Reflections on the Teche

Poetry Friday: Dead Tree is Alive

July 10, 2026 by margaretsmn

Poetry Friday roundup is with Jan at Bookseed Studio.

I can always count on Georgia Heard for getting me through a writing slump. She sends out a monthly prompt calendar. Each prompt is easily accessible from where I sit at my kitchen table. The prompt for July 8th was “Describe a place by what’s missing from it.”

My gaze went directly to the window to the dead satsuma tree outside. We lost it in the big freeze of 2025. I’ve asked my yard man (my husband) to let it be. I was hoping to attract downy woodpeckers. In the spring passion vine sprang up around the trunk of the tree. As I had hoped, the space has become alive with bees and butterflies and birds.

Dead Tree is Alive

With passion vine
open purple flowers
for fritillary lighting.
A suet feeder invaded
by raccoon fingers
lies open and empty.
Old satsuma leafless
sweet fruit a memory.
Lichen clings, fluffs in misty rain.

You are holding hope
of feathers
on bare branches,
Alive.

Margaret Simon, draft

Posted in nature, Poetry Friday, Writing | Tagged #poemsofpresence, Field Guide, Georgia Heard | 4 Comments »

Spiritual Thursday: The Book of Longings

July 9, 2026 by margaretsmn

Kim is gathering Spiritual Thursday posts today at her blog, Common Threads.

This summer I have been reading Sue Monk Kidd. First I read her book on creativity and writing, Writing Creativity and Soul. In that book she references the books she has written, and I began the hunt for The Book of Longings. I found it at an independent bookstore in Port Townsend, WA, Imprint Bookshop. The owner told me it was his favorite of her books, that it really made him think.

Sue Monk Kidd imagines that Jesus would have had a wife. She names her Ana. She is a strong and smart woman who feels pent up by the usual chores of a wife. In this reimagining of history, Ana shows us that even though society norms did not listen to her voice, she has one. She is a writer in a time when writing a book was done painstakingly by hand on papyri. She believes in her own power. Her relationship with Jesus is built on pure love and mutual respect. I got lost in this story and wanted to live there.

Once long ago I had a dream in which Jesus appeared to me. I was so moved by it that it set off a longing in me much like Ana’s longing. However, Ana is not only driven by her longing for Jesus, she is also driven by her longing to be heard. She has shown me that it is enough to be who you truly are.

Sue Monk Kidd does an amazing job of keeping the historical and biblical information true while giving us a woman to relate to.

Ana writes a prayer into her incantation bowl:

Lord our God, hear my prayer, the prayer of my heart. Bless the largeness inside me, no matter how I fear it. Bless my reed pens and my inks. Bless the words I write. May they be beautiful in your sight. May they be visible to eyes not yet born. When I am dust, sing these words over my bones: she has a voice.

Ana, Jesus’s wife (The Book of Longings by Sue Monk Kidd)

Posted in Books, Spiritual Growth, Writing | Tagged Sue Monk Kidd | 2 Comments »

Slice of Life: Birthday Twins

July 7, 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.

While most people were celebrating the nation’s 250th birthday, our family was tucked away at Minga’s pool. Minga is my mother-in-law and her birthday is July 3rd. She turned 95! Certainly a momentous occasion, but we also celebrated my youngest grandson Sam’s first birthday.

Stella, 5, Leo, 7, June, 3, Minga, 95, Martha with Sam, 1, and Thomas, 6.

All three of my daughters and their families gathered with us. We ate burgers and sausage prepared on the grill. There was a smash cake for Sammy and a creamy chantilly cake for my mother-in-law. My oldest daughter passed out Minga tattoos.

I stayed in the pool most of the time and watched the grandchildren. It was fun to invent pool games like mermaid poses with the girls and throwing-the-ball-while-jumping-in with the boys. We had a few bonks and dunks that led to crying, but for the most part, the day was joyous. At one point all three of my daughters were gathered around a small splash pool watching Sam play. Looking at him never gets old. We all agree he is the cutest.

Posted in being mamére, Slice of Life, Writing | Tagged #beingmamére, birthday twins, grandchildren, smash cake | 10 Comments »

Poetry Friday: Singing

July 3, 2026 by margaretsmn

The Poetry Friday Roundup today is at Michelle’s place: More Art 4 All

Today is the first Friday of the month, so we have an Inklings Challenge. Catherine asked us to use a prompt from Audrey Gidman’s June list:

“Read “Digging” by Seamus Heaney. Think about something that has been handed down to you—from a parent, a grandparent, an elder in your life—that feels alive in you now. Think of how it is the same and think of how it has transformed in you. Notice how, for Heaney, it’s gardening and writing—two kinds of digging, but still the digging continues through the generations. Write a poem that digs into what was handed down to you and examines what you carry now.”

This summer I have been doing a good deal of babysitting for my grandchildren. This has been both a privilege and a challenge. I have a lullaby that was passed down to me that I sang to my children and continue to sing to my grandchildren (even to Leo who cringes every time).

Singing

Inspired by Seamus Heaney

My grandson asks for a lullaby
while he covers his head, hiding
beneath the blankets.

When my mother sang an operatic alto,
in a foreign language she’d never spoken,
I hid from her joy, let her vibrato shiver
my heart under a pillow.

I didn’t want to know opera
like her father taught her,
but she took me anyway,
read the plot before curtain call.

I made my body small
in the plush red theatre seat.

Now, I see her face in mine.
My voice cracks on the high notes.
My smile wrinkles into soft blush.
Singing was the last thing to go.

Here, I sit perched on the edge of the bed
leaning into a seven year old boy
claiming his independence
while wishing
for a song to cling to.

Margaret Simon, draft

Check out other Inklings poems below:

Catherine @Reading to the Core
Heidi @my juicy little universe
Linda @A Word Edgewise
Mary Lee @Another Year of Reading
Molly @Nix the Comfort Zone

Posted in being mamére, Poetry Friday, Writing | Tagged #beingmamére, Inklings challenge, lullaby, Seamus Heaney | 21 Comments »

Slice of Life: Trying to See the Positive

June 30, 2026 by margaretsmn

The heat is rising daily here in the Deep South. And along with it…humidity…that makes for a high heat index.

Today I want to forget about the heat that keeps me indoors and share some of the positive things about summer.

Butterflies!

I currently have 6 Gulf Fritillary chrysalises and at least 3 more caterpillars in enclosures, but the other day when I headed out for my walk, I saw a butterfly hanging on its chrysalis in the wild, on my potting table. I felt such joy to know that one had survived the birds and lizards and made it to adulthood (without my help).

Speaking of caterpillars, I found some beautiful black swallowtail cats. I’ve brought them into a porch and hope they will hang out there, literally.

My friend from Iowa brought back some flower seeds and gifted me a small pot with these sweet flowers that are new to me, lizzianthus.

And I was surprised by a second poetry exchange postcard from Colette. She remembers Sol Duc which is a place we visited while in Washington.

All these things help me escape the oppression of the heat (and the world).

What is helping you through?

Posted in Gratitude, Slice of Life, Writing | Tagged raising butterflies, summer blossoms, summer caterpillars | 13 Comments »

Poetry Friday: Summer Walks

June 26, 2026 by margaretsmn

Poetry Friday Roundup is with Tricia today at The Miss Rumphius Effect.

A Walk to Port Townsend

I hear
chirps of Pine Siskin hiding in the bushes,
watch seeds of cottonwood
fly like moths on fluffy wings—

Hold
the view of Pacific waters chanting
over wishing stones, calling me
to inhale.

Open
a door
to a free poem-of-the-day—
Here is Pádraig’s “Our Lady of the Garden”.

Thank you, universe, for all this time with you.

Poem found in a poetry box in Port Townsend, Washington.

This Mamére has been busy this summer. In early June, we took a trip with two of our three daughters and their families to the Pacific Northwest. The weather was absolutely gorgeous and cool. I found poetry everywhere, on trails, in town squares, and in poetry boxes.

