Etheree for the end of March

Hello Friends,

I
have made
it to spring
break...thank you, God.

As we begin April and all the festivities, I'm headed out on the road for a much-needed rest and to spend time with my beloved family.

This past week I spent more time playing with syllables and words to write etherees that don't look like they simply fit the form. 

There's an etheree on the padlet too! https://padlet.com/mitchellhubeimom/word-bwfgg0bqmjhf62fd/wish/2539077824

Thank you, Mary Lee, for hosting this week. I look forward to the Progressive Poem kick-off and all the words to come.

Etheree Practice

Thank you, Rose, at Imagine the Possibilities for gathering poetry for our Friday round-up this week.

I walked into this week with no planned poem. I thought I'd take a crack at an etheree. It wasn't as easy as I thought it would be. This one is OK. I'll practice some more before we reach March 31.

There's a new little haiku on the padlet: https://padlet.com/mitchellhubeimom/word-bwfgg0bqmjhf62fd/wish/2529604439

Send Word to the Leprechauns

Hello Lucky Friday!

I bought a Shamrock scarf to wear to school four years ago--and haven't had a chance to wear it. But, today I wear the green!  Thank you, Laura Purdie Salas for hosting this week's poetry round-up.

There's another WORD poem over at the word padlet. https://padlet.com/mitchellhubeimom/word-bwfgg0bqmjhf62fd/wish/2519098865 

Welcome to Monsterville. A Review

 Hello Friday Friends,

What a week! March feels long after that hug-and-kiss of February. Thank you, Heidi, at My Juicy Little Universe for hosting this week's round-up. I appreciate all the ways your poetry works in my life...helping me think, learn and get up and out to do!

This past week, I spent time with an ARC of Welcome to Monsterville by Laura Shovan, illustrated by Michael Rothenberg. This magnificent and silly book of illustrated poems took me back to childhood -- the emotional ending of that time, if not chronological. 

2023 Apprentice House Press

My mother had just passed away after weeks in hospice (This happened years ago). A friend comforted me by describing that period as sacred. I agreed.

Haven't we all been on sacred ground recently?

As I read the poems of Welcome to Monsterville, I smiled and giggled and was also a little sad. The journey of these poems is exactly how humanity should be; time spent with each other to lift each other up.  

Welcome to Monsterville belongs in child and adult spaces...schools, homes, coffee shops, libraries, and houses of worship. The monsters inside the book connect us to our humanity. 

An introduction to Welcome to Monsterville by therapist Dr. Mercedes Ballbe ter Maat, steeped in art therapy experience, helped me see how monsters help all of us: 

"But wait... am I saying that humans are monsters too? Yes, we are a different type of monster, but monsters nonetheless. Why?!? Because like us, monsters laugh and talk, play and cry, sing and dance, think and feel."

I'm a fan of letting poems speak for themselves. I don't enjoy too much explanation or analysis. I've selected a line from each poem of Welcome to Monsterville to create the cento below. I hope you'll take a trip to Monsterville soon. This book arrives on April 25th and is available for pre-order at your favorite bookseller. Let our friend Laura Shovan's poems and Michael Rothenberg's art bring you a hug. 

Golden Lines from Welcome to Monsterville!
A cento gathered by Linda Mitchell

Our tour is creature filled.
A monster bought the house next door.
Monster houses wobble, wiggle
guarding strawberry ice cream cones.

Flooey Bagookie!
well-fed monster
They laughed and hugged each friend
"Let's go monsters! We are free!"

A monster needs quiet.
I go to the green cave and listen for the monster's song
during long, lonely hours.
There is a monster in me called sadness.

It flies through the air
with leathery wings
O monster child.

Today's word is monster! Check out the padlet poem...it's a doubt monster. https://padlet.com/mitchellhubeimom/word-bwfgg0bqmjhf62fd/wish/2511088208

Words to Fall Back On

Hello Friends,

I'm sharing this post for Spiritual Journey Thursday and Poetry Friday. 

Thank you to Karen Eastland for the SJT prompt, 'Words to fall back on.' And, Tanita Davis at 'Fiction Instead of Lies' for hosting this week's poetry round-up.

Additionally, on the first Friday of the month, my critique group, Inklings, shares a challenge set by a member of our group. This month's poem challenge is from Margaret who asked us to:

https://grateful.org/resource/crossing/?mc_cid=1b81b5b8ef&mc_eid=360b5653b7

My response...words to fall back on

Life Work

Trust the process and trust again.

Trust is learning, even if only a little.

Trust the process, even if it hurts.

I can be an athlete training, stretching more

each day. I can be a bull, obstinate and angry

seeing red. I can tear at the cape, ready

to gore the wind that fills it.

But either way, I move. I move to understand,

I move to see, seeking truth, a truth that proves I am. I am a process too.

Linda Mitchell
March 1, 2023

To see more Spiritual Journey posts, visit this month's host, Karen, at Karen's got a Blog.

For other Inkling takes on exploring anaphora:

Margaret
Catherine
Heidi
Molly
Mary Lee

The word on the padlet this week is idea...as in...I have no idea who created that print I took a photo of in the Jepsom Center at the Savannah Art Museum several years ago. 
https://padlet.com/mitchellhubeimom/word-bwfgg0bqmjhf62fd/wish/2497777390