EMERGING CHANGE
Happy Poetry Friday!
I watch and wait as spring shares her signs, and doves persist…
EMERGING CHANGE
Paper whites push up
through softened, squishy soil
Over-winter leaves linger and
await waiting soil-ready hands
Statuesque garden beauty
earthen-world or ethereal
Feathers fly with freedom
as spring’s freedom-seeds release
© 2023 Michelle Kogan, draft
And to continue on with Women’s History Month here’s a poem by Amy Gerstler.
IN PERPETUAL SPRING
By Amy Gerstler
Gardens are also good places
to sulk. You pass beds of
spiky voodoo lilies
and trip over the roots
of a sweet gum tree,
in search of medieval
plants whose leaves,
when they drop off
turn into birds
if they fall on land,
and colored carp if they
plop into water.
Read the rest of the poem here.
My Spring Art Classes, online and in person, will start the week of March 27, 2023 at the Evanston Art Center. They include instruction in Watercolor; Figure Drawing and Painting; Pen and Ink and Watercolor; Children’s Picture Book Illustration; and Workshops in Plein air drawing and painting; and Pen and Ink and Dr. Martin’s Watercolor. Here’s a link for more info and class registration.
Heidi Mordhorst at her blog my juicy little universe is hosting this week’s poetry Friday Roundup, thanks Heidi! She’s offering up a bevy of Odes of March poems, be sure to stop by.
Michelle Kogan Illustration, Painting, & Writing 
Michelle, I nearly posted this very poem by Amy Gerstler! Nice choice, and I like your statuesque figure in the garden (although perhaps she looks a bit chilly!). I am in awe of the thought of your teaching SIX? SEVEN? classes at once!
Gardens are good places… to sulk ! That caught me my surprise, and I love it. 🙂 Thank you, Michelle! xo
My goodness, you are busy, Michelle! I love your paintings, seem to invite those paperwhites now! Those “Feathers fly with freedom” reminded me that someone on Twitter yesterday posted a video of thousands of sandhill cranes moving south. It’s time! Get some rest this weekend and the rest of March before your work begins!
Beautiful finale to the Gertler poem. Your Shakespeare Garden is where I want to be, Michelle! It’s lovely!
I love freedom-seeds that cause feathers to fly in spring. I love the hope for peace at the second stanza of the Gerstler poem.
“spring’s freedom-seeds release” so beautiful. How exciting to be teaching all those art classes. I will have to work up my courage before I try one. Have a great time!
Waiting for spring’s freedom with you! Love the Shakespeare garden watercolor.
No spring freedom nearby just yet in our ‘hood – but I’m okay with a few more weeks of winter snow freedom. And your watercolor is so beautiful!
Loving your alliteration in Emerging Change, Michelle!
The alliteration in your poem reminds me of skipping and just enjoying the emerging season. The Gerstler made me laugh with that first line. So true.
Love these lines:
Over-winter leaves linger and
await waiting soil-ready hands
Thanks for sharing your beautiful poem and art, Michelle.
How pretty! I love your water color…such a perfect illustration for these two sping poems. Oh, my….you are going to be one busy artist with all those classes.
Your talent knows no bounds, Michelle. ‘Rooting’ for spring along with you. 🙂