Molly Hogan | Reflections on the Teche

Posts Tagged ‘Molly Hogan’

This Photo wants to be a Poem: Hummingbird

Posted in Photography, Poetry, Writing, tagged haiku, hummingbirds, Molly Hogan on September 15, 2021| 24 Comments »

Last week when my youngest daughter, Martha, set up her office on the back deck, she watched hummingbirds fighting at the feeder. It was one of those rare high pressure/ low humidity days with an actual breeze. She had to silence the wind chimes for her Zoom calls. Today, Martha’s office is back in New Orleans as power has returned.

Currently I am watching the rain bands of Hurricane Nicholas (now a tropical storm) fill up the bayou. The hummers are still coming. That’s a good sign.

My friend Molly Hogan in Maine has been watching these amazing birds, too, and taking amazing photos of them. She sent me this one.

For my students, since this is a virtual learning day due to the storm, I linked the photo to this Wonderopolis article and used one of the facts in my haiku.

Peach-sweet zinnia
fanned by wingbeats 200
times per second: Zest!
Haiku draft, Margaret Simon

Please write a small poem in the comments and reply to other writers with encouraging words. Thanks for being here.

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This Photo Wants to be a Poem: Blue Moon

Posted in Photography, Poetry, tagged #poemsofpresence, #smallpoems, Blue moon, Ethical ELA, Molly Hogan, moon poems, one sentence poem on August 25, 2021| 5 Comments »

Every morning this week the full “blue” moon has accompanied me on my walk. I’ve taken cell phone photos that I posted on Instagram, but for this post, I reached out to my Inkling writing friend Molly Hogan. She came through with multiple moon photos for me to choose from.

On Ethical ELA’s Open Write this week, Tamara “Tammi” Belko led us in a one sentence poem prompt. You sure can pack a lot into one sentence if you try. I wrote mine by speaking into my phone notes app while walking. Siri often misunderstands me–must be the southern accent– and she thought I said “How are you” instead of “Owl echoes over the bayou.” I decided to leave it in the poem.

In the early morning light
of a new day when the moon still
hangs high while the owl echoes
“how are you”, I am tethered to this old
dog walking, wandering, praying.
Margaret Simon, draft

Please join us by writing a small poem (maybe just one sentence) in the comments. Leave encouraging comments for other writers. Thanks for stopping by.

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Poetry Friday Roundup: Spark and Swagger Challenges

Posted in Poetry Friday, Writing, tagged Jone MacCulloch, Molly Hogan, Spark!, Sunday Poetry Swaggers on June 3, 2021| 35 Comments »

Poetry Friday round-up is here! Scroll to the bottom to add your link.

Last month I participated in two challenges: Spark and Sunday Swaggers. Spark is an exchange between writer and artist led by Amy Souza. I partnered with Jone MacCulloch. I sent her a poem. She sent me this amazing photograph.

Lady Bird Johnson Grove by Jone Rush MacCulloch

How Do We Stand?

I go to Lady Bird Johnson Grove
to be among these giant trees.
Fenced forest of ten thousand branches
diffuses blue sky radiation
illuminating tunnels in the midst
of roots ungrounded–a path
to the great unknown.
Moved by stillness,
we pass ancient ruins,
an army of roots intertwined.
I’ll lock arms with you
through dark spaces
where rays of light
are swallowed
and breathe in blue forever.
Margaret Simon, all rights reserved

Molly Hogan challenged our Sunday Swagger poetry group to write after Cheryl Dumesnil’s Today’s Sermon. I created a collage. Sometimes doing this helps me focus and inspires creative juices. After playing with collage and word collecting, I pulled together a poem using the anaphora of Today’s Poem.

Link up your post here:

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#SOL21: This Photo Wants to be a Poem

Posted in Photography, Poetry, Slice of Life, Writing, tagged bluebird, Molly Hogan, This Photo Wants to be a Poem on March 31, 2021| 41 Comments »

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

On the last day of the March Slice of Life Challenge, walk with me. Listen to the birds. Take a minute to just be here.

This month of Slicing has been a way for me to be present. Present to my thoughts. Present to the words of others.

One of my favorite photographers is my writing critique group partner, fellow SOL blogger, Molly Hogan in Maine. I cannot imagine how she gets such amazing photos of birds. She must be so still and patient. Her latest batch on Facebook are shots of bluebirds. This one she posted looks like a cartoon character.

Consider writing a small poem in response to this photo in the comments or on your blog (link in the comments). Leave encouraging comments to other writers.

Morning birds serenade my walk,
an aubade to the trees and sky,
gentle as your hand
on my sleeping shoulder.
Margaret Simon, draft

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This Photo Wants to be a Poem

Posted in Photography, Poetry, tagged ice poems, Molly Hogan, This Photo Wants to be a Poem on February 18, 2021| 28 Comments »

Join this weekly photo poetry prompt community by leaving a poem in the comments.

This has been a frigid week in the deep south. The ice storm has caused widespread power outage and water loss. Our home was without power for 12 hours. Our house plumbing is fine, but my husband’s office had a burst pipe. Southerners just aren’t equipped to handle this extreme cold for an extended period of time. The temperature rose to 36 degrees yesterday, but we are staying home from school due to low water pressure.

