In this final month of the year, our challenge was to write a poem of gratitude in any form. I've been pondering favorite lines of poetry and using them to write my own poems, so today I'm sharing a golden shovel that uses a line from "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock" by T.S. Eliot.
A Golden Shovel for My Poetry Sisters
This is beyond me, myself, and I.
We are friends who have
been tested and measured
by all that life can throw at us. Out
of affection and gratitude for my
sisters, I declare that this life
would not be the same with-
out you. I am the tea to your coffee,
you are the forks to my spoons.
Poem ©Tricia Stohr-Hunt, 2019. All rights reserved.
You can read the poems written by my poetry sisters at the links below.
Tanita Davis
Sara Lewis Holmes
Rebecca Holmes
Kelly Ramsdell
Laura Purdie Salas
Liz Garton Scanlon
Andi Sibley
I do hope you'll take some time to check out all the wonderful poetic things being shared and collected today by Tanita Davis at fiction, instead of lies. Happy poetry Friday friends!
Friday, December 06, 2019
Friday, November 01, 2019
Poetry Sisters Write Villanelles
This month Tanita set the challenge to write a villanelle on a wintry topic. We had the added requirement of including a pair of words (or homonyms thereof) from the following eleven: bleak, draft, gutter, chill, chime, glitter, gust, harsh, rime, nip, thaw.
The villanelle is a nineteen-line poem with two repeating rhymes and two refrains. It is made up of five tercets and a quatrain. The rhyme scheme is aba aba aba aba aba abaa. The 1st and 3rd lines from the first stanza are alternately repeated so that the 1st line becomes the last line in the second stanza, and the 3rd line becomes the last line in the third stanza and so on. The last two lines of the poem are lines 1 and 3 respectively.
The villanelle is a nineteen-line poem with two repeating rhymes and two refrains. It is made up of five tercets and a quatrain. The rhyme scheme is aba aba aba aba aba abaa. The 1st and 3rd lines from the first stanza are alternately repeated so that the 1st line becomes the last line in the second stanza, and the 3rd line becomes the last line in the third stanza and so on. The last two lines of the poem are lines 1 and 3 respectively.
As much as I love winter, I tend to get the blues from December through February. I started thinking about the coming season, the snow projections (more than usual for VA), the prospect of indoor recess, the early placement of Christmas items (before Halloween!), and a number of other ideas. Once I started writing, I realized I'd chosen an odd end word for the "a" rhyme, which made choosing words a bit challenging, but the poem finally came together. Here's what I came up with.
December's Discontent
December’s onset brings a discontent
a case of blues that lingers into spring
when winter’s snow and chill will not relent
Short days a coda to the heart’s lament
it’s fall’s crisp days to which we madly cling
when December brings a discontent
As autumn turns to winter we resent
the doldrums of the months that clip our wings
when winter’s snow and chill will not relent
The house is bleak, the family in dissent
for cabin fever leads to arguing
December’s onset brings a discontent
Time outdoors brings nothing but torment
as ice and wind assault the cheeks and sting
when winter’s snow and chill will not relent
But we'll hunker by the fire, breathe in its scent
and dream of early thaw and blossoms crowning
December’s onset brings a discontent
when winter’s snow and chill will not relent
Poem ©Tricia Stohr-Hunt, 2019. All rights reserved.a case of blues that lingers into spring
when winter’s snow and chill will not relent
Short days a coda to the heart’s lament
it’s fall’s crisp days to which we madly cling
when December brings a discontent
As autumn turns to winter we resent
the doldrums of the months that clip our wings
when winter’s snow and chill will not relent
The house is bleak, the family in dissent
for cabin fever leads to arguing
December’s onset brings a discontent
Time outdoors brings nothing but torment
as ice and wind assault the cheeks and sting
when winter’s snow and chill will not relent
But we'll hunker by the fire, breathe in its scent
and dream of early thaw and blossoms crowning
December’s onset brings a discontent
when winter’s snow and chill will not relent
You can read the poems written by my poetry sisters at the links below. Kelly and Andi are both on the mend, so we'll welcome their return when they're both feeling better.
