Filling the Well: Elinor Wylie

 

 

Stergo

I love bright words, words up and singing early;
Words that are luminous in the dark, and sing

 

– Elinor Wylie 

from the poem "Pretty Words"

 

 

 

April 1: John Muir

April 2: e.e. cummings and enra

April 3: Edith Wharton and Henri Matisse

April 4: Cesare Pavese 

April 5: Anton Chekhov and Cat Stevens

April 6: Ray Bradbury and... cats 

April 7: Oliver Wendell Holmes and Hanjin Song

April 8: Albert Einstein and John Bohannon

April 9: Florence Parry Heide and Andres Amador

April 10: Zelda Fitzgerald and Arvo Pärt

April 11: Elinor Wylie

DMC: "Ode to My Coffee Cup" by Rebekah Hoeft

ODE TO MY COFFEE CUP

In half-light, readied, steaming, pink perfect cup,
I held you, warming my palms, a balm.
Relaxed morning breath brought your waking scent;
then first soft sip, familiar to my ears—
our ritual ending in my bittersweet waking.
Why now, Coffee Cup, are you empty? Coffee Cup,
It’s because I am greedy and day is dawned;
it’s time to get up.

© 2017 Rebekah Hoeft. All rights reserved.

Helen Frost has challenged us to write an ode poem this month, following these instructions: 

Choose an object (a seashell, a hairbrush, a bird nest, a rolling pin). It should not be anything symbolic (such as a doll, a wedding ring, or a flag). Write five lines about the object, using a different sense in each line (sight, sound, touch, taste, smell). Then ask the object a question, listen for its answer, and write the question, the answer, or both.

Click HERE to read her sample poem, "Ode to a River."

Post your poem on our March 2017 padlet. All contributions will be included in a wrap-up celebration on Friday, March 31st, and one lucky participant will win a personalized copy of her latest novel-in-poems from Farrar, Straus, and Giroux/Macmillan:

DMC: "Ode to a Dewdrop" by LeeAnn Blankenship

ODE TO A DEWDROP

A crystal gem on fragile web,
You speak to early dawn
With misty hope, a fragrance clean,
And sparkles on my lawn.
You taste of freshness, cool to touch –
I wonder – must you go?
“Oh, yes! The sun is calling me –
I’ll be back tomorrow though!”

© 2017 LeeAnn Blankenship. All rights reserved.


Helen Frost has challenged us to write an ode poem this month, following these instructions:

Choose an object (a seashell, a hairbrush, a bird nest, a rolling pin). It should not be anything symbolic (such as a doll, a wedding ring, or a flag). Write five lines about the object, using a different sense in each line (sight, sound, touch, taste, smell). Then ask the object a question, listen for its answer, and write the question, the answer, or both.

Click HERE to read her sample poem, "Ode to a River."

Post your poem on our March 2017 padlet. All contributions will be included in a wrap-up celebration on Friday, March 31st, and one lucky participant will win a personalized copy of her latest novel-in-poems from Farrar, Straus, and Giroux/Macmillan:

Haiku Garden: Violet Nesdoly

Photo: Tai, "Dew on Grass"

“A writer is like a bag lady going through life with a sack and a  pointed stick collecting stuff.”

                                           –Tony Hillerman

I found this wonderful quotation on the Poetry page of Violet Nesdoly's author website.  I thought it speaks well to Violet, since she, herself, is the ultimate collector – of nature, art, moments, words....  She displays them in exquisite detail in her poems, her photography, and in the way she lives and values life.  I'm honored to welcome her to the Haiku Garden.

dew scattered on grass
one carat diamonds winking
the day’s promise

 © 2011 Violet Nesdoly. All rights reserved.

Violet sent me this gem with the following description: "I wrote this haiku in 2011, in a stretch of beautiful August days, each one beginning with a dew-drenched morning."  I'm sure she joins me in wishing that everyone who reads this can enjoy a few days this month as magical as the ones that inspired today's little ditty.

Photo: Jason Rogers, "Morning Dew"

And while we are gathered here in the Haiku Garden, I would be remiss if I didn't also share this link to one of my favorite posts on Violet's poetry blog– a series of haiku detailing the life cycle of a Magnolia blossom.

Besides writing poetry for both children and adults, Violet writes non-fiction, fiction, activities, book reviews, and devotionals. She also blogs... blogs, blogs, and blogs some more.  For those who lost count, that's four blogs in total.  In addition to her author blog and poetry blog which I've already mentioned, she maintains PROMPTINGS 2, a personal photoblog, and Other Food: daily devos, a source of daily devotions for adults.  As someone who occasionally struggles to keep one blog afloat, I am astounded that Violet can keep up with them all!  But that she does... and still she pauses, with her sack and pointed stick, to take in a dew drop on a blade of grass.

Thank you, Violet, for sharing yourself and your gifts 

in the Haiku Garden today!

For those who missed last week's announcement of our August featured author, Lori Degman, and her fun new DMC challenge, you can find all the details HERE.

Today's Poetry Friday roundup is being hosted by Mary Lee at A Year of Reading.