Poetry Friday - Heartbreak

  It's Poetry Friday, and Tabatha Yeasts is hosting HERE on her blog, The Opposite of Indifference. No matter what other wonderful words she posts, I know I'll love the quote at the top! Thanks for hosting, Tabatha!

created by Linda M.

        I thought I was writing to the prompt by the Poetry Sisters this last Friday in February, but alas, until I looked again, I thought they had said "love poems" and evidently did not read it all. They said "epistolary love poems". Yikes! Don't tell my former students that I didn't read "ALL" the instructions. I have no time to do more. Here is what I have this week.

        In my first year of teaching first grade, I had a call from a concerned parent. Remember, no internet, etc. Just a call to ask for a conference. I tried to imagine what the issue was. Her child was a great student and doing well. Well, what she was worried about is that her son had told her he was in love with me and was going to marry me when he grew up. She had to tell him that I was already married and he was so, so sad. It did all work out and we talked, had a lovely rest of the year. I'm sure he's grown up now with a wife and family. It was a wake-up call for me that I would be asked to help with all kinds of problems as a teacher, not just teaching reading and math.

my pic

          

Johnny Loved Miss Jones, His Teacher

 

Johnny was smitten the first day of school.

Upset, he soon learned there was a rule

that six-year-olds needed to grow up first.

He really thought his heart would burst.

Miss Jones could never be his date.

Sad Johnny had to wait and wait.

Throughout his schooling, he kept in mind

this first heartbreak, and, now resigned,

he searched and found a new love true.

To all the memories, he said “adieu”.

This time, grown up, he found a match:

she taught first grade, a perfect catch.

Linda Baie ©

      I host next week's Poetry Friday. March is Denver's snowiest month, but also 

welcomes spring and Daylight Savings Time! Are you wishing anything special for 

March? 

#PoetryFriday - Those Other Memories

  

Thanks to Cathy Mere for hosting today at her blog, Merely Day by Day HERE!  

         I'm sorry I missed Michelle K.'s hosting last week. I was upset by the Michigan shooting and I wrote, yet couldn't bring myself to post.

         

          I was on a school overnight trip to California when we heard the news about the Columbine massacre. It was so hard to tell the students, some of which we then discovered had friends who had been killed. We held our own memorial for them all one evening. It was not enough to erase the sadness but it was so needed. I remember when a colleague came to me and whispered about Sandy Hook. I remember when my daughter called me about the Aurora theater shooting. More recently, the news told me about the Stem shooting in Highlands Ranch, Stoneman Douglas, King Soopers in Boulder. Of course, we all know now that one more happened a bit more than a week ago in Michigan. I haven't listed them all, have I? You will have your own remembering from your own home, sad to write.

          It is with continued sadness I write this Friday, yet I also remember good things, too. There is much goodness in my life and I am grateful. However, I also do remember all these tragedies and others and will do all I am able to make changes. 

          Instead of being outraged in the "after", I believe we should be outraged in the "before"!

Those Other Memories

 

I don’t want to remember;

I mustn’t forget.

The world wonders about our

feeble fascination with guns.

If only there came an answer 

when words spew,

and outrage shouts,

“Do something! Make this go away!”

that did not mean

people running

to buy more!

 

              Linda Baie ©

Poetry Friday - Take A Side

       It's Poetry Friday, it's Juneteenth. Tricia Stohr-Hunt at The Miss Rumphius Effect is our host today, sharing a personal Golden Shovel poem from a line by T.S. Eliot. Be sure to read her post and all the others who are sharing their poetry this week.

       Our Governor Jared Polis, Colorado, will sign a sweeping police reform bill this important Friday, some of the most comprehensive legislation passed since the death of George Floyd on May 25th. I am proud that he and our legislature has acted so quickly. More is needed, and I have faith it will come. I am participating in one neighborhood protest but know that is only my beginning of change.

          While reading differing news articles and opinions this week, I came across a line that stuck. Sometimes it's challenging to figure out the why of things, but this one led to a poem. I am sad to learn more of what has been happening that I have not been aware of as a white person through the years, sad that it happened, sad that I was ignorant of things like policies I thought were good, but ones that only served to keep black people and other people of color from their own successes, well-deserved, but so little acknowledged. I want to learn, no matter how hard it might be. This line (my title) shows the beginning of my learning, but the poem reflects the more recent sorrow.

