It’s Poetry Friday and also my turn to add a line to this year’s Kidlit Progressive Poem. But before we get to that, I’ll share a cherita I wrote this week as part of my April poetry project. My inspiration came from the word “astonish” and the unusually cold weather.
Is It Spring?
Daffodil woke
astonished to discover
frost on its bloom.
Just some April foolery
from mother nature
before sun smiles.
Draft, RoseCappelli2025
The progressive poem originated in 2012 through the efforts of Irene Latham who passed it on to Margaret Simon in 2020. That’s about the time I started participating. Poets who want to join in sign up for a day to add a line to the poem. They copy the poem onto their blog, add their line making comments on their process if they like, then pass it to the next poet. The topic is open but should be suitable for children. It’s fun because no one knows where the poem is headed. Sometimes a pattern is detected early on and followed, but there are always surprises.
The poem, as I see it so far, calls on the reader to experience spring through heightened senses. It hints of artistic expression through the use of strong verbs. I decided to keep that going, as well as the structure of the quatrain. Admittedly, I played a little with the meter. Here’s what we have with my line added in bold:
Open an April window
let sunlight paint the air
stippling every dogwood
dappling daffodils with flair
Race to the garden
where woodpeckers drum
as hummingbirds thrum
in the blossoming Sweetgum.
Sing as you set up the easels
dabble in the paints
echo the colors of lilacs and phlox
Now it’s Fran’s turn at Lit Bits and Pieces.
Here are the contributors for the month:
April 1 Linda Mitchell at A Word Edgewise
April 2 Tricia at The Miss Rumphius Effect
April 3 Robyn at Life on the Deckle Edge
April 4 Donna Smith at Mainely Write
April 5 Denise at https://mrsdkrebs.edublogs.org/
April 6 Buffy at http://www.buffysilverman.com/blog
April 7 Jone at https://www.jonerushmacculloch.com/
April 8 Janice Scully at Salt City Verse
April 9 Tabatha at https://tabathayeatts.blogspot.com/
April 10 Marcie at Marcie Flinchum Atkins
April 11 Rose at Imagine the Possibilities | Rose’s Blog
April 12 Fran Haley at Lit Bits and Pieces
April 13 Cathy Stenquist
April 14 Janet Fagel at Mainly Write
April 15 Carol Varsalona at Beyond LiteracyLink
April 16 Amy Ludwig VanDerwater at The Poem Farm
April 17 Kim Johnson at Common Threads
April 18 Margaret at Reflections on the Teche
April 19 Ramona at Pleasures from the Page
April 20 Mary Lee at A(nother) Year of Reading
April 21 Tanita at TanitasDavis.com
April 22 Patricia Franz
April 23 Ruth at There’s No Such Thing as a Godforsaken Town
April 24 Linda Kulp Trout at http://lindakulptrout.blogspot.com
April 25 Heidi Mordhorst at My Juicy Little Universe
April 26 Michelle Kogan at: https://moreart4all.wordpress.com/
April 27 Linda Baie at Teacher Dance
April 28 Pamela Ross at Words in Flight
April 29 Diane Davis at Starting Again in Poetry
April 30 April Halprin Wayland at Teaching Authors
Irene has the round up today at Live Your Poem. Be sure to stop by for another taste of spring and lots of poetry goodness, and thanks for reading.
Imagine the Possibilities 
Pingback: Poetry Friday: I Remember | Reflections on the Teche
I love the colors of lilacs and phlox. I wonder if this quatrain will rhyme? That darn April foolery shocking the daffodil.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Such a lovely spring portrait this progressive poem is becoming! It’s always such fun to see it unfold…thank you for giving us that astonished daffodil, too! xo
LikeLiked by 1 person
There have been so many things I’ve been astonished to discover lately, Rose. I wish they were all as beautiful as your poem. xo
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, Laura.
LikeLike
The progressive poem is turning into a spring extravaganza! Thank you for hosting, and for sharing your cherita!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Fun April foolery! Glad it’s only temporary . . . all of you are painting such a pretty spring canvas. Lilacs and phlox, so lovely.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Not only do you have a good verb there, but some great nouns too! I love “lilacs and phlox.”
And yipes about image of daffodils with frost! I’m in California, but I’ve been hearing about this elusive Spring from family on the East Coast.
LikeLiked by 1 person
It’s definitely been a strange spring.
LikeLike
You daffodil poem with frost reminds me of earlier this week when the ones outside my window were a bit frosty. Thankfully, they seemed to have recovered. I’m enjoying the progressive poem and you line makes a lovely addition.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh, love the introduction of phlox here! And your cherita made me smile — poor confused daffodil. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Rose, thank you for this thoughtful addition. I want to paint echoing the colors of lilacs and phlox. Beautiful!
LikeLike
Thanks, Denise!
LikeLike
Lilacs and phlox! Two of my favorites. And, from a Rose! Thanks for the colorful addition.
LikeLike
Rose, I love the personification, voice, and ending “sun smiles” in your cherita. Love your word choice echo, continuation of /s/ sounds, and the imagery of your lilacs and phlox. In the beginning of April, we had snow two days in a row.
LikeLike