Poetry Friday: Small Things

Posted on March 6, 2026 by rosecappelli

Welcome to Poetry Friday!

The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art in Amhurst, MA has long been on my bucket list of places to visit. But this week I experienced the wonder of Eric Carle at a special exhibit much closer to home. “Small Living Things: The Magical Art of Eric Carle” is currently on display at the Michener Art Museum in Doylestown, PA.

It was wonderful to wander through rooms of child-friendly displays and stand in front of Carle’s classic collages. I let his gentle words and colorful art fill me with wonder and curiosity…just like a kid. And I wasn’t at all surprised when the memories tiptoed in.

Small Things
(a small poem inspired by Eric Carle)

Spider is busy,
firefly lonely,
cricket is longing for love.
They fly crawl and hop
right into your heart
through the wonder
and the magic
of art.

Karen has the roundup today here where she offers a beautiful response to an Arthur Sze poem. Please stop by for lots of poetry goodness and inspiration.

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Poetry Friday: Advice from Chickadee

Posted on February 27, 2026 by rosecappelli

It’s Poetry Friday! Margaret has the roundup today at Reflections on the Teche where she treats us to three beautiful poems. Chickadees have been on her mind as well.

I’ve always been curious about the staying birds in winter. Cardinals, sparrows, chickadees, and others continue to gather at the feeder when the weather turns cold, but how do they stay warm? In my research for a picture book idea, I discovered that many of the birds’ strategies are similar to what we humans do when we want to stay warm. Birds huddle close, fluff their feathers to trap air like we do inside our winter coats, eat more, and hunker down. So, when the prompt this week from my poetry group, the Nevermores, was to write a poem of advice, I chose the chickadee to offer some insight on how to stay warm. Did you know chickadees have very good memories? In the fall they cache thousands of seeds and insects, then remember where each one is!

Stay Warm! Advice from Chickadee

When chilly winter winds blow through,
here’s what you can do:
Don a coat with fluffy down,
zip it to the top!
Trap air inside,
warm it up,
keep it close to you.
Find a friend (or two or three)
and build a blanket fort, or
cuddle on a chair or couch
and share some silly jokes.
Pilfer from your stash of snacks,
hunker down and then…
remember spring will bring the warm
you might be dreaming of.

I also wanted to give a shoutout to those who sent me New Year’s greetings that arrived after I posted a few weeks ago. Thanks Margaret, Diane, Tricia, Buffy, Jone, and Marcie for your lovely cards, poems, and wishes.

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Poetry Friday: Waiting for You

Posted on February 20, 2026 by rosecappelli

Welcome to Poetry Friday!

Susan Thomsen has the roundup today at Chicken Spaghetti where she shares a poem that begins with the last line of Walt Whitman’s “Song of Myself” – “I stop somewhere waiting for you.” Last week she invited poets to join her in writing a poem that also borrows this line from Whitman as a jumping off point.

Off Leash

I stop somewhere waiting for you,
then race ahead
on the well-worn path
each new scent     sound     surprise
a delight

I wander     stop
wait
wander        listen
wait
until…

I feel it see it know it –
home!

I’ll be waiting for you.
Draft, 2026RoseCappelli

Photo by Laura Roberts on Unsplash

Posted in Poems, Poetry Friday | 23 Comments

Poetry Friday: Celebrating the Lunar New Year

Posted on February 13, 2026 by rosecappelli

It’s Poetry Friday and today I’m celebrating the Chinese/Lunar New Year.

This year I participated in Poetry Friday friend Jone Rush MacCulloch’s New Year post card exchange. Thank you to all who sent me post cards. I loved the variety of form, the nod to nature, and the well wishes, optimism, and hope. This morning, after reading through all your lovely words once again, I decided to honor you with a cento of my favorite lines. I also included one from my own “The Year of the Fire Horse.” (For context, 1966 was the last year of the Fire Horse.)

The Year of the Fire Horse

In 1966, the fire horse 
galloped to the stars
to explore the moon.

It was a time
of bold moves
and brave choices.

It’s what the world needs now.
Draft, RoseCappelli2026

With thanks to Mary Lee, Mona, Denise, Gail, Tracey, Patricia, and Molly. The words in italics are the borrowed lines.

A Cento for 2026

In a year of
hopeful optimism,
where mountain becomes mirror,
may we celebrate
with petal confetti,
and fully rejoice in
the truth of a new dawn.

May we
give it all we’ve got
to find
peace.

It’s what the world needs now.
Draft, 2026RoseCappelli

The talented Robyn Hood Black has the roundup today at Life on the Deckle Edge. Be sure to stop by for lots of poetry goodness and a peek at one of her newly created journals.

Posted in Poems, Poetry Friday | 16 Comments

Poetry Friday: Winter Chill

Posted on January 30, 2026 by rosecappelli

It’s Poetry Friday!

We’re in the depths of a winter chill here in the northeast. The snow from last week’s storm is hanging around and I’m still thinking about the birds staying warm, finding food. The party at the feeders after I fill them with seed lets me know my friends are hungry. I like to think they are appreciative, too.

Thanks to Margaret and Mary Lee for their great examples of tricubes (3 stanzas, 3 lines each, 3 beats per line) on this week’s This Photo Wants to be a Poem. They inspired me to try one, too.

Feeder Frenzy

winter wind
weather wild
buried seed

cardinal
makes the call
feeder’s full

more race in
sharing space
family
Draft, 2026RoseCappelli

A cozy afternoon of bird watching is also a great time to warm up by the fire and share Laura Purdie Salas’ Flurry, Float, and Fly. Laura expertly captures the joy of a snow day while giving readers a poetic peek into the science behind a snowflake. It’s sure to be a favorite with kids and grownups alike.

Amy has the roundup today at The Poem Farm where she shares her thinking with another poetry form, the triolet. Be sure to stop by for lots of poetry goodness.

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