Well I’m down to doing about one or two #Birdtober, #Inktober art/poems per week. Teaching, prepping for a holiday show, and life in general is only allowing me to squeeze in a few—but I’m having so much fun, and plan on completing many more as time goes on! I love the research and learning about all the birds, studying them, learning where they are from, where they fly to for summers, and their idiosyncratic behaviors, which the Woodcock truly has. Then there’s the poem and the art, or art and poem, that flip-flop as I’m working on them. Hope you enjoy this short-necked, long-beaked bird as much as I have! And… I’m looking forward to giving my friend here his lovely color, and then he might just step off the page…
DANCE WOODCOCK DANCE
Dee da dee da dee da dee Dee da dee da dee da dee
What-a-sight-you-are-to-see— Shimmy-rocking as you strut along forest floors camouflaged with ground all around.
Every so often fluttering your fine curvaceous feathers revealing your burnt-orangey-peach breast.
I wonder if you’re serenading silently as you sashay on your way.
Does that l-o-o-o-o-o-n-g earthworm-digging beak also aid your balance, or just make you more uniquely beautiful…
Jama Rattigan at her blog Jama’s Alphabet Soup is our grand hostess for this weeks Poetry Friday Roundup! She’s sure to fill your palette in more delectable ways that you can imagine, be sure to stop by!
My feathered friend here, Fox Sparrow is helping me celebrate all things wonderful about Fall. One very special area, my father’s Birthday, October 13th. My dad passed five years ago shortly after his birthday and each year I’ve been writing a poem to/or involving him since then. As I’ve been partaking in some of the birds from the #Birdtober prompts and #Inktober, this poem and art combine all.
FOX SPARROW & DAD
You like kicking around leaf foliage prodding and poking for food.
Dad liked fall, its crunching-crispness, and above all his ritual-raking.
I wonder if he found you, scrounging round undergrowth…
I wonder if you found him pondering autumn’s gifts…
He would’ve loved your chord-filled song, and you his hearty lilting voice.
Perhaps you’re both out there mixing music with stardust, taking us in as we take in slow, deep, rhythm-filled breaths and exhale autumn’s golden-glistening reveries…
This week I also tried on the Red-necked Grebe #Birdtober challenge—though presently I have the poem, and art for it will come later (it’s been sketched out in my mind…)
Last but not least, I’m sharing some art from a virtual art exhibit my daughter, Rachel Dohner and I are both in: Bad@ssery: Women Creating a Just Environment and World Oakton Community College’s second virtual Women’s Art Show online till November 1st, 2021 Here’s the link. There’s a sidebar listing all the artists exhibiting with links to their images and artist statements. There is also a “Meet the Artists” virtual event Tuesday, October 26th at 7:00 pm
Here’s registration info for “Meet the Artists”: You are invited to a Zoom meeting. When: Oct 26, 2021 07:00 PM Central Time (US and Canada)
Bridget Magee, one of the puniest persons I happen to know is hosting this week’s Poetry Friday Roundup at her blog wee words for wee ones, thanks Bridget. Now try saying that 10 times, in honor of, drum roll please Bridget’s spanking new wonderful Poetry Anthology Book: 10•10 Poetry Anthology: Celebrating 10 in 10 Different WaysThis is not only her anthologies Book Birthday but it’s her own Birthday this month too! Many Happy returns of the Day to you Bridget and this Fabulous new poetry anthology, which I’m very happy to have a poem in! There’s so much excitement over at her blog, you just must stop by!
I’m sharing two poems that I worked on this week from the #Birdtober challenge, along with some art to accompany them. The Lady Yellowthroat above is brand new and for #Inktober. I’ve been posting any #Birdtober and #Inktober images I create on Facebook and Instagram.
Dear Common Yellowthroat,
Lady of many-habitats—tangled-snarled forests, prairies packed with deep foliage, and even humble folk backyards… Was that you stealthily moving round my slightly-embarrassing undergrowth? It’s kinda wet—which I know you like. It’s definitely dense–which you also like. And chockfull of summer’s variegated-vegetation. I spied you‑but then you flew off in a flash too fast. I guess you like your skulking hide-away, for I saw you again just yesterday. But alas, you’re just to furtive a feathered friend for me to truly see, and finally materialize for me…
Wishing your summer broods success! Ooo how many one, two–No, you don’t say–three? With two sneaked in dads that first dad didn’t know. Well, I’ll be… And hopes for sweet breezes along your southern migrating way.
Until spring, Fair Lady Yellowthroat, I’ll remember you in a yellowy-winter-slumber dream.
