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Archive for the ‘Writing’ Category

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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Slice of Life: Pirate’s Tunnel

Posted in Slice of Life, Travel, Writing, tagged , , , , , on September 23, 2025| 6 Comments »

Thank you to Two Writing Teachers for creating an amazing community of writers and a safe, welcoming space to write and share.
The TECHE Project with a grant managed by the Center for Louisiana Studies from the William C. Pomeroy Foundation placed a Legends and Lore marker about the Teche Tunnel.

Last Friday was “Talk Like A Pirate Day” and what better day to celebrate a new historical marker in town. The Legends & Lore marker was placed on the grounds of one of the oldest homes in town. This property originally belonged to the Duperier family, a founding family of New Iberia. The building was a school for many years, Mt. Carmel Catholic Academy for girls.

At the ceremony, people spoke about the different stories that have been passed down for generations about the tunnel. The tunnel is no longer safe to access, but it is there.

Some say that Jean LaFitte, a famous pirate of the 19th century visited the Duperier family and used the tunnel as an escape route. There are still tales of buried treasure in the area.

Paul Schexnayder, an artist, educator, and picture book author, created a whimsical painting about the legends.

The legends of the tunnel by Paul Schexnayder

Paul explained his imaginings about the tunnel: a place where the sisters gambled, where they hid the pregnant girls, where slaves escaped, where prisoners were jailed and Jean LaFitte escaped, and even a story from the 80’s where a Satanic group worshipped.

Whether or not any of these stories are true is beside the point. The point is history gives us stories and stories connect and entertain people. The marker adds one more spot on the map of our little quirky town of New Iberia.

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Poetry Friday: Summer Poem Swap

Posted in Poetry Friday, Writing, tagged , , , , , on September 19, 2025| 13 Comments »

Poetry Friday is hosted today by Jama at Jama’s Alphabet Soup.

I have been comforted by all of the sympathy notes and messages from this Poetry Friday community over the death of my mother this summer. I appreciate more than ever how this community supports and cares for each other.

In the summer poem swap, organized by Tabatha Yeatts, Denise Krebs sent me two poems, a raccontino and an acrostic of my one little word, Still. She also sent a beautiful crocheted twirly that I’ve hung in my kitchen window.

Still acrostic by Denise Krebs
By Denise Krebs
Crochet Twirly from Denise Krebs

My response to Denise:

When a poem comes
wrapped in swirls of gold
and tied with a ribbon,
I open,
find,
feel myself
touching soft grass
with my toes
finding cool comfort
there.

Thanks, Denise, for your comforting words and gift of swirly gold.

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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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Slice of Life: Retirement 101

Posted in Slice of Life, Travel, Writing, tagged , , on September 16, 2025| 10 Comments »

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

I retired at the end of the 2025 school year. I’m still finding my way.


Check off travel: We spent a week in Scotland over the Labor Day weekend. (It seems like a dream now.)

My husband Jeff and I on the Britannia in Edinburgh.

Daily walks with my dog, Albert: We did this earlier on school days. Now I get to stop and chat with neighbors along the way.

Time with grandchildren: I’m driving to New Orleans this afternoon for another few days with Thomas. I hope to get in some Sam snuggles, too.

Grandparents’ Day in kindergarten with Thomas!

Domestic stuff: Watering the grass, doing the laundry, cooking (wait! I haven’t done much of that), financials, cleaning…There is always a list of chores.

On Monday, I told Jeff I was finally going to have a real retirement day. I had a massage and lunch with a friend (also retired). Taking care of myself in this way makes me feel guilty. Isn’t there something more productive I “should” be doing?

I had to buy a paper calendar, no free one from the school photo company. It’s mostly full, but I find myself with pockets of time rather than a whole day. So what do you do with an hour here or there?

People say I will get into a rhythm, a routine, settle in to retirement. It’s only September.

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Poetry Friday: Flurry, Float, and Fly

Posted in Books, Poetry Friday, Writing, tagged , , on September 12, 2025| 10 Comments »

Today’s Poetry Friday is being gathered by Rose Cappelli at Imagine the Possibilities.
A new release from Laura Purdue Salas, Flurry, Float, and Fly!

On this hot, humid southern day when the temperature rises above 90 degrees, I received this cool to the touch advanced copy of Laura Purdie Salas’s next picture book all about the poetry and science of a snowstorm.

Without January, 2025, I’d have believed I would never see a snowstorm; however, we had one here along the gulf with enough snow to do all the fun things a good snow brings.

New Iberia, LA covered in snow, January 2025.

I look forward to sharing this book with my grandchildren who are just beginning to read. The text delights with rhyme: “From the north, a polar freeze…from the south, a humid breeze. All winds advance. They mix and dance.”

In addition to lively text, this book includes science that can be easily understood by our youngest readers. Did you know “each cloud’s type—how cold?—how wet? shapes each crystal’s silhouette.”?

Chiara Fedele’s illustrations show how white can be colorful and peaceful.

