We were invited to try on a Ghazal Poem form for the month of May, by the Poetry Sisters. Thanks to all the Sister’s for this stretching challenge, Laura,Tanita,Mary Lee,Liz,Kelly,Tricia,Sara, and Andi. Find more of these poems tagged with #PoetryPals. I have written at least one other Ghazal maybe two at the most–they’re a good challenge, and unfortunately I had only a wee bit of time… Here’s my very drafty Ghazal.
RELATIONSHIPS–STAGNATE OR CHANGE
Countries advance but stagger emotionally, Equilibrium sandbagger short on balance.
Familial cries breakthrough and arise hope, Best keep those hopes in low-key, wee-size balance.
Earth’s stewardship struggles with each breath Hurry wake world stupor-troubles or lose all earth’s balance…
Bearded Iris wouldn’t budge her forgone-fudged bloom though transplanted into sun she shines with beauty in balance.
Hey time, won’t you s-l-o-o-o-w down a bit… Let folks like Michelle unfurl their whirl and center their balance.
Janice Scully at her blog Salt City Verse is hosting the Poetry Friday Roundup this week, thanks Janice. She’s sharing the wonders of storms… be sure to stop by!
To all my Poetry Friday friends, apologies for missing so many posts recently I’ve been helping my mom looking for an apartment, preparing to move, selling her condo, and her moving date is coming up in May, hooray–one big part accomplished! Looking forward to a wee bit more time in June…
My friend and poet Linda Baie at her blog Teacher Dance is hosting this week’s Poetry Friday Roundup, thanks Linda! I’m looking forward to her post, be sure to stop by!
“Write me a story that ends with sudden clarity.” Mary Lee suggested… As we began our 2023 Progressive Poem. So here we are at the closing of National Poetry Month and the closing of our Progressive Poem, that originated a wee bit back by Irene Latham and then picked up by Margaret Simon, many appreciations to you both!
Our few rules include: –Composing a poem written for children –Keeping the day-before-poet’s line intact, and only making changes with their permission
Here’s our poem from start to fini, with my ending line! Though we need a title…
Suddenly everything fell into place like raindrops hitting soil and sinking in.
When morning first poked me, I’d wished it away my mind in the mist, muddled, confused.
Was this a dream or reality, rousing my response? The sun surged, urging me to join in its rising,
Rising like a crystal ball reflecting on morning dew. I jumped out of bed, ready to explore the day.
My feet pull me outside and into the garden Where lilies and bees weave…but wait! What’s that?
A bevy of bunnies jart and dart and play in the clover. A dog barks and flash, the bunderstorm is over.
I breathe-brave, quiet. Like a seed, as the day, foretold in my dream, ventured upon me.
Sunbeams guided me to the gate overgrown with wisteria where I spotted the note tied to the gate.
As I reached the gnarled gate, pollen floated like fairy dust into my face. Aaah Choo! Enter, if you must. We’ve been waiting for you.
Not giving the curious note a thought, I pushed the gate open and ran through. Stopped in my tracks, eyes wide in awe—can this really be true?
Huge mushrooms for tables, vines twined into chairs, A flutter of fairies filled flowery teawares
With glazed nut cakes and apple blossom tea, I heard soft whispers from behind a tree. Oh my! They had been “waiting for me!”
Still brave, but cautious, I waited for them. Forested friends filled the glade. “You’ve arrived! Let the reverie begin!”
I laughed as my bare feet danced across the dew-soaked grass, matching the beat of paws, claws, and wings—around me, above me.
Tea cakes and hugs, twice all around, then silly games and races ’til the sun slid down, Moon shared a warm wink, and showered moon-seeds over earth’s precious ground.
I’m sharing my poem from Thursday’s Poem in Your Pocket Day, and my DIY process for it. I folded my poem into a kinda flower to keep it safe in my pocket, here’s my process…
Fold in half vertically, unfold Fold in half horizontally Grab center and fold in like a pinwheel Fold triangle flaps over, towards eachother Fold last triangle on top on top of similar size triangle
All folded and ready for my pocket
Partially folded
Partially opened flower
I also attempted the Poetry Sister’s April Poem Prompt which was to write a poem in the style of Pablo Neruda—A tall order for a very full month… Thanks to all the Poetry Sister’s for this daring challenge, Laura,Tanita,Mary Lee,Liz,Kelly,Tricia,Sara, and Andi. Find more of these poems tagged with #PoetryPals.
I’ve been studying Pablo Neruda’s poem OPEN SEA, and have the beginnings of a poem I hope in his style… He’s quite a mentor to study from.
SACRED EARTH
A call so deep in me, of floods, and droughts, The Earth sends me her signs to coax her cause Shall I accept her plotting pleas of Strength,
Years of alert and anguish soiled imprint— A nature liken deity, O Earth, Neglect transfers decade’s untold abuse, While wisdom dives too deep beneath Earth’s soil.
Caught in a moment before all unknowns, When poisons start to penetrate around… The crumbled soil that every sole does see Trapped by the glove of poli-power–Ow. Too full, too fast, slow down, reign in these blows The swirl of plagues blind peeps and masses too What hour, what day, awake where have we come Disaster strikes with death all seasons round Lost Habitat, Lost old growth forest faugh…
The tramped on, moves upward, Transplants love-compost by worm-tunnel-ways and human-thumb tips, A loam of fragrance lifts off ground, Seed-sprouts soil-fueled, poke through
Sunday I will be hosting the last and final line to the Progressive Poem so come on by.
