Hello Poets,
It's December -- Wow! How did that happen so fast?
The Inklings challenge this month comes from Molly.
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| luc bat |
I found rhyming before the end of a line a challenge.
Poets,
I'm grateful to this community of writers and readers. I always want to write much more than I do. Life has a way of keeping that from happening. But, Poetry Friday gives me a weekly goal of writing something worth sharing...even if only in draft form. It is a good habit and I thank you for being my accountability partner.
Our friend, Ruth, is hosting this week's round-up from her far away corner of the world. I'm thankful for that. This long weekend has been important for me to catch up on many things.
Last week, Ruth asked us to consider surprises.
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| Linda Mitchell 11.25.23 |
No Surprise Triolet
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| Linda Mitchell 11.25.23 |
The word on Word's padlet is now...simple, small, and, sincere.
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| Happy Thanksgiving 2023 |
How is Folktale Week going for you?
I've been squeezing time into life outside of work to read and think about fairy tales. I've enjoyed some old tales from this book in the public domain.
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| https://publicdomainreview.org/collection/old-french-fairytales-illustrated-by-virginia-frances-sterrett-1920/ |
Why do we humans love fairytales so much? Poet Zaro Weils says,
"For a well-told tale is the universal expression of imaginative communication, something which we humans = the great species of communicators - not just need, but are compelled to share...what greater goal can there be than to attract our young charges into a universe where we can sit together around the fire...lighting up ideas."
I love how shorter days and cooler nights nudge me to turn inward. These old stories are good company.
Some pantoum play from my Folk Tale Week morning writes.
Irene Latham is hosting our round-up this week on her blog, Live Your Poem. Don't miss stopping by her post for lots of poetry goodness.
Hello Poets,
I hope US friends can find a veteran to salute in some way today. I'm grateful that on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month of 1918 nations of our world chose peace over war.
Next week, November 13 - 19th is Folktale Week. This is a week of prompts presented to artists around the globe to respond to. Although Folktale Week began with illustrators, artists of all forms and formats are invited to participate.
This year's prompts are...
Lost
Ink
Sea
Sleep
Underground
Illusion
Found
I'm hoping to have some fun with these words over the next week. Maybe you'll join in too?
I was poking around for fairytale poems and found a poem inside this poem by Edith Weaver.
Lost Cinderella
By Edith Weaver
Little rich girl, with bells,
come running lightly as
the fawn of the fairytales
treading on musical leaves;
come running through the precious path
in the hypnotic forest
where nothing dares fall into a clutter of death
till you are past,
where the wind stands straight as an elm
to offer fringed shelter
and pale blossoms smile through an atmosphere
glossy as water.
The wolves and the witches will not deign
to lift their muzzles
from counting a spoil of screaming bone
to taste a tinkerbell
and your fortunate body has no skeleton
but cakes and perfume
that wrinkles the noses of neighboring children
who do not know you
but primly wait in the summerhouse
for the promised party
side by side with a council of solemn dolls
who try you in memory.
Do you see the pink highlighted words of a poem I found inside Weaver's poem? It's a great way to get into the vibe of Folktale Week.
Thank you, Karen Edminsten, for hosting this week's round-up. I've caught up with Word's padlet. Still on track for 52 word poems in 2023.
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| Little Red Riding Hood. [United States: publisher not transcribed] Photograph. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, <www.loc.gov/item/2018695236/>. |
Alphabet Soup Anyone?
Maybe. This post is serving double duty for Spiritual Journey Thursday (SJT) and Poetry Friday (PF). I'll be away from writing --at the Virginia Association of School Librarians (VAASL) when you read this.
School librarians are good people. Like busy professionals in many areas, they're juggling a lot more than the basics these days. My annual state conference is a place of renewal. I slow down to listen to my colleagues and discuss what's going on in my professional life. I gain energy for the work by attending.
I try to give back as well. I've chaired the signage committee for a few years. This year, I'm in charge of bringing the snacks for Thursday's 'Snack Break with Vendors.' Raising four kids prepared me to buy snacks for hundreds. lol.
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| Just waiting on the Ritz Bitz! (Please ignore hubby's side of the garage in the background) |
Can you believe it's November already! This month is my turn to challenge the Inklings with a poem prompt.
Write a prose piece–find a poem in it.
I didn't intend to write a poem that also had to do with Spiritual Journey Thursday. Frankly, I'm pressed for time (see above) and was looking for a quick and easy poem to post. Mary Lee recently shared a super cool prompt she got from Padrig O'Touma's blog. I thought I'd give it a try. By the time I was finished, I realized that this routine renews me each day. I need time to write, time to poem to feel whole and healthy.
The prose inspiration for this poem came from journal writing:
Read more Inkling takes on this prompt at: Reflections on the Teche Reading to the Core My Juicy Little Universe Nix the Comfort Zone A(noth)er Year of Reading