Poetry in a Pandemic

Good Friday to you and all poems out there together, separately -- six feet apart.

What a weird world. 

Like you, I've been feeling emotions, getting a grip, learning to live in self-isolation. And, hey! I've been trying to write too. There is a boon of freely offered writing prompts and projects online. 

Liz Garton Scanlon offered a tutorial on writing an etheree. The etherees below are a mash-up of nursery rhymes, covid-19 observations and...well, you tell me.

Falling Off Nursery Rhymes

Two etherees

I.

One

today--

one today for

extra wishes

that might turn into

horses to someday ride

trit-trotting Boston to Lynn

holding up baby so she won't

tumble into that Gloucester puddle

up to her tummy, face mask on her chin.

(c) Linda Mitchell

II.

Our

poor old

secluded

Mother Hubbard's

stockpiled cupboard

cannot hold one more fear.

Her little dog laughs to see

his leash for lots more walks and treats.

When grandchildren call for a check-in 

she’s happy to chat and weeps happy tears.

(c) Linda Mitchell

Margaret Simon offers poetry readings for kids from one to ninety-nine at her youtube channel. Her calm reading and spotlights on where her prompts come from (Michelle Hiedenrich Barns' Today's Little Ditty) in this video. My response to her call.

Outside My Window

spring is walking
along the sidewalk six feet
between each blossom

(c) Linda Mitchell

Laura Shovan's #WaterPoemProject  invites distance learners, again from third to grade ninety-nine to respond to a daily prompt the same way poets have been in her annual February Poem Project. Daily prompts are given by a variety of published and unpublished (me!) authors. It's fun. And, I aim to bring my fun to it. My response to Irene Latham's prompt on Day 1

Be well friends. Use this time of social distancing for creativity, if you can. I look forward to seeing what others are sharing in today's Poetry Friday Round-up at The Opposite of Indifference. Thanks heaps to Tabatha for hosting. 

Apology from the Backyard Puddle

Happy Poetry Friday,

     Isn't it nice that in the midst of all that's going on, we can find others who purposely read, write and share beautiful words? Poetry Friday is so much like taking a walk. Want to join as a blogger? No sharing of original poems is required! That's just how I play Poetry Friday. There's lots of ways to participate. See here at No Water River.

     Raise your hand if you are a William Carlos Williams fan. Oh, the richness of this sorry-not-sorry apology for eating those plums.
Poetic snark. no?

William Carlos Williams,''This Is Just to Say'' from The Collected Poems: Volume I, 1909-1939, copyright ©1938 by New Directions Publishing Corp. Reprinted by permission of New Directions Publishing Corp.

     Last month, I was combining Laura Shovan's February Poem Project water prompt with Ethical ELA's Five Day writing prompt. Honestly, I did this for efficiency. My writing time is best in the morning before school...and that time is  was short! I kinda like how this poem turned out. I learned that Jory soil is unique to Oregon (a nod to Jone the photographer of the photo below). Huh!

Photo by Jone Rush MacCulloch

Apology From the Backyard Puddle

This is just to say

I have flooded the
the Jory soil*
in the bald patch

of our backyard

And which
you were probably
going to seed
for spring

Forgive me
the reflected winter tree
in fifth position

prima ballerina dancing

(c) Linda Mitchell

*Jory = the state soil of Oregon. It’s made up of material washed down from higher mountains.

Now, go have some fun at the Poetry Friday Round-up hosted by one of my all time favorite artists, poet's and people in tune with what's good and right, Michelle. https://moreart4all.wordpress.com/

Little Bit of Green

Happy Poetry Friday,

I'm away at a Librarian's conference, learning lots from my friends.   

The previous sentence was written a day ago. Ah, the best laid plans have been set aside in favor of keeping COVID 19 away. Now, two kiddos have extended spring breaks from college and two HS kiddos are looking at at least a day of closing to as school districts in our area sort out distance learning plans. And, my conference has been cancelled. 

Here's a bit of green for the coming holiday! I find paper-crafting very soothing. 

shamrocks from recycled book pages

A little bit of green

and a little bit of fun

will keep you 

from being pinched

by a leprechaun

~Linda M.

shamrocks from recycled book pages

Head on over to Radio, Rhythm & Rhyme for Poetry Friday Fun! Thank you, Matt for hosting!

How ? A poem of questions

How did Poetry Friday come round again so fast?
Who sped up this week's time?
Was it YOU? Slow down please!

Although, I cannot complain about a quick approach of Spring. I need spring, don't you?

Oh, so many questions!

Our Sunday Night Swaggers are writing Question Poems this week. Again, I am inspired by a photograph from Molly Hogan. The question poem below springs from her photo.

