If ever there is a tomorrow when we’re not together, there is something you must always remember. You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem and smarter than you think. But the most important thing is, even if we are apart, I’ll always be with you.
A.A.Milne
Today’s photo prompt appeared in my Facebook feed. Our school librarian has a young daughter who is a dancer. They recently posed these photos for her dance teacher. Melissa told me that this one is her daughter with her best friend. It made me think of how important friends can be in this dance of life. Leave a small poem in the comments. Then comment on others with encouraging words. Thanks for stopping by.
Dance for the ocean
Margaret Simon, draft
Speak for the earth
Sing for the sky
Write for who you long to be.
Agile silhouettes
Anchor in tides’ ebb and flow
Sun, water, sand
Clasp hands
Beautiful. Love “Anchor in tides’ ebb and flow”
The A words, agile and anchor, are wonderful word choices.
Love how sun, water, sand echoes the ebb and flow
Sun-water-sand what a backdrop and what an ending thought: clasp hands. Love your perspective, Karen.
Beautiful! I love the /a/ alliteration of agile and anchor and “anchor in tides’ ebb and flow”. I feel the relaxation of your words as the girls’ clasp hands.
What a beautiful, inspirational picture Margaret. Your poem is an invitation to live life to its fullest.
Hands joined in support,
The dance of friendship
Flows like the sea,
Warms like the sun
The dance of friendship comforts me these days. Thanks!
Flows and warms are great verbs for dance and friendship!
I like your verbs and the images they bring, Rose.
Rose, I love the mood and movement your word choices bring to the dance of friendship. Beautifully written. I will see you Sunday at the Craft and Heart of Poetry Workshop in Honesdale, PA! I’m so excited to finally go to a workshop at Highlights! 🙂
Love the affirmation in your poem, Margaret. This is not quite doing the circle that I intended, but putting it up anyway.
Hand-in-Hand
a parent, a child
best friends
dancers
lovers
a child, a parent
This could be a skinny. Or reverso. Thanks for writing.
I like the mirror image from beginning to end.
Buffy, I understand what you mean. I love the flow of movement of hands being held in each group. Beautiful. Maybe if you put the words in a concrete circle poem…
I also think a skinny would work with your thoughts, Buffy. I think the image of best friends is definitely in line with the image.
By Jaden, 6th grade
Through the rays of the summer sun
at the beach where fun is awaiting
and as you pose in the shining light
the ocean waves
the grainy sand
all come together to form a home
for creatures
but your home is not
built from water and sand
your home is where the people you love stand
Bravo to Jaden. I especially like grainy sand and the rhyme with stand.
Jaden, this poem is well done. You brought me to my place of solace-the beach!
Jaden, beautiful images! I especially love “as you pose in the shing light/ the ocean waves/ the grainy sand/all come together to a form a home/ for creatures”. Good use of senses.
This immediately struck a nerve. My daughter got married last week. During the one dance with my husband, his “brain fog” dispersed for a few moments. I fairly crumpled in the overwhelming beauty of seeing my best friend again.
The Wedding Dance
You emerged
as we danced;
the truly you
embraced
the really me
and whispered,
“I love you.”
I will remember
that moment
forever.
Donna JT Smith ©2022
Donna, what a wonderful gift!
Donna, this is a cherished moment and a remarkable memory. Congratulations to your daughter.
Donna, this poem is beautiful. It reminded me of a romance book that I read a long time ago that was made into an amazing movie. I cried while I read the book and both my husband, and I cried during the movie. I almost cried when I read your moving poem. How wonderful for your husband and you to share these loving moments-a keepsake.
Donna: Your poem struck a nerve with me, the connection between you two at a special moment. Lovely. So good to remember it with a poem.
Margaret, the beauty of the pose is inspiring. Your poem allows me to pause on the inherent magic that is within every child.
In Solidarity
stilled postures
precise and poised
sink into shifting sand
unity in purpose
harmony in spirit
Carol, you wrote that magic into your poem. I love the contrast of your words from “stilled postures/precise and posed” to “sink into shifting sand” and come together in those great last two lines with unity and harmony.” Beautifully written.
Carol, I am sorry I didn’t see your message sooner on FB. I did message you back. I appreciate your invitation and I do have a poem I can share with you for your spring Padlet. How do I share the poem and photo with you? My email is gailaldous@msn.com.
Gail, thank you for your comments. I am excited that you have a poem for the Poetryliscious padlet. I will contact your via email.
Gail, I missed this note so do you want to send your image poem to cvarsalona@gmail.com and I will place it with your name on the Padlet? I am in the eye doctor’s office so I can send the url for the Padlet later.
Unity and harmony are both great words to describe this image.
Margaret, what a great job you do picking inspirational photos for a poem. I love how you honor the ocean, earth and sky, in your poem. I especially love your last line “write for who you long to be”, which means to me you are telling the dancers to honor themselves by writing with hope who they ascertain to become. Beautifully written. Thank you for sharing. Here’s my try:
As a chorus of seagulls
sing, best friends dance,
to honor their friendship,
to honor dance as
a form of expression,
while rolling waves
fizz at their feet.
©Gail Aldous draft 4/28/22
Rolling waves do fizz at beachgoers’ feet, Gail. I miss the ocean. you brought me back to my Long Island summers.
I love your idea of honoring friendship and dance and the alliteration of fizz and feet. Thanks for writing.
There is meaning behind this poem. I used to have this friend named Londhyn, and we actually went to the beach together, so seeing this did make me a little teary eyed. I taught her many things on that beach, and it was a fun day.
as i stroll with whom i love
we move gracefully, sweeping like doves
the waves clash at my feet, and my hands when they hit
my body, with the air, recommits
as i walk on sand with whom i adore
we walk past seagulls, turtles and more
we chase them all, trying to implore
and as we tire out, we fall on the shore.
I especially like the 2nd stanza, Kaia. Your back matter makes the poem stronger when read.
Oh, Kaia, I’m so glad you came by! I read your poem aloud to Chloe. The second stanza was especially good to read aloud with the rhyming words and I could feel the exhaustion and joy as “we fall on the shore.” Keep writing!