'Tis a gift and gift and gift...

letter press from Tricia Stohr-Hunt

My goodness, it's Friday. 

Wow. That came quickly as did the weekend that I travel to a family reunion (today) and my son heads off to graduate school (today) and, it's the last day at school to preparing for students to arrive on Monday. Whoosh! That's life. Don't blink.

Thank you, Heidi at My Juicy Little Universe for hosting this weekend's poetry party.

I'm spoiled with the gifts of it all.

But I am happy to share.

This summer I signed up for all the poetry swaps that Tabatha offered. Again, I am rich in poetic gifts.

First, read this incredible poem by Tabatha, herself. It was tucked into a lovely packaged envelope with pretty papers that I know will soon be in my studio area. She often shares poetry of others on her blog but sheesh, this lady can write like the best of them herself. Look!

8 million people, 7 million pigeons

by Tabatha Yeatts

Rita's husband was warned when he met her

that there would be birds. Birds sleeping in the corners

of their house, birds splashing in their tub, 

feathers everywhere, 

but he joined the team, Rita says— the group of New Yorkers

who've looked into two red-ringed eyes asking for help

and reached out, crouched down, stopped traffic, 

crawled under the car, showed up late for work

to say yes.

Rita says yes to the red-tailed hawk with tar in her claws

who understands, somehow, to trust the strangers who rub 

mayonnaise in between her talons, these humans 

who love her enough to risk being so close to the small knives

of her claws and the great knife of her beak. 

Twenty birds reach this center a day, Rita says,

and half survive their calamity. Half are given treats,

dimmed lights, and quiet as they let go of this life, 

this noisy dangerous life. Rita and her team love them 

gone or love them whole, love them however 

they find them. The only rule when they are delivered here 

is that the bringer can never ask for them back. 

Wild birds will have to find you again,

bird lover, but they will, they will, they will. 

Source of inspiration: This is Love podcast, Episode 25: City Birds

Poetry Package from Tabatha Yeatts 

But wait, there's more! A whole paper-crafted wallet (swoon goes my paper lovin' heart) of poem forms. Additional papers of a quote from Naomi Shihab Nye from her practice in letter pressing (another swoon) and a poem. I think Tricia and I might be soul mates!

Oh! And, of course there was a beautiful poem by Tricia herself tucked into this package. The best part of this poem is that it is a trio of barefoot! That's my word for 2025. Fabulous!

I will be traveling this weekend...I hope I can keep up with reading posts. But who knows? I might respond a bit late as I'm taking life in.

Poetry goodies from Tricia -- I just love all of these!