I’m ready to step out of this scene… You probably won’t find many Of my corncrake kin in Austria— Why? Habitat loss– Our “damp meadows” destroyed, drained, over mowed, over planted, and over fertilized.
I remember our land, though it feels like a dream— Perhaps if I close my eyes our longed for wet field will reappear and we’ll find a hidden spot amongst some taller grasses and listen for my brother rail crakes calls…
Alas, so many opportunities to fill October with… Inking and painting and writing poems about birds… Catching a few glimpses of our migrating feathered friends. I’m looking forward to fitting in a few on Poetry Fridays.
CHICAGO SKY SOARERS
Chimney swifts fly in with spring and out with fall.
First flights lie low along our lake collecting insects as they go.
Summer flights lie eerily high in upper sky, erratic paths dip, dive, and climb brushing heavens nigh by.
Befitting their name as day unwinds… Swifts lift quickly upward to sleep or roost in rooftop chimneys or building shafts nearby.
But fear not, for visits from these aero-acrobat flocks won’t dampen your chimney or fill up your flue.
Alas lend them your heart and help for their numbers dwindled as chimney-habitats declined.
Find these always airborne-eaters-drinkers bathers-nest gatherer birds in conservation towers assisting their rebound.
Thanks to Catherine Flynn at her blog Reading to the Core for Hosting this weeks Poetry Friday Roundup! Be sure to stop by and fill you palette with many more poems…
I’m sharing a Tanka poem from the Poetry Sister’s September Poem Prompt. Our challenge: respond to another tanka “poem we love from the Poetry Friday universe. Choose to respond to an original poem of any sort, from anyone who participates in Poetry Friday’s poem. Thanks to all, Tanita S. Davis, Laura Purdie Salas, Mary Lee Hahn, Liz Garton Scanlon, Tricia Stohr-Hunt, Andi Sibley, Sara Lewis Holmes, and Kelly Ramsdell, look for more of these poems tagged with #PoetryPals.
I wanted to write about Autumn, so I started poetry-tanka-hunting… I remembered that Diane Mayr has written many Ekphrastic tanka poems. I headed over to her blog site Random Noodling and found this glowing tanka poem that she graciously allowed me to share, thanks Diane!
My responding tanka multi-stanza poem reflects on Autumn’s entrance and Diane’s poem. My structure refers back to Michelle Heidenrich Barnes’ post on her blog, Today’s Little Ditty, featuring a Spotlight on Margarita Engle, where she mentions to keep our tanka syllable count under 30 or even under 26 syllables.
AUTUMNAL REVERENCE
Autumn Queen dons her fall finery, adjusts her allure, sprinkling gold dust arousing earth’s innate incandescence.
Earth’s critters captured by her regalia, gaze upon her in awe, taking in her ambers, auburns, and robin’s blues.
Celebrate she says— Fill fall with contagious joy, love, and laughter, spread your inner warmth till human hearts enlighten.
Laura Purdie Salas at her blog Small Reads for Brighter Days is hosting this week’s Poetry Friday Roundup, thanks Laura! Laura’s sharing a couple tanka poems and a sneak peek at her forthcoming book, If You Want to Knit Some Mittens, be sure to stop by her blog!
Last week I was taken with Alan J Wright’s Rondelet poem and decided to try one… Thanks Alan for your poem and structure for writing it! I was happy to welcome the structure of this succinct poem form as my week was quite full with the start of my Fall art classes–that I teach, the Jewish New Year–Rosh Hashanah upon us, and this week Yom Kippur. I was looking for a small repose and deeper breath, and I again turned to my muse… nature.
SEASON CHANGES BREATH…
Mid autumn pause invites wandering and wonder… Mid autumn pause celebrates earth’s vibrance because her fall dowries fill your hunger and spread brilliance round and under– Mid autumn pause…
Wishing all a slight pause, deeper breath, and all those celebrating the Jewish New Year Shanah Tovah!
This weeks Poetry Friday Roundup is hosted by Denise Krebs at her blog Dare to Care, thanks for hosting Denise! She’s offering us an “In One Word” poem” with the word Testudinate, which relates to reptiles–whom I am very fond of… be sure to stop by her post!
ResidentBlack-capped Chickadee on Sunflower, 9-21 M Kogan.
Happy Poetry Friday!
Last week the new named Poetry Group, the Inklings, including Margaret Simon, Catherine Flynn, Linda Mitchell, Heidi Mordhorst, Molly Hogan, and Mary Lee Hahn, challenged themselves to write ghazal’s for their monthly prompt. Well, I’ve written at least one, maybe two, but was having such a grand time with the Inkling’s ghazals, I thought I’d try another one. Mine this week is influenced by all the feathered friend visitors I’ve had noshing away at my 9′ + sunflower plants.
