Capturing the blessings in my life through words and photos
Today my inspiration comes from Mo Daley over at Ethical ELA. She encourages us consider something on our mind and write using a Gogyoshi poem, a Japanese poem that consists of a title and five lines and no other rules! I found this form freeing today which I needed considering my upcoming procedure tomorrow.
S@#%* Day The day has arrived Fretting amid the well made plans Feeling empty and hungry With diet of broth and pops Per gastro-doctors orders
It’s July Open Write time over at Ethical ELA and today I write with inspiration from Mo Daley. She encouraged us poets to consider a modern haiku with no syllable counting yet using words that juxtapose two images. I have an affinity towards dragonflies so when I saw this dangling dragonfly captured in a web yesterday and knew it needed to be captured in some sort of verse. Mo’s idea for a modern haiku came at just the right time.
Spirited dragonfly how you soar in the breeze
Dangling by a web you drag-on
Tethered and still able to fly
Guided by a spirit wind
Fran Haley is guiding our writing on this final day of the June Open Write over at Ethical ELA. She challenges us to the syllables in our verses today. I had a few grandchildren sleepover last night so of course my words reflect their early morning antics.
The Awakening
Little boys waken
Not used to the chirps
Run to the window
To check out the view
Swan, duck and catbird
An octopus too
All before the six
On a summers morn
I find great joy in writing and so when today’s Open Write inspiration came up I couldn’t help but choose a joyful topic – grandchildren. To add a bit of extra fun to our writing, our host Fran Haley, suggested we try examining our feelings / topic through the use of anagrams. I had fun using the anagram generator to guide the writing of this draft poem and while it makes little sense, the process was delightfully fun – just like my babies!
Grandchildren
Drenching lard
(Kissing chunky cheeks)
Rich lend gland
(Even spit up smells sweet)
Darn herd cling
(Reaching up to take your hand)
Gild ranch nerd
(Golden moments just snuggling together)
Darling drench
(Oh those drooling kisses)
Children grand
(I wouldn’t want it any other way!)
Today is day three of Open Write Time at Ethical ELA. I have enjoyed writing poems with the help and inspiration of Allison Berryhill. Today’s prompt is a twist on word-association. These are the words I listed quickly to start the process: birds, chirp, sound, presence, birthday, cake
The birds
Chirp outside my
Window
The melodic sound helps make
It’s presence
Known
Like a birthday cake
Announcing a party
It’s day two of the June Open Write over at Ethical ELA. Today Allison inspires us to talk a scavenger hunt around your yard and write a poem inspired by the walk or by what was found. I had some special guests at 6am that inspired my poem.
Scavenger Hunt? I Think Not
Take a walk
around my yard
to find some
hidden treasures?
I dare not tred
upon the grass
after a gaggle of geese
- twenty-two to be exact -
stopped by at six
and shared some
packages of love.
I think
it wise to
stay away
and scavenge
treasures
elsewhere.
I am picking up my poetry pen as I join in the monthly Open Write session with the writing community at Ethical ELA. Today Allison Berryhill inspires us with the poem “Things You Can Do with an Orange” (by Ally Visser, first published in Lyrical Iowa 2017). So now it’s my turn to write a Things I Can Do poem…After spinning the wheel of words I was lucky to get the noun star. A star is born in the form of a poem below. (Pun intended)
Things You Can Do with a Star
You can make a wish
upon it - especially if it’s the
first one you see
Or watch it shoot across the sky
leaving its tail flash so brilliantly
You can sunbath in the
light of the biggest one - sun
Or aim your goals high
and reach for one
You can watch it twinkle
up above the world so high
Or dance with one on TV
in hopes you’ll win a prize
You can catch a falling one
saving in your pocket for a rainy day
Or you can fly to the moon with Frank and among them you can play
And when you’re ready…
You can sit back and consider they’re holes in the sky
where our loved ones peer down
gleaming and glistening so bright
letting us know they are around
I had a dream about
you this morning
- after wondering just yesterday why my dreams were void of you
We were in a library in New York City
- I’ve never been there but this is what I recall…
sitting close together in an office swivel chair
So close I felt your heartbeat
- do people in heaven have beating hearts?
So close I could smell your deodorant
- do people need deodorant in heaven?
A woman sat nearby
With a folder open and on display
She was making a case for your your dismissal from the job
For making copies for me while on the job
Samples were provided that put me
in the spotlight
No copies of blueprints or contracts that would have been the norm for you
Rather pictures of storybook characters like Elephant and Piggy
And even Mercy Watson
Her anger was palpable
And her parting words were
“I’ll show the boss”
I looked at you and once again you returned your gaze with loving eyes that signaled me to stop worrying
I heard your favorite phrase
It’s useless anxiety
As my eyes opened to the reality of you gone
Yet a peacefulness remained
As the sun streamed in across your empty pillow
Talk of ironing prompted
a flashback
of my mother
standing tall
in front of the
board
while squeaking legs
interfered
with the drone
of voices
on General Hospital.
A can of Niagara Starch
wobbles with
each stroke
colliding with the
blue sprinkler of water.
Her arm
movements are smooth
and graceful
as she works out
the wrinkles
for the one
she loves most.
It’s the final day of National Poetry Month and I celebrated by drafting a poem each day. I took my inspiration from a variety of wonderful mentors over at Ethical ELA. I have grown immensely through their guidance and comments on my words. Today’s draft poem pays tribute to my growth.
I’m a Poet
You say I am a poet
neophyte
apprehensive
insecure
doubtful
neophyte
innocent
fumbling
shy
neophyte
Poet you say - I am
iblessings 