Posted in Photography, Poetry, Slice of Life, This Photo Wants to be a Poem, Writing, tagged #poemsofpresence, #smallpoems, notes on a walk, This Photo Wants to be a Poem on September 29, 2026| 14 Comments »
Moon Morning
As I walk the old neighborhood,
I note the changes—
the roses that Betty tended are not in bloom,
the tall house sold; young children live there now, toys strewn across the lawn.
Clyde would love knowing them.
Lynn stops me as I pass.
”Do you know me?” He asks.
I can’t recall, but we talk anyway.
The moon hangs on to the morning,
losing its full,
returning to new.
Margaret Simon, draft
Please join me in writing to a photo each week on Substack.
Posted in Poetry, Slice of Life, Writing, tagged #ENDALZ, #smallpoems, monostitch poem, Pádraig ÓTuama, Walk for Alzheimer's on September 15, 2026| 15 Comments »
I follow Pádraig ÓTuama and receive his weekly newsletter on Substack.
This week he wrote about monostitch poems, which are written with one line. His example was a poem by Rafiq Kathwari. There can be much said in a single line when each word is measured and carries weight.
As usual, Pádraig invited his audience to try it and share in the comments. I read through many of them, but this one stood out to me.
When the candle of your best intentions has gone out,
there will be matches in the drawer.
Deborah Cooper
This is my response:
Introducing myself to the hospice nurse,
I hear my mother say my name for the last time.
Margaret Simon, draft
Next month I will be participating in a Walk for Alzheimer’s. Please consider a donation to the cause that is still so close to my heart.
Posted in Slice of Life, Writing, tagged #bayoulife, #poemsofpresence, #smallpoems, rainy day on September 1, 2026| 5 Comments »
It feels like an all day rain.
The way the shower tip-taps on the bayou
like a water bug splashing.
How the drain thrums like a bass drum.
There’s a comfort to waking in the rain.
No need to go out. Slow sips of more coffee.
I will go out and breathe the humid air. Later.
Resurrection fern will open and fill the oaks with greenery, like a mantel garland at Christmas.
Birds will emerge and resume their singing.
For now, I am present to the rain, accepting its gift of cooler air, its promise of autumn.
Posted in Writing, tagged #smallpoems, Inklings challenge, maps on August 7, 2026| 21 Comments »
As August began, the Inklings sat side by side in real person in the WhisperShout studio of our own Heidi Mordhorst. Linda Mitchell provided junk journals and collage materials. I knew this Poetry Friday would be an Inkling challenge given to us by Molly Hogan involving maps in some way.
So I played with paper, paint, pictures, and words. This is what happened. I like it. I don’t understand it, but I like it.
I am reminded of one of my favorite poems by Naomi Shihab Nye.
Here are links to other Inkling poems. Check them out:
Heidi at my juicy little universe
Mary Lee at A(nother) Year of Reading
Catherine at Reading to the Core
Molly at Nix the Comfort Zone
Linda at Another Word Edgewise
Posted in being mamére, nature, Photography, This Photo Wants to be a Poem, Writing, tagged #poemsofpresence, #smallpoems, Florida, Sandestin beach, This Photo Wants to be a Poem, Travel on June 17, 2026| 4 Comments »
I am currently in Florida on a work trip with my daughter and her son, Thomas. Thomas and I had a fun day yesterday playing in the waves and making friends in the hotel pool. He makes friends so easily which is helpful to his babysitter grandma.
Yesterday afternoon a storm rolled in. I loved sitting on the safe balcony and watching the clouds.
Watching the Storm at the Beach
Becomes a pastime
when you’re with a grandson
who craves your constant attention.
Be open to the possibility of storms.
Stand in the rain
and let it cool your body
into shivers and shakes.
Then return to a warm bath
and Spider-Man pajamas
to watch Argentina play
in the World Cup
cheering them on, only because
you like the color blue.
Margaret Simon, draft
Please consider writing a poem today in the comments. I will be driving back to Louisiana and look forward to reading them.
Posted in Poetry, This Photo Wants to be a Poem, Travel, Writing, tagged #poemsofpresence, #smallpoems, found poem, This Photo Wants to be a Poem on June 10, 2026| 3 Comments »
Last week I was on vacation with my family in the Pacific Northwest. One of our hikes, The Spruce Railroad Trail in Olympic National Park, included a Poetry Walk. I took pictures of the panels and wrote a found poem from them. I invite you to do the same. Found poems are fun. Write the lines that grab you in some way (an image you relate to, words you love to say) and write them in an order that is pleasing to you.
Here is a draft I wrote in my notebook:
Crescent Lake Found Poem
Stenciled on the petal of a bluebell
the earth remembered me
my thoughts
light as moths
smell like grass and salt
smooth home- the river.
Margaret Simon, draft
Posted in Photography, Poetry, This Photo Wants to be a Poem, Writing, tagged #poemsofpresence, #smallpoems, cinquain, resurrection fern on May 27, 2026| 16 Comments »
After months of drought, we’ve recently had an onslaught of rain. One of the most miraculous plants in the South is resurrection fern. It has a symbiotic relationship with live oaks. When the air is dry and no rain falls, it’s hardly noticeable, brown and dead looking. However, when we have days and days of humidity and rain, rain, rain, the fern pops up with its bright green fronds covering the branches and living in beauty. It seems to say, “Ah, yes!”
I took this photo of our grandmother oak near the bayou. She is 250+ years old. Her arms drape wide and hold a rope swing that many a child (and adult) have ridden on. She is featured on a live oak tree bike tour that our friend Jim leads every spring.
She’s also made mention of in many of my poems. I never tire of taking her photo or writing about her.
Turning to a random page in “Dictionary for a Better World” by Irene Latham and Charles Waters, I chose a cinquain form. (2, 4, 6, 8, 2)
Sometimes
bravery looks
like fern on an old oak
coming to life only after
hard rain.
Margaret Simon, draft
Please write a small poem today and leave it in the comments. Respond to others with kind encouragement.
Posted in nature, Photography, This Photo Wants to be a Poem, Writing, tagged #poemsofpresence, #smallpoems, Bayou Teche, haiku, This Photo Wants to be a Poem on May 20, 2026| 3 Comments »
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
Posted in Poetry Friday, Spiritual Growth, Writing, tagged #poemsofpresence, #smallpoems, oracle deck, spiritual journey, watercolor painting, yoga on May 15, 2026| 11 Comments »
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”.
What is inspiring you these days?
Posted in being mamére, Spiritual Growth, This Photo Wants to be a Poem, Writing, tagged #poemsofpresence, #smallpoems, Katharine Ryalls, oracle deck, poems of address on May 13, 2026| 7 Comments »
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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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
