Posted in being mamére, Poetry Friday, Writing, tagged #beingmamére, #poemsofpresence, Bayou Teche, nature on December 12, 2025| 18 Comments »
Winter Hope
Winter has come
with rain upon rain.
Mud bank creeps
as bayou sneaks
higher and higher
with each downpour.
Water, water, water
is all we hear until a cloud white
egret steps softly into view.
Look! Look!
We call the toddlers to the window.
They see with new eyes of wonder.
I see with new eyes of wonder.
See! See!
Margaret Simon, draft
Posted in Photography, Poetry, This Photo Wants to be a Poem, Travel, Writing, tagged #naturepoems, #poemsofpresence, #smallpoems, Denver murals, This Photo Wants to be a Poem on December 10, 2025| 7 Comments »
After NCTE, my Inkling friend Mary Lee also stayed in Denver as a tourist. She sent me some of her photos of murals. I chose this one today to pair with Georgia Heard’s prompt “Write about a sound in nature that calms you.”
In my Wordle attempts this morning, I used the word “flame.” The line of hot pink at the bottom of this mural reminds me of the burning of cane fields that happens this time of year.
When you write today, can you find a word to use in a new way, playing with metaphor?
Morning wakes
with the call of barred owls
hooting up
a flame of grass fire
filling this day
with sweet light.
Posted in Gratitude, Photography, Poetry, This Photo Wants to be a Poem, Travel, Writing, tagged #poemsofpresence, #smallpoems, Georgia Heard, This Photo Wants to be a Poem on December 3, 2025| 5 Comments »
Last week in Denver I took pictures of murals. They were everywhere. Today for this photo I chose this beauty.
Georgia Heard offers a monthly prompt calendar. Today’s prompt is to write 5 small things you are grateful for. After a very full Thanksgiving weekend, I am enjoying the silence of this cold morning.
In gratitude, I offer this small poem. Please consider writing your own small poem in the comments. Encourage other writers with your responses.
In her silent reverie,
she doesn’t notice
the squirrel on the ground
lifting a tiny petal
she dropped,
joining her in gratitude.Margaret Simon, draft
Posted in Blogging, Photography, Poetry, Poetry Friday, This Photo Wants to be a Poem, Writing, tagged #imagepoems, #poemsofpresence, Denver street art, free verse poem, Joyce Sidman, letter poem, This Photo Wants to be a Poem on November 27, 2025| 19 Comments »
I am happily home and cozy after being in Denver for a week of busy (NCTE) and, after Jeff came, walking. We clocked over 20,000 steps on Monday.
Today I am taking a day off before my family comes for Friday Thanksgiving. I wanted to take this opportunity to thank the poetry community, so wonderfully kind and generous. Some of you I hugged and talked to at NCTE. Others of you stop by this blog and give support through comments. Reflections on the Teche (pronounced Tesh) is my happy place because of you, my readers.
Today’s photo is a crochet-wrapped tree. I’m using a free verse form today following a prompt from Joyce Sidman after her book Dear Acorn, Love, Oak: a compliment, a question, and a wish.
A Tree that Grows in Denver
Single crochet,
double crochet,
cluster-hills & valleys,
green, pink, purple
blooming round
a tree that juts from concrete.
Your colors give warmth
when times are tough.
Will you twirl with me?
I hope your dancing colors
fill the gloom with bright
like a vine that’s lost control
and only seeks the light.
(Margaret Simon, draft)
If you are feeling the muse of this photo, leave a poem draft in the comments. Support other writers with your responses.
Posted in Poetry, Spiritual Growth, Writing, tagged #poemsofpresence, doubt, Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer, spiritual journey on November 6, 2025| 4 Comments »
When Patricia prompted us to write about doubt, a song started on repeat in my head. I sang the lyric, “drive the dark of doubt away” from “Ode to Joy.”
“Fill us with the light of day!”
If you know this hymn, I’ve now passed the earworm on to you. Sorry.
But as I contemplate doubt, I realize that it’s not dark. Without doubt, we wouldn’t have belief or clarity.
This first year of retirement has thrown a lot of doubt my way. What do I do now? Where is my purpose? What are my goals? Who am I if not a teacher?
All of these questions are necessary to get me to the next chapter of my life. They are normal and necessary.
I follow poet Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer. She generously sends a poem each day. I used this poem to inspire my poem today.
Here I Pray
My doubt has fog in it,
steam that glows on the bayou,
and a sky above preparing for a new day.There is Spanish moss here,
swaying in soft breeze
gathering space for doubt.I meet myself in the mist,
question her purpose,
wonder where she will go now.I am certain only of not knowing.
I am comfortable in this doubt
holding the gift of more time.Margaret Simon, draft
Posted in nature, Poetry, This Photo Wants to be a Poem, Writing, tagged #poemsofpresence, #smallpoems, Bayou Teche on November 5, 2025| Leave a Comment »
For now, the super moon’s hidden
in the daylight.
For now, our canoe
reaches for the sun.
For now, bayou waters
are chilled by the wind.
Even now, I feel your strength
in the rowing.
Even now, I believe our source
is love.
Even now, my choice is stay.
Margaret Simon, draft
I took this photo on a recent canoe paddle on Bayou Teche. We laughed at the new sign, but a silly poem didn’t come as I wrote. In my notebook, I had written the repeated line “for now” and “even now” and wanted to play around with it a bit.
