Reflections on the Teche

SOLC26: Day 19: Powerless

March 19, 2026 by margaretsmn

Thank you to Two Writing Teachers for creating an amazing community of writers and a safe, welcoming space to write and share.

I was having lunch when I heard the loud Boom! I looked out the kitchen window beyond the peaceful bird feeder and whirlygig to see a huge truck, 18 wheeler, with the power pole and power lines wrapped around the incredible load. What happened?

When I first went outside, I saw smoke rising, so I called 911.

“What is your emergency?”

I explained as best I could that in the curve of the road, an 18 wheeler had taken down a power pole and there was smoke.

The neighbors gathered as we kept a safe distance. It wasn’t long before the first responders came.

But the true heroes of the day were the electric company workers. At one time I counted 7 Cleco trucks.

Brandon (we became pals through the ordeal) came to me and said, “It’s gonna to be a while.”

I imagined days, but he assured me they would finish before dark.

I said, “What was the truck doing here?”

Apparently, DOTD had given him the route to take and he’d already run into trees along the way. But this accident had knocked out power for a whole neighborhood!

A little before 6 PM, I was going to my car to go to choir practice, and Brandon walked up again.

“Everyone has power but your house. You have 3 way so you need to call an electrician.”

I texted my husband and called the company he suggested. After going through a long automated system, the AI person said it would be 3 days.

Brandon said, “Don’t worry about it. I know a guy.”

Soon, Fox was here, checking out our system. All the guys gathered around. I couldn’t help but think “How many Cleco workers does it take to power a house?”

By 7 PM we had power restored. Those guys are my new heroes.

Whew! What a day!

Posted in Slice of Life, Writing | Tagged accident, CLECO, electricity, Slice of Life | 3 Comments »

SLOC26: Day 18: This Photo Wants to be a Poem

March 18, 2026 by margaretsmn

Each Wednesday I post a photo that appeals to my poetic senses. I invite you to join me in writing a small poem, poem of presence, in the comments and support other writers with encouragement.

Today’s photo is by a local retired teacher photographer Lory Landry. We do not live in the Bluebonnet state of Texas; however, we have a neighbor who has successfully planted bluebonnets in a ditch near the road. I’m tempted every year to stop and romp through the flowers. It appears that Lory did just that and took her camera along. It takes a steady hand and skills to capture a busy bee.

Starburst blooms bluest
blue, gathers spring energy
buzz-bee sips sweet dew

Margaret Simon, draft

Posted in Photography, Poetry, Slice of Life, This Photo Wants to be a Poem, Writing | Tagged #poemsofpresence, #smallpoems, Lory Landry, This Photo Wants to be a Poem | 11 Comments »

SOLC26: Day 17: Currently

March 17, 2026 by margaretsmn

Currently, the mourning dove echoes in the dawning light.

Currently, a fluff of doodle sniffs my coffee mug, licks my writing hand.

Currently, (and once again) my tender plants are inside, protected from the unseasonable cold.

Currently, coffee kicks in and my feeble brain wakes up.

Currently, tufted titmouse bows into the feeder flicking seeds to the cardinal below.

Currently, I open a text from Carolyn “yoga at 11:30” inviting me to her home where rainbows reflect on our mats.

Currently, I read about fog from Molly and Kim, quietly hoping for a foggy day to catch a poem.

Posted in Blogging, Slice of Life, Writing | Tagged currently | 12 Comments »

SOLC26: Day 16: Greyscale

March 16, 2026 by margaretsmn

Last week during the Teche Plein Air Competition, I attended a demo by the art judge Charlie Hunter. In addition to dumb snail jokes, he imparted some wisdom that I think could be applied to any art, writing included.

I’ve heard that on auto pilot, the plane is pointed in the wrong direction about 90% of the time, constantly correcting. When you are painting, you are constantly editing. Your mark does not have to be a genius mark.

