Imagine the Possibilities

Happy Poetry Friday!

A few weeks ago the prompt in my poetry group, the Nevermores, was the word “consistency.” I’d been thinking a lot about routines, especially the morning routine that I’ve established. For now, my morning routine works for me.

Morning

I wake.
Still dark.
Grab pen and notebook.
Spill thoughts,
concerns,
dreams.

Read poems.
Jot ideas.
Wonder if I can write like that.
Maybe someday.
Check the headlines—
good or bad,
funny or sad.

I listen.
The trill of a Carolina wren
greets the sun.
First sound of the morning,
first promise of the day.
©2023RoseCappelli

To some, routines might be considered falling into a rut, but there are always surprises. I don’t usually hear the Carolina wren in the winter, but on that particular morning, at the start of the new year, its song was bright. I looked on it as a good omen. Do you have a morning routine you love? Let me know in the comments.

Susan has the round-up today at Chicken Spaghetti. Be sure to stop by for some poetry goodness.

Happy Poetry Friday! Catherine has the round up today at Reading to the Core. Be sure to stop by for lots of poetry goodness.

I’m expecting there will be other posts today celebrating Bridget Magee’s Two Truths and a Fib Poetry Anthology that published on January 1. And it’s only fitting. Not only did I meet Bridget and her dear dog, Smidgey, in this community, but many poets from Poetry Friday are featured in this book.

My poems in Bridget’s anthology celebrate the Moon. In keeping with the math theme, I wrote a nonet and an etheree.

Moon

the long-night moon makes me curious,         
hypnotized with wonder and awe
as it lights the garden path,
paints shadows in the grass—
a luminary
in the dark sky,
our faithful
cosmic
friend
© 2022 Rose Cappelli

Moon

from
darkness
a tiny
crescent appears,
spreading over time,
waxing to half a dime,
creeping farther and farther,
reaching, stretching toward the edge
until finally it lights the night—
fully illuminated, glowing, bright
© 2022 Rose Cappelli

There’s one more – the Fibinocci – but you’ll have to get the book to find out more.

Thanks, Bridget, for all your hard work. And congratulations on another anthology!

Happy last Poetry Friday of 2022! Patricia has the roundup today at her blog Reverie. Be sure to stop by for a beautiful end of year message from Patricia and lots more poetry goodness.

This week I’ve been revisiting some old poems with my poetry group, The Nevermores, with the thought of revising, reworking, or letting it take me somewhere else. I found a few poems that followed “What the _____Knows” structure that I first learned about from a Poetry Friday post by Mary Lee Hahn in 2021.

What the Wind Knows

What does the wind know?
Forget the angry gusts that shout,
broken branches tossed about
with hostility
we can do without.

What does the wind know?
There’s kindness in a gentle breeze
for lifting kites and rustling leaves,
for tickling dandelion’s sneeze
as it sows its seeds.
Draft, 2022Rose Cappelli

I’ve also been thinking about my One Little Word for 2023. I love it when my OLW finds me. Lately, the idea of kindness has been popping up in articles, poems, books, and news reports. So I decided to pursue kindness as my OLW. My goal is to intentionally incorporate acts of kindness into all aspects of my life, to look for it, and to celebrate it. So, I reworked that poem about the wind (which I think really was more about kindness than the wind anyway) to serve as my mantra for 2023.

Be Kind

There’s kindness in a gentle breeze
for lifting kites and rustling leaves,
for tickling dandelion’s sneeze
as it sows its seeds.

So forget the angry gusts that shout,
the broken branches tossed about
with hostility
we can do without.

Remember to be kind.
©2022RoseCappelli

May 2023 bring you all many kindnesses!

Happy Poetry Friday!

Today I’m celebrating my Grandson’s fifth birthday with a poem. I won’t see him until next week, but through the magic of technology, I’ll read the poem to him later today. This past summer, the grandkids spent a few days with us. It was the first visit without their parents, so we tried to keep them busy with lots of activity. I started by listing all the things we did and quickly realized that although they were all fun, catching fireflies stood out. The two of them would press their noses against the window each evening waiting for the first flash. I think the best part for them was the release. There was jumping and twirling and squeals of delight as the fireflies flew off.

Trying to put into practice what I’ve learned from Laura Purdie Salas (thanks, Laura!), I tried a few different versions, narrowed it down to two, then went with the one you see here.

Irene has the poetry roundup today at Live Your Poem. Be sure to stop by for lots of poetry goodness. Wishing all of you the happiest of holidays, and thank you for reading.