All Sides Are Slippery

days and days

(this is the upside part)

hundreds march

carry broadsides

alongside each other

outside on streets

sometimes bridges

also highways

all together for one side

or so imagined 

until people beside them

threw things

that made them cough 

and their eyes water,

therein lies an upside 

and a downside

no one has stopped

even marching in the countryside

yet more have died

this lingering lopsided world

makes my heart hurt

inside

sidestepping continues 

on most real issues

sidelining big needs

tearing away the underside

of breath

Linda Baie ©

Poetry Friday - Sharing a Joy-filled Number

            Poetry Friday's party today is at Michelle Heidenrich Barnes' Today's Little Ditty. She has a special guest this week, Nikki Grimes, who is sharing about her new book, Southwest Sunrise, a gorgeous picture book illustrated by Wendell Minor. 


       

        I love life's serendipity. Even in this topsy-turvy world in which we now live, it happens. Irene Latham's recent poetry book published last month is titled Nine, A Book of Nonet Poems, illustrated by Amy Huntington. And, my granddaughter Imogene's birthday is July 29th, when she will be, you guessed it, NINE! Shh! Don't tell anyone that this book will be one of her birthday gifts!

           I was quite excited when I heard about Irene's new book coming out. Can you tell? So I'd like to share some of it with you in a "nine-ish" kind of way. Here are NINE things that I love about this new book: 

1. It's emotional! Read the poems about a runt cat perhaps using up its 'Nine Lives' but being saved at last "as small hands reach, cuddle" or read "The Little Rock Nine" that remembers those brave children who arrived ready to integrate an all-white school where they symbolize "One more brick toward/equality," After, you'll know how much Irene cares about all parts of life!
2. It's divergent! Irene has created poems that cover topics from "Dreaming with Pluto" to "Game Night". 
3. It's frivolous! Irene takes a step back from more concrete topics to celebrate "The Poem on Page 9" - "No/poem/dazzle-shines/like this one!" And, Amy Huntington's double-page spread illustration demonstrates that frivolity with a diverse crowd gathered together by a star-studded nine.
4. It shows potential! As readers read Irene's poems and enjoy Amy's imaginative pictures, they will begin to remember their own favorite numbers, perhaps begin writing a favorite number book of their own?
5. It's connected! A favorite number + poem topics of science and history + art make a grand circle of friends. The poem "Apollo 9" integrates all the areas: "Spider and Gumdrop floated in space–"
6. It's addictive! Amy takes one poem, the "Nine-Banded Armadillo" which "dances by moonlight" and places a tiny armadillo somewhere on nearly every page. I loved this added attraction and couldn't stop looking for it after I noticed.
7. It's fictional! One can imagine a place called "Cloud Nine" and Irene's words do that for readers: "Like a bubble, you rise and rise".
8. It's scholarly! The poem, "Nonagon" defines a shape new to readers, "Almost a decagon,/but not. Can you picture it?" The illustrations show that shape in a nest, sweetly home to robins and their babies.
9. It's marvelous! With examples above, the fact that Irene has written nineteen nonets for this new book and Amy has included a thread throughout that follows a sister (turning nine) and her younger brother through all the nines defines a grand adventure indeed!

         Did you notice all my adjectives are nine letters? I think I've become a "nine" fan.

         At the beginning, the nonet poem form is explained and then accompanied by its own poem! Also, Irene includes notes at the back giving some extra information about the subjects of each poem! 

          Congratulations, Irene, for this new and exciting book!

Poetry Friday - All Month Birthday Celebrating!

It's Poetry Friday, final week of February, here with Karen Edmisten at The Blog With The Shockingly Clever Title.  Karen is sharing a beautiful poem by Jane Hirshfield that will start your weekend with heart!














             February is Laura Shovan's birthday month celebration. In a group together, for a lot of years, some of us have been writing to a daily prompt. This year, each chose a date and posted a picture connected somehow to "water", our daily inspiration for a poem. As I think everyone would say, it's fun, a challenge, and some poems certainly are better than others to each of us personally. Perhaps it's because the picture really did bring inspiration or a memory from our lives? Perhaps we just wanted to try a new poem form? Laura's even posted a page for us to share a poem form! However the day goes, I've managed a poem for each day, so far. I'm not pleased with all, revision calls! But there are a few that are my favorites. Here are two!
            Thanks, Laura, I hope you've had a marvelous birthday month. This group writing feels like icing on a cake!

This picture, which I don't have permission to share, but think you can imagine a river in winter, banks snow-covered, trees bare, from Ruth Lehrer.

