Posts
Hello Poets!
How can it possibly be time for Poetry Friday again? I'm still catching up from last week. I guess this is what happens when I travel for Spring Break and arrive home late on Sunday, diving back into work bright and early on Monday. It's a bit of a blur.
I've been stopping by Ethical ELA for Verse Love this month when I can. The prompts support my April Poetry Month project of using old family letters as inspiration for new poems. A recent prompt, 'When You Need a Break, Go to a Place of Comfort,' by Leilya Pitre was a lovely jumping-off place for a poem.
The prompt directs writers to go for a mind walk to a favorite place for writing inspiration. Several poems were offered as mentor poems. I used Robert Frost's 'A Late Walk.' as a frame for details of a letter written by my Grandma in 1949.
First, Frost
My draft
My spring break travels were full of star surprises as I visited with my sisters. These surprises became the inspiration for this quickly dashed off haiku...although it's rhyme-y...so not sure it qualifies as an actual haiku. See it on the Star Padlet: https://padlet.com/mitchellhubeimom/4bzbfu2cg5k7awk5
Be sure to stop by Margaret Simon's Reflections on the Teche for the latest lines of the Progressive Poem. She's hosting our round-up.
I love the closing line "tomorrow is on its way up the hill." Your grandmother's letters made into poems, what a wonderful project.
ReplyDeleteLike Margaret, I loved the perfection of that last line. It made me think of the approaching new day but also of perhaps new times dawning when the writer and recipient would be together again.
ReplyDeleteI really love what you did with your letter poem, Linda. That whole last stanza is so pure and true. I wish that your grandma could be here to read it. You inspire me with this project as I have many family letters and have been unsure about how to approach them. Thank you. xo
ReplyDeleteYou capture the flow of life so well here...I love that last line, especially.
ReplyDeleteLinda, I am so glad that you enjoyed your spring break with you sisters. Yuor grandma's letters are full of ordinary daily life thoughts but in such a beautiful poetic way with her brood of boys. The last line is one to savor and reuse for another poem or a golden shovel. I caught up with you star padlet. The collage in your last poem is "star-studded".
ReplyDeleteI love "The house ticks and groans / with growing pains" and the powerful last line. You have captured the feel of the evening, the quiet, and can almost hear boys breathing upstairs. Thanks for posting Frost's poem, too. I'll keep it.
ReplyDeleteSuch a gift, Linda, to have your grandmother's letters. I love how you used Frost's poem to guide yours... and the last line is exquisite!
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing this week Linda. I appreciated this line: "The prompt directs writers to go for a mind walk to a favorite place for writing inspiration." That reminded me to go for my own journey to find inspiration. My places tend to be more of the haunted variety but that's all part of the fun. --Tim
ReplyDeleteThank you for both these poems, Linda. I enjoyed and learned from both.
ReplyDeleteYou gave me an idea, to use my grandmother's diary as a prompt. Love the ticks and groans, growing pains and the last line. Thanks again.
Frost's poem is new to me -- enjoyed it and seeing how it inspired you to write your own. Chiming in with others about that wonderful closing line. Also love all the fun stars you gathered for your haiku. Glad you were able to spend some quality time with your sisters.
ReplyDeleteLike Jama, I don't know that Frost poem, more melancholy than I usually get from him, but like your poem, Linda, I love both endings. Your poem mood from your Grandma's letter sounds so like ones I've read, matter of fact, here's what's happening. It's a loving mood wanting to share life in the ups & downs. Hope you had fun on your break!
ReplyDeleteI like Frost's poem that warmth in sharing that last "faded blue" flower. Your poem is lovely and I too like the closing stanza so much-such a lovely way to pen the start of another day. And what a fun page of stars and haiku you created, thanks for all!
ReplyDelete"I write to save you worry/mentally walking perimeters" are the lines that caught me. Maybe because as a mother, I never really stop worrying. Our supper table was the command center, too. What a great metaphor!
ReplyDeleteYour grandma's "newsy-news" translated into verse is good for our soul, Linda. I hope you recuperate quickly from the 'blurry' reentry into day to day life. :)
ReplyDeleteThis project is wonderful, Linda. After 30 days, what a collection of additional treasures you will have -- letters AND poems. What a lost art letter writing is, capturing the all manner of news. -- Christie @ https://wonderingandwondering.wordpress.com/
ReplyDeleteThat closing line---mwah! Chef's kiss. I really enjoyed reading the poem, and love the idea of the house with growing pains. We've experienced that here, too!
ReplyDeleteI echo many others with my favorite lines—the house ticks and groans with growing pains and the ending. The poem as a whole brings me back to another time, while also remaining timeless. How did you do that???
ReplyDeleteYour poem is wonderful, Linda. Like so many others, I love the way you captured your grandmother's voice. The last line is my favorite. Glad you were able to spend time with your sisters. Have you shared this project with them? What a family treasure you've created!
ReplyDelete