Molly Hogan 2020

How 

Can one drop of rain
hold so much memory?
Of thunderclouds grabbing up sky
before the storm?
Scratches of atmosphere
electric with light and sound?
A fall -- steep and free,
landing on branch
to cling to -- see?
Will this drop greet bridge gladly

on rain’s way to the sea?
Barrel along river
at breakneck speed?
With a kiss from leaf

fancying saffron forsythia dreams?
How one drop of rain
can hold so many mysteries--
How?

(c) Linda Mitchell
Want to see more question poems? Stop by blogs of my SWAGGER partners to see!

Reading to the Core

Nix the Comfort Zone

My Juicy Little Universe

Reflections on the Teche

Be sure to check out the rest of Poetry Friday at Sloth Reads sometime this weekend!

Balance: Spiritual Thursday

A Short Story of Falling

By Alice Oswald

It is the story of rain falling
to turn into a leaf and fall again

it is the secret of a summer shower
to steal the light and hide it in a flower

read the rest at The Poetry Foundation

https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/90860/a-short-story-of-fallinghttps://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/90860/a-short-story-of-falling

LIT BITS AND PIECES: Snippets of Learning and Life is hosting Spiritual Thursday today. Click on the blog title and it will take you to more thoughts on balance.

SAT Prep

Photo Credit: Thistle by Brenda Lowry

Good Poetry Friday,

It's so nice to welcome the last Friday of this month. What busy-ness we've been up to in these power packed weeks. 

I'm celebrating a continuation of a Thursday morning writing practice that started with Laura Purdie Salas'. 15 Words or Less. Weekly, Laura would post a photo and ask readers to draft a poem of 15 words or less to share in the comment section. 

Throughout the day more and more poets would jot poems and commenters could respond with positive critique. Great community and poem building fun was had by all.

Alas, Laura has become so busy with authorship that she lovingly ended 15 Words or Less on her blog. 

However, Margaret Simon has brought this favorite wake-up writing of mine back with, This Photo Wants to be a Poem, Thursday mornings on her blog, Reflections on the Teche. Hooray!

I sure was happy to play with Thistle by Brenda Lowry.

SAT Test Prep

If thistle is to
sea anemone

as bee is to
clown fish

What can
anyone learn
from this?

(c) Linda Mitchell

Before I pop over to Karen Edminsten's blog who's hosting Poetry Friday this week (thank you, Karen!) I want to put a bug in your ear about David L. Harrison's new book, Dark at Night: Poems of Nocturnal Animals (Word Song 2020). I reviewed it here yesterday, and Word Song is generously offering a book to a randomly selected commenter on my review post.  It's a wonderful picture book poem collection. Take a peek and put your name in the hat! 

After Dark: Poems About Nocturnal Animals

Good Morning,

How are you feeling? Did you sleep well last night? Did you feel refreshed upon waking?

Great!  Now it's time for some nocturnal animal friends to sleep, refresh and re-energize. They have been out ALL night in our world on their shift.

After Dark: Poems About Nocturnal Animals by David L. Harrison (Word Song 2020) has made its way into our world. Hooray!

Just as loving grown-ups read these 21 poems to sleepy humans before bedtime...our animal counterparts are waking up for their night of ...

bouncing

hunting

storing

howling

fighting

lurking

digging

grinning

sitting

eating

teasing

flying

sniffing

flexing

prowling

laying

surviving

trilling

sliming

chirping

texting

escaping

If you think this all seems just like a classroom of youngsters. I'd agree! Even though plenty of poems focus on adult animals, Harrison includes young wolf  pups, scorpion larvae, skunk kits, and even hermit crab eggs. These are easy connections for young listeners to make as they themselves are growing.

Adults will enjoy sharing these poems with young people in their lives. This one is my personal favorite:

Insect Texting by David Harrison

Insect Texting
(Common Eastern Firefly)

Firefly flashes
polka dot the lawn.
Blinker off...
Blinker on.
Looking for a mate
before they're all gone.
Blinker off...
Blinker on.

Firefly females
watch from the grass,
checking each flash
as suitors pass.

Checking how bright,
how long it lasts,
firefly females
watch from the grass.

Firefly flashes
polka dot the lawn,
might find a mate
before they're all gone.
Blinker off...
Blinker on.

(c) David L. Harrison

A lovely note to the "hardworking staff and volunteers at the Lindsay Wildlife Rehabilitation Hospital," by the illustrator led me to their website where I enjoyed peeking at the marvelous work humans are doing to preserve wildlife in our world.

https://lindsaywildlife.org/hospital-2/

Intrigued? Want to know more about this book or add it to your to-be-read pile? Super! Publisher Word Song will send a copy of After Dark to a randomly selected commenter of today's post. Thanks for reading...and your curiosity about nocturnal animals. The giveaway ends Sunday 2/1/2020.

More places you can learn about After Dark: