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Posts Tagged ‘#poemsofpresence’

Poetry Friday: Magnolia Mindfulness

Posted in Gratitude, nature, Poetry Friday, Writing, tagged , , , , on May 22, 2026| 15 Comments »

Poetry Friday is hosted today
by Carol at The Apples in my Orchard.

Last weekend I participated in the Open Write with Ethical ELA. Erica Johnson’s prompt “Talk about Trees” inspired me to praise the state tree of both of my home states, Mississippi and Louisiana.

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This Photo Wants to be a Poem: Red-eared Slider

Posted in nature, Photography, This Photo Wants to be a Poem, Writing, tagged , , , , on May 20, 2026| 3 Comments »

Red-eared slider

My morning walk these days takes me through our local City Park that skirts the bayou and also nestles a pond where there are rumors of a lurking gator. This little guy, about 12 inches or so, had his nose in the air and was totally still, allowing me to come close for a photo.

I like turtles. I love to see them lined up on a log sunning themselves. I was researching a poetry book a few years ago and discovered that turtles often ramble up on the top of a gator without a care. Turtles can live a long time in the wild, unless the gator is hungry for turtle soup.

Today, be inspired by this little turtle to write a small poem in the comments. Support other writers with encouragement. Thanks for stopping by.

Bayou-side slider
still as a stone statue
red-ear beams on point
Margaret Simon, draft

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Poetry Friday: Sail Away

Posted in Poetry Friday, Spiritual Growth, Writing, tagged , , , , , on May 15, 2026| 11 Comments »

Poetry Friday is hosted today by Patricia Franz.

I’ve been taking a class in watercolor painting, and I find it challenging. This morning I went to yoga at my friend’s house. She does a private session with a sound bath meditation at the end. During the meditation shavasana, I had a vision of billowing waves of an ocean. I wanted to capture the vision in a watercolor, but I’m not brave enough yet to paint without help. I used a YouTube video to produce the image for my poem today.

The ocean is interesting, but the sailboats…well…ew. I accidentally dribbled some blue, and one thing my instructor said about accidental spots really helped me. He said, “Make them into birds.”

My poem wanted to be a shadorma form. (3, 5, 3, 3, 7, 5)

Waves of sound
surround in seaflow
billow sails
simply free
Meditation comes to me—
whispers of owl wings.

Margaret Simon, draft

For Mother’s Day, my daughter gave me a beautiful oracle deck. The card I picked today was the owl “Wisdom”.

Roots and Wings Oracle Deck by Katharine Ryalls

What is inspiring you these days?

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This Photo Wants to be a Poem: Power of the Oracle

Posted in being mamére, Spiritual Growth, This Photo Wants to be a Poem, Writing, tagged , , , , on May 13, 2026| 7 Comments »

Roots and Wings Oracle Deck created by Katharine Ryalls.

The power at my house is off. We are getting some repairs done, and the guys showed up at 7 and shut off the power at 7:45 AM. I’ve escaped to my daughter’s house.

She left a Mother’s Day gift on her dining table. It’s an oracle deck. Ironically, the first card I pulled was the snake. I am afraid of snakes, and my grandchildren know it, so they love to scare me with any snake-like toy. It is a visceral fear, completely out of my control. My son-in-law has gotten into the joy of scaring Mamére on our family trips. How did I pull this card? The Universe is speaking to me in snakes!

The label reads “Healer” and the message is “Begin the process of repairing something that has been hurt, sick, or not functioning at its best. Healing can leave us changed, but the scars remind us of our strength, courage, and resilience.”

Asclepius,
help me shed the skin of grief
and put on the armor of hope.

What are you most afraid of? What in you needs healing? Join me today with a small poem in the comments and encourage other writers with your responses.

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This Photo Wants to be a Poem: Staghorn Fern

Posted in Photography, Poetry, This Photo Wants to be a Poem, Writing, tagged , , , on May 6, 2026| 2 Comments »

Staghorn Fern at the New Orleans Botanical Gardens

Yesterday I toured the New Orleans Botanical Gardens with my sister who drove from Baton Rouge to spend the day with me. I am here babysitting my grandson who is in his last days of kindergarten.

Beth and I were fascinated by these magnificent ferns. They are epiphytic ferns that thrive in humid environments. I am wondering how one would do in my own bayou-side yard.

Being fascinated by words, I love how the name of this fern is a metaphor for the shape of its leaves. Their fronds look like antlers.

Today’s photo poem is a haiku. Please consider writing alongside me in the comments. Support other writers with encouraging comments.

With outstretched green horns
mounted like taxidermy
strong yet supported

Margaret Simon, draft

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This Photo Wants to be a Poem: Bayou Ducklings

Posted in nature, Photography, This Photo Wants to be a Poem, Writing, tagged , , , on April 15, 2026| 10 Comments »

Muscovy duck with at least a dozen ducklings

I love April! The days start out cool and warm up, but a gentle breeze keeps the heat tolerable. On Sunday, we canoed with friends to the park where there was a symphony concert. The paddling to get there was made harder by the breeze, but we were able to make it just in time for the concert.

