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Archive for the ‘Poetry’ Category

This Photo Wants to be a Poem: Triplets

Posted in Photography, Poetry, This Photo Wants to be a Poem, tagged , , , on May 8, 2024| 15 Comments »

Greater Yellowlegs Triplets by Molly Hogan

Molly Hogan captured this funny photo on a recent outing into the marsh in Maine. I love how she captured the reflection as well. These shorebirds are called yellowlegs for the obvious reason that they have yellow legs, but I think watching them skitter along the shore would bring a smile to anyone’s face.

Let this photo be your muse this morning as we get closer to slower, beach-filled days of summer. I welcome the extra time, but not the heat. Our temperatures in the south are already inching up to 90 degrees. Leave a small poem in the comments.

I’m back to my daily elfchen practice. A reminder of the form: eleven words, 1, 2, 3, 4, 1. The first word introduces the topic, the second tells what it does, the third where it is, and the fourth how it makes you feel (I go for a metaphor in this line), ending with a word of transformation from the first word.

Yellowlegs
toothpick race
across sandy marsh.
No one wins a prize–
Solidarity.

Margaret Simon, draft

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This Photo Wants to be a Poem: Over the Rainbow

Posted in Photography, Poetry, Spiritual Growth, Writing, tagged , , , , on April 24, 2024| 30 Comments »

Photo by Molly Hogan.

Welcome to Wednesday This Photo Wants to Be a Poem Day. While you are here, take a moment to be in/ with the featured photograph. When you feel moved to write, write a small poem inspired by the photo. Leave some or all of your creation in a comment. Respond to other writers with positive feedback.

Today’s photo was taken by Molly Hogan. She is a teacher-poet-photographer friend in Maine. When I first saw and saved this photo, I hadn’t seen the full reflection in the water. I’m not sure where this photo was located, but I want to be there today. Don’t you?

God encircles us
rainbow stretched over water
glows endless hope

Margaret Simon, draft
Molly has the Progressive Poem today.

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Slice of Life: Earth Day Poetry

Posted in Poetry, Slice of Life, Writing, tagged , , , on April 23, 2024| 5 Comments »

Thank you to Two Writing Teachers for creating an amazing community of writers and a safe, welcoming space to write and share.

Monday was Earth Day and the weather could not have been more perfect. A cool front came through, so our temps were in the 60’s. I took each group of students outside for writing time. I opened the Merlin app and we talked about the birds’ songs we heard. It was a good day for listening, teaching, and writing. State testing starts Wednesday, so I was happy for the opportunity to sit outside and forget our worries.

Kailyn’s notebook page

Earth Day is also my father’s death day. He loved double numbers; his birthday was 11/11/33. He passed away on 4/22/22. Ethical ELA’s prompt gave me the space I needed to write about him and his love of trees.

Dark Clouds by John Gibson

Earth Day Dedication

My father’s compass pointed
to the trees, how the branches
bent and blocked light
shadows dotting landscape.

Once he told me trees grounded
him in the present, reliable–
long standing
safety for Mother Earth’s children.

Yesterday I heard the “kow-kow-kow”
of a yellow-billed cuckoo
stopping in our tree from its journey
across the Gulf.

The journey of life,
as the cuckoo calls,
is hard and easy. Some days
you find rest, take a breath,
sigh for Mother Earth
and sing loud.
(Margaret Simon, draft)

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NPM24: Poem in Your Pocket Day

Posted in Poetry, Progressive poem, Writing, tagged , , , , on April 18, 2024| 2 Comments »

What is National Poem in Your Pocket Day?

What poem will you carry?

I am taking along a bit of kindness from Danusha Laméris Small Kindnesses.

Kidlit Progressive Poem is moving along with apprehension and worry for our two refugees.
See the latest line at Opposite of Indifference with Tabatha Yeats.

Taste a Bite of Poetry
after Mark Strand

I have been dining on poetry
that tastes like cookies.

Someone pressed in a dash
of salty tears, balancing the sweet.

Someone topped them with chocolate.
The brown ink stains my fingers,

So I carry this verse with me,
eating bit by bit,
filling my wistful soul.
@Margaret Simon, draft

Photo by Suzy Hazelwood on Pexels.com

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Slice of Life: Flowers, flowers, flowers

Posted in Poetry, Writing, tagged , , on April 16, 2024| 5 Comments »

Thank you to Two Writing Teachers for creating an amazing community of writers and a safe, welcoming space to write and share.

What an amazing month for flowers! They are everywhere. Knockout roses, wild purple salvia, native Louisiana iris. I even say a few poppies in a neutral ground. Jasmine is blooming sending fragrance through the windows. I am finding hope and poetry in the flowers this month. Today I want to offer two poems about flowers. I hope you are watching flowers blooming in your part of the world. Small daily miracles.

Louisiana iris clipped from our bog.

Iris in a Glass Vase

If you want to know hope
as the deepest thing,
look at each flower blossom.
The iris yellow eyes like little candlelight
wrapped in a purple gown.
Nature plants seeds for us
to notice new life
to believe that God wants
us to rise up and wink at the sun,
to hear the sounds of birds
as they shout out loud,
We are here!
We are here!
We are here!

Margaret Simon, draft written to my own prompt on Ethical ELA

This next one is after Clint Smith as prompted on Ethical ELA. Pop over to see many wonderful poems.

Today I will write
a poem
about a small white flower
opening
overnight
to burst into fragrant song–

Jasmine climbs boldly
over a picket fence
persisting to be here
in a place where no one cries,
innocently hidden from view.