Ruth Bowen Hersey at her blog There is no such thing as a God-forsaken town is hosting this week’s Poetry Friday Roundup, thanks Ruth! Ruth’s inviting us to “pull up a chair and sit a while.” But remember she’s in Uganda and they are seven hours ahead of US eastern time so, perhaps bring along a book and read a spell till she joins us…
Happy Poetry Friday, Happy Earth Day, and Happy Poetry Month!
HELP US!
Look into my Hine’s Emerald dragonfly compound eyes and discover our gem-like history… Pooled within our 360 degree vision you’ll find we’ve been here since the Triassic and Jurassic times, that’s about 252 million years ago. In our prehistoric period our wing span was a wowing 29 inches. But, today we are… ENDANGERED! FLY OVER TO MY WINGS AND FIND OUT WHY…
Our 2 pair of membranous wings won’t shield us from our habitat destruction, pollution, and quality water we require. We’re only found in 4 U.S. states–Illinois, Michigan, Missouri, and Wisconsin. Our ideal habitat has “calcium rich, spring-fed marshes and sedge meadows.” Here us males fly around and defend our breeding area–while our females find shallow water for egg-laying. Our hatchlings are called nymphs and have gills–so they can live in water, which they stay in for 2-4 years. There they shed their skin and molt many times, and eat insects till they’re adults. When we’re adults our wings are over 3 inches long–We live for 1 month, mate and start our lifecycle all over again…
I’m running a wee bit short on time, so… I may not have time to make the Poetry Friday rounds this week. I’m in the midsts of finishing up a material list for my Summer Plein Air Class at the Chicago Art Institute…
In between all this nest building I was doing a little gardening and… my foot took a turn the wrong way while carrying a big bag of mulch–ouch. I had thought about using our wheel barrel, but too late. I’ve got a lovely black boot for a couple of weeks while my sprained cuboid bone takes a breather and heals up, ah forethought… Now I can take in the bit of flowers that are coming up, and the rest of the leaves will have to wait…
Hope it’s okay I’m sharing a couple of lovely Poetry Month postcards, thanks Linda Mitchell and Irene Latham! And some thank you poems below from me to each of you!
This card is from Irene and the beautiful art created by Melanie Mikecz.
hippo happiness holds birdie delight–breathe in at calm school crossroads…
Jone Rush MacCulloch is hosting this week’s Poetry Friday Roundup at her blog by the same name, thanks Jone! For #National Poetry Month, in addition to offering us interviews, she’s also sharing wonderful poem videos made by her ‘graduate students enrolled in a “Poetry for Children and Young Adults” course at Texas Woman’s University,’ be sure to stop by!
Here again is my #ClimatePoemProject where students, educators, and all are challenged to write an Endangered Pollinator poem . I’m participating in this activity for National Poetry Month, and the #ClimatePoemProject is organized this year by Laura Shovan, thanks Laura! Hope to see some poem responses percolate up on my post…
Happy Poetry Friday! Happy National Poetry Month! Happy Passover!
I gave myself a tall order in this short poem… to spin out the Passover story in a short etheree.
PASSOVER PRAYER-STORY
Green grows out of earth, thoughts ponder rebirth, renewal. Though thoughts recall enslavement, plagues, Israelites’s doors passed-over, released, exodus. Yet still chased– trapped—But sea has get-away path. Live, Celebrate Passover with gratitude!
Adah Isaacs Menken, as French Spy, from wikimedia.
Hunting for some new poems I found the poet, artist, actress, and writer Adah Isaacs Menken. She’s originally from New Orleans and has quite an interesting, unfortunately short life story, read more about her here.
ASPIRATION by Adah Isaacs Menken
Poor, impious Soul! that fixes its high hopes In the dim distance, on a throne of clouds, And from the morning’s mist would make the ropes To draw it up amid acclaim of crowds— Beware! That soaring path is lined with shrouds; And he who braves it, though of sturdy breath, May meet, half way, the avalanche and death!
O poor young Soul!—whose year-devouring glance Fixes in ecstasy upon a star, Whose feverish brilliance looks a part of earth, Yet quivers where the feet of angels are, And seems the future crown in realms afar— Beware! A spark thou art, and dost but see Thine own reflection in Eternity!
This poem is in the public domain
INFELIX by Adah Isaacs Menken
Where is the promise of my years; Once written on my brow? Ere errors, agonies and fears Brought with them all that speaks in tears, Ere I had sunk beneath my peers; Where sleeps that promise now?
Naught lingers to redeem those hours, Still, still to memory sweet! The flowers that bloomed in sunny bowers Are withered all; and Evil towers Supreme above her sister powers Of Sorrow and Deceit.
Mosey on over to Margaret Simon’s blog Reflections on the Teche, for she’s hosting this week’s Poetry Friday Roundup, thanks Margaret! In addition to hosting, she has a bevy of poetry activities there including the #Progressive Poem’s next line, and her writing group, The Inkling’s next challenge. Be sure to stop by and ponder on many more poems!
If you didn’t get to stop by, here’s my #ClimatePoemProject where students, educators, and all are challenged to write an Endangered Pollinator poem . I’m participating in this activity for National Poetry Month, and the #ClimatePoemProject is organized this year by Laura Shovan, thanks Laura!
Michelle Kogan Illustration, Painting, & Writing 