April - Poetry Month - Day Nine - Daydream

It's April. It's Poetry Month!

         Remember to check out the list of what everyone is doing at Jama Rattigan's blog: Jama's Alphabet Soup.

          And check on the Water Poem Project where every day, a poet is sharing a prompt connected to water, hosted and created by Laura Shovan!

Plus! Check each day for the added line to the Progressive Poem, created by Irene Latham, now hosted by Margaret Simon! The link is above and the graphic to the right!




           A leap with the theme of CIRCLES for poetry month, poems & small sketches. I am looking forward to reading everyone's posts. I'm sure I will love each one, knowing they're done during a time we've not lived before. I am worried about so many, those close and those far, my community, too. 


April 1 - haiku
April 2 - cinquain
April 3 - a couplet
April 4 - limerick
April 5 - a kyrielle
April 6 - a skinny
April 7 - quatrain

April 8 - tanka

Best wishes for continuing good health to you all!

         Years ago, my husband and I attended a church sale, a sad time as a small country church near the little town where I grew up was closing. It was selling some of its artifacts to gain money for parishioners in need, a final act of aid. We purchased a collection plate with a long handle, one that ushers pass along the pews for collection during the service. I still have it, and daydream about it, lingering on an image of a long, long handle fastened to a cavernous collection plate. My dream stretches. Could it be bottomless? It’s needed more than ever today during this crisis. I’m sure you know.

NPM19 - Day 11 - Weather Words

            Continuing with ideas from the book. This time, more weather words

             Remember to share:

Tabatha Yeatts has created a link to poems teachers and librarians can print for poetry month, titled "Poetry in The Halls". I'm grateful to be one of the poets!

Jama Rattigan has a post HERE with many poets' goals for April.

The Progressive Poem schedule can be found on the right!

Our weather changes have been drastic, have caused disruptions. Last month, that #bombcyclone, this time Wednesday into Friday, another snow storm. I attempted a prose poem this time, a memory of when I was a young teen.

Long Ago Snow

I was fourteen and we had a snow day! A sledding hill waited a few blocks behind my home, one many knew, and now many gathered for cookies and cocoa. (What a great mom I had!) and sledding. We didn’t have any snow gear, just clunky rubber boots that only repelled the moisture, so we pulled on three pairs of socks, packed flannel pajamas into our jeans, grabbed the warmest coats and two pairs of gloves. It was time to crunch over to the hill with our sleds, stuffed but warm! One group had a toboggan that would hold four and my own sled held two, sitting, or on top of one another. I loved going down that hill, roller coaster twisting and turning.  I loved being there screaming and laughing with friends, only a little afraid someone might go into the creek at the bottom (They didn't). I especially remember a friend, Tommy, who took my hand as we trudged back up the hill after one run. It was a moment I began to figure out what love might feel like. 
I also embarrassed myself that day, a day not needing to hold embarrassment. I took off running with the sled, aiming to leap onto it, belly down.  I missed the sled and slid quite a way down the hill before I stopped.  I lay still in the snowy day, mentally checking my body. I was scrapped on hands and face, not too bad.  I wouldn’t have to head home. But the real hurt was inside because I hadn’t done it right and fell off the sled. I wonder why I still remember that and why it was so important.  It was actually funny and everyone helped me up, wanted to be sure I was okay. But I remember the warmed face, embarrassed feeling—not a good thing. One answer is apparent to me now: I was fourteen, one foot in love with love and the other wanting to be a great belly-rider on the sled.  

Linda Baie © 

Celebrations Every Week

  Celebrating with Ruth Ayres at Discover Play Build.  and linking with others who share their celebrations, too. I am grateful to Ruth for helping us celebrate together!  

     I am looking forward to Tuesday, our election day. We are fortunate to have our democracy and the chance to give our opinion, yes, even in this craziest of elections. Here's a quote that may inspire: "If you think you're too small to make a difference, you haven't been in bed with a mosquito." Anita Roddick   Your vote counts!

     Halloween made a fun start for the week, although I do realize that a Monday for that day is NOT a great thing for teachers. It is a fun day, but makes a 'grin and bear it' rest of the week in school. It was a nice week, time with the grand-girls, at the bookstore, and writing feels comfortable although I feel like I have too many projects I want to work on at once! Choosing what to work on is not an easy choice at times. I did write a series of haiku about the moon, my favorite topic!

     However, today I'm celebrating a prose poem of mine published yesterday at the Silver Birch Press site. The theme called for was "my prized possession",  and the post is here. 

     And, a favorite picture from this week's visit to the Denver Nature and Science Museum with Imogene. It lies between Imi's school and my house, so it's an easy thing to stop in for an hour or so. This particular place was found as we walked from one exhibit to another, a huge empty space with this gorgeous view. We looked out for a long time, and we looked up!