Imagine the Possibilities

There is no time for despair, no place for self-pity, no need for silence, no room for fear. We speak, we write, we do language. That is how civilizations heal.
-Toni Morrison

This isn’t the post I was expecting to write. Numb. Shell-shocked. Devastated. These are all adjectives I’ve heard to describe the feelings many of us have this week. I have them, too. On Wednesday I wanted to scream and cry, but I also wanted to write. It is often through writing that we can begin to understand.

On her post for This Photo Wats to Be a Poem, Margaret invited small poems in response to a photo of votive candles in a church. Inspired by her words, I wrote, then reworked a poem about hope I had written during the pandemic. That day I also had a conversation with my cello teacher (who also happens to be a writer). All that inspiration and all those ideas joined together in my poem for today.

Aftermath

In the shadow of what came to be
may we find comfort in
the warmth of the sun,
the glow of the moon,
the laughter of children,
the song of the wren.
And may we move forward
planting love, not hate,
growing truth, not lies,
sowing hope, not fear.
Draft, 2024RoseCappelli

Thanks for stopping by today. Cathy has the round up today at Merely Day by Day. Be sure to stop by for lots of poetry goodness.

Welcome to Poetry Friday!

“Goats have a special capacity for friendship and companionship both to humans and each other. They form inseparable friendships while foraging during the heat of the sun, or snuggled close to each other at night.” – Andre Harvey (1941-2018), American Sculptor

I’ve written many times about the beauty of Longwood Gardens, but I don’t think I ever wrote about Chloe and Lucinda, two goats sculpted in bronze that reside in a small area of the Gardens. When I walk through the gardens, I often find myself stopping by to admire them and soak up their energy. They were sculpted by Andre Harvey, a local artist who was inspired by his childhood growing up in a rural area of southeastern Pennsylvania. I love their simplicity and the way they express such kindness and love for each other.

Yesterday Chloe and Lucinda inspired me to write this triolet. I have a few friends who are going through difficult times right now, so I dedicate this poem to them.

Two Friends

Kindness and love from two special friends
cast in bronze, part of my heart.
Weighing life struggles and need for amends,
kindness and love from two special friends.
Thoughts dispersed like light that bends
lifting spirits, worries depart.
Kindness and love from two special friends
cast in bronze, part of my heart.
Draft, 2024RoseCappelli

Carol has the round up today at Beyond LiteracyLink where she invites readers to relax and reflect in autumn’s splendor. Be sure to stop by for lots of poetry goodness.

Welcome to Poetry Friday!

October is possibly my most favorite month of the year – we’re deep into fall where nature puts on her best dress, the promise of holiday get-togethers hangs in the air, and I get to celebrate many birthdays (including my own!).

So, it’s not surprising that I turned to October when crafting this week’s poem for the Nevermores. Brooke challenged us to write a poem that leans into short vowel sounds. As a teacher, I spent a great deal of time sharing books with students for craft and structure, and In November by Cynthia Rylant and Jill Kastner immediately came to mind as a mentor text. The ideas came first, with some intention as to the sounds of the words I was using. Then came revision, especially with word choice. This exercise stretched me to think of other words to create an image and to attend to the melody I was creating.

In October

In October
a crescent moon winks through undressed willows.
With snips and clips
I ready the garden for winter,
listening to diminished birdsong.

In October
the last lantana blossoms welcome visitors,
pumpkins spill from baskets.
I watch squirrels scurry to gather
winter weather snacks.

In October
low light lingers as shadows shroud the mums,
crickets have finished gossiping.
I dig in the rich soil of summer
to plant the promise of spring.
Draft, RoseCappelli2024

Matt has the round up today at Radio, Rhythm, & Rhyme where he is sharing a number of poetry anthologies to look forward to. Be sure to stop by for lots of poetry goodness.

Thanks for stopping by!

It’s Poetry Friday!

I have seasons on my mind today for a couple of reasons. First of all, I was honored to get a request from a music teacher in Virginia to set my poem, “Winter Red,” to music for her 5th and 6th grade chorus. Her concert theme is colors across the seasons, and being unable to find an appropriate song for winter, she turned to poetry. An internet search brought up my poem shared here in 2023.

I also resurrected a poem about the seasons that I turned into a picture book. I first wrote it back in 2019 but haven’t worked on it for about two years. That’s when I had the privilege of attending a Highlights workshop with our incredible host for today, Irene Latham, and the wonderful Charles Waters. Irene’s suggestions helped me tremendously, and I continue to see new possibilities.

Lastly, it was my turn to offer a prompt to my poetry group, the Nevermores. I suggested we write 4×4 poems which I first learned about here from Poetry Friday friends Margaret Simon and Denise Krebs. Turns out I wrote a 4×4 poem about transitioning from summer to fall for Poetry Friday in 2021. Can you see all those wonderful connections to Poetry Friday? Thank you all for being such a supportive community and sharing your love of words.

For those of you unfamiliar with 4×4 poetry, the rules are:
4 syllables in each line
4 lines in each stanza
4 stanzas
4 times repeating a refrain line – line 1 in the first stanza, line 2 in the second, and so on.

Warm Days, Cool Nights

warm days, cool nights
flowers wilting
earth is tilting
away from sun

leaves languishing
warm days, cool nights
blushing orange
red and yellow

pesky squirrels
raid the feeders
warm days, cool nights
meant for stashing

seasons changing
time to harvest
plumping pumpkins
warm days, cool nights

Irene has the roundup today at Live Your Poem where she is giving us a peek at The Mistakes That Made Us available this week and a poem about a “little fawn made of twigs and moonspots” (sigh!). Be sure to stop by for lots of poetry goodness.