The Kidlit Progressive Poem is stopping here today. It’s been on a long journey and now we are turning toward home. I want to take this opportunity to thank all the participants who without much guidance just kept this poem going and growing.
The last stop was with Kevin Hodgson at Kevin’s Meandering Mind. Here is the poem so far with my line added in italics.
Where they were going, there were no maps.
Sorry! I don’t want any adventures, thank you. Not today.
Take the adventure, heed the call, now ere the irrevocable moment passes!
We have to go back. I forgot something.
But it’s spring, and the world is puddle-wonderful,
so we’ll whistle and dance and set off on our way.
Come with me, and you’ll be in a land of pure imagination.
Wherever you go, take your hopes, pack your dreams, and never forget –
it is on our journeys that discoveries are made.
And then it was time for singing.
Can you sing with all the voices of the mountain, paint with all the colors of the wind, freewheeling through an endless diamond sky?
Suddenly, they stopped and realized they weren’t the only ones singing.
Listen, a chattering of monkeys! Let’s smell the dawn
and taste the moonlight, we’ll watch it all spread out before us.
The moon is slicing through the sky. We whisper to the tree,
tap on the trunk, imagine it feeling our sound.
Clouds of blue-winged swallows, rain from up the mountains,Green growing all around, and the cool splash of the fountain.
If you look the right way, you can see that the whole world is a garden,
a bright, secret, quiet place, and rather sad;
and they stepped out into the middle of it.Their minds’ libraries and lightning bugs led them on.
The darkwood sings, the elderhist blooms, the sky lightens; listen and you will find your way home.
The night sky would soon be painted, stars gleaming overhead, a beautiful wild curtain closing on the day.
Mud and dusk, nettles and sky – time to cycle home in the dark.
There are no wrong roads to anywhere
I am away from home staying with my mother. My father is in hospice care in the hospital after a stroke ten days ago. This liminal time has been a blessing in many ways. I am listening to my mother play the piano as I write this. She and Dad are big Leonard Cohen fans. My father gave her a picture book of “Dance Me to the End of Love” illustrated by Matisse. I am not sure my line makes sense with the poem, but I also know that poetry is a safe place and a place of mystery. So I’m just going with it.
lift me like an olive branch and be my homeward dove
1. The Imaginaries: Little Scraps of Larger Stories, by Emily Winfield Martin
2. The Hobbit, by J. R. R. Tolkien
3. The Wind in the Willows, by Kenneth Grahame
4. Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech
5. inspired by “[in Just-]” by E. E. Cummings
6. “Pure Imagination” from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory
7. Maybe by Kobi Yamada
8. Sarah, Plain, and Tall by Patricia MacLachlan
9. inspired by Disney songs “A Whole New World” from Aladdin and “Colors of the Wind” from Pocahontas
10. The Other Way to Listen by Byrd Baylor
11. adapted from Cinnamon by Neil Gaiman
12. adapted from The Magical Imperfect by Chris Baron
13. adapted from On the Same Day in March by Marilyn Singer
14. adapted from a line in Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson
15. The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
16. Prince Caspian by CS Lewis
17. The Last Cuentista by Donna Barba Higuera
18. Kate DiCamillo’s The Beatryce Prophecy
19. The Keeper of Wild Words by Brooke Smith
20. Last Child in the Woods by Richard Louv
21. ThePhantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster
22. Dance Me to the End of Love by Leonard Cohen
Click below to add your link:
https://fresh.inlinkz.com/party/f2a26ee9b7144bd29a2b60b936c2fd45
Reflections on the Teche 
This year’s progressive poem is quite the lyrical tour-de-force. Just wonderful!
Sorry to hear about your father, Margaret. Keeping you and your family in my thoughts and prayers.
Thanks for hosting this week. xo
Margaret, I’m so sorry to hear of your dad’s illness. I know from my own experience that such times can be a time of closeness and appreciation. I think your line fits perfectly given the poem’s journey.
Margaret,
I saw this last night for the photo and want to write to that image. I send hugs for you and your mom. I am sorry about your dad’s stroke. So hard no matter what age. I love that music and dance are part of their lives and part of their endings. I don’t know the book or song but will look for it. I wrote little poem a while back and will email it to you. Dance has always been such a big part of my life and love. I hope you and your mom can spend some time remembering the dance of life with your dad in those most joyous of moments. Sending love to you and yours. Janet
Margaret,
I’m sorry to hear the news about your dad. Prayers for you and your family. Thank you for hosting Poetry Friday.
In the mystery of the poem, in the mystery of life and death, I think the line you chose is just right. It suggests internal wrestling, this “olive branch” that will bring our traveler “home” – wherever that is. Peace and prayers continue for you and your family!
Your line is perfect, especially given its connection to your Dad and his love for your Mom. Lovely! I am sorry to hear about your dad, but glad you are finding some peace. Sending love from Australia.
Margaret, I’m so sorry about your dad. I’m praying for peace and strength for all of you during this tough time. Sending virtual hugs, too.
I love the imagery of your line.
Thanks for hosting Poetry Friday in the midst of what you’re going through. My link won’t go live for a few more hours–it’s not Friday here yet. It includes information on how to live stream the Celebration of Life for April Pulley Sayre that takes place this Saturday, 4/24/22.
Mystery is just what the doctor ordered. I’m awfully glad you are with your Mom. Please know you and your family are in my prayers. Thanks for hosting…even in such a challenging time.
[…] Simon is hosting today’s Poetry Friday roundup AND the annual Progressive Poem at Reflections on the Teche, so head on over for all the poetry links and […]
So sorry to hear about your dad – it seems like all of us are dealing with similar issues these past few years, so please know I’m thinking of you and your folks. Love seeing how the poem has been coming along, and I think your line is just perfect.