The Prescription

R ancor  (which often sends me reeling)

E ases    (what I have been feeling) 

F ollow   (trails of a river’s path)

L uminous  (sights remove the wrath)

E arth.  (a blessed gift for all)

C alm   (if I only heed the call)

T ransition (occurs when walking free)

I ntimate   (whispering with the trees)

O blation  (gift offered – water born)

N eeded.   (now no more forlorn)

                                           Linda Baie ©

Here is the picture from number two, of Kay McGriff's husband on a river crew. She wrote that her group has collected trash from this river for fifteen years!  

Liege Lord Earth

Not wooing Lady Fairs with sash,

this courageous knight is wooing trash.

Canoe glides o’er his favorite stream,

gathering tires, nightmare, not dream.

His task accomplished, honor soared –

 “Order of the Bath”, a just reward.

Yes, I imagined this short story,

no knights here, but there is glory.

For a cleaner world, we need to fight

all should mimic this good knight.

                                  Linda Baie ©

      I guess you might say I love nature and want to help preserve it! Spring is coming!

Poetry Friday - BOO!

            Catherine Flynn at her blog, Reading to the Core, hosts today on Poetry Friday. She's sharing a poem that comforts and celebrating gratitude, a post like a hug! Thanks, Catherine!

             This is quick but fun. I'll try to read everyone's and comment when I can. I'm excited and thrilled to be headed to Highlights on Saturday to work with Rebecca Kai Dotlich and Georgia Heard for a poetry week, AND to re-connect with a few poets I've met there before! I come home, then fly to visit my grandson for parents' weekend at his college. Thus, I won't post until the day "after" Halloween!





          There is a street a few blocks from me that we call Halloween Street. For some of you on social media with me, you know I share photos from there all during this month. Many of the houses do some kind of decorating, but there are three whose creativity is amazing. Some things are the same every year, but most rearrange or add to what they have stored until OCTOBER! Here is one favorite and a poem I've shared with students in the past and still love. It is both haunting and sweet, perfect for a spooky October 31st.

Halloween

                 Mac Hammond

The butcher knife goes in, first, at the top
And carves out the round stemmed lid,
The hole of which allows the hand to go 
In to pull the gooey mess inside, out -
The walls scooped clean with a spoon.
A grim design decided on, that afternoon,
The eyes are the first to go,
Isosceles or trapezoid, the square nose,
The down-turned mouth with three
Hideous teeth and, sometimes,
Round ears.        

                                Read the rest HERE, on Poetry 180.

Poetry Friday - Celebrating "Dear Poet" - Charles Ghigna

Carol Varsalona at Beyond LiteracyLink hosts today's Poetry Friday. She's sharing beautiful words and images as we move away from summer. Thanks, Carol, for the lovely goodbyes.

And thanks, today, to Resource Publications (Wipf and Stock Publishers) for a copy of this new book of poetry by Charles Ghigna. 

I intended to gather a few books I love of Charles' work and take a picture of the poetry fun I've enjoyed through the years, but now I realize that I have none of them because they now live at my granddaughters' house. This time of year, I See Fall, Oh My!, Pumpkin Pie, and Halloween Night are the ones on my mind, but choose a topic or a season and you will probably discover a book from Charles' long list of published books.

I often used words "about" poetry when my class wrote. I had poetry and prose groups early in the year in order to lay some foundations of writing so that students had choices when they wrote, either fiction or non-fiction. One favorite:

 An Historic Moment
                          William J. Harris

The man said,
after inventing poetry, 
"WOW!"
and did a full somersault.

           I'm doing a somersault over this new book!

              I read this new book, Dear Poet, Notes to a Young Writer, and then I read it again, wishing I had had it for my students. I certainly will share it with former colleagues! 

              It's a quiet song, inspiring writers with short reflections, according to the introduction from Charles and shown in the subtitle "A Poetic Journey into the Creative Process for Readers, Writers, Artists, & Dreamers". 

             I loved how the poems begin with words of advice, but words that allow readers to ponder their own responses, too, then write. There are some "Do nots. . ." but answered with the counterpoint of what "to do". A focus is writing from self: "Let the mirror/of your eyes/fill the page." along with writing truth. And one poem speaks that truth: "There is no/need/for the poet.//"There is only/need/for the poem."
             Advice to get it out, "Get it all out on paper", trust, question, created in brief words that when I read them, felt like loud cheers. A favorite, some words I will keep close: 

"Each writer's block

is not a rock.

It is a stepping stone."

             Toward the end, the actual defining of poems themselves feels like true celebrations, sparkling images that may help poets, young and old, find their own favorites or create their own. Is a poem "whispers made of thunder", something that "opens up an eye" or "a moon, a star,/a glimpse of who you are." What do you think?

