It's Poetry Friday, and Michelle Heidenrich Barnes has the roundup at Today's Little Ditty! First, I'm thrilled to be a Round Two Judge for the 2015 Cybils' Awards with Jone MacCulloch, Rosemary Marotta, Diane Mayr, Heidi Mordhorst, and Laura Shovan. It's the tenth year of these awards, and that is something to celebrate, too. If you'd like to see lists of all the previous winners, go here!
You may or not know that I spent two weeks on Captiva Island in August. Yes, it was hot, but we were right by the ocean, and it was a marvelous time. I wrote several poems, took many pictures, and bring back more in my mind than I can show. I love our Rocky Mountains, but wish an ocean were just a little closer.
Holding
I look and look,
I contemplate,
then choose to keep
with me
a cerulean shell,
a memory,
packaged on the island
perfectly,
of first the sky
and then the sea.
Linda Baie © All Rights Reserved
Very nice! Having spent so much time at the ocean (and probably heading down there tomorrow for a few hours with my 2-year-old) , I feel like I'm right there with you.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Matt. I envy you your short drive. Enjoy the splash!
DeleteShells hold such wonderful memories. I can picture your shell reflecting the sky above.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Laura. It was quite a lovely time there.
DeleteI wish you warm and salty memories that linger! I know what it is like to live inland so far that you can't join the sea when you want a visit. I enjoyed the flow of your poem. So nicely done!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Donna, and I love that you are so near and share much about it.
DeleteSo masterfully simple, so richly beautiful! Thank you! I've had, nearby where I've been writing all summer, a copy of Anne Morrow Lindbergh's Gift from the Sea. Your poem makes its ongoing call to me from sky and sea, please to be re-read, all the more plaintive and louder. I have to give in to get its blessing..today. Thank you for gifting me!
ReplyDeleteThank you, glad to be reminded of Lindbergh's beautiful poems. I've read them often.
DeleteCerulean is one of my favorite words. Lovely poem -- glad to hear that you had such a good time!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Jama. It fits my picture, I think. I studied several examples, and I love the word, too.
DeleteThat poem, Linda, took me to the ocean. I don't really like going to the beach, but I love the water. I can't escape it in my writing or in my painting. I love the idea of the 'cerulean shell'. Beautiful poem reminiscent of summer and the ocean.
ReplyDeleteThank you. There is magic there, whether it's a joy to us or not.
DeleteThat's such a special place for you, Linda - and now it even has a poem to pay homage to wonderful times.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Tara. It was another special time this year, too.
DeleteI love to bring back rocks and shells from trips. "...a memory, packaged on the island perfectly..." Wonderful words to describe your cerulean shell. I think our coast is closer than Florida (not as warm though) so remember Washington and come visit someday!
ReplyDeleteI've been to the Pacific all up & down from Washington to Southern California, very different, but I love it there too, Ramona. Maybe someday? Thank you for the comment & for the invitation!
DeleteThis poem– sigh. You've created a wonderful vessel for holding the magic memories of sky and sea, Linda.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Michelle. The picture helped remind me, too, of the beauty we had each day.
DeleteLovely, Linda. I collect sea shells with one of my grandchildren. They all come along, but Joe seems to have a special affinity for shells. It's a fond memory for me. Thanks for this.
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome, Dori. It was wonderful looking and collecting with my grandchildren, too. I'm glad my poem touched your memories.
DeleteI enjoyed your trip vicariously through FB. Next week, I'm going to spend a few days up at Ogunquit, Maine, where I should get some good sea air. I'm looking forward to our adventures in poetry coming up the first of the year!
ReplyDeleteI'm looking forward to being together, even in cyber space, Diane. I hope your poetry trip to Maine is wonderful. I've still never been to Maine, and hope to someday.
Delete"First the sky, then the sea." love that line. I look forward to reading tons of poetry again this year. The Cybils award team is awesome!
ReplyDeleteYou all will have some challenging decisions to make, and then we will, too. It's been another great year for poetry, now verse novels included! Thanks, Margaret.
DeleteTwo perfect vacation souvenirs--the shell and the poem! Congrats on your judgeship--I was planning to apply too, but then decided I probably wasn't qualified because I don't do much other than post my own poems on my blog. Maybe next year...
ReplyDeleteI hope you will give it a try, Buffy. The fact that you do write those wonderful poems means a lot of knowledge about poetry to me. Thanks for the idea of the 'souvenirs'.
DeleteThis is a lovely little poem Linda. I always try to bring back one small item any time I travel. I brought back two small pebbles from high on a mountaintop in Tibet. One is in my wallet, the other on my desk. It's nice to have something tangible to remember those times.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing!
Thanks, Tricia. Sometimes I think I bring too much, but there are other times I leave something, and that pleases me too. My students and I built tiny cairns in different places in a rain forest in Washington state one year. I still think of that part of me that left it, and hope at least some of the students do, too. How wonderful to hear about your stones.
DeleteSeashells are my favorite treasure from nature, so I love your "cerulean shell." Thank you for sharing this perfectly packaged memory with us today, Linda.
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome, Catherine. I'm happy you enjoyed my memory.
DeleteOnce more, lovely! I love when you share your sea memories in the form of poems and photos, Linda. I can almost feel the sand between my toes. =)
ReplyDeleteHa! Thanks, Bridget. Maybe they'll help to "keep" the sand between my toes!
DeleteThe picture and the poem show us what a lovely, peaceful time this was for you, Linda. Thank you for sharing! xo
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome, Irene. It really was a wonderful time.
DeleteI love the spareness and simplicity of this poem, Linda. I'm sure that one shell felt very special being the one picked to ride in your suitcase, and now grace your desk. There's something powerful about one thing. And I hope you have many more beach vacations!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Violet, I love the wish!
DeleteWe bring so much back from travels, it's hard to imagine how it can all fit in one shell or pebble or pine cone! I look forward to judging with you too!
ReplyDeleteIt's fun to choose some wonderful souvenir, but I know what you mean. The possibilities are endless. I'm looking forward to being on the panel with you, too, Heidi.
DeleteThis is beautiful. I love your choice of souvenirs!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Ruth.
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