shadorma | Reflections on the Teche

Posts Tagged ‘shadorma’

This Photo Wants to be a Poem: Halloween

Posted in Poetry, This Photo Wants to be a Poem, Writing, tagged Halloween, shadorma on October 29, 2025| 7 Comments »

In some neighborhoods the Halloween decorating has gone over the top this year. Whether it’s enormous skeletons or blow up zombies, people have certainly gotten into the spirit, so to speak. On a recent walk in my daughter’s neighborhood in New Orleans, I ran into this guy. During the day, he was comical, but I imagine come the darkness of Halloween night, he may give some small child a fright.

Please join me in musing about Halloween decor and all that goes with it. Write a small poem in the comments and support other writers with encouragement.

Today, I chose the shadorma form. (3, 5, 3, 3, 7, 5)

Grim reapers
scour your neighborhood.
Are you scared?
Will you come
play with a puffed-up spider?
Halloween is here!
(Margaret Simon, draft)

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This Photo Wants to be a Poem: Summer Storms

Posted in Photography, This Photo Wants to be a Poem, Writing, tagged shadorma on June 25, 2025| 8 Comments »

This summer we have had lots of quick forming storms that dump rain. If you think about it, they’re nice because they water the flowers. They also help with high temperatures. The other side of the coin is you can get caught without an umbrella and get totally soaked. They also create violent lightning that may take out a smoke detector. (That happened in our house.)

Poetically speaking, however, the summer sun peeking out from a storm cloud is inspiring. Today, write a small poem that ponders summer storms. Please write in the comments and encourage other writers with your responses.

Summer Storm Shadorma

Like sea waves
cool my burning toes,
you pour out
suddenly
soaking me, summer shower,
holy water veil.

Margaret Simon, draft

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Poetry Friday: My Favorite Kind of Silence

Posted in being mamére, Poetry Friday, Writing, tagged #poemsofpresence, #smallpoems, Georgia Heard, shadorma on May 30, 2025| 11 Comments »

Poetry Friday is hosted today by Karen Edmisten.

I am finishing up a week of babysitting for two of my grandchildren this week. One of them, June, I kept during the day because daycare was closed. The other, Thomas, I kept after his day camp because his mother had a work trip.

This morning when I was dropping Thomas off for the last time, we had a talk about missing people we love. He started the conversation with “I miss my dad,” which could be viewed as a manipulative ploy for attention, but I didn’t take the bait. I said how much I would be missing him when I go back home.

He said, “Do you miss Papére?”

“Of course, I do. I miss Papére and Albért when I’m here with you, but I miss you and June when I’m home.”

Loving means you’re always missing someone. A conversation with a 5 year old brought me to tears.

This month I have been writing a poem each day using Georgia Heard’s May calendar. The prompt for today was “your favorite kind of silence.” The shadorma form fit nicely with the syllable count of 3, 5, 3, 3, 7, 5.

My Favorite Kind of Silence

Silence comes
after summer rain
before birds
recall sun
after a sung lullaby
a sleepy child’s sigh

Margaret Simon, draft

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This Photo Wants to be a Poem: Bleeding Hearts

Posted in Photography, Poetry, This Photo Wants to be a Poem, Writing, tagged #poemsofpresence, #smallpoems, ekphrastic poetry, Georgia Heard, shadorma, This Photo Wants to be a Poem on May 14, 2025| 7 Comments »

This beautiful bleeding heart vine was a small single branch when I took it inside for the winter. Last summer it didn’t bloom, but I saved it anyway. I’m learning this about gardening; As long as you see green, don’t give up on a plant. I didn’t give up, but I also didn’t have much hope. And now look! Not only is it thriving, it’s blooming. The blossoms seem to be hiding shamefully under the big leaves.

Google told me the symbolism of the bleeding heart flower is compassion. I think about the simple compassion I gave to this plant. It wasn’t difficult. Compassion should not be hard to give to others. I think it should come naturally.

Write a small poem inspired by the bleeding heart flower. Where are you needing compassion? How is your heart bleeding today?

You Belong

You belong
among white flowers
where stillness
grows heartwings
holding you in compassion,
acceptance, and love.

Margaret Simon, draft

My poem today is prompted by Georgia Heard’s calendar “Where you belong” and is written in the Shadorma form (3, 5, 3, 3, 7, 5)

Write a small poem in the comments and give encouraging feedback to other writers.

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National Poetry Month: Late Shadorma

Posted in Poetry, Writing, tagged #verselove, Ethical ELA, Inklings challenge, National Poetry Month, shadorma on April 5, 2025| 4 Comments »

I dropped the ball yesterday with my Inklings writing group. I had given the monthly challenge and forgot about it. Today I am trying to make up for it by combining the Ethical ELA prompt from Bryan Ripley Crandall to write about scars with the form. Shadorma poems have a syllable count of 3, 5, 3, 3, 7, 5.

Virus

weary soul
invisible scars
tenderly
heal in time
slowly becoming new skin
touched by cleansing light
Margaret Simon, draft

To see how the Inklings approached this challenge, here are their links:
Mary Lee Hahn
Heidi Mordhorst
Molly Hogan
Linda Mitchell

The Kidlit Progressive poem is with Denise Krebs today at Dare to Care.

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Poetry Friday: Shadorma One Little Word

Posted in Poetry Friday, Writing, tagged Kelly Bennett, One Little Word, Rose Cappelli, shadorma on January 17, 2025| 13 Comments »

Poetry Friday is being gathered today by Tricia at The Miss Rumphius Effect

Last week I read Rose Cappelli’s post. She decided to write a poem each month using her One Little Word. I have actually picked two words: Still and Believe. I’ve been determined to train my puppy Albert “Al-Bear”. He is an 11 month old miniature golden doodle with a lot of energy. He’s been developing some bad habits. One of them is barking at us when he wants to play. I bought a collar with a vibrator on it, so I can give him a little buzz (remote control) every time he barks at us. It’s working…slowly.

I receive a prompt each week from Kelly Bennet called News from the Fishbowl. Last week she introduced me to a form I hadn’t heard of, Shadorma. It’s from Spain. There are 6 lines with a syllable count of 3, 5, 3, 3, 7, 5. The topic can be anything, but usually the poem is all one sentence.

Puppy Training

I believe
this puppy can learn
to be still
to cuddle
warming my cold morning lap–
blending our perfume.

Margaret Simon, draft

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Poetry Friday: Graffiti Girl

Posted in Photography, Poetry, Poetry Friday, tagged graffiti, New Orleans City Park, shadorma on November 24, 2017| 14 Comments »

Click over to Carol’s Corner for more Poetry Friday.

Over at Today’s Little Ditty, Carol Hinz challenged us to write a poem that finds beauty in something that is not usually considered beautiful. On a family Thanksgiving Day walk to City Park in New Orleans, we came upon an old outside bar covered in overgrown weeds and graffiti. On the walls were a few amazing black and white drawings. One of them caught my eye and then inspired a poem.

New Orleans City Park

At Violet Nesdoly’s blog, I discovered a new-to-me poetry form, Shadorma. The form is a Spanish version of the haiku with six lines and a syllable count of 3,5,3,3,7,5. The form fit well to what I wanted to say about the Graffiti Girl.

Graffiti Girl, City Park, New Orleans. Photo by Margaret Simon

Graffiti Girl

I am drawn
in hard black charcoal
staring out
of stone walls
yet when you see my image
your heart cries for me.

If you could
hold this star light high
a mirror
in my eyes
step into my wall, hold me,
would you come so near?

–Margaret Simon, all rights reserved