Imagine the Possibilities

I just spent four glorious days at the Highlights Foundation soaking in the goodness of poetry from Irene Latham and Charles Waters in their workshop Poetry for Kids: A World of Publishing Possibilities. One of the activities we did was to perform an original poem. Talk about taking me out of my comfort zone!

I searched through my files and found one that I originally wrote as part of an April poetry project back in 2020. At that time I was writing along with Amy Ludwig VanDerwater whose project she called “Poems Can.” Each day Amy chose a theme – like Poems Can Tell a Story, or Poems Can Go Down the Page. Then she’d roll three word dice. The words could inspire the poem or be used in the poem. On this particular day the theme was “Poems Can Rhyme” and the words were dilemma, there, and a blank (wild card). All the poems I was writing that month were about the trail where I walk, so I thought about “dilemma” and came up with “At the Crossroads.” I’ll spare you the video of my performance, and just share the poem:

At the Crossroads

Should I turn to the right
where the daffodils bloom
where the pear trees are bursting
with buds and perfume?

Or should I choose to go left
where a snake could be hiding
where I might meet a muskrat
or spot a hawk gliding?

Today I’m adventurous
curious
bold—
I’ll walk straight ahead
where I just might find gold.
Draft, 2023RoseCappelli

Photo by Einar Storsul on Unsplash

Karen has the roundup today here. Be sure to stop by for thoughts from Ted Kooser and lots more poetry goodness.

It’s Poetry Friday! Thanks for stopping by.

You know you’re a poet when you stop to watch deer playing in a field and jot down a few lines in the corner of your bluebird monitoring notebook.

In Spring

three deer jump and jive
frolic near bluebird boxes
in search of new friends
Draft, 2023RoseCappelli

The gardens at Longwood are in full bloom with spring blossoms in shades of pink and violet, blue and yellow. After checking the bird boxes, I took some time to walk the gardens, breathing in the scents and taking in all the beauty. I happened to find this cinquain among the poems I created and posted here last year with the same title as above.

In Spring

tulip
bulbs buried deep
poke through winter white
stitch a patchwork quilt of color
in spring
Draft, 2022RoseCappelli

Jone has today’s round up here. be sure to stop by for some beautiful found poetry from classic literature of all kinds and lots more poetry goodness.

Thanks for reading!

Welcome to Poetry Friday and National Poetry Month!

April is such a wonderful time to enjoy nature, spring, and always poetry. For the past few years I’ve embarked on a poetry project for April and shared some of it here. This year’s project is a little different. In 2022 one of my writing goals was to write a picture book in verse—a series of poems that would tell the story. Think Dear Treefrog by Joyce Sidman and Diana Sudyka. I had an old picture book manuscript that needed a makeover and tried several times to rewrite it as a series of poems. It never quite worked, but I decided to try again. But this time, instead of focusing on the plot and story, I’m exploring more with the characters and just letting things unfold. The pressure is off and although I feel more productive, I’m not ready to share any of it yet.

So, today I’m sharing a poem I wrote this week in response to a photo from Margaret Simon on This Photo Wants To Be a Poem. When I was little I was one of those kids who always found ways to hop-skip-jump through things like lines on the sidewalk or patches of violets in the grass. So that’s where Margaret’s photo took me.

It’s fitting that Margaret has the roundup today at Reflections on the Teche. There you can find lots of poetry goodness as well as the next line in this year’s Progressive Poem. And for those who celebrate, may you have a joyous Easter filled with family fun.

Today is not only Poetry Friday, but it’s also the last day of March. I’ve been trying to write short poems, mostly haiku, as part of my daily writing routine. It’s been fun finding places where a poem is hiding, waiting to be written. Sometimes it’s just everyday things, like cooking or something new I experience, but often I turn to nature where poems are easy to find. I’m closing out the month with three haiku inspired by the natural world.

Greeting (from 3/6)
early morning
full moon glows through bare-branched trees
late winter wonder
Draft, 2023RoseCappelli

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Saving Daylight (from 3/12)
sun paints the sky pink
moon lingers for one last look
time springs forward
Draft, 2023RoseCappelli

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Hello Hellebores (from 3/9)
with dead leaves stripped away
hellebores lift their faces
celebrating spring
Draft, 2023RoseCappelli

Mary Lee has the round up today at A(nother) Year of Reading. Be sure to stop by for lots of poetry goodness. I’m hoping to find inspiration for an April poetry project!