Instead of Christmas presents, we gave our children and their families a house in the Appalachian mountains of North Georgia. This is a view of the house from the lake below. I don’t think I could have picked a more perfect spot. Today it becomes an image for inspiration. You may focus on the green moss on the log, the act of looking up, or the idea of a perfect place to rest. Happy New Year! I hope it brings you joy and renewal.
I am still ruminating on my One Little Word for 2024. It may or may not be the word at the end of this poem. I’ve been having fun playing with the elfchen (elevenie) form. The basis is 1 word, 2 words, 3 words, 4 words, 1 word. The magic of the form seems to happen when writing about the first word leads to a conclusion in the last word.
Tomorrow I will host Spiritual Thursday. We are writing about our One Little Word choices. Please join us.
Mountain House
Wood
Margaret Simon, draft
chopped, stacked
the fire pit
where secrets are shared–
Connection
Reflections on the Teche 
Love sharing of secrets in your poem Margret!
And what a wonderful present to your family! Thanks for your inspiration today!
WHAT LIES AHEAD…
stories
old new
fire ring beginning
douse or fan them
unfolding…
Stories unfolding around a fire is a lovely image.
I feel your poem is an easy companion, exchanging stories, unfolding our connection. Thanks!
Oh, what a beautiful way to think about stories as being doused or fanned. I hope we share them and fan the flames of memory and experience. Lovely metaphor!
Michelle, I love this! Great title. Old and new stories beginning around a fire is beautiful, but then you add those last three words, which takes your poem to your image to a whole new level.
douse or fan – interesting idea for stories…
What a gift a renewal and connection, Margaret. My thoughts went to the trees and the idea of secrets. I followed your lead with an elfchen.
trees
like sentinels
guard the secrets
of those who share
memories
A tree as a sentinel, guarding the history and secrets, is a phenomenal metaphor. We camp a lot throughout the southeast, and we often wonder what the trees would tell us if they could talk.
Rose, I have often felt your poem in the woods. I talk to trees and hug trees because they are my friends. Therefore, I deeply resonate with your poem. I love your simile trees like sentinels and then you add the trees guard secrets that are shared takes your poem to whole new level.
The trees do look like sentinels, Rose.
Love the image of the trees guarding our secrets that lead us to memories. I made a photo book for each family. I should have waited to include these loving poems.
Margaret, I’d like to share your blog post today on my blog tomorrow. What a fabulous trip you shared with your children. The house is beautiful, and the memories unforgettable.
Presence
unhindered
time spent
unhurried memory making
letting presence be presents
connecting
I love your poem, especially presence being presents. Thanks for all of your suggestions. I’m honored you want to share.
Kim, I love your unhindered, unhurried, letting presence be presents is a beautiful connection-poem.
Kim, letting presence be presents works so well.
I echo what others have said about presence and presents. I also like how your first and last words frame your poem – presence/connecting
Margaret, what a wonderful gift spending time and making memories with your family in the woods in a mountain house. The elevenie description I found online is like the normal cinquain form that I used with first and second graders. However, when I looked at your Friday post, the sister’s posts, and Carol V’s post about an elfchen poem and all of their beautiful poems, I understood the difference. This is my revised elevenie poem transformed into an elfchen poem. I loved all your family photos especially the pic of you with your three grandchildren, which is precious joy. Thank you for this inspiration to write a poem.
Winter Elfchen
Snowflakes
falling memorize
me in hemlock woods
while cross country skiing
exhilaration
Gail Aldous draft
I’ve only skied once in my life. And rarely see snow. I can imagine the exhilaration of your poem.
Thank you, I’m glad you can imagine it. You would love cross country skiing because it’s like walking fast in the snow. The coldness, the snow, the woods, frozen creeks, deer, the exertion, making memories with my husband, friends… joy.
Gail, I have never cross-country skied but can imagine the exhilarating feeling.
Snowflakes in hemlock woods- beautiful image, Gail.
Thank you, Rose. Hemlocks, a conifer look beautiful with snow on them because the snow sticks to them more than some other conifers. I’m hoping for snow this weekend.
Margaret, I am sorry I didn’t write my thoughts about your elfchen poem, which I love, and I resonate with. Something about being around a fire at night, cozy and warm makes you share your thoughts, your secrets… Your beautiful photo and your words made me revisit memories of past fire pits with different people at different stages in my life. Your final word, “connection” after “where secrets are shared” is the perfect word that wraps up your poem with a bow. Your elfchen is a gift. Thank you. Thank you for your inspiration and joy. My poem is wishful thinking because we haven’t had a significant snowfall since the night before Thanksgiving, which is strange and sad. We have had too much rain, which would have been piles of snow. I’m keeping my fingers, toes, and nose crossed for snow this weekend. The meteorologists say we’re getting a Nor’easter, which means lots of snow for the coast and hopefully a significant amount for us.
Margaret, what a beautiful gift for your family that you and your husband gave. The word connection is a good choice to end the Elfchen.
family
gathers together
deep in conversation,
plans, hopes, and love
commitment
Another good c-word, commitment! Nurturing a family is the ultimate commitment that also brings the most joy.
Love how family and commitment connect
Carol, I love your poem. Conversation hopes, love, and commitment. You must have had so much fun with your granddaughters on Christmas and baking with them. Thank you for commenting on my poem. There was no reply next to your name so that’s why I’m replying here. I’m happy that you can imagine the exhilaration of cross-country skiing through my poem. I’m hoping for snow this weekend. It is too warm here. I remember you also like snow. I’ll keep my fingers, toes, and nose crossed for VA to receive snow, too.
[…] nod to her choice by using a form of connection as the last word in my own poem. You can read her post here, along with other poems that were written about the photo, and her picture that inspires her poem […]
[…] I have a new calendar by Nikki McClure that is titled Connect. When I wrote a poem yesterday for This Photo Wants to be a Poem, connect was my last word. I understand that the reason I write this blog is to […]