Early morning is prime fishing time for egrets and herons on the bayou. It is rare that I can get a photo. I have to walk lightly and hope Albert doesn’t bark. This was a lucky shot.
I will be presenting at NCTE this week. In the roundtable presentation with Ethical ELA (3:30 on Friday, Rm. 108, 110), I will be discussing creating Zeno zines. A Zeno poem is one in which the syllable count is 8, 4, 2, 1, 4, 2, 1, 4, 2, 1. The challenge is each one syllable line rhymes.
This Photo is a place for first drafts. Please consider joining me and writing a poem draft in the comments. Support other writers with your comments.
Morning is bayou fishing time
flashy bright white
egret
shines
reminding me
how love
dines
on memory,
sacred signs.
(Margaret Simon, draft)
Reflections on the Teche 
Margaret, I’m so excited for all of you going to NCTE! I wish I could be there. I remember your sharing this form a couple of years ago, and I sat in rural Kentucky looking at tobacco fields writing these, having such fun with the beauty of place and the fun with with words. I will try one for tomorrow’s post. Thanks for the inspiration and the challenge! I hope you get to eat at The Thirsty Lion and hear the sound walk in Denver. Those were two of my favorite things.
Thanks for the suggestions for Denver. This is my first time there and Jeff will join me on Sunday.
Margaret, beautiful catch of this “bright white egret”. I like how the egret was a reminded you of love and memory, so I took your example and let it remind me of rest. The zeno was a good challenge this morning. The rhyming is tricky.
Reminder
Morning feeding egret awaits.
Enduring one
double-
cast,
quieted here,
bayou-
glassed.
I can rest in
cares so
vast.
Nicely done, Denise. Love “bayou-glassed.”
I love how you brought in the image of the reflection. My father loved watching the wading herons on the lake. I’m thinking of him a lot these days.
Denise,
This is lovely. I especially like “double-cast” and “I can rest in
cares so
vast.”
So peaceful.
Denise, nice rhyme and imagery in “double cast” “bayou-glassed” and I love the personification of double cast, too. I also love that you use “glassed” for reflection. I like the way how you included quiet and rest. You painted a peaceful picture.
I’ve written a few zenos and always liked the challenge of the rhyme. I was inspired by your words “bright white”
Through the fall foliage I spy
egrets dressed in
winter
white
fishing in the
morning
light
gifting me with
wonder
bright
Have a wonderful time at NCTE! (I’m envious!)
Rose, this reads so flawlessly. I’m really enjoying reading it aloud more than once, especially the gift of wonder at the end.
I love this! I love how your poem places us right into the scene.
Rose,
Your poem flows so naturally.
I especially like:
gifting me with
wonder
bright
That’s exactly how I feel every time I see an egret or heron.
Rose, I love the voice in your poem. It makes me feel like I’m there. Nice rhyming words and what a beautiful ending–gifting me wonder bright.
Margaret,
Thank you for this beautiful photo and invitation to write my first zeno.
On a shore I have not yet seen
Bayou Teche
Egret
Stands
White beauty
Blessing
Lands
Unfamiliar
As my
Hands
Congratulations! You did it. I love the twist at the end. You have an open invitation to visit here.
Thanks, Margaret! I love the idea of “This Photo Wants to be a Poem” and hope to regularly participate.
“white beaty blessing lands” – a beautiful image, Sharon!
Sharon, I like your voice and rhymes. I resonate with your line “White beauty” because that’s what I think of the few times that I have seen an egret. Therefore, “White beauty” jumped out at me. I also love the lines:
“White beauty
Blessing lands”
with your letter /b/ alliteration, and your idea of this beautiful egret blessing the land.
[…] the Teche, will be one of those at NCTE, and she will be hosting a roundtable of Zeno Zine writing. Here is the link to her blog, where you can read the format for a Zeno and Margaret’s Zeno. She writes, […]
Margaret, I’m so glad you were able to get a shot of the egret. They are beautiful. Your first two lines grabbed me right away. I like your additional rhymes. I love your ending “sacred signs.” I haven’t ever written a zeno poem before. Next time I have to pick a word that has more rhyming words for 1 syllable lines. Thanks for the challenge and your inspiration.
snowy egret’s yellow feet stir
swampy fish stew,
dips bill
in
chews up stew for
her young
kin
chicks swallow fast–
need more
in
Gail Aldous zeno draft
I looked up some facts on snowy egrets to brainstorm some ideas. I found out they like to stir up the water they’re standing in to find prey. Smart bird using its feet as a tool. I love the contrast of their big yellow feet to their skinny long legs, to their bright white snowy plumage.
I like that you did research! I usually choose my rhyming words first and make my poem around them. Thanks for taking the challenge to write a Zeno.
Thank you, Margaret. Have a great time at NCTE this week!
Weaving in facts after research is a wonderful approach, Gail. Like how you added the chicks.
Thank you, Rose. Yeah, I love reading about animals and especially finding out something I didn’t know before.