             Thank you, Charles, for a wonderful book, which while it says "for young writers", will inspire everyone.

Poetry Friday - Daily Gift

          Elizabeth Steinglass hosts our Poetry Friday today, celebrating J. Patrick Lewis' The Poetry of Us and her poem about her menorah for Hanukkah. Thanks for hosting, Liz!

         Mary Lee Hahn, A Year of Reading, has again challenged us to write a haiku each day in December, this time to the hashtag #haikuforhope. In this ever-busy month, to take a few moments in contemplation and craft something that, to me, captures that time is a pleasure and a December gift. Thank you, Mary Lee, for this daily gift. Everyone is welcome to join in!

Here are the days of December thus far, including one for tomorrow:

Dec. 1 - 

after the snow

sun melt on the pavement –

rabbit sips

Dec. 2 - 

morning migration,

even geese fly

where grass is greener

Dec. 3 -

the morning’s quiet house –

only pages turning

Dec. 4 - 

morning freeze –

squirrels a no-show

even for peanuts

Dec. 5

shivering cold,

winter shock–

I miss raking leaves

Dec. 6

sky’s promise

of wonder to come –

crescent moon  

Dec. 7

#haikuforhope

winter advice

for plants and humans –

no surprise

Linda Baie ©

Poetry Friday - Re-visiting A Favorite

            Mary Lee Hahn at A Year of Reading hosts this first Poetry Friday in August. She's sharing a "blitz" poem you must read aloud! It feels rather like a poetic rap, meant to be heard! Thanks, Mary Lee! 
           I know many are beginning their prep for the school year. Summer lingers but cicadas are singing. . . 

        
      I love being outside, am a city dweller so mostly have to appreciate the green space around me, the many parks nearby. When I truly am in the wild, I yearn to stay. This wish goes unfulfilled, the staying, but I'm re-visiting Robert Newton Peck's Bee Tree and Other Stuff, thought I'd share. I started gathering Peck's books a long time ago, was sad when I learned he had passed at the end of May.

 

"Peck ends his introduction with these words: Looking back, I reckon I took a hearty harvest from the earth, as a farmer. As a poet, I share with you this bounty."

Poetry Friday - Homecoming

            Catherine Flynn at Reading to the Core hosts this final Poetry Friday in July. The cicadas have arrived here in Denver already. Can autumn already be on its way? Catherine is prepping for autumn by sharing the new poetry book, Great Friends, by Sylvia Vardell and Janet Wong, poems for reading during morning announcements in school. And she's giving away three copies! Thanks, Catherine!

        The last time I posted on Friday was when I was anticipating our family trip to Costa Rica. We have gone; we have returned. The trip was wonderful. I shared many pictures on Instagram and Facebook, but won't do a travel slideshow here, promise. I did seem to lean to water and sunset pics along with family, no surprise when the ocean is near. Here is one response after return.

the view from our house

beautiful art on one building, color reigns

This Place Came Home With Me

I brought the gritty sand that clings -

rough to the hand while sweeping 

out the luggage -

and one olive shell tumbling ’cross the floor.

In the evening quiet,

I hear the ocean’s roar,

and the pool’s splash,

smile at being paid in sand dollars.

The squirrels in my trees

turn into monkeys, 

staring, stretching for higher branches.

Inside my eyelids, colors pass,

bright, bold art - 

sky and people created.

I packed the hugs, too,

top pocket of my bag,

brimful when arriving home.

Linda Baie © All Rights Reserved

      I would have brought the lovely people we met, but they wanted to stay! They will star in another poem, I think.

Poetry Friday - Anticipation

           Poetry Friday, with Sylvia Vardell at Poetry for Children this week! She, with Janet Wong, are celebrating a new poetry book for school leaders, helping them greet the day. It's Great Morning! Poems for School Leaders to Read Aloud and it, like all the other books from Sylvia and Janet, is filled with poets you know and their poems this time for the best greetings to the day. Thanks, Sylvia for hosting, and both of you for this new book.


      
           My family and I leave for Costa Rica on Saturday! I'll try to visit as many posts as possible but may not make it to all this time.        
          Here's a poem of anticipation.

Mapping Vacation

I consider the photos

with inviting ocean blues, 

Note the azure view! --

a roadmap to the days away
chooses me,

echoing sea waves of the past,

chasing a burst of family time

signaling days called slow.

Anticipate!

Anticipate!

It’s nearly time to go.