WINGED HARVEST-EATING
Three pretty birdies sunflower seed-eating all native Chicagoan’s practice speed-eating.
Newbie blue-bodied-birdie catches my eye, her black and white head busily exceed-eating.
Skittish as can be but tied to their task, give’m lots of space for pre-winter-need-eating.
We three birdies mostly diligent to a T, may fill our bellies till they might impede-eating.
Lucky me, how extraordinary to see, chickadee, nuthatch, and finch indeed-eating!
Tricia Stohr-Hunt at her bog The Miss Rumphius Effect is our host for this week’s Poetry Friday Roundup, thanks for hosting Tricia, be sure to stop by her post!
I’m in with a quick acrostic poem for our changing season and Summer’s end… And a Poem Swap poem and art that I sent to Iphigene Daradar earlier this summer.
SEASONS CLIMAX
Sunflowers squeeze out profuse buds and then some… Underneath their golden-crown canopy grow multiple green peppers, tomatoes and okra prepping for harvest— Milkweed produces more and more seedpods for entry next spring… While zinnias razzle-dazzle and rave on in tertiary pinks, soft tangerine’s, and lavender lilacs, third season asparagus’ twice its size, and entwined morning glory vines envelop everywhere. Nary a ruby-throated hummingbird appears as summer daylight ebbs away and ushers in autumn.
As summer’s beginning to nod out and fall’s on the horizon, here’s the art and poem I wrote for Iphigene, for the Summer Poetry Swap, created and organized by poet and writer Tabatha Yeatts, many thanks again Tabatha!
P.S. Here’s a shout out for my Fall Art Classes starting in just under 2 weeks. I’m offering both in person and online at the Evanston Art Center and Harper College Community Education. For info and registration visit: Evanston Art Center and Harper College Community Education
Heidi Mordhorst at her blog my juicy little universe is hosting this week’s Poetry Friday Roundup, thanks Heidi! I’m looking forward to her poetry offering, be sure to stop by!
And for all our hurricanes, earthquakes, floods, covid, people and countries…
radiating care-thoughts everywhere for everything…
I’m all in with this friendly three-toed Pygmy Sloth this week—I’m smitten with them, and their lovely lime algae-green coloring… I have an I Know poem featuring this sloth, unfortunately, the Pygmy Sloths are critically endangered. The I Know poem prompt was posed to us by the Poetry Sisters at the beginning of the month, thanks Laura, Tanita, Mary Lee, and all. We are writing I Know poems in honor of Jane Yolen and her 400th book, What the Bear Knows. Look for more I know poems tagged with #PoetryPals.
WHAT THE SLOTH KNOWS…
Movement s-l-o-o-o-o-w–––a-n-d graceful sleeping almost all daylong. Munching our meals in rainforest’s canopies where we feel safe and belong. Us three-toed pygmies are critically endangered— No trees — No life for me… I wanna hangout on Isla Escudo our mangrove habitat for my family!
Well there’s an awful lot of everything going on everywhere, so I wrote another I Know poem trying to address a little bit of it…
WHAT THE WORLD KNOWS
Too many storms displacing too many folks, many many folks cry for helping hands. Too many ripped-apart-rights squelching too many hearts, many many hearts cry for airlift from badlands. Too many pandemic deaths everywhere, many many doubts still fill our air. When will we collectively begin to care and stamp out this feeling of laissez-faire…
Our Poetry Friday Roundup host today, Elisabeth Norton, comes to us from Switzerland at her blog UNEXPECTED INTERSECTIONS thanks for hosting Elisabeth! Elisabeth’s written an “I know” poem on Marmots, which she stops to watch while on hikes in the Swiss Alps… Be sure to stop by for your fill of poetry!
I’m sharing a poem and WIP watercolor painting. I don’t have a title yet for the poem, it’s very new…
Follow nature let her lead you into Falls harvest with abundant apples mimicking earth’s ever-turning roundness. Apples appearing 7–9 million years ago, dispersed perhaps by large ice age animals… Apples flavoring fall with their succulent sweetness, in midst of ever growing turmoil.
Follow nature let her lead— Although painfully honest she’s our guiding light, through past time through present time through future time, if we will only follow her, and let her lead.
little paradise inspiring adventures and calm breaths…
Some music to send you off with…
Carol Labuzzetta at her blog The Apples in My Orchard is hosting this week’s Poetry Friday Roundup, thanks for hosting Carol! In fact Carol has two posts up, one on the monarch count with a fascinating video of a caterpillar going into its chrysalis. And her second post for Poetry Friday shares three “I am” poems, by three powerful poets that she shared with students this summer, be sure to stop by.
