Thursday, March 23, 2017

Poetry Friday & #Sol17 - 24/31 - New Morning


Number twenty-four of thirty-one, over two-thirds through the month of the Two Writing Teachers March Challenge.

And today, celebrate Poetry Friday with 
Catherine Flynn at Reading To The Core who's our lovely host. This time she's sharing a new book by Kwame Alexander, Chris Colderley and Marjory Wentworth, illustrations by Ekua Holmes. The title is Out of Wonder: Poems Celebrating Poets. Be sure to read her post about it and then visit others who are sharing poetry too.


       I've mentioned the weather in my posts more than once these past months. We've had unusually warm and dry weather, and although we live in a semi-arid climate, we've set records this year for the lack of moisture. But, our news is that a storm is actually moving in and I'm supposed to wake up to snow or rain and cold. It'll certainly be a differently-dressed me tomorrow! Here's a poem I wrote about this kind of day.





New Morning

The sky stretches like a cat,
opens the day in a mood,
you know, that mood that says,
“Go! Hide under the covers.”

Raindrops pounce dry lawns
and bounce on quivering puddles.
I miss that splash of pink across the sky,
timed to wake the squirrels from softest slumber
and twist their dreams into milky sunshine.

This morning, gray clouds hush us all.
First fragments of the day melt,
twirling and swirling together.
The minutes so quickly wash away.

       Linda Baie © All Rights Reserved

56 comments:

  1. Lovely poem, beautiful thoughts. Did you know we don't have squirrels on Kauai, or in Hawaii for that matter. Enjoy spring.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Joy. No, I didn't know. They are in the rodent family, so wonder why they haven't sneaked over on a ship? Perhaps they aren't native to coastal areas, either. We have several species here, one on the flat and the other in the mountains.

      Delete
  2. "This morning, gray clouds hush us all." Hoping your gray clouds will result in some significant moisture for your region.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Ramona, the clouds have moved in, and it's blowing hard. We'll see. I'm wishing it was just rain.

      Delete
    2. Thanks for this lovely poem Linda! I love your middle three lines,
      "I miss that splash of pink across the sky,
      timed to wake the squirrels from softest slumber
      and twist their dreams into milky sunshine."
      –It would be lovely to paint this image . . . Hope the storm is gentle there and passes quickly.

      Delete
    3. Thanks, Michelle, and I imagine your painting would be wonderful. I woke this morning with dots of snow, but still raining. Hurray!

      Delete
  3. Oh, I love the imagery of raindrops pouncing and bouncing - I had to walk to work this morning without an umbrella, and the raindrops were certainly pouncing on me from above!

    ReplyDelete
  4. I could go for hiding under the covers today! LOL My daughter is home sick, we have a meeting at my son's school and it's my other's son's birthday party! Ahhh!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh no, the perfect storm! Hope the day makes good changes as you move along!

      Delete
  5. Dear Linda, I esp. love the word choice of "pounce" because it is so unexpected for rain and brings us back to the cat. :) Beautiful. Thank you!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You're welcome, Irene. It was kind of a celebration to write, so wonderful to have the moisture!

      Delete
  6. My friends out in Burlington are positively GIDDY to have thunder/lightning/rain today! Your poem captures the feelings!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, the storm has moved east. It was a treasure. They even say there's more to come in the weeks ahead. Firefighters will be happy too! Thanks, Mary Lee.

      Delete
  7. What a beautiful poem, so many evocative images. Love your first line especially; such a surprising metaphor that introduced even more delight to come.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Jama. It is one that shows what's most welcome today.

      Delete
  8. There are so many beautiful lines in this, Linda! I love it.
    "The minutes so quickly wash away" - They sure do!
    Just so you know, some words were used from a poem on your post to use in the new Scavenger Hunt today! http://mainelywrite.blogspot.com/2017/03/poetry-friday.html

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Donna. No, I didn't know, exciting that you did another hunt! I am working my way through posts before I pick up Ingrid! Will get there I'm sure.

      Delete
  9. We are expecting rain tomorrow, just in time to set up our backyard wedding. It's supposed to move through and clear by party time. I will need to replay your poem to calm me. Usually I love quiet rainy mornings. Your stretched out cat metaphor works well for the mood.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh, I certainly don't wish rain for you tomorrow, Margaret. Happy to hear that it will move on! Have a wonderful and loving time.