This week I was in charge of Leo, my oldest grandson who is seven. Seven changes everything! He can read and write and walk 2 miles in the heat. We took a long walk to our local city park. He humored me by helping me write a poem about our walk. He illustrated. You can see a video of him reading the poem on my Substack.

Posted in being mamére, nature, Poetry Friday, Travel, Writing | Tagged #poemsofpresence, New Iberia City Park, Pacific Northwest, Port Townsend | 14 Comments »

For the Birds: A Slice of Wild Bird rescue

June 23, 2026 by margaretsmn

Please check out my post on Substack.

https://substack.com/@margaretsimon416644/note/p-203234235?r=k9y83&utm_medium=ios&utm_source=notes-share-action

Posted in Slice of Life, Writing | Tagged For the Birds of Acadiana | 2 Comments »

This Photo Wants to be a Poem: Beach Storm

June 17, 2026 by margaretsmn

I am currently in Florida on a work trip with my daughter and her son, Thomas. Thomas and I had a fun day yesterday playing in the waves and making friends in the hotel pool. He makes friends so easily which is helpful to his babysitter grandma.

Yesterday afternoon a storm rolled in. I loved sitting on the safe balcony and watching the clouds.

Watching the Storm at the Beach

Becomes a pastime
when you’re with a grandson
who craves your constant attention.

Be open to the possibility of storms.
Stand in the rain
and let it cool your body
into shivers and shakes.

Then return to a warm bath
and Spider-Man pajamas
to watch Argentina play
in the World Cup
cheering them on, only because
you like the color blue.

Margaret Simon, draft

Please consider writing a poem today in the comments. I will be driving back to Louisiana and look forward to reading them.

Posted in being mamére, nature, Photography, This Photo Wants to be a Poem, Writing | Tagged #poemsofpresence, #smallpoems, Florida, Sandestin beach, This Photo Wants to be a Poem, Travel | 4 Comments »

Poetry Friday: Lupine

June 12, 2026 by margaretsmn

Poetry Friday is being gathered today by Linda Mitchell at A Word Edgewise.

Our view of the Elwha River and Olympic Mountains, Port Angeles, Washington

When we first arrived in the Pacific Northwest and awoke to an amazing view of the Olympic Mountains from the AirBnB, I thought I would write poetry every day on our trip. That didn’t happen as we got busier with the family, day hikes, town shopping, river rock throwing (children love a good game of throwing rocks). However on that early June morning, I opened Audrey Gidman’s prompts and wrote a poem using a flower as the title, inspired by James Wright’s Milkweed. For the most part, I wanted to capture the essence of place in the amazing peaceful scene of the Olympic Mountains.

Lupine

While I looked beyond the window
lost in blue-green of Crescent Lake,
I sat in longing.
Tall Douglas fir scented the air
of Christmases long ago.

I look up now.
The view is changed.
What was color
is a wild warmth
seeking my sincerity—
a vision of bright red strawberries
sweeter than the sun.

Margaret Simon, draft

Posted in Poetry, Poetry Friday, Travel, Writing | Tagged #poemsofpresence, Audrey Gidman, James Wright, Olympic National Park, Pacific Northwest | 15 Comments »

This Photo Wants to be a Poem: Olympic National Park Poetry Walk

June 10, 2026 by margaretsmn

Click the image to enlarge.
North Olympic Library System Poetry Walk

Last week I was on vacation with my family in the Pacific Northwest. One of our hikes, The Spruce Railroad Trail in Olympic National Park, included a Poetry Walk. I took pictures of the panels and wrote a found poem from them. I invite you to do the same. Found poems are fun. Write the lines that grab you in some way (an image you relate to, words you love to say) and write them in an order that is pleasing to you.

Here is a draft I wrote in my notebook:

Crescent Lake Found Poem

Stenciled on the petal of a bluebell
the earth remembered me
my thoughts
light as moths
smell like grass and salt
smooth home- the river.
Margaret Simon, draft

Posted in Poetry, This Photo Wants to be a Poem, Travel, Writing | Tagged #poemsofpresence, #smallpoems, found poem, This Photo Wants to be a Poem | 3 Comments »

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