Charlie Hunter

The scene Charlie Hunter was painting. His car is on the right.

What I gained from this art demo was practice makes miracles happen. He kept telling the artists, “Draw. Draw. Draw.”

Watching him work while constantly chatting was watching a miracle happen. He would dab paint here and there, erase with a paper towel, stick a q-tip in his mouth and remove paint with the small tip. He even used a squeegee to make the telephone poles. He worked around the bright white focal point of the empty parking lot. Amazing!

What I don’t need to mention is that he was painting with his left hand. He has no use of his right arm.

Perspective, vision, erasing…how can we translate this instruction to our own writing?

Posted in Slice of Life, Writing | Tagged #techepleinair, art, Charlie Hunter | 6 Comments »

SOLC26: Day 15: Where is your light?

March 15, 2026 by margaretsmn

This morning I perused my inbox for inspiration, passing things by. It’s Sunday. I want rest and something spiritual to offer.

In Padràig ÓTauma’s substack newsletter, he posted a Rumi poem.

Here are my responses to Rumi’s questions.

What kind of hunter?

Where is your flower?

Where is your light?

Stella making bird art, a test run for my book release party.

Posted in Gratitude, Slice of Life, Writing | Tagged #40daysofgoodshit, #beingmamére, OLW, Pádraig ÓTuama, Rumi, Sacred, Simplicity | 6 Comments »

SOLC26: Day 14: There is Motion at Your Wood Duck House

March 14, 2026 by margaretsmn

For years now, we have watched nesting in the wood duck house my husband built for the bayou bank. This time of year beginning in late February a female hen comes to the box to lay a clutch of eggs.

We invested in a Ring doorbell camera, not to watch for criminal activity, but to see the comings and goings of a resident wood duck hen.

View from the camera when another hen came in to gossip.

These days my phone alerts me constantly. “There is motion at the wood duck house.”

The eggs are due at the end of the month. She usually sits for 28-31 days. We had a cool snap, so I’m worried that all the eggs won’t hatch. But that is the nature of nature, right?

Once the eggs hatch, all on the same day, the little ones will jump from the house 24 hours later. It is a wonder to watch. A few years ago we caught it on video.

Last year I released a small chapbook of poems about the wood duck nesting season, Wood Duck Diary. The funds from the sales benefit the Teche Project. This is a book of tanka poems in English and in French.

March 11

Feathering the Clutch

Hen stitches feathers
one by one. Woven blanket

clutch-cover of down.
Her beak a knitting needle.
Eggs safe and snug below.

Posted in Books, nature, Slice of Life, Writing | Tagged #woodducks, tanka poems, Wood Duck Diary, wood duck nesting box | 8 Comments »

SOLC26: Day 13: Poetry Friday Golden Net of Meaning in the Light

March 13, 2026 by margaretsmn

Poetry Friday is hosted today by Linda Baie at Teacher Dance.

Inspiration for writing a poem can come from anywhere. I have learned to pay attention to the signs and thank the universe when words become poems. This week I read Eleanor Wilner’s poem “Of a Sun She can Remember”. This poem is a renga poem in which she took the last line of another poem to become her title.

I used the last line of Wilner’s poem, along with other ideas, lines, words from my daily reading to create a poem.

The Golden Net of Meaning in the Light
after Eleanor Wilner

When a missile misses its mark,
children die.
When channels are closed,
prices rise.
Choose your trouble.
Turn your blinded eyes toward the sun.
Pace the meadow filled with butterweed.
Give your heart-swift
to the clouds hovering.
We are all connected
as the golden cross-hatched web
tethered between rose bushes.
What I need to say—
After the rain,
birds sing
a glorious chorus.

Margaret Simon, drafted

Pádraig Ó Tuama

If you would like to participate in the Kidlit Progressive Poem in April, please go to this link to sign up.

