Early in the first days of the pandemic, people were posting about cleaning out closets. At the time, my attention was on my students, my family, and the gorgeous spring we were having. I did Zoom meetings and made videos outside. I was fulfilled. Not at all bored. And couldn’t imagine why I should clean out anything.
But here we are 5 months in, and the weather has turned to mush: wet, hot, and humid. Going outside you risk all sorts of maladies, mosquito bites, dehydration, etc. So now I have turned to the closets.
I am not sure why we humans hold on to so much stuff. I’ve been looking at everything from photos to Christmas ornaments to baby stuff. The cleaning is cleansing. I’m also creating a room just for the grandkids. With show tunes in the background, this process has been rewarding and fun.
Speaking with my writing group last night, we are all making our way through with a variety of diversions. Heidi is making playful poems using magazine cut-outs. Check out her post here.
Molly started a new hashtag on Twitter. #poeticdiversion I posted this photo and poem that captures the beauty of resurrection fern after the rain. I never get enough of this miracle.
Brightens green
Resurrection
What are your diversions? How are you coping? Consider joining in with poetry. #moreplay #magazineticpoetry #makesomething #poeticdiversion
Reflections on the Teche 
I was cleaning out a shelf in the cool of my basement yesterday and a poem was tickling at me -thinking about all the silly things I kept on the shelf. I might have to pull that together.
Thanks for your inspiring post.
Mostly I just think about how I should be cleaning out closets! Thanks for spreading the word about #poeticdiversion. I was inspired by Mary Lee Hahn’s Poetry Friday post last Friday. She reminded me how important it is to appreciate small, perhaps fleeting moments.
Thank you, Margaret. I can relate to your hot weather these days. It is getting old here on the 154th day of March. I wrote a small poem today too, but the subject was not so much a diversion as one I need to continually divert my attention away from. Thanks for sharing the hashtags. I would like to give #magazineticpoetry a try.
By the way, I’m glad to see you posting. I hope you are feeling well today!
I started working on photos early on, but I’ve lost my steam on this project. However, working on a 500 piece puzzle is my favorite diversion. That and being with the grand boys! So wish we felt good about a trip to UT. Our new granddaughter is now three months old and we haven’t met her yet.
I’m sorry you haven’t met your granddaughter yet. I’m worried if I go back to school I will not be able to be with my boys anymore.
Hat off to everyone who cleans their closets. Seeing it as cleansing puts it in a new perspective. I have not gotten bored enough yet to clean the closets. I was busy with school in spring and I have had fun playing with my nephew in the summer.
Margaret, you just provided for me a #poeticdiversion this morning. I love the jaunt to the links you provided and onto Twitter. I also turned to closet cleaning especially since my home went on the market yesterday. Interesting fact – during the rainstorms your area grows fern and my Long Island garden multiplies with flowers cascading down. Thanks for the fun!
I did so much purging and repair work during this hiatus – I feared I’d hate myself later if I didn’t make use of the time. I have a list of things yet to accomplish as well. Less is definitely more when it comes to stuff – as illustrated in the power of your spare poem. I adore resurrection ferns and the hope they symbolize – a miracle, indeed.