Capturing the blessings in my life through words and photos
Each year I attack the bittersweet vines that tangles itself around the lilac bush. And every year I think I’ve got it licked. It’s invasive nature brings more back crawling over the fence from a neighboring property. In the fall the bittersweet plant yields pretty orange and red fruit that many people admire. That bright autumnal display results in prolific seeds dropping on the ground and causing the troubling mess.
I enjoy puttering around in the garden, especially this time of year when all things look new and wonderful and full of promise. Today’s poem came to me while sitting in the dirt, pulling away weeds and old growth. Suddenly the wind shifted ever so slightly to reveal the magnificent smell of chives! All the senses awoke and this poem was the result!
This is the second poem in eight days about the moon. It might be because at this time of year I see this crescent rise right from my bedroom window. It’s quite a magical site to view while laying in bed. This poem was inspired by the quiet of the early morning before the birds and normal people awake. My window was open to let in some warm spring air and I was intrigued by the stillness and almost eerie silence. A poem was born then and there.
For a few years now we have watched with delight these funny little ducks that grace our lake every spring. The grandchildren and I adore watching them pop down into the water and then emerge somewhere further away. We call them our pop up and down ducks. I spent some time researching these little birds and discovered they are called Buffleheads, a nod to their heads being shaped like a buffalo. Of course this new knowledge had to appear in the form of a poem for National Poetry Month!
Want to see their silly antics? Watch below!
Today I am writing a slice of life post in the form of a poem, a Tanka to be exact. Yes, it’s National Poetry Month and I am thinking back to a memory of eating a big bowl of spaghetti while in Italy years ago! I found out the hard way it was a BIG faux pas to cut your pasta with a knife, as I was trying not to get the sauce on my shirt. I was quickly chastised by the waiter who eagerly modeled how to spin and twirl my pasta noodles. Never again will I slice through spaghetti.
I am joining the writing community over at Two Writing Teachers for their slice of life Tuesday posts. Why not check it out and consider joining in.
My inspiration: I was thinking about getting ready for Monday morning workout and not being enthused to go. When I thought about the peeps and other treats I enjoyed yesterday I figured I’d capture the thoughts in a rhyme. I chose a limerick-ish form because it is typically used to convey funny stories.
My free verse inspiration: I attended an online retreat on prayer last weekend. I was taken through a process called Ignatian Contemplation, where I was guided to imagine myself in a gospel passage. The chosen passage was Mark 2:1-12. I was suddenly standing next to Christ, so close I could feel his cloak. This poem was written immediately following the experience, with words tumbling onto the page so readily.
My inspiration: I awoke from a sound sleep to the moon shining into my bedroom window and illuminating the entire lake. The light was bright and glittery calling me to stay awake and take notice. I grabbed my camera, took a picture and went back to sleep. Yet words of dancing across the moonlight danced in my mind until I woke and write them down. I played around with the words and got no where until I recalled the Fibonacci form: counting syllables 1,1,2,3,5,8,13,8,5,3,2,1,1 = 13 lines. The structure of this form guided this draft of a poem.
I am drafting a poem a day for the entire month of April, National Poetry Month. Today I am playing with language in the form of a haiku.
Springtime Woes
Today is my first post for National Poetry Month. I am hoping to post a new draft of a poem each day in April.