On the way, we spotted this Muscovy duck and her babies. The Muscovy is a domestic duck with a warty red bill. Her littles were adorable scrambling around her so quickly that I couldn’t count them.

My quick internet research said, “Aztec rulers wore cloaks made from the feathers of the Muscovy duck, which was considered the totem animal of the Wind God, Ehecatl.” (All about Birds)

At Ethical ELA, Erica Johnson is leading us in writing a “Playful Cascade” which is a poem form that takes each line of the first stanza making them the last line of the next stanzas. I decided to use tercets, 3 lines per stanza.

Muscovy Ducklings Play

Scrambling fluffs navigate water hyacinth
staying in sight of mother duck—
gymnasts in a bayou playground.

We slowly push along stroke by stroke
keeping watch for new spring life, see
scrambling fluffs navigate water hyacinth.

Whose waters are these, I think I know:
these tiny ducklings move so quick
staying in sight of mother duck.

This journey we share is not all ease.
Time and patience required, we are all
gymnasts in a bayou playground.

Margaret Simon, draft

Please join me in writing about this little miracle of life. Be sure to leave encouraging words for other writers.

The Progressive Poem is with Joyce Uglow today.

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NPM26: This Photo Wants to be a Poem: Alliteration

Posted in nature, Photography, Poetry, This Photo Wants to be a Poem, Writing, tagged , , , , on April 8, 2026| 2 Comments »

Rose Cappelli has the line from the Land of Poetry Progressive Poem today. She used her secret favorite devise of alliteration. It’s my favorite, too. As I tell students, it just sounds good.

At Ethical ELA, Luke Bensing prompted us to use alliteration in our first and last lines. The photo today is from my visit to the butterfly exhibit in New Orleans at the Audubon Aquarium and Insectarium. I wrote a septercet, which is a small three lined poem of 7 syllables each.

Purple pops of salvia
nectar-seeking flutter by
season for saving scents

If you wish to write a poem today, please leave it in the comments and respond to other writers with encouragement.

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NPM26: Day 4: Lazarus

Posted in Poetry, Writing, tagged , , , , on April 4, 2026| 3 Comments »

Lazarus

Gestures weave
strips of burial cloth
cross-hatching
of sounds
violent and soothing
like a balm
on the day of death.

Jesus wept.

Jesus weeps with me
in joy and sorrow,
frustration and calm.

Our cries do not
go unnoticed.
We tear off
the garment
binding us to darkness,
enter into the Easter
of light eternal.

Margaret Simon, draft

At Ethical ELA, Melissa Heaton prompted us to write an ekphrastic poem, a poem about art. I turned to my father’s illustration of Lazarus. This drawing was in his folder of bible study material. His usual style was pointillism. This drawing, to me, is striking with its wild gestures.

Yesterday, for Good Friday, I led a morning meditation. My friend Carolyn played her singing bowls while the lawn mowers roared outside. At first I was irritated by this invasion, but as I wrote, I found that the juxtaposition of sounds was the point.

Carolyn plays the singing bowls in the sanctuary.

The Progressive Poem is with Donna Smith at Mainely Write.

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SOLC25: Day 25: This Photo: Through the Window

Posted in being mamére, Photography, Slice of Life, Writing, tagged , , , on March 25, 2026| 3 Comments »

Stella sends me a heart through the window.

There’s a lot going on in the photo today. It’s not a great shot, but I love it for the action it conveys. I’m the shadow taking the photo. Stella, age 5, is showing me a heart through the glass. In the background, in typical fashion, Leo, age 7, is leaping. He was outside with his father helping with yard work (note the too big garden gloves.)

On Wednesday mornings I often have no real idea of what photo I will use as a poem prompt. I had forgotten about this one. What’s in my heart may not be in yours, but I hope you can find a way into writing. Please leave a poem in the comments and support other writers with your responses. All are welcome.

Your heart

Is in mine
nesting, nurturing,
urging me to capture
every moment
of your love,
through the window,
over my shadow
into my joy-glow.

Margaret Simon, draft

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SLOC26: Day 18: This Photo Wants to be a Poem

Posted in Photography, Poetry, Slice of Life, This Photo Wants to be a Poem, Writing, tagged , , , on March 18, 2026| 12 Comments »

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

Each Wednesday I post a photo that appeals to my poetic senses. I invite you to join me in writing a small poem, poem of presence, in the comments and support other writers with encouragement.

Today’s photo is by a local retired teacher photographer Lory Landry. We do not live in the Bluebonnet state of Texas; however, we have a neighbor who has successfully planted bluebonnets in a ditch near the road. I’m tempted every year to stop and romp through the flowers. It appears that Lory did just that and took her camera along. It takes a steady hand and skills to capture a busy bee.

Bluebonnets by Lory Landry

Starburst blooms bluest
blue, gathers spring energy
buzz-bee sips sweet dew

Margaret Simon, draft

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