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Archive for the ‘This Photo Wants to be a Poem’ Category

This Photo Wants to be a Poem: Halloween

Posted in Poetry, This Photo Wants to be a Poem, Writing, tagged , on October 29, 2025| 7 Comments »

Halloween decoration

In some neighborhoods the Halloween decorating has gone over the top this year. Whether it’s enormous skeletons or blow up zombies, people have certainly gotten into the spirit, so to speak. On a recent walk in my daughter’s neighborhood in New Orleans, I ran into this guy. During the day, he was comical, but I imagine come the darkness of Halloween night, he may give some small child a fright.

Please join me in musing about Halloween decor and all that goes with it. Write a small poem in the comments and support other writers with encouragement.

Today, I chose the shadorma form. (3, 5, 3, 3, 7, 5)

Grim reapers
scour your neighborhood.
Are you scared?
Will you come
play with a puffed-up spider?
Halloween is here!
(Margaret Simon, draft)

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This Photo Wants to be a Poem: #WriteOut with the caterpillars

Posted in nature, This Photo Wants to be a Poem, Writing, tagged , , , on October 22, 2025| 8 Comments »

Alien caterpillars

I bought butterfly plants in the spring.
Spring turned to summer.
I watered. They survived.
Summer turned to fall.
I watered. They survived.
On first inspection,
I thought my plant had a disease.
What weird fungus was growing?
I opened Google lens. AI generated a match.
Giant swallowtail caterpillars!
A little lesson from Mother Nature:
Do not destroy what you do not know.

Once I figured out what the alien caterpillars were, I put the plant (rue) inside an enclosure. I am excited to watch this process. I wonder if the chrysalis will stay over winter.

This month, I am participating in the National Writing Project’s Write Out, a program supported by the National Parks. Of course, writing outside can happen anytime of the year. The resources at Write Out are exciting and easy to use. Please join in writing today by leaving a small poem in the comments. What lessons do you learn in nature?

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This Photo Wants to be a Poem: Old Capitol Rotunda

Posted in Photography, Poetry, This Photo Wants to be a Poem, Writing, tagged , , , on October 9, 2025| 4 Comments »

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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This Photo Wants to be a Poem: Surprise Lily

Posted in Photography, Poetry, This Photo Wants to be a Poem, Writing, tagged , , on October 1, 2025| 5 Comments »

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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This Photo Wants to be a Poem: Wild Petunia

Posted in Photography, Poetry, This Photo Wants to be a Poem, Writing, tagged , , , on September 24, 2025| 2 Comments »

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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This Photo Wants to be a Poem: Bridge and Sun

Posted in Photography, Poetry, This Photo Wants to be a Poem, Travel, Writing, tagged , , on September 17, 2025| 10 Comments »

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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This Photo Wants to be a Poem: Ancient Layers

Posted in Photography, This Photo Wants to be a Poem, Travel, Writing on September 10, 2025| 3 Comments »

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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This Photo Wants to be a Poem: Water Strider

Posted in nature, Photography, Poetry, This Photo Wants to be a Poem, Writing, tagged , , , on August 20, 2025| 15 Comments »

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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This Photo Wants to be a Poem:

Posted in nature, Photography, Poetry, This Photo Wants to be a Poem, Writing, tagged , , on August 13, 2025| 16 Comments »

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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This Photo Wants to be a Poem: Shadow Triptych

Posted in Photography, Poetry, This Photo Wants to be a Poem, Writing, tagged , , , , on August 6, 2025| 11 Comments »

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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