Here we are again at another first Friday of the month. Since it’s Slice of Life Challenge month, this is a dual post. It was my turn to choose a challenge for my writing group, the Inklings. In my classroom, we are writing responses each day to a quote. I challenged my fellow Inklings to find a favorite quote and write a poem. Form was optional.
I am pulling a poem from the February project for Laura Shovan’s birthday. The prompt came from Ruth Lehrer who posted a video of Theo Janson’s Wind-Powered Sculptures. Fascinating. And the same day I saw a Madeleine L’Engle quote in my Instagram feed. I think there was also an influence of form from a poem-of-the-day, but I can’t remember which one. Muses, muses everywhere.
“Believing takes practice” Madeleine L’Engle
If believing takes practice
then wind plays
with swirling moss
hanging in the trees
practicing for inevitable storms
holding on for the ride to come.Tell yourself you believe
over & over again
like the Dutch artist who preserves
the beach by creating beach animals
walking believing
so when midnight comes
vacant empty of moon or stars,
you can reach out & touch
the heart of the lonely
and bring them back to love.©Margaret Simon
Other Inklings Poems:
Molly Hogan
Catherine Flynn
Heidi Mordhorst
Linda Mitchell
Mary Lee Hahn
There are still a few slots left for the KidLit Progressive Poem. If you’d like to participate, click here and leave me a comment.
Reflections on the Teche 
Margaret, I LOVE this poem. I love the prompt ideas but where you took this and your descriptions….wow.. The vacant night and reaching out to the lonely. Believing and then connected to the wind and the moss in the trees where you live. (We don’t have that here.) This poem is stunning.
That is BEAUTIFUL, Margaret! Thank you!
This is beautiful, Margaret. Your poem fits so well with the quote.
I love it all, but my favorite line is:
“you can reach out & touch
the heart of the lonely
and bring them back to love.”
How beautiful, Margaret. Thank you so much for sharing.
I love the quote, and your poem fits it beautifully!
I need a tattoo of this quote.
I adore Madeleine L’Engle–thanks for this quotation today. And your poem is stunning, Margaret. Something about that artist creating on the beach…
Margaret, so many beautiful images in your poem.
That is so powerful:
“so when midnight comes
vacant empty of moon or stars,”
What a lovely quote by one of my favorites.
A lovely challenge, Margaret. And a wonderful way to ponder a saying that strikes a chord. Your final word, so unexpected – and right. Bring them back to… love.
[…] Mary Lee Hahn @ A(nother) Year of ReadingMolly Hogan @ Nix the Comfort ZoneHeidi Mordhorst @ My Juicy Little UniverseLinda Mitchell @ A Word EdgewiseMargaret Simon @ Reflections on the Teche […]
Your ending is so full of 💗 humility, powerful and touching, thanks Margaret! Also love the beginning, flowing moss-swirling lines.
A beautiful poem, Margaret, inspired by a gifted writer and one of my favorite books of all time – Thank you for sharing. I like thinking about the swirling moss hanging on for practice!
I love the quote you chose, Margaret, and the way you gather so many ideas into one lovely poem.
I love how, once again, you wove together so many inspirations from so many muses to create your own beautiful, authentic response. I also like how your poem moves from the small and specific details out into the larger universe. Simply lovely!
I’m so intrigued by the connections you made–not entirely obvious–between belief & practice, the strandbeests, and touching the lonely back to love. Give me a mysterious poem any day!