Imagine the Possibilities

Welcome to Poetry Friday!

Since it’s almost April, I’ve been thinking about a poetry project for the month. Although I write a lot of free verse, I also enjoy the challenge of a form. Sometimes it’s just enough to spark an idea or provide some needed structure. I recently used the cherita to write a small poem for Vivian Kirkfield’s 50 precious words contest. It felt like the perfect structure for a small story with a beginning, middle, and end.

The Turned Around Day

Jenny started the day on the wrong side of morning.

She barked at her brother.
She growled at her mother.

But with walks in the sunshine and songs from the wrens,
cuddles and snuggles and smiles from her friends,    
Jenny ended the day on the right side of night.
Draft, RoseCappelli2025

So, I decided to spend April writing cheritas. And, last week on Poetry Friday Jone Rush MacCulloch talked about using the Verse of Ages Poetry Prompts for her April project. I thought it would be fun to use a specific word as a prompt. Word + Cherita = A Poem a Day for April.

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The hellebores are beautifully blooming outside my front window. My April poetry project in 2022 was flowers from A to Z. I wrote a poem about a flower for every letter of the alphabet. H was for Hellebore.

Hellebores

I want to create
a garden of hellebores—
a bouquet of muted purple and rose
nodding shyly,
allowing me to turn up their faces
as I would that of a child.
I want to create
a garden of gentle awakening.
Draft, RoseCappelli2022

Photo is from Brecks.com

Marcie has the roundup today here where she shares some upcoming celebrations of her book, One Step Forward, as well as her poetry plans for April. Be sure to stop by for lots of poetry goodness.

It’s Poetry Friday! It’s Spring! And the roundup is here!

I’m very happy to be hosting today. In honor of the start of spring, I’m bringing you a few of my favorite spring poems. One of the first poets whose work I became acquainted with was E.E. Cummings way back when I was in college. I read and sometimes memorized many of his poems. This one stayed with me, and every year as a teacher I read it with students.

in Just-
by E. E. Cummings

in Just-
spring          when the world is mud-
luscious the little
lame balloonman

whistles          far          and wee

You can read the rest here.

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Here’s another favorite Spring poem from poet Billy Collins.

Today
by Billy Collins

If ever there were a spring day so perfect,
so uplifted by a warm intermittent breeze

that it made you want to throw
open all the windows in the house

and unlatch the door to the canary’s cage,
indeed, rip the little door from its jamb,

You can enjoy the rest here. That first line always gets me.

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Last week Molly Hogan posted about writing Wordle poems, so I decided to give it a try. I usually choose from a handful of starter words, but one day last week I went rogue and used “tulip” to start. From there I went to “stamp” which just so happened to be the solution. Wordle in 2! I celebrated with a poem.

Almost Spring

In the grocery store,
bouquets of tulips
beckon shoppers
who only stopped in
for milk, or eggs,
or that night’s dinner.

An impulse buy
designed to grace the table
where the rotisserie chicken
will be carved into portions,
they stamp approval
in purple, pink, and yellow –
let spring begin!
Draft, RoseCappelli2025

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Happy Poetry Friday!

This week I was privileged to attend a virtual reading by poet friends (many from this community) of poems written for the latest anthology from Irene Latham and Charles Waters, If I Could Choose a Best Day. Full of reading joy, this is a collection you will want to own. It is a celebration of the wonder in all of us who imagine the possibilities.

Not only was it delightful to hear so many voices reading their work, it was also inspirational. That morning, I spotted a female bluebird on the roof of the birdhouse. Then, just minutes later, I heard tapping on the window – the male! Was this her mate? I like to think this is the same bluebird, Fred, who visited me often last summer. Bluebirds don’t often tap on the window, but Fred has come close to the house before, attempting to get my attention. I wrote about Fred in my post Something New. I think of us as old friends, somehow understanding each other. Right after the poetry reading, I was inspired to write my own “If” poem.

To Fred, the Bluebird Tapping on My Window

If we could converse
would you tell me about your winter,
introduce me to your new friend,
ask if I have mealworms to share?

If we could converse
I would warn you about the sparrows,
disclose where the wind damaged a limb,
ask your advice for my new garden.

Like neighbors meeting
across a fence
we are old friends,
happy in each other’s company…

conversing.
Draft, 2025RoseCappelli

Margaret has the roundup today at Reflections on the Teche where she presents an original poem in the form of a weather forecast. Be sure to stop by for lots of poetry goodness and a link with information about the 2025 Kidlit Progressive Poem.

It’s Poetry Friday!

I always enjoy reading what the Poetry Sisters are doing on the last Friday of the month. In January I learned on Laura Purdie Salas’ blog that their challenge for February was to write a Word Poem, so I decided to play along. I wasn’t sure what word I would use until I read Rebecca Gardyn Levington’s February newsletter. Rebecca always challenges her readers to write a poem or story inspired by a word (#RebeccasWordChallenge). The word she offered for February was “Forget.” I let it roll around in my head for a while, tried different approaches, and finally came up with this.

Forget

Forget is a jittery word.
It scurries
from here
to there
scooping up thoughts
tossing them to the wind
where they scatter like autumn leaves.

Forget can team with forgive
to sweep away impulsive actions
or words that took too long to form.

But sometimes forget slows.
It searches along pathways until
it stumbles into something once buried –
a memory,
an idea,
a promise –
surprising it with new life.
Draft, RoseCappelli2025

Denise has the roundup today at Dare to Care where she offers two powerful word poems. Be sure to stop by for lots of poetry goodness.