- Tanita Davis
- Sara Lewis Holmes
- Rebecca Holmes
- Laura Purdie Salas
- Liz Garton Scanlon
Friday, October 04, 2019
Poetry Sisters Write Pastoral Poems
Rebecca set this month's challenge to write a poem in the pastoral mode. We could choose the form and topic, so this one was wide open. Rebecca shared an excerpt from one of my "go to" books on form, The Making of a Poem: A Norton Anthology of Poetic Forms. I also found Poetry 101: What Is a Pastoral Poem? to be particularly helpful. Here is an excerpt:
On Retirement In a Tiny House
In dreams I Marie Kondo my life
pack what remains into a tiny house
built from reclaimed barn wood
and church windows
(indoor plumbing be damned)
I put down roots in my very own Walden
find solitude in a wildflower meadow
just beside a copse of trees
or shallow, vernal pool
a bucolic spot to loiter through the seasons
my only neighbors the birds and wild creatures
No television, phone, or radio to distract
from the serenading of the hooting owl,
chirping cricket, chittering squirrel
I've all the time in the world
to tend a garden
read books
write poems
walk and wander and wonder
grateful and thrilled to be alive
Poem ©Tricia Stohr-Hunt, 2019. All rights reserved.
What is the Purpose of a Pastoral Poem?
An overriding, defining theme of pastoral poems is the idea of an idealized vision of country life, in which humans live simply and in harmony with nature. Other common themes and motifs that characterize the pastoral mode include:It was hard to live up to some of these motifs, but I gave it a shot. I have been scribbling random lines of poetry all over my field notes this week. I'm not sure I have a finished poem, but the idea here is to be brave and share our drafts. Here's mine.
- A beautiful, natural setting
- Shepherds as central characters (who are often used as vehicles for political or religious allegory)
- Religious allegory in pastoral poetry is aided by the common association between Christianity and shepherds/flocks of sheep
- The trope of a return to an idealized Golden Age, when humans lived in complete harmony with nature
- Focus on imagined life in the country, rather than reality
- The working belief that country life is superior to urban life
On Retirement In a Tiny House
In dreams I Marie Kondo my life
pack what remains into a tiny house
built from reclaimed barn wood
and church windows
(indoor plumbing be damned)
I put down roots in my very own Walden
find solitude in a wildflower meadow
just beside a copse of trees
or shallow, vernal pool
a bucolic spot to loiter through the seasons
my only neighbors the birds and wild creatures
No television, phone, or radio to distract
from the serenading of the hooting owl,
chirping cricket, chittering squirrel
I've all the time in the world
to tend a garden
read books
write poems
walk and wander and wonder
grateful and thrilled to be alive
You can read the pieces written by my Poetry Sisters at the links below.
- Tanita Davis
- Rebecca Holmes
- Sara Lewis Holmes
- Kelly Ramsdell
- Laura Purdie Salas
- Liz Garton Scanlon
- Andi Sibley
Sunday, September 08, 2019
Poetry Sisters Get Herpetological
Laura set this month's challenge to write a "poem comparing something with a snake — some snake pairing you think has never been done before! 8 lines or less."
Hmmmmm ... my brain has been on overload since I started my sabbatical in earnest 3 weeks ago. I'm going to blame it for my inability to follow the rules in any meaningful way. I did however come up with something that is a close tangent.
What a Herpetologist Sees
That lamp cord, that shoelace,
that bathrobe waist tie,
some pasta just rolled up
jet trails in the sky
Anguiform, serpentine
shapes all around
each place that I look
snakes simply abound
Poem ©Tricia Stohr-Hunt, 2019. All rights reserved.
Hmmmmm ... my brain has been on overload since I started my sabbatical in earnest 3 weeks ago. I'm going to blame it for my inability to follow the rules in any meaningful way. I did however come up with something that is a close tangent.
