Poetry Friday: When Inspiration Strikes

Posted on February 17, 2023 by rosecappelli

Happy Poetry Friday!

One morning this week I opened Almost an Elegy by Linda Pastan hoping to find some inspiration for a poem. And boy, did she deliver. I read four poems and instantly had at least three ideas. My poem for today was inspired by Pastan’s poem “Squint,.” I was drawn to how she used the title followed by a comma to begin the poem. I couldn’t find a link to it online, but this is how it begins:

SQUINT,

and that low line
of blue cloud
hovering
over the treetops

could be an ocean—the roar
of the highway
the clamorous waves
breaking.

Although I chose to repeat the structure to begin each stanza, my poem was definitely inspired by and written in the style of Linda Pastan.

Pause,

and you might notice
the daffodil reaching through
the too-soon-soft soil
on a warm winter afternoon.

Pause,
and you might hear
the distant drumming
of a woodpecker
messaging a mate.

Pause,
and you might feel
the quiet
in a cup of tea
sipped from a china cup.
Draft, 2023RoseCappelli

Photo from NDTV Food

Molly has the Round Up today at Nix the Comfort Zone where you’ll find her beautiful tribute to winter trees and lots more poetry fun.

Posted in Poetry Friday | 17 Comments

Finding Family: A Review

Posted on February 13, 2023 by rosecappelli

Finding Family: The Duckling Raised by Loons written by Laura Purdie Salas with illustrations by Alexandria Neonakis tells the true story of a pair of loons who cared for and raised a mallard duckling on a Wisconsin lake in 2019. Laura does an exceptional job of applying her skills as a poet in writing the lyrical text. Told in free-verse poetry, the well-researched facts sing with emotion.

Mother and Father hover over
one
scruffy
yellowish chick that
bobbles in the downpour.

Laura peppers the text with questions that will keep young readers engaged and curiosity high. The questions also remind us that since scientists don’t always have all the answers, questioning is at the heart of research. The repeated refrains “Nobody knows” and “but Duckling does” keep the story moving while sustaining interest. When the story comes to a close, we know it is not really the end for these creatures, and we leave with the reminder that “The future is a perfect mystery of possibilities, like an unhatched egg.”

The sharp, clear illustrations show the unusual family from different perspectives (above, underwater) and in different situations (together, alone). As the story moves through the spring and summer, they also allow us to watch duckling grow. The soft color palette is as gentle and peaceful as the ripples of water on duckling’s lake.

An added bonus, of course, is the back matter. Here, Laura provides the backstory along with an actual photograph of duckling with her adopted parents. A Venn diagram comparing loons and mallards is the perfect visual for showing how unlikely it was that this family formed such a bond. Parents and teachers alike will love it!

To me, this is a story not only about family, but about what we can learn from nature. Despite differences, there is a need for all of us to care for one another and to remember that families, despite different shapes or sizes, have love as a common denominator.

Finding Family will be out in the world on March 7. Laura has information on ordering and lots of other resources on her website: https://laurasalas.com/finding/

This is a book you will want to own!

Posted in Book Review | 4 Comments

Poetry Friday: The Gardener’s Guide

Posted on February 10, 2023 by rosecappelli

Happy Poetry Friday!

A couple of weeks ago I was introduced to the work of Sharon Lovejoy on Jan’s Poetry Friday post at Bookseedstudio. After reading Jan’s descriptions and the excerpts she provided, I didn’t waste any time reserving Sharon Lovejoy’s books at the library.

Opening A Blessing of Toads was like entering into a different world. It was so full of beautiful writing and interesting facts. I quickly found myself jotting down phrases, garden ideas, and rereading for the pure joy of hearing wonderful words.

Since it was my turn to choose a prompt for my poetry group, and since I was inspired by Laura Purdie Salas’s response to Deep, Deep Down (Lukidis/ Velez) last week, I thought writing a response to a book or poem would be a good prompt for the group. I offer apologies to Sharon Lovejoy for borrowing a few of her words – I just couldn’t resist.

The Gardener’s Guide
(written in response to A Blessing of Toads: A Gardener’s Guide to Living with Nature by Sharon Lovejoy)

Names roll from my tongue
in a symphony of sound—
lemon verbena,
hollyhock,
heartsease,
jewelweed.

I imagine
conversing with a spider,
discovering fairies in the fushia,
collecting billowing bouquets of blossoms.

Bits of ideas scrawled on paper scraps
litter my desk
as winter marches into spring.

I’m awakened to the possibility
of mysteries to explore,
new understandings,
a renewed appreciation of nature’s gifts—

all in my own backyard.
Draft, 2023 Rose Cappelli

Carol has the round up today here where you fill find a cavalcade of postcards from Poetry Friday friends with wishes for 2023.

Thanks for reading!

Posted in Poems, Poetry Friday | 16 Comments

Poetry Friday: Stained Glass

Posted on February 3, 2023 by rosecappelli

Happy Poetry Friday!

On Wednesdays I look forward to This Photo Wants to Be a Poem, a regular offering from fellow poet and Poetry Friday poster, Margaret Simon. How will Margaret inspire a small poem from me today, I wonder.

This past week Margaret shared a stunning photo from Christ Church Cathedral in New Orleans, taken on Christmas Eve. The beautiful stained glass windows immediately brought back memories from my childhood — observing how the light made rainbows, learning the stories of the saints and the scenes portrayed, and feeling the comfort of my faith. For just a few minutes, I was once again a school girl, kneeling in wonder.

Many of those stories and teachings from my youth are now buried deep within my soul, but I still remember the feelings from seeing the windows—those objects of beauty that continue to catch my attention each time I enter a church.

Laura has the roundup today here where you’ll find a sneak peek at Laura Purdie Salas’ soon-to-be-released book Finding Family and lots more poetry goodness.

Posted in Poems, Poetry Friday | 13 Comments

Poetry Friday: Digging Deep

Posted on January 26, 2023 by rosecappelli

Happy Poetry Friday!

Sometimes ideas just pop up when you least expect them to. Yesterday I was struggling to figure out how to spell a word and I starting thinking about how my skill level in many things has changed as I’ve gotten older. It’s not that I can’t do them anymore (well, I guess in some cases that’s true), it’s just that I often have to approach something differently or expect that success might be delayed. Before I knew it, I was writing, and a poem was surfacing.

Digging Deep

I used to be a good speller—
knew my way around i and e,
silent letters,
onsets and rimes.

Words can free an idea,
conjure a smell,
create a poem.

But lately, sometimes the easiest words,
the smallest tasks,
are a puzzle I can’t let go—
like names buried too deep,
or memories covered in fuzz.

If I dig deep enough
I know I can find the solution.
I used to be a good speller,
and maybe I still am.
Draft, 2023RoseCappelli

Jan has the round up today at Bookseed Studio. Be sure to stop by for a garden of poetic goodness and a lovely introduction to poet/gardener Sharon Lovejoy.

Posted in Poems, Poetry Friday | 14 Comments