Happy Poetry Friday!
A couple of weeks ago I was introduced to the work of Sharon Lovejoy on Jan’s Poetry Friday post at Bookseedstudio. After reading Jan’s descriptions and the excerpts she provided, I didn’t waste any time reserving Sharon Lovejoy’s books at the library.
Opening A Blessing of Toads was like entering into a different world. It was so full of beautiful writing and interesting facts. I quickly found myself jotting down phrases, garden ideas, and rereading for the pure joy of hearing wonderful words.
Since it was my turn to choose a prompt for my poetry group, and since I was inspired by Laura Purdie Salas’s response to Deep, Deep Down (Lukidis/ Velez) last week, I thought writing a response to a book or poem would be a good prompt for the group. I offer apologies to Sharon Lovejoy for borrowing a few of her words – I just couldn’t resist.
The Gardener’s Guide
(written in response to A Blessing of Toads: A Gardener’s Guide to Living with Nature by Sharon Lovejoy)
Names roll from my tongue
in a symphony of sound—
lemon verbena,
hollyhock,
heartsease,
jewelweed.
I imagine
conversing with a spider,
discovering fairies in the fushia,
collecting billowing bouquets of blossoms.
Bits of ideas scrawled on paper scraps
litter my desk
as winter marches into spring.
I’m awakened to the possibility
of mysteries to explore,
new understandings,
a renewed appreciation of nature’s gifts—
all in my own backyard.
Draft, 2023 Rose Cappelli
Carol has the round up today here where you fill find a cavalcade of postcards from Poetry Friday friends with wishes for 2023.
Thanks for reading!
Imagine the Possibilities 
Hooray for finding mysteries and understanding in our own backyard!
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So much to discover – in poetry books and our gardens! Great response to Lovejoy’s book, Rose. 🙂
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I appreciate your delight at finding treasures in words, and then to put that delight into a poem is another delight. Thank you so much for sharing this…
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Rose, Your poem lines that touched me: “I’m awakened to the possibility/of mysteries to explore. What a reflection of feeling about the wonders of life.
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I am not a gardener but I keep trying to be. I admire how the names can roll off your tongue. Your poem inspires me to keep trying.
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Rose, this is a poem that so fits your blog title, you are “Imagining the Possibilities”. I think we have some winter coming but hope it will hurry and say goodbye soon! I love that you found some joy from Ms. Lovejoy!
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You have made me even more anxious for my yard to wake up to springtime so I can tend to it and make all kinds of discoveries!
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Oh, this is lovely. All the alliteration, and the names heartsease and jewelweed…love those! It’s a gorgeous poetryaction :>)
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A lovely poem, Rose…now I need to read this book! Thank you for, ‘fairies in the fuschia.’ Love that!
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That’s actually one of the phrases I “borrowed.” It’s a chapter title in the book.
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Lovely poem. I especially like finding fairies in the fuchsia.
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Such fun things to think about and write about this time of year, Rose. Love the idea of “the possibility/of mysteries to explore.”
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Rose, your love for nature, especially the joy of flowers, shines through your words. And the lilt as I re-read your poem carried me to that last line.
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Lemon verbena … I could just say that all day — a symphony of sound indeed!
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Appreciations for this JOY, wonderful Rose.
I feel Sharon Lovejoy would enJOY your poem. I know I do.
And please accept my belated comment ~ sometimes I’m March hare late! late!
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Thanks for stopping by, Jan! ________________________________
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