Welcome to Poetry Friday!
Since it’s almost April, I’ve been thinking about a poetry project for the month. Although I write a lot of free verse, I also enjoy the challenge of a form. Sometimes it’s just enough to spark an idea or provide some needed structure. I recently used the cherita to write a small poem for Vivian Kirkfield’s 50 precious words contest. It felt like the perfect structure for a small story with a beginning, middle, and end.
The Turned Around Day
Jenny started the day on the wrong side of morning.
She barked at her brother.
She growled at her mother.
But with walks in the sunshine and songs from the wrens,
cuddles and snuggles and smiles from her friends,
Jenny ended the day on the right side of night.
Draft, RoseCappelli2025
So, I decided to spend April writing cheritas. And, last week on Poetry Friday Jone Rush MacCulloch talked about using the Verse of Ages Poetry Prompts for her April project. I thought it would be fun to use a specific word as a prompt. Word + Cherita = A Poem a Day for April.
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The hellebores are beautifully blooming outside my front window. My April poetry project in 2022 was flowers from A to Z. I wrote a poem about a flower for every letter of the alphabet. H was for Hellebore.
Hellebores
I want to create
a garden of hellebores—
a bouquet of muted purple and rose
nodding shyly,
allowing me to turn up their faces
as I would that of a child.
I want to create
a garden of gentle awakening.
Draft, RoseCappelli2022
Photo is from Brecks.com
Marcie has the roundup today here where she shares some upcoming celebrations of her book, One Step Forward, as well as her poetry plans for April. Be sure to stop by for lots of poetry goodness.
Imagine the Possibilities 
Cheritas served me well in 2023! I look forward to yours in April! (My hellebores are blooming like gangbusters right now!!)
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Thanks, Mary Lee!
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A garden of gentle awakening… so lovely! I love Lenten roses too…one thing I can grow successfully in my very shady yard! And yay for cheritas! I remember Mary Lee’s cycle of cheritas, too. You’re gonna have fun…and so will we. thank you! xo
p.s. love wrong side of morning /right side of night!
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Thanks, Irene!
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Hellebores are just starting to bud here in Wisconsin. My neighbor has a whole gorgeous hillside full. I have one old plant and two more recent additions, and I keep peering beneath last year’s leaves to check on them. I love “with walks in the sunshine and songs from the wrens, / cuddles and snuggles and smiles from her friends,” and I think I ought to try to write a Cherita or two. Thanks!
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Lovely poem! Hellebores are so pretty — I don’t think I’ve ever seen any in person. Looking forward to your daily cheritas next month!
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Whew! Glad Jenny’s day ended better than it started. ;0) What a fun idea for April! And “a garden of gentle awakening” is just lovely. Happy Almost-Poetry-Month!
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I love that Jenny found a better day with nature, Rose! Your cherita is wonderful! And, I don’t have Hellebores, but love that you shared a poem from your flowery April in 2022.
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Enjoyed both of your poems, Rose. My wife holds a fondness for Hellebores. I shall make a point of sharing your poem with her.
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Thank you, Alan.
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Spring and cheritas have power to heal. 🙂
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Cheritas sound like the just right form for you. I love Jenny’s little story with the humorous turn of things, the wrens and the friends. I honestly don’t know if I’ve ever seen a hellebore. I don’t think they grow in the deep south.
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Hellebores are also known as Lenten Roses.
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The last line–perfection! Also, those beautiful Hellebores. Mine are gorgeous and it just makes me want to plant them everywhere! 🙂 I was recently at a nature center and they had clipped just the blooms (no stems) and put them in a bowl of water. They were floating around and it was so beautiful. I keep thinking I’ll do that, but I love seeing them outside too.
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My hellebores are doing well, despite the fact that they lost the shade when our neighbors removed some trees. I’ll have to try floating some blooms.
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I’m so glad you got me thinking about cheritas which I’ve not tried. I love, that like yours, it can tell a story. Happy NPM! Thanks for the inspiration and thanks for the photo and poem about hellebores! Definitely worth a celebration!
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Looking forward to reading your cheritas, Rose!
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Hi, Rose! I always enjoy hearing what you’re up to. I love the Hellebores poem. I could see them in my mind (as well as from your lovely photo) when I read your words. You are ambitious using both Jone’s prompts and a cherita form. I look forward to reading them.
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Thanks, Carol.
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