The scent of it
opens
over spring breeze
announcing its place
in the family of things.*

*from Mary Oliver Wild Geese

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This Photo Wants to be a Poem: L’Éclipse

Posted in Poetry, This Photo Wants to be a Poem, Writing, tagged , , on April 10, 2024| 2 Comments »

L’Éclipse by Melissa Bonin

This painting by my friend, artist Melissa Bonin, was exhibited at the Acadian World Congress in 2019 in Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada. When Melissa posted this photo of her art on Instagram, I was inspired to ask permission for our ekphrastic poetry this week.

Did you experience the eclipse? The experience was exciting for everyone. Although there were clouds and rain, a few times the sun peeked out and we were able to view it. My students were fascinated.

Every day we
Come closer to
Learning our lesson.
I stand in awe
Pretending to feel
Safe on our fragile
Earth.

Margaret Simon, draft

Please write a small poem in the comments. Encourage other writers with your responses.

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NPM 24: Great Grandmother Visit

Posted in being mamére, Gratitude, Photography, Poetry, Writing, tagged , , , on April 7, 2024| 5 Comments »

My mother with my grandson, Thomas

Visits with my mother are hard on me. I don’t live near enough to get used to her Alzheimer’s silence, the confused look in her eyes. I keep thinking one of these days I will accept this. But it seems so unfair. She was such a vibrant and thoughtful person. She is safe and happy and generally in good health, so I convince myself I should feel gratitude. Despair and grief take over. I can’t even look at this photo without tears welling up.

At Ethical ELA, we were prompted by Katrina to write about a photograph. I chose the one above.

We see
a child
delighted to hug
his great grandmother
generations of love
passed on with a kiss
on top of his head.

We don’t see
the grief seeping
into the moment
the loss of a mother
whose memories fleet
past through empty eyes
always questioning.

Margaret Simon, draft
The Progressive Poem is with Marcie Atkins today.

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NPM24: Spiritual Journey Miracles

Posted in Poetry, Spiritual Growth, Writing, tagged , , , , on April 4, 2024| 1 Comment »

Spiritual Journey Posts are gathered by Robert.

Robert selected the topic of everyday miracles for this month’s Spiritual Journey posts. Jennifer Jowett led us at Ethical ELA to explore a letter of the alphabet. Combining both prompts, I wrote about the letter M, my first initial that carries the legacy of my grandmother as well as the letter of my grandmother name, Mamère.

M is for miracle,
mountain of twin peaks,
how mothers are made, become Mamères
watching a boy learning to write his name-
“up, down, up, down”
ride the pen roller-coaster
how calligraphic M wears a fancy dress
to the letter party.
Maybe M moves mountains,
makes miracles, but most of all
M glows in the heart when your child mutters,
“Mom, I missed you.”

Margaret Simon, draft

I continue to find fascinating words to write about. Today’s word lulu means an outstanding example of a particular type of person or thing. Years ago we rescued a greyhound who came with the name Lulu. I had no idea that the name had this meaning. This poem is sometimes called taking a word for a walk.

Lulu is a luxurious word
we say with a lulling lilt
calling the lazy dog-
a lulu of a greyhound-
blond furry wind a blur
when she ran. She loved
lulu weather. We love our
Lulu memory. 

Margaret Simon, draft
Leigh Anne Eck has the Progressive Poem today.

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This Photo Wants to be a Poem: Spider Lily

Posted in Photography, Poetry, Progressive poem, This Photo Wants to be a Poem, Writing, tagged , , , , , , , on April 3, 2024| 8 Comments »

Spider Lily among cypress knees on Bayou Teche, Louisiana

I wanted this swamp lily to be a star lily, but research is telling me it’s a variety of spider lily. On Ethical ELA, the prompt by Wendy Everard asks us to explore the place of a favorite poet. I chose Mary Oliver and a striking line from her poem Fall: “what is spring all that tender/ green stuff”

I’m not sure what
heaven is
but amazement like spring
when all
green that
was hiding in tender
seed fills green
bridal bouquets blossoming beautiful stuff.

Margaret Simon, draft

I’m also writing a word poem each day. Today’s word is vernal which means of, in, or appropriate to spring. Today’s form is an acrostic.

Variety of colors
eagerly popping-
resurrection-
nature’s recital.
April, I
Love you.

Margaret Simon, word poem NPM24
Progressive Poem is with Janice Scully at Salt City Verse

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NPM 24: Toddler Play

Posted in being mamére, Poetry, tagged , , , on April 2, 2024| 3 Comments »

Day two of the Kidlit Progressive Poem is with Jone today.

This National Poetry Month, I am writing word poems using random words that come into my life.

I’m taking care of my 4 year old grandson while his mother is on a work trip. Today’s elfchen is playing with the word shambles.

Shambles Elfchen

Shambles
of toys
on Mamere’s floor
a kingdom of pretend
Lightstep

Margaret Simon, draft NPM 24

I’m also following Ethical ELA prompts. Today’s prompt “The Magic Box” was an interesting practice in synectics, combining words together that normally would not be connected. The intent was to release some of the insecurity in writing, loosen our muscles so to speak.

Whistle While you Walk

Wisteria hangs like lavender bubbles
marching across the dog-ditch.
Like a child, blossoms whisper,
“I exist to please you.”

We are all monster trucks traveling
through construction, a long and dusty road.

Take me on a spring walk,
blow a dandelion–a train whistle
to the wild world.

Margaret Simon Magic Box
Photo by Larissa Farber on Pexels.com

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