve been creating lately
- Anything New Counts: Try It AlreadyAnything you haven’t done before is, by definition, a first. Yes, literally anything. Here’s why trying it is way more fun than overthinking it.
- If I Had a Million Dollars to Give Away – Supporting TransOhio other NonprofitsI’d give a million dollars to TransOhio and trans nonprofits nationwide to fight for safety, equality, and support amid America’s political climate.
- Exploring My Native American and Polish Heritage: Pride, Curiosity, and Family LegacyDiscovering and celebrating my Native American and Polish heritage, exploring family legacy, cultural pride, and the challenges of learning about ancestry.
- Choosing More: Trails, Bonfires, Waterfalls, Love, and CreativitySeeking more of what matters to me: trails, family, waterfalls, and creativity. Choosing abundance in life, love, and community.
- Energy: Where Does it Come From?Where does energy come from for you? I feel like each individual has their own personal mixture of ways to go about recharging and this is mine.
- Perfectionism: The Hidden Red Flag in humans and It’s DangersPerfection is my ultimate red flag. Behind flawless facades often lurk insecurity, blame-shifting, and an inability to form genuine connections or abusive tactics.
- My ideal rough week and Earth’s Hidden GemsMy ideal rockhounding week combines fossil hunting, swimming in waterfall pools, evening campfires, poetry writing, and quality time with my partner and Luna under starlit skies.
- Are You Holding a Grudge? When Grief Becomes Sacred AngerSometimes grudges aren’t about hate.. they’re love with nowhere to go. My honest take on holding anger toward the universe for taking my mother way too soon.
Prompts at random
- One Selfless Wish: Imagining Equality and Freedom for AllA stranger offers one selfless wish. Here’s why I’d wish for equality, freedom, and equal rights for all humans worldwide.
- Part Two- National Coming Out Day ReflectionPart 2 of my coming out story — discovering I was trans at 21, starting T, and living openly as myself on National Coming Out Day.
- Part 1 — National Coming Out Day ReflectionOn National Coming Out Day, I share my first story: coming out as a lesbian in small-town Ohio after graduating in 2010
- Samhain: The Witch’s New Year — A Complete ResourceExplore the magic of Samhain, the Witches’ New Year. History, rituals, and sustainable ways to honor ancestors and celebrate the harvest.
- Spell Jar Basics: A Beginner’s Guide to Crafting Intentional MagicLearn the essentials of crafting spell jars: choosing jars, understanding colors, layering ingredients, using taglocks, and knowing when to open, keep, or bury.
- What Do Angel Numbers Really Mean? Ancient Roots Revealed.Are repeating numbers trying to tell you something? Learn how angel numbers like 111, 333, and 555 connect back to ancient numerology. Then learn how to read the messages meant just for you.
- Witchy Moon Phases: Deep Dive + Free Printable Cheat SheetLearn the witchy meanings of every moon phase. Dive deep into lunar magic with a free printable cheat sheet made for your rituals, spells, and timing.
- What am I currently growing?Exploring the things I nurture in life from my witchy business to poetry and self-love. Growth comes in many forms.
- What I’ve Outgrown: Shadow Work Reflections on Friendship and HealingA raw reflection on what I’ve outgrown … from friendship and drugs to trauma patterns and self-deception. A shadow work journal about healing, weight loss, and reclaiming my mind.
- Letter to the Sun, A Summer Gratitude and Request for GrowthA heartfelt letter to the sun thanking it for growth magic and long hiking days asking for strength and balance this summer season
- When Do I Feel the Most Radiant?Exploring where my glow lives…. in the water, on the trail, by the campfire, and in quiet moments writing with tea in hand. How nature and simple joys light my radiance.
- Litha Sabbat Guide: Fire & Bloom Altar, Rituals, and Self-Love Spell Bag RechargeCelebrate Litha with this complete witchy resource. Learn about its origins, altar setups, rituals, offerings, and how to recharge your self-love spell bag during the summer fire festival.
- A Shift in the Craft: From Harry Potter to My Own Kind of JusticeFrom secondhand Hogwarts dreams to sealed-circle secrets, Axton N. O. Mitchell shares how his views on magic evolved and, the lesson every beginner witch learns too late: protect your practice, always.
- What Makes Spell Work Work; Clear Intention, Personal Chants, and Charging Magic Without ToolsSpellwork isn’t about ritual props or fancy words — it’s about raw intention, focused energy, and your own voice. Learn how to set precise intentions, craft personal chants that resonate, and charge spells without tools using active and passive magic
“Some Days the pen glides. Some Days it Limps. Both Count.”
— My pen is broken… Axton N.O. Mitchell
Submit to the Prism Questions?
Prompts from other places:
• Topics Covered: Social commentary, LGBTQ+ issues, personal reflection, media criticism, artistic explorations, transgender identity, politics, music, and more
• Updated: Regularly with new prompt responses
Some truths only spill when summoned.
These pieces are born from prompts that called something unexpected out of me…
Questions I didn’t know I needed to answer.
Whether personal, political, or poetic, these writings are fragments of the prism I write through.
Feel free to read, think, or respond.
