Thursday, January 12, 2017

One Little Word 2017

Isn’t it amazing how much we can put into our OLW for the New Year?
Several months before 2017 I started keeping a list…in church. Somehow, in church, my mind relaxes and unexpected ideas and emotions surface. It’s kinda nice. The Almighty seems to communicate in this way with me. 

I do love a creative Almighty.

If you were to look through my notebook you’d see lists, bits from sermons and hymns, reminders and lots of OLWs.  My list of OLWs got pretty long. Each word, when it came to me, was IT! And hey, blessed too.

Then, a week would go by and there would be another one or two – that were IT! I felt like I was looking for a blind date to show up.

I’ll be wearing the tortoise-shell glasses and
the black peacoat with a button that says I love poetry.

Yes!

What’s funny is that my OLW showed up late. I mentioned to another poet in an off-handed way, don’t forget to look up, either New Year's Eve or the day before.

Just for giggles.....

But then, the word was there wearing those glasses and that coat. Gorgeous
.
My word, is LOOK.

(c) Linda Mitchell



The meanings of look are many…just layers to play with as we revolve around the sun for the next 365 days. It feels like a good beginning. LOOK and I are already holding hands. Below is our first poem together inspired by a photograph from National Geographic of a place I’d like to be in the moment captured. It’s a somonka – an absolutely irresistible form brought to us by the poetry sisters from last week.

Look

Look! The rain dances.
My dress of silly sunshine,
now a dripping mess.
I’m in a yellow taxi
squishing to the airport ...you.



Mayfeng, Julie. "Rainy Street Your Shot Photo of the Day." National Geographic. National Geographic, 08 Jan. 2017. Web. 09 Jan. 2017. 

Plane delayed again…
I’m stuck with strangers waiting
for this storm to pass,
to rise above sullen clouds.
I’m thirsty for blue skies…you.



© Linda Mitchell

PS. I am really enjoying the #postcardXchange! My original postcard order was lost....so I panicked and quickly made another homemade batch...sent them out. BUT, my order was found. I will be sending my folks a bonus postcard just for fun....and because it IS nicer than my homemade ones.

Many thanks to Keri Recommends for hosting Poetry Friday this week.

20 comments:

  1. Lustrous
    Owl-eyes
    Open to
    Kindred spirits.

    I tasted your word, and find it goes down as easily as hot cocoa on an icy day.

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  2. What a fantastic word! I know I need to look - my head is always buried in a book or my phone, while the world and all its wonders carry on all around me. Look!

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  3. After reading your OLW acrostic, I realize that look is exactly what I am doing when seeking joy. Two different words meeting to find magical moments of joy!

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  4. I should have said something about the postcards too, Linda. They have been wonderful! How great that you wrote the somonka, and you gave these two such strong voices, too. Very nice!

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  5. WOW! I was so glad that you presented this somonka. It is beautifully written. I love how you handled the last line of each stanza. It definitely is a love poem. Beautifully handled.
    Having LOOK for your OLW is great. I too have been trying to focus and stay in the moment, to notice the world around me. I LOOK forward to reading more of your poetry.

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    1. Joy, I must respond to your PF share here---for some reason I cannot comment on your blog page. I love the chicken! The joy of rhyme. It's good for the soul in this post holiday winter.

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  6. I enjoyed your reflections on LOOK and how well they slide into my thinking with LISTEN (my OLW for this year). Both call to stop and pay attention to what is going on around us. I also enjoyed your somonka. After reading this and the ones last week, I want to try it out for myself.

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    1. Do you have PF offering this week? I don't see a "Kay" in the linky list.

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  7. LOOK is such a great word for the year. I am going with VISION for the month of January (and may or may not keep it longer) - it's about looking and assessing and thinking and planning. Your acrostic is wonderful, and that somonka is swoony-good!!

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  8. Look is a wonderful word - it has that outward/inward quality the best OLWs allow.

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  9. Oh to "rise above sullen clouds"!
    My word was illusive also...the description of how yours came about is spot-on to mine. I don't know how long it had been sitting there quietly with its glasses, peacoat and button...
    Hope your word works with you this year!

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    1. As I closed the window...I almost screamed! Did I just see illusive written there? Or was it an illusion? Good grief. Elusive.

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  10. Love your OLW story of serendipity and blessing. And you have chosen a very versatile word with, as you say, layers to play with. The second "O" line in your acrostic snags my attention: "Own your words, thoughts, actions." In other words, don't forget to look at yourself.

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  11. My word NOTICE really helped me to keep my eyes open for a year. Enjoy LOOKing and reporting on what you see with your poems!

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  12. I love your word! It almost seems like you could write off of it every day, starting with the actual word, LOOK. It's so perfect!

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  13. I think this is the beginning of a beautiful relationship with you and your OLW! My church notebook looks like yours -- I, too, love the connection with the Creator!

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  14. Better late than never, Linda! I think your OLW showed up just in time. Sometimes I think sometimes we tend to use the word "look" loosely, but your usage of the word is spot on. I want to look, observe, and live as you have invited us to in your poem. Have a great week, Linda!

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  15. I really should give somonka a try. All the examples I've been reading lately have been wonderful. Yours, I'll have to say, has tickled me with its images.

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  16. I'm with you - I love a creative Almighty, too! :-D

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  17. As often as I can, I will look here as Look and you create cool poems like this one,
    in 2017!



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Friendly, positive comments and feedback are always welcome here. Please let me know I'm not just whistling in the dark!