      Delete
  10. Lovely poem about the rain storm coming. I like the description/line, "Go, hide under the covers." It is beautiful to watch weather fronts come in, I think.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Maureen. I could see the clouds come in yesterday evening, but no rain/snow until later after bedtime.

      Delete
  11. The sky stretching like a cat....is so, so, so perfect. Thank you. What a beautiful SOL. You are finishing the month strong, girl!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Linda. We have so much blue sky that when the fronts do come in it reminded me of that big stretch.

      Delete
  12. How could I not love, "The sky stretches like a cat". Great visual images. I like the reference to the old adage, "red sky in morning, sailor take warning."

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I've read enough about the sea to know they really did take that seriously. Yesterday here, however was all blue, then clouds rolled in after dinner. Thank you!

      Delete
    2. Linda, I absolutely love "The sky stretches like a cat,
      opens the day in a mood," Wow! Wonderful sensory language in your poem. Gorgeous work!

      Delete
    3. Thank you, Linda. It was a new way to think about this.

      Delete
  13. Oh, I am such a cat person. I especially have read the first stanza several times.
    They do get "in a mood." Appreciations for making me think of the gray sky in a new way.

    Wishing you sunny sky views, soon.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. We are supposed to have a few other rain storms coming which is wonderful, but sunny skies will be back too. Thank you Jan, love hearing that you are a cat person!

      Delete
  14. Clever how you used a cat and then in the next stanza used the word pounce. Effective pairing of poem and photo. I hope you get some rain. Meanwhile we are getting more snow. Sigh.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Our ground is wet, and those further south (& higher) got a lot of snow! Thanks, Barbara.

      Delete
  15. "This morning, gray clouds hush us all" - I love waking to mornings like this, Linda! I enjoy the break from too much sunshine (and desert heat). Glad you got some much needed moisture. =)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, the ground is wet and I imagine all plants smiling. I know that you know what I mean, we like those gray days too.

      Delete
  16. Linda, I witnessed the rain pouncing in like you say. I love the imagery in this poem.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Lots of action in this poem, Linda! Nice ending, too. We only had about five minutes of rain today -- just a quick splash.

    ReplyDelete
  18. I have read your poem over and over, Linda - such a delight! That first stanza, though, sets the stage for the delight to come so expertly.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Tara, sometimes the welcome for something is an inspiration!

      Delete
  19. Linda, your poem is wonderful. I love that first line, and the pouncing and bouncing raindrops. Glad you got some needed rain. We're supposed to have quite a bit in the coming days. I'm hoping it will wash away the last of the snow!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I guess this storm is on its way east to you, Catherine. Thanks, and again, for hosting.

      Delete
  20. Vivid imagery. I especially like "Raindrops pounce dry lawns / and bounce on quivering puddles./ I miss that splash of pink across the sky,..." Using the verbs pounce and bounce for raindrops followed by the noun splash in "splash of pink" for the sun rise is a lovely play on words.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Alice, it was fun to write because I was so ready to welcome this scene!

      Delete
  21. Stay warm and safe and cozy, Linda! Your opening lines brought Sandburg's fog/cat feet to mind and made me smile. :0)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you! I am wrapped again in my warm and soft robe, reading comments and blogs and enjoying that it is Friday!

      Delete
  22. Lovely poem--even though most mornings I long for sunshine to wake me, your poem brings out the beauty of even gray days.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Kay. I like the sunshine too, and that's what we have most of the time, but this was a nice gift of moisture!

      Delete
  23. "The minutes so quickly wash away" yet this poem celebrates the joy of it. You have captured that early morning slowness that is suddenly whipped away. Love this on so many levels.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, I'm glad you noticed that line. It's what I meant. All of a sudden, the morning light and sweetness is gone!

      Delete
  24. Yes, I know that mood all too well! I love all the layers in this poem.

    ReplyDelete
  25. Your poem sounds like such a beautiful morning!

    ReplyDelete
  26. Wishing you a good book as you hide under the covers! I love your poem.

    ReplyDelete
  27. Thanks Ruth and Dori, the sun came back, now today, Sunday, we may have a little rain again. Back under those covers!

    ReplyDelete
  28. “Go! Hide under the covers.” I know that mood well! Very nice, Linda.

    ReplyDelete

Thanks for visiting!