Thursday, May 8, 2014

A Cinquain for my Mother


Watering Can, Pierre Auguste Renoir - 1905
  
"In search of my mother's garden, I found my own." 
               – Alice Walker

Last week, Laura Purdie Salas challenged Ditty of the Month Club members to write water-themed cinquains.  (Click here for more details and to read my interview with Laura.)   Since then, the contributions have been steadily flowing in and I can honestly say I've been lapping up each and every one!  This week I featured daily ditties by Kristi Veitenheimer, Violet Nesdoly, Margaret Simon, and Tamera Will Wissinger

Today, it's my turn.  Knowing that I would be posting my cinquain the Friday before Mother's Day, I gave myself an additional challenge– to write about a memory that is related to water and my mother as well.  Surprise, Mom!  Looks like you're getting your present a few days early. 


Girl with a Watering Can, Pierre Auguste Renoir - 1876
 
Green thumb.
I help Mommy
water plants and follow
her from room to room with soggy
kisses.

Thirsty.
Do you want some
too?  Cool water trickles
on my head ‘cause I’m her little
flower.

© 2014 Michelle Heidenrich Barnes. All rights reserved.


Wishing all of the mothers reading this (especially my own) an abundance of love on Mother's Day.  

Watering can flower arrangement, by Martha Stewart


Use the contact form in the sidebar to the right to send me your water-themed cinquains throughout the month.  For children under 13 who would like to participate, please read my COPPA compliance statement located below the contact form.  Several poems will be published on the blog as daily ditties, but all of them will be collected in one wrap-up post on Friday, May 30th.  Participants will also be entered into a random drawing for a personalized copy of WATER CAN BE... by Laura Purdie Salas, illustrations by Violeta Dabija.

If you would like to be notified when new poems are posted, please subscribe to my blog via email or RSS feed, like my writer's page on Facebook (I am not posting them on my personal Facebook page), or follow me via Google+.  All of these options are also available in the sidebar to the right.

Wouldn't you know, these water poems are making me crave soup!  One would be hard-pressed not to find something to love at Jama's Alphabet Soup.  Thank you Jama for hosting today's Poetry Friday roundup!


41 comments:

  1. One can pack a lot of memory into 5 little lines! Well done, Michelle.

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    1. And you are a wonderful poetry packer as well, Matt. Thank you. I hope you are able to join in this month.

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  2. Such sweet memories, Michelle. I used to water my students like that when I taught the little ones. Happy Mother's Day to you and your mother!

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    1. Such a good teacher you are, Linda-- always helping your students grow. :)

      BTW, I have been privately savoring your cinquain, and look forward to sharing it on TLD next week!

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  3. Aww! I was parched for sweet Mother's Day cinquains, and that did the trick!

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  4. So sweet! Lovely blend of words and art. I can just feel that cool water trickling on my head . . .

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    1. I've always found Renoir to be reliable in a pinch. ;) Thanks Jama.

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  5. I really enjoyed your linked cinquains. Well done.

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  6. Ah, yes, I remember it well. You didn't think I'd really water you. Good thing I did, or we wouldn't share this special memory. (I can still see your astonished little face and your hands balled up under your chin.) Love my surprise present! How many moms can say their personal MD greeting was on a beautiful Renoir print? Love, Mom

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    1. Yes, well now we all know where I got my spunk, don't we! Love you too. xo

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  7. Love that image of your mom watering her little flower!

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    1. It feels good to give it a poem so it can live outside my brain now.

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  8. Those are so lovely. I especially love "soggy kisses" and "I'm her little flower." They both made me say "aw" out loud.

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  9. Oh, these are very sweet. I love that mom is so playful.

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  10. You're a lovely blossom, dearie!

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  11. Darling! I can just picture you getting sprinkled by your mom!

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    1. Alas, my own children have been far less accommodating... though I've tried!

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  12. Yes, like Mary Lee just said, it brings to mind a picture of this watering ritual. So sweet!

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  13. I love soggy kisses and cause I'm her little flower. Such innocent love for your mom. Love the beautiful images, too.
    Thanks for this fun challenge. And thanks to Laura for being the inspiration.

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    1. Thank you, Margaret. I agree-- I'm so pleased with Laura's challenge this month! Such a pleasure to read the poems so far, and more wonderful ones on the way next week!

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  14. Your poem is full of love, warmth and security. Beautiful! Makes me wish I had my little flowers to water all over again.

    Violet N.

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    1. I'd suggest you find some random suspects at the mall, but that might not go so well. ;)

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  15. I love these, they paint such lovely pictures of mother/child moments!

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    1. Thanks, Sarah-- I bet you have a fair share of these special moments that you could write about as well!

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  16. What a great memory! I love it.

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  17. What a cute poem! Happy Day, Michelle.

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  18. How beautiful, Michelle. Happy Mother's Day!

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    1. Thank you, Myra. :) I bet that beautiful daughter of yours thinks you're pretty special too.

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  19. So lovely....
    The best cinquain on mother

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