Poetry Friday - Can We Change?

            Poetry Friday is hosted by Mary Lee Hahn at A Year of Reading. She's sharing about a challenge given a few years ago by Gene Luen Yang he called "Reading Without Walls" and some beautiful poems by a poet you may or may not know: Marilyn Chin.
           The latest tragedy, the terrible and unnecessary death of George Floyd has happened and my mind swerves to a different sorrow. Mary Lee's sharing of this challenge is one all of us should pay attention to.

            It's been about ten weeks since I've 'mostly' been at home. Things are changing; days have changed. I'm planning to spend more time with the grandgirls, guiding them through a kind of 'summer camp' of learning, in lieu of all the past camps they usually have attended in the past. And, the bookstore is opening, albeit on a limited and restricted schedule. Being flexible feels like the key to good days now. April's poetry challenges and the #PoemsofPresence challenge from Margaret Simon at Today's Little Ditty, then on twitter has been a boost for everyday poetry, plus reading and simply enjoying other's beautiful and thoughtful words. 

          Last week for Poetry Friday, April Halprin Wayland proposed a new form here at Teaching Authors. We could choose a word, perhaps a favorite, and write from all the words that can be found within it. We can do that ourselves or, wonderful find, we can go to a site called Word Maker and let it do the work. I did try myself, but then succumbed to the invitation of this site.
          I chose the word, serendipity, long a favorite. I love that things happen with great connections yet without understanding how, but they do!

          Thus, a poem emerged in response to where we are in this time we could never have imagined. I am hopeful that our new and changing world will help those in most need. 

We Are Intrepid

Now that we  are riding fewer riptides,

though some types

try to be trendy,

try to pretend

a different present,

follow the spin from the president.

I am only inspired

by truth-tellers who take pride

in helping us understand how to reset,

how to gather good resources for proper nests,

protecting within changing tides ­–

the needy,

our peers,

even welcome those who deny.

We see truth with our eyes.

We feel it ripen.

Now, we have a spirit

like our elders,

ready to create a new destiny.

Linda Baie ©