Linda Baie © All Rights Reserved

The Personal Response to Art - "World Make Way"

          Poetry Friday is flashing today at Jama's Alphabet Soup with the birdbird of happiness, Jama Rattigan! Thanks, Jama, for helping our appetites grow for tasty food and beautiful art, fabulous books and the sweetest of animals. 

         Though I haven't written many ekphrastic poems, I do love what others do when writing about the art they are viewing, art that they love. Diane Mayr at Random Noodling wrote cheritas to art by women artists this past April, Irene Latham at Live Your Poem wrote  to art from the Harlem Renaissance and often poets share some new poem they've written or discovered about a piece of art for Poetry Friday. This year, for Laura Shovan's birthday month, a large group signed up to share a piece of art they own for all of us in the group to respond to. You can read about her plan here. I posted a few of the poems I wrote here. It was special to read the depth of the poems written and the varied responses to each piece of art. After all, this was a daily exercise, not easy to write beautiful words so quickly! Here is the piece I shared and the intro to it: This is a pencil drawing from one of my grandfathers who went to art school briefly before having to return to the family farm while his brother served in WWI. He said this was by one of his teachers. Over 25 wrote a poem response. 

          I tried a prose poem to this, my own response!  

Long Ago Life

       When I was young, after World War II, I lived with my maternal grandparents. We had flush toilets then, but others did not, nor running water. The war meant sacrifices of more than people. Grandma had those luxuries but washed the clothes in big tubs. Grandpa dumped the wash water on his garden, nothing wasted. I remember handing her clothespins as she hung the clothes on the line. My uncles came home from the war, midst celebration for them, grief for my father, who did not. They held a party with distant family finding enough gas to make the journey to welcome them home. People hugged me and my uncles a lot, ate, laughed, and cried. The first thing one uncle did was borrow Grandpa’s truck and take it to the nearby bigger town, brought back a wringer washer for Grandma. She sat down on the sofa and cried and cried. I didn’t understand. It seemed like a wonderful thing to me.

#NPM18 - 27/30 #Poetry Friday -

April is #NPM18 - National Poetry Month.

"Wanted: a needle swift enough to sew this poem into a blanket."

 ~Charles Simic

           

         Be sure to see the page on the bar above for the Progressive Poem's schedule of poets, hosted by Irene Latham at Live Your Poem.  And Irene is also our host today for Poetry Friday, sharing a bit more about her April Artspeak poems, how she has approached it, etc. Thanks, Irene, for this wonderful tradition and for hosting this final April Friday for poetry!

        And, see what many others are doing for Poetry Month, by looking HERE at Jama Rattigan's post at Jama's Alphabet Soup.
          

              My goal for Poetry Month: A haiku diary that may include other forms related to haiku, like haibun, haiga. monoku or renga. My first poem speaks of why I am handwriting the poems.

April’s garden,

growing poems 

on lined pages

                    Linda Baie

links:

       Poem one

       Poem two

       Poem three 

       Poem Four

       Poem Five
       Poem Six  

       Poem Seven

       Poem Eight 

       Poem Nine 

       Poem Ten
      Poem Eleven
      Poem Twelve
      Poem Thirteen
      Poem Fourteen
      Poem Fifteen
      Poem Sixteen 
      Poem Seventeen
      Poem Eighteen
      Poem Nineteen
      Poem Twenty
      Poem Twenty-One
      Poem Twenty-Two
      Poem Twenty-Three
      Poem Twenty-Four
      Poem Twenty-Five
      Poem Twenty-Six

         I know, I know, Karla Kuskin said to "Write about a radish. . ." but still I often am inspired to write about that fabulous thing in the sky, coming round every month, helping me know one thing that's dependable. The moon is full this coming Sunday, the Full Pink Moon or the full Sprouting Grass Moon, the Egg Moon and the Fish Moon, take your pick. I watch for the moon each month, I've 'moon-journaled' with students, seen more than one lunar eclipse and more than one moon landing, on television, yes, but still awesome. It's the just-right time to write, the final Poetry Friday in April, three more days of my diary and how could I not include our moon!
         And then, on Wednesday, from David Gerard, the haiku guy, this arrived: 

Buddha's Fourth Month
Eighth Day...
red flowers

1818

.御仏のう月八日や赤い花
mi-hotoke no uzuki yôka ya akai hana

Uzuki means, literally, "Rabbit Moon" or "Rabbit Month." The Rabbit is the fourth zodiac sign and the name of the fourth lunar month. Gautama Buddha's birthday is celebrated on the Eighth Day of Fourth Month.

This poem Twenty-Seven is meant to be: