Friday, August 22, 2014

Poetry Friday


Today is my favorite day: Poetry Friday!  And it is being hosted today over at Irene Latham's Live Your Poem.  Go there for some great links to some tasty poetry treats!  You won't be disappointed!
It has been a beautiful summer of poetry, thanks to Tabatha's Summer Poetry Swap.  I did the swap for the first time this year, and had such a blast writing and reading poetry!  It was  amazing to get mail in a mailbox that you wanted to read!  Real live people sent it, too.  Most of our mailbox fare is made up of bills, sales flyers and veterinarian/dentist/automotive reminders, so I don't look forward to mailbox time like I used to in the olden days.
I want to thank Buffy Silverman for poem swap 1, Linda Baie for poem swap 2, Mary Lee Hahn for poem number 3, Joy Acey for poem swap 4, and Anastasia Suen for poem swap 5.

And from me, to all:

My Wish

If ever I could wish
for the very bestest gift -
One that would fill my dish
And give my spirits lift -
By wave of wand and swish
What would appear to me,
Delightful and delish:
Some homemade poetry.

©Donna JT Smith, 2014


And here they are, some tasty bits of homemade poetry:


Poem #1 from Buffy, published here by permission:


Sapsucker Rap

Bill drumming
and tapping
ripping and rapping,
peeling the bark
of sweet birch trees.

Sap oozing
and flowing
dripping then slowing,
luring an army
of ants and bees.

Feast crawling
and jiggling
writhing and wriggling,
no place to escape
no path to retreat.

Tongue licking
and lapping
prodding and slapping,
sap covered ants
a six-legged treat.

Buffy Silverman, 2014 all rights reserved

I apologize, Linda, for sharing your poem without permission, earlier on.  You very graciously did not call me on it!  And I now, with permission, will share it again!

Transformation

Tiny fingers
tiny toes,
until arriving
no one knows
that a grandchild,
by giving the names
'Gran and Gramps',
start a magical dance,
seeming by chance.

It rearranges you
into

lullaby-singing (no matter the voice)
mud-puddle-jumping (not given a choice)
cookie-baking (a sugar success)
finger-painting (in spite of the mess)
toy-truck-racing (vroom sounds just right)
picture-book making (easy to write)

KIDS,
all over again.

by Linda Baie, 2014, all rights reserved

and Poem #3 from Mary Lee Hahn, by permission:

Summer Wish

When thunderheads tower
and chicory flowers,

when mulberries fall
and milkweed gets tall,

when goldfinches glitter
and flash at the feeder,

let there be monarchs, please.
And bees.

© Mary Lee Hahn, 2014

Poetry Swap #4 Joy Acey sent me a wonderful chapbook collection of her poems.  Too many to put here, but a "Joy" to read - she "acey"d it!

And finally, Anastasia's:

10,000 Steps a Day

Oh, pedometer,
you count the steps I take, but
not the worn out shoes!

©Anastasia Suen, 2014, all rights reserved.

Thank you one and all for "the bestest gift" - a delish dish of homemade poetry!


24 comments:

  1. Wonderful poems, one and all!

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    1. I don't want to over-work Tabatha, but I think a midwinter swap would be nice, too!

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  2. Donna, this is a wonderful assortment of gifts that make me want to wish away the work on this summer day. Your poem is a lasting gift - the wish for homemade poetry.

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    1. This has been "the bestest"! Hope your work feels like play today!

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  3. Donna, you have been blessed with delish "homemade" poetry that is pretty spectacular. Love Anastasia's haiku. Those healthy steps do have a price. Mary Lee's couplets say "summer" everyone, and I like the way she ends with a plea for bees, which we all know are in trouble. Linda's right on about the effect of grandbabies.Buffy's verbs create a poem that's very alive. What a treat to receive Joy's chapbook! I'd say you got your wish!

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    1. You've summed up the delightful parts of each concoction!

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  4. It is a delight every time I find one of those "Homemade" poems just for me, I agree. Don't worry about the permission, it's okay. Now, finally, I need to ask if I may share my bonus from you, Donna? Thanks for sharing mine again, and I loved everyone else's too, so many beautiful lines!

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    1. This was all so much fun! Hope I remember to sign up again next summer. I'd best mark my calendar now! You certainly may share your bonus! Thanks for asking.

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  5. Thanks for including my poem in your wonderful round-up, Donna. AND a belated thanks to you for my bonus poem--your blog gems are so clever! "Happy the Thoughts" is hanging up over my desk and makes me smile every time I look at it.

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    1. Thank you for the rappy-tap sap sucker poem! I loved it and am happy that others can enjoy it too! I'm glad you enjoyed " Happy the Thoughts"!

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  6. The power of home made poetry! These were wonderful, Donna.

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  7. Oh what treasures! So much talent and love in this community... I am in awe of Buffy's rap and Linda's rearranging and Mary Lee's monarchs and Anastasia's shoes! Thank you for sharing. xo

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  8. How wonderful to see the poems of Poetry Friday friends here. And what a delectable triple treat with Linda Baie's poems in quite a number of posts too - how lovely! I agree with Donna, there is nothing like homemade poetry, indeed. :)

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  9. Lovely poems ... thanks for sharing :-)

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  10. I can see why you were happy to find these in your mail, Donna! So much rhythm in all of them, and in Anastasia's case, so much to give a spring to your step :-) I love that you sent them bonus poems as well. You are a sweetie!

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  11. Thanks for showcasing my poem! Wasn't the swap one of the best parts of summer? YAY Tabatha!!

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  12. I'm enjoying reading all the poetry swap posts. It makes me want to join in next year!

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  13. So much goodness! Thank you for sharing your gifts and your gifts. ;o)

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  14. I like the homemade poetry ~ Thanks for sharing ~

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  15. Sometimes the homemade creations are the best..thank you..

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