What a Herpetologist Sees
That lamp cord, that shoelace,
that bathrobe waist tie,
some pasta just rolled up
jet trails in the sky
Anguiform, serpentine
shapes all around
each place that I look
snakes simply abound
Poem ©Tricia Stohr-Hunt, 2019. All rights reserved.
You can read the pieces written by my Poetry Sisters at the links below. Kelly will be back with us next time.
I do hope you'll take some time to check out all the wonderful poetic things being shared and collected by Sylvia Vardell at Poetry for Children. Happy poetry Friday friends!
Friday, August 23, 2019
Poetry Friday - #DearOneLBH
Today I'm sharing a poem that includes a line from a Lee Bennett Hopkins poem and is inspired by the man himself. He is so very missed.
The line I chose is "He opened the door." It is the first line from the poem entitled Librarian, found in the book School People. Here is that poem.
And here is mine.
Always Opening Doors
He opened the door
to the magic of words
of word play
of metaphor
of poetry
He was pure poetry
He opened the door
for writers of rhythm
writers of rhyme
writers of nature
of space and of time
He was pure poetry
He opened the door
for teachers
for children
for young and for old
for the love of a poem
and the joy that it holds
Lee opened the door
Poem ©Tricia Stohr-Hunt, 2019. All rights reserved.
And here is mine.
Always Opening Doors
He opened the door
to the magic of words
of word play
of metaphor
of poetry
He was pure poetry
He opened the door
for writers of rhythm
writers of rhyme
writers of nature
of space and of time
He was pure poetry
He opened the door
for teachers
for children
for young and for old
for the love of a poem
and the joy that it holds
Lee opened the door
Poem ©Tricia Stohr-Hunt, 2019. All rights reserved.
I do hope you'll take some time to check out all the wonderful poetic things being shared and collected by Amy Ludwig VanDerwater at The Poem Farm. Happy poetry Friday friends!
Saturday, August 03, 2019
Poetry Sisters At It Again with Ekphrastic Poems
This month the challenge was to write to one of three photos Sara shared with us. Here's the photo I chose and a few of the poems I scratched out.
Street Art, along the waterfront, Tel-Aviv
Photo by Sara Lewis Holmes
Poem ©Tricia Stohr-Hunt, 2019. All rights reserved.
Street Art, along the waterfront, Tel-Aviv
Photo by Sara Lewis Holmes
13 Ways of Learning This Landscape
I.
open your heart
open your mind
II.
rely on all your senses
what do you see?
what do you hear?
what do you smell?
III.
start with the sky
the blue
the white
the spaces in-between
IV.
notice the dark
the light
the rising
the setting
the moon and the sun
V.
lower your eyes
to the horizon
where lines blur
VI.
see what rises
out of the landscape
tall and imposing
VII.
admire flora
and fauna
earth and water
VIII.
take your shoes off
sink your feet in the sand
dip your toes in the water
IX.
shift your view
to what man has made
take it in from
every angle
X.
find structures of
concrete and metal
barbed wire
XI.
look for color
for movement
for light
XII.
find it not among
the buildings
but on their sides
XIII.
birds take wing
street art bringing
hope to life
I.
open your heart
open your mind
II.
rely on all your senses
what do you see?
what do you hear?
what do you smell?
III.
start with the sky
the blue
the white
the spaces in-between
IV.
notice the dark
the light
the rising
the setting
the moon and the sun
V.
lower your eyes
to the horizon
where lines blur
VI.
see what rises
out of the landscape
tall and imposing
VII.
admire flora
and fauna
earth and water
VIII.
take your shoes off
sink your feet in the sand
dip your toes in the water
IX.
shift your view
to what man has made
take it in from
every angle
X.
find structures of
concrete and metal
barbed wire
XI.
look for color
for movement
for light
XII.
find it not among
the buildings
but on their sides
XIII.
birds take wing
street art bringing
hope to life
Poem ©Tricia Stohr-Hunt, 2019. All rights reserved.
