Volunteer Zinnia

Happy Friday, Poets

Margaret has our round-up today at her blog, Reflections on the Teche. 

I find inspiration from Margaret's work. Poetry fits her life seamlessly. Whether she poems about her students, grandkids, a nearby oak tree, or the bayou...she brings us with her on her journey poetically. Thank you, friend.

The photo below is from  'This Photo Wants to be a Poem,' from Margaret's blog. Even though the purpose of the photo is to offer a quick, at-the-moment response, I like to take time with the image. The photos are any that she finds on her camera roll or on social media (shared with credit and permission).

I haven't been a consistent writer these days. I'd hoped summer would be more for writing but so much else has grabbed my time and attention. One way I ease back into writing is, to begin drafting with the words, "Today's poem is..." 

There is a new poem on WORD's padlet this week. 
It was inspired by the Teacher's Write 2023 haiku week prompts.

Poetry Friday is Here

Hello Beautiful Poets,

I'm hosting the round-up this week. I'd love for you to read my post and the posts of others and then leave a link to yours in the comment section with your link. Even though the widgets are easy, I love organizing a list of posts and links...call me old-fashioned.

• Laura Purdie Salas is grateful for the work of farmers
• Anastasia Suen's poetic hike with redwoods
• Marcie Flinchum Atkins rambles through local parks & libraries
• Robyn Hood Black reviews Welcome to the Wonder House 
• Michelle Kogan is all about Zinnias
• Alan J. Wright's poems from his marketplace
• Heidi Mordhorst with a poem from a friend at Chautauqua
• Tabatha Yeatts Lonkse with a Neruda 
• Tracey Kiff-Judson with fireflies!
• Jone McCulloch with a photo haiku
• Carol Varsalona with a shined-up clunker and more
• Irene Latham with a blue afternoon
• Rose Cappelli found poems
  
• Mary Lee Hahn Something you need to read
• Patricia Franz Summer's Middle Child
  
• Catherine Flynn Sudoku Challenge
• Alexis Ennis' found poem
• Carol Labuzzetta has gone to the woods...and wow!
  
• Molly Hogan to write about paddle boarding or to paddle?
• Joyce Ray says hello with a new bilingual book!
• Diane Anderson has a lovely moon poem

My OLW for the year is, WORD. As I've written before, I entered 2023 a bit nervous about how WORD and I would get to know each other. I worried I wouldn't find enough ideas.

Ha!

WORD is now chasing me with ideas and I'm struggling to keep up.

When I was in New York with my college buddies we did things we love that we know our partners and children don't have patience for. A visit to the Rochester Memorial Art Gallery was one of these activities. 

As I walked through the gallery finding pieces of art that slowed me down for a longer look, I started to notice that some of the pieces had words embedded in the work. Oh, WORD, you silly. You found me! 
I began taking photos of art that had words embedded and now have poems.

I call the drafts below, 'Cluster Poems.' I'm not sure if there is a proper description? If so, I'd love to know.

The art is a very small part of a full wall mural:

I'm behind on clunker writing and sharing summer poetry swap goodies...I'll catch up. Summer has been packed with wonderful hours of fun and rest and thinking. I'm allowing it all to just be. 

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There's a new WORD poem on the padlet today: https://padlet.com/mitchellhubeimom/word-bwfgg0bqmjhf62fd/wish/2644477898 

Soduko Poems

Hello Poets,

Heidi challenges us to write Soduko poems this month. Oh, my goodness...these are definitely fun and absorbing. 

Trying to get the words to complement each other in horizontal and vertical paths is a hoot!

Read this sudoku poem...can you guess where the thought started? 

This week there are TWO poems on the WORD padlet to make up for last week's miss. 

Black Swallowtail: 

Raw Caw: 

We are halfway through the year. I think that's a celebration of some sort...maybe ice cream!

For more Soduko poems check out these poets:

Margaret at Reflections on the Teche
Catherine at Reading to the Core
Heidi at My Juicy Little Universe
Molly at Nix the Comfort Zone
Mary Lee at Another Year of Reading

Thank you, Marcie Flinchum Atkins for heading up our Round-up this week! She's urging us to join her on the Sealey Challenge.

I'm hosting next week--with some clunkeroonies! See you then.

SJT July '23

Hello July,

Thank you for your warm and bright sun.

I'm not at my writing spot at the moment. I'm in western New York with a huge pile of family celebrating a 60th anniversary along with assorted birthdays, graduations, engagements, and being together. Nothing could feel more sun-kissed, God-kissed than this.

Western New York is where I grew up. And, even though I cannot imagine living there now, it holds all the special places in my heart. I love to visit ghosts when I am there. But, what I lose is the anonymity of the observer I like to be. I am one of that community -- even if it's from a long time ago. It's difficult to sit on the edge and take notes instead of having opinions about Auntie's rhubarb pie or the tax rate or donations to the Blood Memorial Library, one of my first loves.

All of this time feeds my soul. And then, I so enjoy withdrawing to reflect. I scroll through my photos to see details I never did when aiming my camera. I collect receipts to throw away from all the places on my "must visit" list: ice cream place, a gas station that makes great subs, and drug store that my family used to own.

I drive past my childhood home and feel strange that I am now a stranger to it. 

This trip is easiest for me this summer season due to my work schedule. I know there are winters of return in my future. We are all getting older. 

For now, I am soaking up the beautiful sunshine and campfire song. 

old road...new journey
no map or compass needed
I'm returning home

Western New York in July