Illustrations by Chiara Fedele

Laura always has on her teacher hat when she creates a book. There is back matter including intricate photographs by Dr. Kenneth G. Libbrecht of the variations of a snowflake. Teachers can also find resources on Laura’s website here. If you click fast, you can enter a giveaway for a 30 minute classroom visit with Laura.

I highly recommend her for class visits. A few years ago, my students loved learning the back story of how Laura researches and plans her picture books. Author visits help students to see all the work that goes into creating a book as well as experience the passion the author feels about her topic.

Laura lives in Minnesota, so she probably sees snow every year, but her special book “Flurry, Float, and Fly!” took this southern girl back to a cool experience with a rare snowstorm. Relive your own snowstorm stories and share them with young readers. Publication date is November 11, 2025.

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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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Slice of Life: St. Margaret’s Chapel

Posted in Slice of Life, Spiritual Growth, Travel, Writing, tagged , , , on September 9, 2025| 8 Comments »

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

A week ago, I was on a tour of Edinburgh Castle, the heart of the UNESCO preserved area of Edinburgh, Scotland. During the reign of Robert the Bruce, the whole castle was destroyed except St. Margaret’s Chapel. I was drawn in to the history of Margaret, Queen of Scots, and want to claim her for an ancestor. Her life was from 1047 to 1093. She was an unusual saint because she had eight children and was not a virgin or a martyr. Yet she followed the teachings of St. Benedict and was pious and generous.

Yesterday I read a “poem a day” by Damir Soden found here. The commentary included this quote about poetry, “Poetry being the most sophisticated way of dealing with language is therefore of utmost importance when it comes to preservation of one’s identity.”

I want to preserve memories of my trip to Scotland. Preserve the feeling of being taken back in time. Preserve my connection to my name.

Edinburgh Castle, Scotland

Is like a time capsule
toured daily by thousands
walking back
through time’s doorway
into St. Margaret’s small chapel
finding a sanctuary
most sacred place in Scotland
atop the highest point of Castle Rock
spared by Robert the Bruce—
a resting place.

How her spirit caused his pause…
We pause to imagine
to inhale the soft scent of gunpowder
to rediscover holiness
in a place of violence.

Can you feel the longing?

St. Margaret’s Chapel, the oldest preserved building at Edinburgh Castle.
Simple adornments in St. Margaret’s Chapel.
Stained glass window of St. Margaret by Dr. Douglas Strachan in 1922.

There is a guild of St. Margaret that keeps the flowers in the chapel. Anyone with the name Margaret can be a part of this guild. We are encouraged to place flowers in our own churches on St. Margaret’s Day, November 16th. Here is a prayer from the booklet I bought (charitable donation).

O God our Father,
who didst kindle a flame of divine love in the heart of thy servant Queen Margaret and didst by her humility and kindness show forth the way of royal service: grant that, encouraged by her example and strengthened by her fellowship, we who bear her name may follow her in the joyful spending of ourselves for others; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

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Poetry Friday: Love Note to Silence

Posted in Poetry Friday, Writing, tagged on September 4, 2025| 24 Comments »

I have the Poetry Friday Roundup Today!

Today is the first Poetry Friday of September and time for an Inklings challenge from Molly Hogan: Write a love note to something or someone or some place. Go big or go small! You might be inspired by José A. Alcántara’s Love Note to Silence. You can read it here.

Dear Silence,

We’ve had a budding relationship, the kind
that begins with a small bouquet of roses
at just the right time.

You come to me
in sacred spaces
of air and breath and love.

Today, your hand feels heavy. 
What do you want to say to me?

Let’s just stay this way, cheek to cheek
feeling the softness of the moment.

Some might call you expectant 
as the end of a grand symphony 
seconds before the applause.

I welcome you with disquietude,
asking you to teach me
to accept this breath of calm.

Will you stay a little longer? 

Margaret Simon, draft

St. Margaret’s chapel at Edinburgh Castle

I’ve just spent a glorious week in Scotland. I found sacred silence in the countryside, the wild winds, and in the castles and cathedrals. I’m too tired now after 24 hours of travel to write, but I will after I’ve had time to process it all. For now, leave your link below.

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!Click here to enter

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This Photo Wants to be a Poem: Sunflowers

Posted in Writing, tagged , , on August 27, 2025| 8 Comments »

Sunflowers by Margaret Simon

My butterfly garden is a wild world of sunflowers and passion vine intertwining with mandevilla and a bottle tree. I would be inclined to trim it all, but it’s interminably hot in August and the butterflies and hummingbirds love it. I am hopeful I’ll see Gulf fritillary caterpillars climbing around soon.

Today, I am offering the elfchen form. This form contains 11 words in 5 lines. (First line: 1 word, second line: 2 words, third line: 3 words, fourth line: 4 words, and fifth line: 1 word.) More about the form can be found on my post for Ethical ELA.

Sunflowers
wiggle, wobble
late summer breeze
yellow as yellow is
uplifting

Margaret Simon, draft

I will not be able to comment today as I am traveling. There will not be a Photo post next week. Please write a poem in the comments and support other writers with encouragement.

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