December 30 BOX

Hello Everyone,

Happy New Year! And, thank you to Patricia who is graciously hosting our round-up today at Reverie.

The Poetry Sisters (#PoetryPals) December inspiration challenge is BOX

My response:

A final star poem closes out the year on Star's padlet. Thank you for being a part of her journey. https://padlet.com/mitchellhubeimom/4bzbfu2cg5k7awk5/wish/2428647856

Wherever you are and whatever traditions you follow, I hope you have some winter time to rest and enjoy family--including our Poetry Friday family. We all need that!

December 23. Short Poetry

Hello Everyone,

Merry Christmas! Thank you, Irene, for hosting this week's round-up at Live Your Poem. Irene inspired these state-shaped ornaments with some she made and shared on her blog. I saw the idea and had to give it a go with my paper scraps and the very irregular borders (fussy cut!) of Virginia.

2 Ornaments in the shape of VA by Linda

I also saw this "poetry lesson" cartoon on twitter weeks ago. I love it! Using this form as a mentor text can lead to a pile of poems...it's sort of addicting. And, wouldn't this be fun with students?

These poems are fun to mimic. 

Linda Mitchell 12-23-22

A poem like Monday. Linda Mitchell 12/22

A poem like Friday. Linda Mitchell 12/22

Star is in the process of exiting the 2022 stage. She sure has sparkled. Find the latest on her padlet. Star's padlet is also inspired by Irene's Art Speak collection. Live Your Poem is an endless source of inspiration I am grateful for. Thank you, Irene.

This Photo Wants to be a Poem Takeover!

Good Morning!

Our usual host, Margaret Simon, is a bit busy today so I'm taking over her blog space to bring you, This Photo Wants to be a Poem. Perhaps you remember that 'This Photo...' began with a weekly prompt with Laura Purdie Salas and then moved to Margaret's Reflections on the River Teche where she tends it weekly. She'll be back soon.

Margaret shared this photo as a prompt for a quick-write or short poem today. See where it takes you.

My draft:

Winter wears dangle earrings
diamonds of ice
flash against snow
She doesn't worry
that they'll melt
as December
welcomes a January Jeweler
who does the best work
in temperatures
below zero.

(c) Linda Mitchell

Your turn!

Write a small poem in the comments section. Blogger has changed the way that commenters are identified. So, if you aren't signed in to Blogger, please sign your comment so that we know who to respond to. Support other writers who stop by for some writing time today.

Spark #53

It feels like a Friday -- Hooray!

Thank you, Karen Edmisten for hosting our round-up today. 

I apologize for the formatting of this post. Sometimes, when I copy and paste, extra white space is what I get and I cannot then get rid of it.

Have you ever heard of Get Sparked? It's a group of artists that participate in periodic art exchanges. One artist sends an inspiration piece and a second artist responds. Recently, Jone McCulloch and I sparked!

Jone sent me this beautiful inspiration poem:

Early Dawn

dreams whisper
to wake before sunrise
slipper shuffle to writing room
coffee in hand

to wake before sunrise
word play, journal time
coffee in hand
quiet blankets the house

word play, journal time
old photograph invites a poem
quiet blankets the house
darkness gives way to a pink-gray sky

old photograph invites a poem
rain and wind strike up a chorus
darkness gives way to a pink-gray sky
grasp the pen and begin

rain and wind strike up a chorus
slipper shuffle to writing room
grasp the pen and begin
dreams whisper

©Jone Rush MacCulloch

I responded with this collage--I'm giving it the same title.

Early Dawn. Collage. Linda Mitchell

I really like the two side by side in the design suggested by power point:

Inspiration and Response

It's not easy saying goodbye to star...but her year is drawing to a close. Only two more poems after this on her padlet. 
https://padlet.com/mitchellhubeimom/4bzbfu2cg5k7awk5

Winter Poem Swap Goodness

 

OK, who's had snow? Would you be willing to share some?

Although, if I could transport myself to Australia's summer at no cost--I would be tempted by that too.

I'm loving getting ready for the holidays. this year. Last year, Santa announced her retirement, and my adult children were enlisted as replacements. Now, my most taxing duties after work are cookie baking and decorating my wacky Charlie Brown tree.

Branches from a brush pile.
They hold special ornaments really well.
It's wacky--we like it that way.

I enjoy trips to the mailbox for old-fashioned Christmas cards and photos. This week, the most delightful winter poem swap arrived from Janice Scully. She's recently back from some amazing travels and shared a lovely Madonna medal and s beautiful mini-quilt. The colors are so festive and the sewn lines are wonderfully straight. I've done a bit of sewing lately and my lines do NOT look as straight and even as hers. I'm using my mini-quilt to keep my tea cup warm these late fall mornings--at least until I need a refill and my senior cat steals it as a pillow.

mini-quilt, medal and poem from Janice

Star responded to Janice's poem. Find it on the Star padlet.  https://padlet.com/mitchellhubeimom/4bzbfu2cg5k7awk5/wish/2414173584

WONDERING
By Janice Scully

I have an hour,
to wonder in peace,
touch the grass,
watch the geese.

Tomorrow
when my chores are done,
I'll ponder the sky,
the clouds
the sun,

by the apple tree,
and hope to spy
a hummingbird
come whirring by.

I sincerely hope you are enjoying this time of year wherever you live. Peace on Earth remains an earnest wish and prayer. 

Our wonderful friend at More Art 4 All is hosting this week's round-up. Make sure to stop in and say hello. Thank you, Michelle.

Answer to an Unasked Question

Hello Poets,

It's December -- isn't it wonderful? Thank you, Catherine, for hosting our round-up this week. 

This month, Molly challenged the Inklings to write a poem that answered an unasked question.

http://www.poemfarm.amylv.com/2022/11/answer-unasked-question.html

I had plans to write a children's poem...instead, I wandered into a much younger adult self.

If You Found This Letter

It will be after one of the kids

broke your My Sister, My Friend frame. 

Or, you, tired of the fading plastic
in your sunny window
and it slipped out from
behind our photo.

We were so young

No husbands or kids,

pets, bills, or in-laws yet.

Mom was still with us.

Every time I run a cloth  over the glass of my frame which is not often enough— I remember waiting for the summer carnival saving up allowance for the midway.

That booth with its purple curtain
and, us, jammed onto the bench,
laughing.

I pause over our smiling mouths
not a wrinkle in sight.

That photo is still my favorite.

Someday,

it will be hard to remember

But, I wrote it all down
and tucked it behind the photo.
You’ll find it.

I know you will.

And, I’ll bet you write back.

-draft. Linda Mitchell

See more Inkling responses to this challenge:

Reflections on the Teche
Reading to the Core
My Juicy Little Universe
Nix the Comfort Zone
A(nother) Year of Reading

There's a new golden shovel on Star's padlet. It's hard to believe it's time to begin saying goodbye to Star. She's been a good friend this year. Just a few more weeks of poems for her.