You can read the pieces written by my Poetry Sisters at the links below.
I do hope you'll take some time to check out all the wonderful poetic things being shared and collected by Heidi Mordhorst at my juicy little universe. Happy poetry Friday friends!Thursday, July 04, 2019
Poetry Friday and Triolets
Welcome! Poetry Friday is here today. It's also the first Friday of the month and that means the Poetry Sisters are sharing poems for a new challenge. This month we were charged with writing triolets with heat as a theme.
A triolet is an 8-line poem that uses only two rhymes throughout. Additionally, the first line is repeated in the fourth and seventh lines, while the second line is repeated in the final line. Because of this, only five different poetic lines are written. The rhyme scheme for a triolet is ABaAabAB (where capital letters stand for repeated lines).
My poem was inspired by a memory of my grandmother and the realization that I was complaining and just needed to buck up and do my work. While writing it, I was also reminded of a letter my grandmother wrote to my father during the war. (One page is pictured below.)
Poem ©Tricia Stohr-Hunt, 2019. All rights reserved.
***************
Original Poems
At A Journey Through the Pages, Kay shares an original poem entitled Lady Liberty.
Kimberly Hutmacher shares a poem she wrote for a clunker swap (cool idea!). It is entitled Be Changed, Be You.
Molly Hogan shares a "little love song to oatmeal" in her poem entitled Oatmeal.
Linda Baie shares a poem entitled Looking Long. It was inspired by the exhortations of a John Moffitt poem that says "If you would know that thing/You must look at it long."
Michelle Kogan is sharing an acrostic poem for the 4th of July reflecting on American values. She's also sharing "The New Colossus" by Emma Lazarus.
Amy Ludwig VanDerwater is sharing her poem "For A Little While" in the new anthology I Am Someone Else.
Carol Varsalona is reflecting on nature the part it plays in her writing life. She shares some digipoetry and a cherita.
Matt Forrest Esenwine shares a tanka in the form of photo poem. What a lovely window box!
Irene Latham is sharing a number of poems she's written, inspired by LOST WORDS>
Inspired by the word feldgang, Margaret Simon wrote a poem while looking out her kitchen window.
Heidi Mordhorst is cleaning out, going through papers, and sharing some original poems from childhood.
Mary Lee Hahn is showing off her fence beautification project and her poem entitled The Choice is Yours.
Cheriee Weichel is writing about her family history and sharing these inspired poems. Today's poem is entitled Crossing.
Jone MacCulloch is sharing a lovely haiga/haiku.
Poems of Others
Tabatha Yeatts is sharing the poems of Christine Potter and Cambra Koczkur, two poets writing about current events.
Catherine Flynn is honoring her dad and sharing the poem High Flight by John Magee.
Ruth is sharing a lovely collection of thoughts and poems on and by Donald Hall.
Sylvia Vardell is is asking poets to share poems that did not end up in a published collection. One such poem and an interview with Janet Wong are highlighted today.
Little Willow is sharing song lyrics from the Duncan Sheik song She Runs Away.
Poetry Projects and Exchanges
Linda Mitchell is showing off some of the incredible poetry swap goodies she has received.
Talking Poetry and Writing
Michelle Heidenrich Barnes is kicking off a new series of reader highlights. Today she's spotlighting Linda Mitchell, who also set the ditty challenge for the month.
Poetry Books and Other Inspirations
Carol is sharing a review of Kate Messner's middle grade novel, Breakout, where one of the main characters uses mentor poets to write her own poems.
Myra from Gathering Books is sharing thoughts about the collection Standing Female Nude: Poems by Carol Ann Duffy.
Robyn Hood Black shares a link to her artsyletters Summer Letter. There are so many fun things in it. Do stop by for a visit.
A triolet is an 8-line poem that uses only two rhymes throughout. Additionally, the first line is repeated in the fourth and seventh lines, while the second line is repeated in the final line. Because of this, only five different poetic lines are written. The rhyme scheme for a triolet is ABaAabAB (where capital letters stand for repeated lines).