Margaret, I saw your previous post and wanted to let you know that my thoughts and prayers are with your family. It is so difficult to know that a loved one has undergone a stroke. The hands of your parents together are such a touching scene, one that showcases love beyond years. In the midst of challenges, you share your time with us as our host. Your line in the poem is such a personal one that makes me think that the line connects your feelings with the poem’s story line. May the homeward dove bring you to a place of peace.
Thanks for your beautiful, moving, line–Margaret– and I look forward to looking for, “Dance Me To The End Of Love–” two artists I admire! Sending more thoughts for you and your family.
I saw about your father earlier, Margaret, am sad for you and your family, of course, I’m wishing we all are lightening your load with our words. You are so thoughtful in the choosing of your line, a pause in that group’s journey to ask for blessings. Well done.
The news of your father is softened a little when I learn of his gift to your mother, Margaret. A sweet and tender recollection is a balm for the soul at these difficult times, no doubt. Your tender sharing helps me more fully appreciate your contribution to the progressive poem. So very apt.
Why is it times like these can feel so many different ways at once? Please know that I’m thinking about you, your Mom, and the rest of your family—holding you all in my heart. I think you picked a perfect line for the progressive poem.
Thank you for hosting PF during your tumultuous time, Margaret. Sending you and your family light and love. I love the source and reasoning for your progressive poem line. And I appreciate the bibliography of sources for the entire poem.
Care and peace to you and your family, Margaret. May your father’s passing be full of music and the voices he most cherishes. Your line is truly full of safety and mystery and love. Thank you for hosting at this time. xoxo
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Margaret, I’m so glad you can be there with your parents. Your last line is perfect–a poem IS the best place those feelings and bits of life we don’t know what to do with. Beautiful. Sending hugs to you.
[…] Margaret has this week’s Poetry Friday roundup at Reflections on the Teche. […]
I’m glad you are there and I’m glad we are able to send you our love and care as you help your father make it Home. Your line is perfect. Hugs.
Dear Margaret, thank you for sharing your parents’ Leonard Cohen love. Thinking of all of you as you shepherd your dad to whatever’s next.Thank you for hosting. We’re all here with you. Sending love love love. xo
Margaret-
So sorry to read about your dad. Sending love and prayers for a joyful and peaceful homegoing!
Carol
Margaret, thank you for sharing this week. I love the line you selected. Your statement about appreciated the liminal space you’re in really struck me in the moment. I’ve had a few liminal moments in life and found all of them transformative. Best wishes to you and your family in this time. –Tim
[…] Poetry Friday! Margaret Simon at Reflections on the Teche is our hostess for this the fourth Friday of National Poetry Month. She’s also got the latest […]
Your line selection is perfect. Poetry is hugely personal, I believe. And life is so full of meaningful coincidences, Margaret. One of our favorite road trip CDs features Madeleine Peyroux’s version of “Dance me to the end of love.” We were just listening to it yesterday on our way home from Princeton. Here it is. https://youtu.be/Ch6h278GEpA Sending much love and prayers your way for you to share with your mom and dad. Peace.
I played it for my mom. Thanks.
I think your line is perfect, Margaret. It creates a safe place for you and our adventurous actors, magical and mysterious. Love and prayers for you as you must journey back home now.
Margaret, thank you for rounding up this week. I am so sorry to hear about your father’s illness.
Margaret, thank you for still hosting and contributing to the Progressive Poem that you organized despite your Dad’s stroke. I’m so glad you can be with your mom. It was so important to me to be with my Dad when my Mom was ill last fall, and as you said this time you have together is a blessing in many ways – I’m glad you see it that way – I felt that way too. I think your line is perfect for the poem. Thank you, again. I’ll keep you all in my thoughts.
A perfect line, Margaret. Continued thoughts and prayers to you and your family.
I’m so sorry to hear about your father.
What a gorgeous and lovely picture book — I didn’t really learn much about Cohen until after his death, but I’m catching up on his poetry and your line is lovely and perfect.
I’m so sorry to hear about your father, Margaret. I love this line you added to the progressive poem: “Sorry! I don’t want any adventures, thank you. Not today.”
I am so sorry about your father, Margaret. I know this time is difficult, and I hope it continues to be a blessing for you and your mother. I think your line is perfect, and when I added my line for tomorrow, I thought about your dad and his journey home. Praying you find peace among the blessings and the sweet, sweet memories.
I love your line! It follows beautifully from the previous one. Good wishes for your father and your whole family.
Hi Margaret, thanks for being their for the PF community so amazingly while you are also being there for your family. Here’s a beautiful song that your parents might like: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M1WrNisRhDU (Gathering of Spirits by Carrie Newcomer).
“there
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Margaret, I’m sorry to hear your father is in hospice. Please know that I have been thinking of you and your family. Thank you for taking your precious time to host this week and to come up with a line for the Progressive Poem. Your choice is perfect: “be my homeward dove” is just gorgeous! Hugs to you.
Oh, Margaret – Thank you for hosting and sharing the beauty of your line while you have so very much going on. Sending you hugs from here and offering prayers for you and yours. I know you are open to precious and sacred moments during this difficult time. xo
[…] Also, fabulous teacher and poet Margaret Simon has the roundup today! Be sure to stop by and catch up on how the beautiful Progressive Poem is, well, progressing :>) […]
Dear Margaret, what a lovely addition…and from such a wonderful looking book.I’m so sorry for your loss, and I know also that your dad is in “a safe place, a place of mystery, now.”