Friday, September 11, 2015

Poetry Friday - A Garden, a Rose and Spark

Happy Friday, happy poetry!  We are all attending the poetry party at Robyn Hood Black's place, so go and take a look at what else is being offered today - right after you finish here, of course!
My last swap of the summer was with Margaret Simon...way down in Louisiana!  Quite a ways from Maine!  However, having frequently read Margaret's blog and swapping a poem last summer, has made me feel like I know her a little bit better than some of my face-to-face friends!
Anyway, for the poetry swap, Margaret sent me a "Happy Day" journal (in which I have already written!) with a sweet poem written about a Maine author, Cynthia Lord, using a line I'd put in one of my poems recently "When the haze sweeps in".  She paints a pretty authentic picture of living in Maine.  Margaret posted this poem last Friday and you may read more about her connection with Cynthia here.  With her permission, I have Margaret's poem written out here:

Cynthia's Garden
by Margaret Simon
for Donna Smith, Summer Poem Swap, 2015

When the haze sweeps in,
I stop by Cynthia's garden
to see the pink rose of Sharon
surprise with a bridal white.

Cynthia asks me in for tea,
a warm taste of sweet honey-orange spice.
On the center table,
sweet pea, Queen Anne's lace, elderberry.

On the mantle, a photograph
of last winter's snow, thick and unshoveled.
We look and sigh, knowing
this moment of surprise sweeetness
is fleeting.

Her kitchen window looks out on the bay.
Colorful sails rise like kites
above crystal blue.  We talk
about bunnies and blueberries
and boys who love to sleep
ouside under the stars.

When the haze sweeps in,
I tell Cynthia goodbye
and hold her heart
like a poem I want to hear
again.

Thank you, Margaret.  I think I would like to visit Cynthia's Garden someday.  I'm not much for gardening, but I love when other people take to it!
My first Maine beach rose watercolor...
Meanwhile, on Spark, I have two poems up.  One is a poem I wrote, and Tisha Carter responded to it with a photo she took.  She also sent me a picture, to which I have written a poem.  The two poems with their images by Tish, may be seen here.
Spark 1 - Tish's image as inspiration for my poem - I did not use "Aquasphere" as I said I was going to... "Beach Girl" won.  I'll put up "Aquasphere" someday!
Spark 2 - my poem as inspiration for Tish.  I had fun with this poem about a dog and I-scream - and Tish had fun finding the perfect picture!  Crazy eyes!  She found the knots on a piece of wood, and they looked like the intensely focused eyes of some of the dogs she's owned, and reminded her of "Blue Dog" by George Rodrigue.  So please, click on through.  Diane Mayr has some pieces up also!  So check it all out.  You may want to play along next time!


18 comments:

  1. I love Margaret's poem for you, Donna. We have haze here so rarely that it makes me want some, and it's great that you did Spark, and I love that dear dog's asides in the poem-wonderful voice/bark!

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    1. When we first had a German exchange student, we were driving through low spots with fog one day.. She had to ask what it was...she'd not seen "fog", nor "haze". I thought everyone had foggy days. Guess not. I love fog and haze - which are really two different things, but closely related. Hazy days are sneaky for their sunburning without seeing the sun! Foggy - your hair gets wet without rain.
      Wishing you a hazy day soon!

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  2. What a beautiful poem by Margaret and a lovely watercolor as well, Donna. Great SPARK pieces too– "Beach Girl" might be my favorite poem I've ever read of yours.

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    1. I love Margaret's poem. I just think of a cottage on the ocean with a bounty of beautiful flowers!
      I'm pleased that you liked "Beach Girl", Michelle. It was one of those poems that came out pretty easily, with minor edits...you know - the ones where you just have to keep your hand moving as quickly as your brain is dictating!

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  3. Wow. These are all beautiful! I love "I linger near/finger the clear/and froth of sea" -- froth of sea. Sigh. And your dog poem is hysterical! Love the voice. And Margaret's poem--"bunnies and blueberries/and boys who love to sleep/ouside under the stars." Terrific. I want to go to Maine, please.

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    1. Glad you stopped by, Laura. I loved Margaret's lines about the bunnies, blueberries and boys... and the stars are gorgeous up here! You should take a trip sometime. You may find more things to take pictures of for 15 word poems!

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  4. Love all of these, but especially your dog poem (I am in a doggy-state-of-mind because we adopted a new dog this week!)

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    1. Oh, a new dog! What did you get?? Pup, older? Big, little?
      Sadly, we are thinking our old Golden Retriever, Pippi, is not going to last much longer (almost made an emergency visit to put her down tonight, but she's rallying). We have an 11 month old Yellow Lab, Ginger, who has begun to take over the household guarding duties.
      I can hardly wait to see her with an I-scream.

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  5. What wonderful poems! I am so inspired to write a poem now. Thank you!!

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    1. You've got to write when when your brain says write one! Glad you found some inspiration!

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  6. What a charming bit of southern hospitality from Margaret. And I do love your dog poem. You have a way of getting inside an animal's head ;)

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    1. I do more talking for my pets than they like! My cat is fond of telling me to stop talking for him, as he feels he is quite capable of talking for himself.

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  7. I really really really want to do Spark some day! It looks so fun! Each of your creations are fabulous on their own, but so much MORE when paired! The beach pair is my favorite!

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    1. Thanks, Mary Lee! You do really have to do Spark. This was my first time. I'd been to the website before and wasn't sure what it was and how it was organized. I just jumped in this time when I got an email about it. It really was fun and I know I'll do it again.

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  8. Love all these cross-inspirations! Thanks for sharing Margaret's warm poem, and the links to yours. (Great dog voice - woof!)

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    1. Margaret's poem is such a homey, comforting and beautiful poem. I just love it!
      BTW, I had fun with the dog poem. I just had to imagine our young Yellow Lab in the car with an ice cream to get her voice.

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  9. You've created a lovely little poetry garden for us here today, Donna! I loved reading your Spark poems and seeing their photo pairings. It's fascinating to me how we all see things so differently. Margaret's poem is so beautiful. I especially love this: "....knowing/this moment of surprise sweetness/is fleeting."

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    1. Yes, I love that part of Margaret's poem, too - along with "bunnies and blueberries and boys".

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