My poem was inspired by a memory of my grandmother and the realization that I was complaining and just needed to buck up and do my work. While writing it, I was also reminded of a letter my grandmother wrote to my father during the war. (One page is pictured below.)
If you can't read it, the portion at the beginning says:
We are having lots of fun trying to get butter, so far we have had enough, & now Truman says we have to tighten up our belts, so we can feed the other countries, & we are going to have to eat dark bread, so there was a flour scare on & Sat. I went shopping in the Star Market & the people in there it was just like a mad house & no flour.
So, that's a long introduction to my poem, which isn't really about heat, but uses the word.
Grandma Quoted Truman
Grandma quoted Truman in times of trial
"If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen."
Would tell tales of Depression and war, if you'd just sit a while
Grandma quoted Truman in times of trial
Made my worries seem so juvenile
I think of her words when I feel like bitchin'
Grandma quoted Truman in times of trial
"If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen."
You can read the pieces written by my Poetry Sisters at the links below. (I won't be adding them again to the round-up below, so be sure to visit them!)
- Tanita Davis
- Rebecca Holmes
- Sara Lewis Holmes
- Kelly Ramsdell
- Laura Purdie Salas
- Liz Garton Scanlon
- Andi Sibley
***************
Original Poems
At A Journey Through the Pages, Kay shares an original poem entitled Lady Liberty.
Kimberly Hutmacher shares a poem she wrote for a clunker swap (cool idea!). It is entitled Be Changed, Be You.
Molly Hogan shares a "little love song to oatmeal" in her poem entitled Oatmeal.
Linda Baie shares a poem entitled Looking Long. It was inspired by the exhortations of a John Moffitt poem that says "If you would know that thing/You must look at it long."
Michelle Kogan is sharing an acrostic poem for the 4th of July reflecting on American values. She's also sharing "The New Colossus" by Emma Lazarus.
Amy Ludwig VanDerwater is sharing her poem "For A Little While" in the new anthology I Am Someone Else.
Carol Varsalona is reflecting on nature the part it plays in her writing life. She shares some digipoetry and a cherita.
Matt Forrest Esenwine shares a tanka in the form of photo poem. What a lovely window box!
Irene Latham is sharing a number of poems she's written, inspired by LOST WORDS>
Inspired by the word feldgang, Margaret Simon wrote a poem while looking out her kitchen window.
Heidi Mordhorst is cleaning out, going through papers, and sharing some original poems from childhood.
Mary Lee Hahn is showing off her fence beautification project and her poem entitled The Choice is Yours.
Cheriee Weichel is writing about her family history and sharing these inspired poems. Today's poem is entitled Crossing.
Jone MacCulloch is sharing a lovely haiga/haiku.
Tabatha Yeatts is sharing the poems of Christine Potter and Cambra Koczkur, two poets writing about current events.
Catherine Flynn is honoring her dad and sharing the poem High Flight by John Magee.
Ruth is sharing a lovely collection of thoughts and poems on and by Donald Hall.
Sylvia Vardell is is asking poets to share poems that did not end up in a published collection. One such poem and an interview with Janet Wong are highlighted today.
Little Willow is sharing song lyrics from the Duncan Sheik song She Runs Away.
Poetry Projects and Exchanges
Linda Mitchell is showing off some of the incredible poetry swap goodies she has received.
Talking Poetry and Writing
Michelle Heidenrich Barnes is kicking off a new series of reader highlights. Today she's spotlighting Linda Mitchell, who also set the ditty challenge for the month.
Poetry Books and Other Inspirations
Carol is sharing a review of Kate Messner's middle grade novel, Breakout, where one of the main characters uses mentor poets to write her own poems.
Myra from Gathering Books is sharing thoughts about the collection Standing Female Nude: Poems by Carol Ann Duffy.
Robyn Hood Black shares a link to her artsyletters Summer Letter. There are so many fun things in it. Do stop by for a visit.
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