Poetry Friday: What do you notice?

Posted on November 13, 2026 by rosecappelli

It’s Poetry Friday! Carol has the round up today at The Apples in My Orchard where she invites us to walk with her through photos taken at Flanders Field, honoring our veterans. Be sure to stop by for lots of poetry goodness.

It seems like autumn has barely begun, and already it is almost winter. The music and decorations of the holiday season are making their mark. But nature holds treasures waiting to be discovered during this transition time. This week my poetry group, the Nevermores, was invited to respond to Mary Oliver’s “Gratitude Poem” – to walk through nature and think about what we notice, admire, and find most wonderful.

As I walked the trail and did a bit of gardening, I tried to take a deeper look, listen more carefully, and wonder more intently.

As Autumn Kisses Winter
What treasures await?

hidden homes in high branches
star-tipped balloon flower stalks
nibbled hydrangea nubs (who’s been visiting?)
ribbons of rain
a surprise thunderstorm
echoing calls of wren and sparrow
ebbing leaf glow
the scent of frosty air
a squeak of sun through a quilted sky

Look up, look down, look all around.
Each season holds the promise of the next.
Draft, RoseCappelli2026

What treasures await for you to discover?

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Poetry Friday: Stepping Out of My Comfort Zone

Posted on November 5, 2026 by rosecappelli

I’m joining Poetry Friday today from Poetry Palooza on the Boyds Mills campus with the marvelous Georgia Heard, Rebecca Kai Dotlich, Irene Latham, Charles Waters, and several Poetry Friday regulars.

Earlier in the week I opened Georgia Heard’s Heartbeats November newsletter. In it, she offered a writing invitation to describe a fall feeling in words and pictures. She used a small poem from Grant Snider as an example. I don’t consider myself an artist, and drawing is definitely out of my comfort zone, but I decided to try. Thank you, Grant, for your inspiration and examples. I relied heavily on Grant’s drawings in his book Poetry Comics to create my own.

I began by listing things I like/love about fall. One is the urge I have to light candles when the air turns crisp. Another is pulling out my favorite cozy sweaters. I’m still getting used to the end of daylight saving time, so I put all those together for my short poem.

When Daylight Saving Ends

In the gray-sky dusk,
candle glow meets the slow
of an early setting sun.
Sweater-weather cozy.
Draft, RoseCappelli2026

Joyce has the roundup today at Storied Ink. Be sure to stop by for lots of poetry goodness.

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Poetry Friday: The Moon and I

Posted on October 30, 2026 by rosecappelli

It’s Poetry Friday!

We’ve been enjoying incredible weather in my area of the northeast this past week. Plus, the full Hunter’s Moon has been a constant guest, hovering in clear skies. I go out every night to watch, mesmerized by its beauty so much that I almost can’t look away. One morning on my way to a yoga class it was still there, full and round, like a ghost of itself. And still, I couldn’t stop gazing.

My encounters with the moon this week reminded me of that time when you are just meeting a new love – you want to know everything and can’t stop looking, reaching out, stealing a soft touch. Perhaps the moon and I are lovers, I thought.

In Fall

The moon and I are lovers,
cradled in clear skies and crisp air,
caught in the embrace
of a seductive gaze,
lingering long
into the morning light.

We study each
crevice and crack,
curve and shadow
of being,

exchanging unspoken promises.

Photo from Pixabay.

Jone has the roundup today here with a special ode to candy corn. Be sure to stop by for lots of poetry goodness, and thanks for reading today.

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Poetry Friday: Harvest

Posted on October 15, 2026 by rosecappelli

It’s Poetry Friday and the round up is here!

A couple of weeks ago I participated in Poetry Friday friend Jone Rush MacCulloch’s Poetry Salon. Jone used the word “harvest” as our prompt. I started by brainstorming ideas – scents, wreaths, fruits, memories, good deeds – anything that could be harvested. What surprised me was that I not only wrote something that morning, but at other times throughout the week. Small snippets inspired by a single word and the thoughts shared by others in the community.

Harvest Memories

I light my harvest wreath candle
filling the air with scents of cinnamon and spice,
scents that call to mind

stuffing scarecrows,
carving jack-o-lanterns,
baking just-picked apples into pie
after pie after pie.

Memories harvested long ago,
tucked into my heart
for safe keeping.
Draft, RoseCappelli2026

I was also inspired by a lovely bouquet of flowers from my daughter on my birthday.

Autumn Harvest

gold meets purple in
an explosion of color
harvesting beauty
Draft, RoseCappelli2026

I hope you are harvesting something wonderful this week.

And on a more personal note:
Because October is breast cancer awareness month, and because I was recently diagnosed, I feel the need to be an advocate for early detection (part of my journey). Please remember to stay informed, ask questions, and keep up with yearly mammograms. It’s important.

Add your link below, and thanks for reading.

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Poetry Friday: Goodbye Zinnias

Posted on October 1, 2026 by rosecappelli

It’s Poetry Friday! Margaret has the roundup today at Reflections on the Teche where she shares thought-provoking poems she created by responding to the inspiration of others. Be sure to stop by to soak up her inspiring thoughts and for lots more poetry goodness.

Last weekend the northeast was walloped by a nor’eastern storm. There was a lot of damage, especially along the coast. More inland, we had a few days of wind and rain. The sun is still reluctant to make an appearance. I was sad to say an early goodbye to the zinnias who never fail to brighten my mood.

An Early Goodbye

All summer, zinnias
blossomed a rainbow garden
for butterflies, bees—
and me!

I expected their cheery blooms
to last ‘til fall’s first frost,
but that was not meant to be.

Wind and rain
proved way too much, too all-at-once.
Stems withered, blooms wilted…

until only a few remained.

This morning, zinnias
blossomed on the table,
steadfast in joy and remembrance.
Draft, RoseCappelli2026

Thanks for reading!

Posted in Poems, Poetry Friday | 15 Comments