#poemsofpresence | Reflections on the Teche

Posts Tagged ‘#poemsofpresence’

Spiritual Thursday: Embracing Doubt

Posted in Poetry, Spiritual Growth, Writing, tagged #poemsofpresence, doubt, Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer, spiritual journey on November 6, 2025| 4 Comments »

Patricia Franz is gathering Spiritual Journey posts this week at her blog, Reverie.

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

Bayou Teche with fog glow, by Margaret Simon

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This Photo Wants to be a Poem:

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.

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Poetry Friday: Wordle Poem

Posted in nature, Poetry Friday, Writing, tagged #poemsofpresence, #wordlepoem, #writeout, haiku, Inklings on October 24, 2025| 18 Comments »

Patricia Franz has the Poetry Friday Round Up today.

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

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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 #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?

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Poetry Friday: For the Trees

Posted in nature, Poetry Friday, Writing, tagged #poemsofpresence, #writeout, Bayou Teche, trees on October 17, 2025| 17 Comments »

Today’s Poetry Friday Roundup is with Sarah Grace Tuttle.

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.

Leo and Stella pause to pose in the old branches of the live oak in our “forest.”

What is left of the tall sweet gum where we collected leaves and gum balls.

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!

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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 #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.

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This Photo Wants to be a Poem: Sunflowers

Posted in Writing, tagged #poemsofpresence, #smallpoems, This Photo Wants to be a Poem on August 27, 2025| 8 Comments »

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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This Photo Wants to be a Poem: Water Strider

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

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 #poemsofpresence, Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer, Timothy Liu on August 13, 2025| 16 Comments »

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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Poetry Friday: Summer Bird Triptych

Posted in nature, Poetry Friday, Writing, tagged #poemsofpresence, birds, Inklings challenge, Irene Latham, Linda Pastan, triptych on August 1, 2025| 10 Comments »

Poetry Friday roundup is hosted today by Jane Whittingham.

This first day of August is time for a new Inklings challenge. Catherine Flynn asked us to write a triptych poem using Irene Latham’s model poem here. I also looked at Summer Triptych by Linda Pastan.

This summer with my mother’s passing, I have been thinking about the three summers that stand out in my mind in the long process of losing my parents. The first summer I had to face the reality of their aging was 2019 when they decided to move to an independent living apartment. They left the house full, and my siblings and I had to clean it out.

In the summer of 2022, I was grieving the death of my father and searching for a sign of him. And this year, my mother…

Solace, peace, comes to me in this poem. I hope you find it there, too.

Summer Bird Triptych

July 2019

The hummingbird feeder,
blown glass
swirling
primary colors,
reflects the sun,
attracts a ruby throat hovering
while I sit alone on the porch,

Remembering.

July 2022

I hear a tap, tap at the window.
A bright yellow prothonotary.
Does he see his reflection?
Does he want me to come out?

Is it you, Dad?

July 2025

The crows seem angry.
The Merlin app identifies fish crows.
They call with a fervor I feel deep in my belly,
calling me back to nature

and myself.