This week's host is Erin. Please visit and welcome her with thanks at her blog, The Water's Edge
Truth: Some weeks I have no idea what to post for Poetry Friday. Then, there's a week, like this past week, when I'm tripping over poetry connections.
Our US Library of Congress (with a chic new logo)
hosts Poetry 180 for high school students -- and the rest of us too.
A poem of Ron Koertge's ' settled on me.
Do You Have Any Advice for Those of Us Just Starting Out?
By Ron Koertge
Give up sitting dutifully at your desk. Leave
your house or apartment. Go out into the world.
Its alright to carry a notebook but a cheap
one is best, with pages the color of weak tea
and on the front a kitten or a space ship.
read the rest here
Last Poetry Friday Amy Ludwig Vanderwater's message seemed to piggyback on Koetge's:
And
remember this too: the more interesting things you do, the more you will have
to write about. I am not referring to fancy things, but rather a variety
of things. Today I may sit outside for a few moments and watch ants walk
around. Or maybe I will draw the pictures up in the sky, wondering if anyone
else sees the same penguin I see. What I do affects what I write.
And so it is for you.
Jane Yolen's daily poem waiting for me in my inbox seemed related...and a blessing. She knows I've done stuff and prays that the words flow right. These three poems made me connected, yeah...I can go do life and write.
Writer to Writer: A Prayer
May the words flow,
the right ones.
May the arc rise
like the moon.
May the story ring
like Great Tom’s toll.
May the words in the mouth
sing the child.
May the telling have the lift
of challah in the stove.
May your readers find
on every page a trail of love.
May your imagination
And its wonders never fail.
May the book become eternity’s
bedtime tale.
©2018 Jane Yolen all rights reserved
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| Connections |
Linda, I love thinking of you tripping over poetry this week. "may the telling have the lift of challah..." I love that! Thanks for sharing with all of us. And yes, I find that one must go out and live a life worth writing about... it's how we live our poems. Happy day to you! xo
ReplyDeleteI need to go do stuff! Great poems. And the art. Swoon, you created it? Gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteI did not. I wish I had. It was in a beach house we rented on Tybee Island. I loved it.
DeleteI often have to remind myself to go out and do more things. I'm a stay at home mom so sometimes I just get stuck taking care of a toddler, but I need to get creative and remember to get out there too.
ReplyDeleteSometimes the universe
ReplyDeletespeaks in poems.
You open your notebook
and words stream out
across the waves
of sea
that connect you
to me.
This is beautiful...and true
DeleteLove this post with its inspiration and motivation to live AND write!!
ReplyDeleteThe good thing about tripping over poetry is that it's never embarrassing. ;) Thanks for the walk through your week, Linda! I must head to my local library and try out Ron Koertge's advice.
ReplyDeleteWow! Those are some amazing poetry connections. I'm glad you found them and shared them. I love the poem by Ron Koertge--the specificity and idiosyncrasy of his advice is just perfect. And Jane Yolen....sigh.
ReplyDeleteJane Yolen's poem reminds me of the prayer that begins, "May the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable…" and goes on. Fun what she did with this base. Rich post, thanks for all the poetry Linda!
ReplyDeleteWhat a perfect post. I love the Ron Koetrge poem - it feels like you put that one in for me!
ReplyDeleteAppreciations for these creative connections.
ReplyDeleteAnd that collage - it seems to sing with the Linda M. signature - yes? If not, great selection.
I really appreciated the encouraging words in your sharing this week. Writing can be hard.
ReplyDeleteYep....it's like jogging ... the more you do the better you feel. But, those days after falling off the wagon are rough!
Delete