DMC: "Get Well Cards" by Lana Wayne Koehler

Get Well Cards

The card read, “Sincerely, William Walters”
I met him briefly
At the skate park
I was twelve.

The card read, “Sincerely, William”
He couldn’t visit
Me in the hospital
I was sick

The card read, “William”
It was many weeks
Since I’d seen him
I was lonely

The card read, “Will”
I knew who he was
By the cards he sent
He was my friend.

© 2015 Lana Wayne Koehler. All rights reserved.


Rebecca M. Davis has challenged us to write poems about acts of kindness this month– the more specific and vivid the better.  Click HERE for more details.

Send your poem to TodaysLittleDitty (at) gmail (dot) com, or use the contact form in the sidebar to the right. All contributions will be included in a wrap-up celebration this Friday, November 27th, and one lucky participant will win copies of two delightful picture books published by Boyds Mills Press: THIS ORQ. (HE CAVE BOY.) and THIS ORQ. (HE SAY "UGH!") by David Elliott, illustrated by Lori Nichols.

Look who's turning ONE!

               To A Special Blog...

© Watermark Publishing Ltd 2006, text: Michelle Heidenrich Barnes

Happy Birthday, Today's Little Ditty!

Pre-Thanksgiving Greetings

                                                                                     1873, US Public Domain

I'm not sure how this happened, but Thanksgiving is NEXT WEEK!

Am I ready?  Heck no.

But I've been spending time in the Haiku Garden with Robyn Hood Black, and you should see the tasty morsel she's cooked up!

My family will attest to the fact that I'm not a bad cook, they might even say I'm a good cook, but convenience fare only goes so far.  Unfortunately, I can't say that I particularly enjoy my jaunts in the culinary arts-- it's one of those tasks that has fallen into my lap by default.  And when it comes to Thanksgiving, I'm not ashamed to admit that I'd rather be a guest than a host.  I'll happily bring the mashed potatoes or a nice bottle of wine.

Today's little ditty is a Thanksgiving greeting card verse that I wrote and sold to Andrews McMeel Publishing back in 2007.


                         COVER:  Turkey roasting...
                                                      Glasses toasting...

                         INSIDE:  Giving thanks that I'm not hosting.


Yep, that's pretty much me all over.  

When I recently contacted Andrews McMeel's greeting card editor to find out if the verse was ever used and whether or not I could legitimately post it on my blog, he informed me that my verse was in print for a while, but he wasn't sure if it still is.

I hope you'll let me know if you see my baby in the card racks over the coming week.  Never did see the artwork for this one, but they paid me well so I can't complain.

And now that I've tantalized your taste buds, please join Katya, this week's Poetry Friday host over at Write. Sketch. Repeat.  Everyone's invited!  Side dish welcome, but not required.

Mighty Saguaro

I'm a sucker for a poetry challenge, especially one inspired by a photograph.  

That's one of the things I enjoy most about writing greeting card copy.  An editor sends a batch of artwork to a group of writers and says, "Here, see what can you do with these."  Twelve birthday greetings and a few weeks later, you find out if any of your copy was selected.  Or, sometimes all you hear back from the editor is silence, which is not nearly as much fun.

Today's little ditty was inspired by a poetry contest being run by Gayle Krause at The Storyteller's Scroll.   If you want to join in the fun, hurry, the contest only runs until April 20th.  Good luck!


 Mighty Saguaro

Mighty saguaro!

Defender of calm—

woodpecker’s beat and coyote’s song.

Giant saguaro!

Sixty feet tall—

proud desert hero, protector of all.

Fearless saguaro!

Silent, yet strong—

arms poised for action should something go wrong.

Noble saguaro!

Imposing you stand—

benevolent king throughout the land.

© 2013 Michelle Heidenrich Barnes.  All rights reserved.