But ice can be beautiful. My friend and poetry writing group partner Molly Hogan lives in Maine, so she is well-versed in cold. She is also an amazing photographer. She recently posted photos of ice on plants and this one she claimed as her favorite. I can see why. There’s a poem waiting there. Leave your own small poem in the comments and respond to others with kindness and encouragement.

There is beauty in a single moment,
tresures in a whisper,
A world waiting
in an ice-encased atom.
Margaret Simon, draft

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This Photo Wants to be a Poem

Posted in Photography, Poetry, Spiritual Growth, Writing, tagged Molly Hogan, perspective, small poems on October 8, 2020| 12 Comments »

When we write poems to a photo, we enter a process of collaboration. A meeting between the photographer and the poet, the image and the words. In collaboration, one can have a conversation, an inquiry, or a conviction. Do your beliefs about the world come through in your poems? Are you communicating or responding? Are you participating or letting the muse take control?

I invite you to reflect on your process today as you write. Leave a small poem in the comments as well as a reflection of your thoughts.

Perspective
The tracks rise to a point
on the horizon
disappearing into a mist.
We know
beyond the page,
the path goes on
and on.
Margaret Simon, draft

My reflection: Perspective is something an artist has to learn. If you draw two parallel lines, they must converge to give the impression of a continuing road. Our horizon line is not a finite place. The earth is round. When I think about this in a spiritual, metaphorical sense, I think of our own path through life. There is a mirage of an end, but there is always another turn to make.

Note to my readers: We are in the path of Hurricane Delta. School has been cancelled for today and tomorrow. We are preparing. We have a strong house (and a friendly generator named Sparky). I appreciate your thoughts and prayers.

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This Photo Wants to be a Poem

Posted in Photography, Poetry, Writing, tagged Molly Hogan, onomatopoeia, small poems, This Photo Wants to be a Poem on June 24, 2020| 20 Comments »

Once again, I am inspired by Molly Hogan’s photography. She starts each day with a blank canvas, or what would have been once called an empty roll of film. And she opens her lens for discoveries and wonder.

This photo appeared last week in my Facebook feed. The whimsy of it grabbed me. Molly thinks the duckling is a common eider, not a duck we have in the deep south.

Please join me in writing a small poem today, inspired by this image. Leave your poem in the comments. Read other poems and comment. Come back to read any comments you receive. Here there is no judgement; we hold each other up.

Flip-flap!
Splish-splat!
I toddle
on my new legs,
just like
That!
Margaret Simon, flash draft

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This Photo Wants to be a Poem:

Posted in Photography, Poetry, Writing, tagged Molly Hogan, This Photo Wants to be a Poem on February 27, 2020| 45 Comments »

Welcome to This Photo Wants to be a Poem, a low stress weekly poetic writing prompt. This week’s photo is courtesy of Molly Hogan, who is an amazing photographer/ poet/ teacher in Maine. She has sent me a few photos for this weekly prompt. (If you would like to offer any photos, please send me an email. You will get credit, but the photos will be free for reuse.)

In keeping with Laura Purdie Salas’s 15 Words or Less prompts, I encourage you to write a quick short poem. To help build a supportive community, please comment on three poems with an encouraging response.

A soul in solitary
silence seeks
a soft whisper
of solace.
Margaret Simon, draft

Your turn. Leave your poem draft in the comments. Thanks!

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Poetry Friday: Molly’s Marsh

Posted in Photography, Poetry, Poetry Friday, Writing, tagged Maine, Molly Hogan, nature poem on November 8, 2019| 13 Comments »

Poetry Friday round-up is with Irene at Live Your Poem.

My poet-friend and writing group partner, Molly Hogan, is a fine art photographer in her spare time. She lives in Maine and posts amazing photos on her blog and Facebook page. Sometimes her photos inspire me to respond in poetry.

Dawn on the Marsh
Dawn on the marsh glows
like embers, like the final flash of a torch
lighting the tiny particles of fog
rising ghost-like and dreamy.
High in the sky
geese line up
to honk their way south
In the distance, deer graze,
tentatively perk their ears
to your sound.
You do not feel the cold
that numbs your fingers and toes
as you click the lens of your camera
whispering a prayer of thanks.
Margaret Simon, draft 2019

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Slice of Life: A Found Morning

Posted in Gratitude, Photography, Poetry, Slice of Life, Writing, tagged found poem, Molly Hogan on August 27, 2019| 6 Comments »

See more posts at Two Writing Teachers Slice of Life

Last week I read my teacher-blogger-writer-friend Molly Hogan’s Slice of Life post. It touched the poet in me. Molly wakes early and goes on photography quests. When we’re lucky, she takes us along on her Facebook posts or blog. Last week she wrote this post entitled A Generous Morning.

Inspired, I copied her words into a found poem. Her generous morning became my generous morning. That’s how it works with creativity; it’s all big magic.

A Generous Morning

Lightening sky in the east
as surely as
the birds were migrating south,
I missed the swallows.

The sky seemed lonely.
Then a couple of swallows
dart and dive through the air currents,
and a bird approaching in the distance-

a heron

Sun rose higher, lit the mist.
Cedar waxwings flittered.
I watched it all,
the generosity of morning.

a found poem by Margaret Simon using Molly Hogan’s words.