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Archive for the ‘Photography’ Category

On Monday and Tuesday, my grandchildren had Fall Break. They spent it with me. The fall mornings have been cooler, so we spent the good part of Tuesday morning outside. This photo was taken at Devil’s Pond in City Park. Stella has downy white goose feathers in her hands, and she’s pointing to turtles out in the pond. Together she and Leo are counting the turtles.

One
Two
Three
Four
Turtles in the pond.
Come walk with me.
Let’s feel carefree
like turtles in a pond.

Margaret Simon, draft

This month is the National Writing Project’s Write Out, which encourages all of us to go outside to write. Prompts can be found on the Write Out website.

Consider writing a small poem and sharing it in the comments. Support other writers with your responses.

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On Sunday, I presented with my co-author for Were You There? A Biography of Emma Wakefield Paillet at the Old State Capitol in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The capitol was built in 1850, but the rotunda with spiral staircase was added following the Civil War in 1884.

The building is currently a museum. Phebe and I gladly accepted the invitation to present.

I have been working on a draft of a zeno poem. This form follows a mathematical sequence of syllables: 8, 4, 2, 1, 4, 2, 1, 4, 2, 1. Each of the one syllable words rhymes. It is surprisingly tricky to write.

Can you imagine a rainbow?
Glass umbrella
hovers
down
Patchwork pattern
gilded
crown
History wears
gorgeous
gown
Margaret Simon, draft

If you feel inspired to write a small poem, please leave it in the comments and return to offer encouragement to other writers.

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Poetry Friday is gathered today by Matt Forrest Esenwine at Radio, Rhythm, and Rhyme.

Today is the first Friday of a new month, October, and time for an Inklings challenge. I asked my writing group friends to exchange photos for an image poem. I invite you to participate in image poetry every Wednesday right here with This Photo Wants to be a Poem.

My exchange partner was Heidi. She had the opportunity to visit fellow Inkling, Molly, in Maine this summer. I am quite jealous that they all made blueberry jam together. I could not resist the delicious collection of jars in Heidi’s photo.

Georgia Heard inspired my poem by sending her own recipe poem through her newsletter.

Click on each link below to see other image poem posts from Inklings.

Linda @A Word Edgewise
Catherine @Reading to the Core
Molly @Nix the Comfort Zone
Mary Lee @A(nother) Year of Reading
Heidi @my juicy little universe

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Last week this lily appeared at my back door. I vaguely remember a neighbor giving me some bulbs, but I planted them ages ago. When I placed my Google lens on this flower, surprise lily came up as one of many names. It’s also known as spider lily and naked lady. Today in my poem I am focused on the surprise.

Surprise!
a ribbon
burst from soil
on a stemmed gift
lily

Margaret Simon, draft

Please leave a small poem in the comments and encourage other writers with your response.

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Today, I’m in love
with a purple wild petunia
popping like a party balloon
present and speaking
peace.
Margaret Simon, draft

Please join me in writing about what you love today. Leave a small poem in the comments and encourage other writers.

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Queensferry Crossing over the Firth of Forth, Edinburgh, Scotland

I’m still dreaming of Scotland. This photo was taken from the bus window, so it’s not super clear, but I like how the sun beams down on the modern bridge. Imagine up ahead is the old town of Edinburgh. Scotland was a study in the modern and the ancient alongside each other.

On our return home, I went back to my genealogy to find that I have ancestors from Scotland.

Today I’m turning to the elfchen (or elevenie) form.

Bridge
carries across
Firth of Forth
Travelers of time to
Ancestors

Margaret Simon, draft

Please write a small poem in the comments and respond to other writers.

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St. Mungo’s Cathedral, Glasgow, Scotland

On our second day in Glasgow, Scotland, we walked to St. Mungo’s Cathedral. The cathedral is the oldest building in Glasgow, its foundations dating back to 1100s.

This photo was taken of the doorway into the cathedral. I was intrigued by the layers of marble and mortar work. Like these columns, our lives, our ancestry, are made of layers.

Can you hear the stories
blowing in the wind of Scotland?
Wrapping layer upon layer
hiding our innermost beauty
in the heart of hewn stone.

Margaret Simon, draft

Please write your own poem in the comments and support other writers with your responses.

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Water Strider by Molly Hogan

Summer is winding down. Although, the temperatures remain high. Once again, I turned to teacher-writer-photographer Molly Hogan for a photo prompt. Molly captured this water strider in perfect stride to open up a world. The photo itself is a poem.

It’s a just right day for a haiku. Please consider writing a response poem. Leave encouraging comments for other writers.

Glass pebbles glide
below water strider toes
tapping into green.

Margaret Simon, draft

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Downy Woodpecker

I wish I was a better photographer of birds. This one was taken with my phone out of my kitchen window. I wish you could see the red crown, but I do like the profile and how you see that sharp beak.

This tree is a satsuma tree that succumbed to the freeze this past January. I’m grateful we haven’t taken it down, though, so this beauty could come visit.

I’ve been taking an online poetry workshop with Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer. One of her mentor texts was a poem titled “Romance” by Timothy Liu. I borrowed the opening line for this poem.

Renew

There is nothing renewable
about the frozen satsuma tree,
unwieldy branches outside the kitchen window, grey with age, dead from winter’s storm.

Yet I see a small downy woodpecker tapping
the old tree’s skin, jump-tap,
jump-tap, searching for insects to eat.

How I search my fractured memory
for signs of my mother, holding comfort
of a long life lived,
given over at the right time
for renewal.

Margaret Simon, draft

Please consider writing your own small poem inspired by this photo. Respond to other writers with encouragement.

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By Mary Lee Hahn

On Poetry Friday, Mary Lee used this photo she took of herself with her brother and her nephew to inspire a triptych poem. I am reposting here with permission.

A triptych poem follows the guidelines similar to a triptych painting with three distinct panels tied together by color and theme. Here is a copy of Mary Lee’s poem about the photo.

I’ve been taking a course with Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer. Last week she shared a poem by Matthew Rohrer, “There is Absolutely Nothing Lonelier”. I borrowed his first line to write my photo poem today.

There is nothing more hopeful
than summer shadows
following a path—
reaching long, like stilts
on festival clowns.
I wonder if my shadow
would fit in; it’s certainly tall enough.
Shadows still to welcome all.
Margaret Simon, draft

Please join me in writing today to this photo. Leave a small poem in the comments and offer encouragement to each other.

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