I invite you to write what comes today. Please leave a small poem in the comments and encourage others with your comments.
Posted in nature, Poetry Friday, Writing, tagged #poemsofpresence, #wordlepoem, #writeout, haiku, Inklings on October 24, 2025| 18 Comments »
Some of my Inkling writing group friends have been inspired to write poems using Wordle guesses. I’ve tried a few times, but as a person who plays Wordle infrequently and always starts with the same word, the practice didn’t appeal to me.
Mary Lee’s rule is when she guesses in three words, she writes a haiku. Yesterday I got it in three tries. I wrote the words down, pearl, rival, and drill, and went about my day.
Newly retired, I’ve found the mornings to be a sanctuary. I take a walk with my dog, fix a pot of oatmeal, and eat on my back deck watching birds. Oh, the retirement life!
At the feeder, I get a variety of birds. (Tufted titmouse, chickadee, cardinal) The thing about using Wordle words forces a metaphor that may or may not work. I was finally pleased with this one, so I am sharing today. Have you tried writing Wordle poems?
A pearl of titmouse
rivals chipper chickadee
early morning drill
Margaret Simon, draft
Posted in nature, This Photo Wants to be a Poem, Writing, tagged #poemsofpresence, #smallpoems, #writeout, This Photo Wants to be a Poem on October 22, 2025| 8 Comments »
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?
Posted in nature, Poetry Friday, Writing, tagged #poemsofpresence, #writeout, Bayou Teche, trees on October 17, 2025| 16 Comments »
I have lived in the same neighborhood for 21 years, and for all of that time, there was an empty lot in the cul-de-sac at the end of the street. This empty lot was my crossover space for walking from my street to a neighboring one that also follows the bayou. The crossover lot was also a picnic area with my grandkids. Together we named where the live oak drapes nearly to the ground “the forest”.
Earlier this week I walked to the forest with my grandkids. Many of the oak limbs were gone! And the rest of the trees had big white X’s on them.
“Mamére, what will happen to the trees?”
“Someone bought this lot, so they are taking down the trees to build a house.”
“So where will we play?”
Sadly, I had to explain that when someone buys their own property, they can do what they want with the trees.
I wish it weren’t true. My heart is sick over this loss.
The National Writing Project annual Write Out with the National Parks Service is happening now. Consider taking time outside to write and post with #writeout.
Prompted by Pádraig Ó Tuama’s invitation to write about a place you know go to, I wrote a poem for the trees.
Paradise Woods on Duperier Oaks
This one is for the trees
on the empty lot,
the tall sweet gum
forever littering the street
with spiked balls
and feathery leaves,
felled
for a concrete driveway.
I weep as I pass the old oak
whose branches, trimmed
exposing bare skin and bones,
once held children
the “forest” where they played
hide-n-seek, Catch-me-if-you-can.
If I could, I’d save you now.
Old growth cedar, I apologize
that the invasive sound of chain saws
disrupts your silent steeple.
I praise trees,
your seeds send roots,
and secrets.
Trees, you are our saviors.
Forgive us.
Margaret Simon, draft
Please head over to Laura Purdie Salas’s site where she features my little Wood Duck Diary and a tanka poem. Thanks, Laura!
Posted in Photography, Poetry, This Photo Wants to be a Poem, Writing, tagged #poemsofpresence, #smallpoems, This Photo Wants to be a Poem, wild flowers 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.
Our address on the Bayou Teche
Order on Amazon.
April 1 Linda Mitchell at A Word Edgewise
April 2 Tricia at The Miss Rumphius Effect
April 3 Robyn at Life on the Deckle Edge
April 4 Donna Smith at Mainely Write
April 5 Denise at https://mrsdkrebs.edublogs.org/
April 6 Buffy at http://www.buffysilverman.com/blog
April 7 Jone at https://www.jonerushmacculloch.com/
April 8 Janice Scully at Salt City Verse
April 9 Tabatha at https://tabathayeatts.blogspot.com/
April 10 Marcie at Marcie Flinchum Atkins
April 11 Rose at Imagine the Possibilities | Rose's Blog
April 12 Fran Haley at Lit Bits and Pieces
April 13 Cathy Stenquist
April 14 Janet Fagel at Mainly Write
April 15 Carol Varsalona at Beyond LiteracyLink
April 16 Amy Ludwig VanDerwater at The Poem Farm
April 17 Kim Johnson at Common Threads
April 18 Margaret at Reflections on the Teche
April 19 Ramona at Pleasures from the Page
April 20 Mary Lee at A(nother) Year of Reading
April 21 Tanita at TanitasDavis.com
April 22 Patricia Franz
April 23 Ruth at There's No Such Thing as a Godforsaken Town
April 24 Linda Kulp Trout at http://lindakulptrout.blogspot.com
April 25 Heidi Mordhorst at My Juicy Little Universe
April 26 Michelle Kogan at: https://moreart4all.wordpress.com/
April 27 Linda Baie at Teacher Dance
April 28 Pamela Ross at Words in Flight
April 29 Diane Davis at Starting Again in Poetry
April 30 April Halprin Wayland at Teaching Authors
Reflections on the Teche 