Welcome back to This Photo…a low stakes writing prompt. Don’t think too long and hard about this. Whatever comes is good. Leave a small poem of 15 words or so in the comments. Read other poems and leave a supportive comment. That’s it. Poetry brain practice!
I love to notice clouds. Cloud photos never quite come out as well as what you truly see. What can you imagine in the clouds? Look up. Just notice. Take a moment to be present.
Cloud goddess
Margaret Simon, draft
flies her kite,
a ballet dance
on Spring’s serene
sky-stage.
Check in on the Kidlit Progressive Poem that is going on an adventure today to Haiti with Ruth.
Reflections on the Teche 
I enjoy these prompts. Thanks Margaret!
Trees witness
as clouds rush off
for spring
in the next
town over.
I like the idea of trees being witness. Thanks for playing with poetry today.
Oh, even the clouds have their schedule to follow. Love it!
The sky is a stage, isn’t it? As in your verse.
busy, busy, busy! I love the feel of this.
The movement of clouds has always fascinated me. But I have never thought about it moving to the “next town over.”
I also really like the idea of trees as witnesses.
Janice, I love how you have captured the truth about us here in CNY where a little twist of location and the change of the wind direction can truly change our weather in a heartbeat.
“Cloud goddess flies her kite”….what a lovely image.
I imagined clouds looking down us
Cloud Commentary
People are
spread out today
at least six feet
apart
clear sidewalks
empty streets–
Must be
pandemic season.
When we did the Solomon House give out on Tuesday, a neighbor sent out a drone to take photos. This poem reminds me of those images. You could see us all spread apart with our masks on. The streets weren’t empty, though. We gave out 105 boxes of food.
Something about the matter-of-fact tone of the clouds’ thoughts reassures me of the narrowness of our own experience in the big picture. Thanks, Linda.
I like the idea of clouds seeing everything, Linda.
I love the clouds being personified here. It does make you wonder what they would say, doesn’t it?
Perfect title and a great perspective. Love it!
It’s kind of a twist on us looking up and seeing all sorts of things in the clouds. Those fluffy artists. As a kid I would love to lie on the grass and watch and wonder and envision. And now they look on us and see the changes, does the rain become their tears for us? I wonder. Sad and true, your observation and those of the clouds……..
I finally got by to participate! These are lovely photos…Thanks, Margaret. I love your cloud goddess.
Seeing Mom Today
Clouds like bumpy
cotton batting
Maybe Mom is quilting
in the sky
–Laura Purdie Salas, draft, all rights reserved
Bumpy cotton batting. So cloud-like!
That is a comfort and an image I will keep in my pocket. I love it.
Mom quilting the sky is a lovely thought. Also full of longing. I’m so glad you could play poetry today. Thanks for your mentorship.
Endearing thoughts in the clouds today.
So poignant.
I love how this brought your mother to you today, Laura. I am sure she is watching down and sending you warm, quilt-like embraces. Mom quilting in the sky, so lovely. And kind.
I love that image. Maybe my mom will be part of her sewing circle.
Even in the clouds,
I see paths
drawing me
toward them.
The clouds draw me to them also. I like the double meaning of “draw” as well. Nice.
Thanks, Linda. Hope you and your family are well. 🙂
The paths of clouds draw us, don’t they? Thanks for playing today.
It was fun. Thanks for bringing some play into the internet.
Clouds do have a way of drawing people to them.
Nice to see you. Hope you and your family are all well.
Ah, the clouds, angel trails? Drawing us ever up and into the unknown be it our religious interpretation, outer space, time and life and beginnings and endings. Your brief poem brought many thoughts into my mind, Brenda. Thank you.
Such a nice comment. That is what good poems should do — leave plenty of room for the readers. 🙂
I thought a Fibonacci poem would do well with these photos. He is my attempt!
look
up
white clouds
paintbrush strokes
create wispy-tailed
formations against the blue sky
momentarily
with us, but
don’t blink
look
up
Great form to use today. I love how Look up gets repeated. The image of the wispy-tailed formations describes the photo well.
Love “wispy-tailed” and your decision to use a fib poem today.
Yes! They move so quick….brush strokes is perfect
I have never tried a fib and you have inspired me to give it a good go, Leigh Ann. I love that look up opens and closes. Your poem wish paintbrush strokes and momentarily and wispy-tailed, creates that perfect picture that goes with the prompt photo so nicely.
Your alliteration with the Ss makes this such a peaceful poem. I see the cloud goddess’s ballet dance. Wonderful imagery.
Margaret, I was struck to see that you had used sky-stage. Honestly I never looked farther down than the photos. But as BLINK mentions we do take in so much and make instantaneous reactions, but truly I don’t think I read even a snippet of your poem. I played with mind longer than maybe I had originally wanted to but I was trying to move beyond my mundane early jot and offering and honestly I am slower at composing on the fly as I age. When I was “young” in the classroom, the words could flow and flow and I would love drafting with the kids during warm-ups…..but this is perfect even if I arrive late to the party. Thank you for all you do for the community, Margaret. And your students and loved ones.
Thanks Janet for your continued support. I know that I used the goddess because of Laura Shovan’s prompt for water poems, but it’s true that we cannot really know from whence all inspiration comes. The practice of writing every day is how I try to keep my brain working. I’m not very good at Sudoku or crossword puzzles.
I love the idea of a sky-stage, Margaret. So much drama happens in the skies! Here’s my very quick, surprisingly positive response–
shifting sky scenes
behind cloudy veneer
Oops–I hit something! lol That was an incomplete post/poem–it should have read:
shifting sky scenes
behind cloudy veneer
blue waits patiently
Blue waits patiently is a great line that gives hope.
Lovely blue…blue does wait, doesn’t it?
cloudy veneer is such a great description!
Oh the patient blue of sky….I like shifting sky scenes a lot and a sweet haiku. Lovely, Donna!
I could not finish my poem earlier and had not seen any offerings until just as I scrolled down and caught a glimpse of skystage I think and wispy and ballet in other jottings!!! Maybe it comes under the “great minds thinking alike”! Now to head up to read slowly and see. Sometimes I wonder how my days get so full during this time of the pandemic, but it does.
In Tulle and Sadness
Dainty ballerinas
glide across their skystage.
Paint the blue with softness
and wispy-white regret.
I love that you’ve made the clouds dance.
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