Posted in nature, Poetry Friday, Slice of Life, Writing | Tagged Eleanor Wilner, Pádraig ÓTuama, renga poem | 18 Comments »

2026 Progressive Poem Sign Up

March 13, 2026 by margaretsmn

April is National Poetry Month. Each year the #kidlit poetry community writes a progressive poem. The idea originated from Irene Latham. Each day the poem travels to a different blog, and the poet adds a new line to the poem. Past poems can be seen here.

If you’d like to participate in this year’s progressive poem, please comment on this post with your date choice and blog URL link. Come back to this post to copy and paste the schedule into your blog post. Feel free to email me if you have any questions.

April 1 Tabatha Yeatts at The Opposite of Indifference
April 2 Cathy Stenquist at A Little Bit of This and That
April 3 Patricia Franz at Reverie
April 4 Donna Smith at Mainely Write
April 5 Janice Scully at Salt City Verse
April 6
April 7
April 8 Rose Cappelli at Imagine the Possibilities
April 9 Margaret Simon at Reflections on the Teche
April 10 Janet Clare Fagel at Reflections on the Teche
April 11 Diane Davis at Starting Again in Poetry
April 12 Linda Baie at Teacher Dance
April 13
April 14
April 15 Joyce Uglow at Storied Ink
April 16
April 17
April 18 Michele Kogan at More Art for All
April 19 Kim Johnson at Common Threads
April 20
April 21
April 22
April 23
April 24
April 25
April 26
April 27
April 28
April 29
April 30

Posted in Progressive poem, Writing | Tagged #KidlitProgressivePoem2026 | 17 Comments »

SOLC26: Day 12: Dancing with a Paintbrush

March 12, 2026 by margaretsmn

One of the workshops I developed for the teaching artist program is “Dancing with a Paintbrush.” One school in town, Pesson Elementary, booked me for four Tuesdays. This week the counselor told me that I would be working with the toughest class in the school. Since I’ve done the workshop multiple times now, I have a pretty good handle on the process. I decided to trust the flow even with these “tough” students.

Maybe it was the threats of “no dance for you” or maybe it was the nature of poetry, art, and music, but these kids were amazing!

I added a new song to the selection, “Vivaldi-Spring” by Black Violin. This is a rocked-out version of the classical piece. I enjoyed watching the kids’ reactions. They literally started dancing in their chairs. But they stayed quiet, honoring the “sacred space” for painting.

One of my favorite things in the whole world is the sound of a classroom of students writing.

5th graders writing poems about their paintings

The teachers themselves were amazed at the engagement of their students. I wanted to shout, “See what the arts can do for your students!”

One of the teachers understood. She painted with them and wrote her own poem. She shyly shared her own writing. She told me, “I used to write poetry all the time.” I hope she will be inspired to keep writing, and keep writing with her students.

Triangles

As pointed
as the lines
as truthful
as the sky
as creative
as squares
as promising
as circles
more than truths less
than lies
they’re everywhere
but in your mind, tell
a truth not
a lie like
the circles
in the sky.
(student poem)

**Tuff Primary Colors**
As the colors went up
More came down
As the color made a
Primary color they formed a tower
Of power
More dots, more movement
More of everything
Like an alliance
To form a masterpiece
*(student poem)*

Posted in Creativity, Poetry, Slice of Life, Teaching, Writing | Tagged Acadiana Center for the Arts, art and poetry, Teaching Artist | 12 Comments »

SOLC26: Day 11: This Photo

March 11, 2026 by margaretsmn

This photo I took of a visiting cardinal. As the day’s news gets more and more tragic, I turn to nature. Some southerners believe that when you see a red bird, you are visited by a lost loved one.

This morning in my email feed, I received the word of the day from Merriam-Webster, besotted: “Someone described as besotted is so in love that they are unable to think clearly.”

I thought Besotted would make a good title for a poem. This is a drafting post. If you are inspired by the photo, please leave your own poem in the comments and support other writers with positive comments.