Poetry Friday - Tuning Up

            Carol Wilcox at Carol's Corner hosts Poetry Friday today with a beautiful poem about daffodils. I just changed my blog picture for spring, imagine that Carol will like it!  Thanks for hosting, Carol. 

             It is an exciting prelude, like that time before a concert when one hears the orchestra tuning up, sometimes called a "Tuning A" when they get in line with the oboe A and others follow. Later, mixed, one can call it a cacophony, sets the heart racing, doesn't it? I am calling to mind that it is nearly April, poetry month when some make poetry goals and write every day, Irene Latham's Progressive Poem calls for 30 poets to create together, Jama Rattigan collects everyone's goals to share, some tag along and write to the goals of others. 
          Extra: Tabatha Yeatts shares a link to poems teachers and librarians can print for poetry month, titled "Poetry in The Halls". I'm grateful to be one of the poets!

             I have fussed with my goal in recent weeks, settling on a book of ideas that I used long ago in the classroom. I haven't used it in a while, think it will be good to return to the words for a personal approach. There are introductions to various ideas along with trying forms, too. Here's my visual, the book's cover, one I'll use starting Monday!

            A group of us have been writing poems for Laura Shovan's late birthday celebration this month in a closed FB group, this year each contributing food picture prompts. Some days I dash off a poem that is not particularly heartfelt, and I can tell, but time pushes me to "be done". Other days, I ponder and mess with the words more, finally getting to a nugget of what feels good. I'm sharing a couple of poems written that I'm rather fond of.

prompt - cookies Molly Hogan

Learning - Not Just for Students

In my first year of teaching,

first grade, thirty plus kids,

run-down neighborhood,

my colleague and I 

and students

held a Christmas pageant.

(This was a long time ago

when schools did this.)

I baked sugar cookies

every day for a week.

With my colleague,

hundreds of cookies

piled up for the big night.

I thought I’d have leftovers

enough to share with friends.

When I stood at the refreshment table,

chatting with the parents,

praising the kids,

I saw more than one

wrap cookies to put into handbags.

It’s when I began bringing snacks

to share every day in class.

It’s when I noticed one boy

wore baby shoes to class.

It’s when I realized that teaching

meant more than reading and writing,

would cost me more than money.

Cookies only solve some of the problems.

Linda Baie ©

prompt - soup - Linda Mitchell

City Storm

There’s a pot of soup on the stove

that I knew would be there today.

Last winter vegetables.

A cold front blew in 

as the weatherman told.

Last storm?

People scurry for milk and bread

as if we’d never have another chance.

They forget we now have snowplows,

and four-wheel drive

and five loaves in the freezer.

The soup will warm us against the winter.

We’ll feel like all is right with our world,

at least today.

Enjoy reading, writing, or singing poetry next month!