Mainely Write

If you are here for the progressive poem - click here to get there!
This month has been lots of fun.  I don't know what NEXT April will be like.  There are not many vanity plates in PA at all.  Maybe road names...those are interesting here!  Guess you will have to check back in April, but hope you will check back before that!

Z is for ZZZZZ and Zuchini...


Sleeping Zucchini

Zucchini seeds slept in the garden
Planted in early spring.
Zucchini seeds dozed in the warm soil
Heard the robins sing.
Zucchini seeds yawned venturing a root down
into the warming dirt.
Zucchini seeds stretched their seed leaves
unfolding green and pert.
Zucchini plants spread from here to there
awake and doing fine.
Zucchini plants grew gold blossoms
and twisted round and twined.
Zucchini fruit (or vegetable?) grew
sleeping in the field.
We got more unteeny zucchini
than one garden should ever yield.
Next year there'll be no zucchini;
it's too much a garden boss.
Forget "fake-sleeping" zucc…

The entire Progressive Poem is here today! (if you are here for Z - go HERE) These are the poets that contributed a line each to Irene Latham's brainchild, the Progressive Poem.  This year's poem was begun by Matt Forrest Esenwine, with a great idea: using found lyrics from songs.  Each day a new poet added a new "found" line from a song...right up until today.  Today is the last day, and it is my turn to supply a line.   I have written a rather lengthy explanation of what went on in my head and on paper.  You can, of course, read it, or skip down to the ending...well, not the ENDING... save that.  Go to the middle where the poem is, to read the last line.  Then go to the END if you are in the mood for - um - a laugh?  more music? something different? April 2019 Progressive Poem Contributors and their lines:

  1 Matt @Radio,Rhythm and Rhyme
  2 Kat @KathrynApel
  3 Kimberly @KimberlyHutmacherWrites
  4 Jone @DeoWriter
  5 Linda @TeacherDance
  6 Tara @Going to Walden
  7…

One more day in April.  One more day for National Poetry Month.  One more day for the AtoZ Challenge.  I am writing a poem a day for April, and except for Sundays, the poems are inspired by vanity plates in Maine.

Y is for YAY-CAT:

Super Cat

Yay, cat!
My feline hero!
Cat score - one,
Mousie - zero!

Gone that mouse
From my house

Way to go!
Job done well
Hooray, cat!
Rest a spell.

Mouse won’t roam
In your home.

Yay, me - meow!
I’ll take my beow.
Then curl up here -
Nap time neow.


By Donna JT Smith ©2019

Find more AtoZ Challenge participants here.

Sunday is a no AtoZ Challenge day....Monday is Y.
But it's still National Poetry Month, so here is Sunday's poem!  And a late posted fancy note to the Easter Bunny.

A note to the Easter Bunny - misplaced "the" - but what do you expect when you are concentrating on making your letters fancy and doing it all on your own...just shy of 5 years old: Dear  Easter Bunny Please enthe  joy  carrots.  (please enjoy the carrots)
My morning window inspired Sunday haiku: beyond this portal sweet invisible curls waft petals beckoning
by Donna JT Smith ©2019
Clothing inspired Sunday haiku: indigo heaven simple white dots, silver spots stars He made displayed  by Donna JT Smith ©2019

X is for XPRESV:
Here are some plate I found in storage.  I did not find a new one for this year.





Expressive Impressions

When you have a car and a great something to say you get a license plate as a way to display What you like to do your hobby, your work maybe your name, or some other odd quirk. Better than a sticker to put on a bumper But some of these plates can be real a stumper - Like X2RNR... what's that about? Others are XSELNT ...a vanity shout... If you have the need to be all XPRESV Get a vanity plate and you'll be impressive.
by Donna JT Smith ©2019

Find more AtoZ Challenge participants here.

Day 23 in the AtoZ Challenge is the letter W.
It is also National Poetry Month.  So I am writing a poem a day this month inspired by vanity plates spied around parking lots in Maine in 2018.

W is for WHAT3VER
I didn’t think I liked this poem.  First, it  doesn't rhyme.  Second, I started out thinking I wanted it to go in a different direction - which it did - not MY direction!
And because it wasn't a direction I thought I'd go...like why was I writing about "ants"???... I didn’t feel like writing it.
But ants are on my mind.  We have been battling these small ants in the house lately, and whatever we did this morning while pulling some weeds stirred a huge nest and they came parading out of nowhere, and then gathering in large groups on the walkway at the front of the house.  They were the same kind as we'd seen inside the house, so I killed them all...sorry for those of you who think I should just fence them off or take them somewhere to set them free in t…

Day 22 in the AtoZ Challenge is the letter V.
It is also National Poetry Month.  So I am writing a poem a day this month inspired by vanity plates spied around parking lots in Maine in 2018.

V is for VIOLIN 1:

Four Strings
The instrument that should have been is a sleek and squeaky violin. I asked my mother could I play and she said, "I don't think today would be so great to start that noise for Sunday's your dad quite enjoys the peace and quiet of football and not a stormy violin squall." No other days were good she said for migraine's would engulf her head, and so I never got to play an instrument until today... a ukulele... Granddaughter says she likes it fine and has one too, almost like mine. So there.     Taking uke out for a spin; don't need no squeaky violin! We will play ookoo-lay-lay duets, and I am taking wagers and bets that she will far out-ring my strings - her little fingers are borne on wings. While mine are stable in their ways, they're…

I am doing a poem a day this month for National Poetry Month.  The poems are inspired by Maine vanity license plates I've photographed over the past year. 

Day 22 of the AtoZ Challenge is dedicated to the letter U!  And my U word is UNVEIL... 


Veils The trees in fall becoming bare have rare and colorful beauty; I wish they'd always look that way For bright colored leaves just suit me.
It's always sad to see them go to drift and swirl to ground, Unveiling all the tree branches with a farewell swishing sound.
The winter snows attempt a veil with fluff and puffs of white, But in the sun the snows unveil and melt without a fight.
Winter's stark and dark will end when lightly springs the veil On breezes blue with yellow sun - as green tulle freshens stale.
Once more the trees are under wraps of multi-hues of green; their heads all covered and their limbs with nests, in veils, unseen.
Then summer's end sees all that change to colors red and gold, until again the trees…

Day 20 in the AtoZ Challenge, the 23rd day of National Poetry Month.  I'm writing a poem a day inspired by vanity plates found in Maine in 2018.
Today T is for TIMESTU.

First - Is this "Tim, es tu?" or "Time stew" or "Times 2?  The world will never know...I did not get to talk to the owners of the vehicle.  So it is my call.  I think it is "times two".  However, my brain went with...

Time Stew

Just when I think I have it planned
It's poured into the pot
Astir with all the other things
Becoming what I'd not
expected or even wanted -
the unthinkable unthought wrought
We made do with the unplanned stew
and found it's not so bad
to have the life you didn't think
you'd have but now you had.
If I could take stuff from the stew
and rearrange this time,
I don't think I could do it better;
I think it's gone just fine.

by Donna JT Smith ©2019






Find more AtoZ Challenge participants here.

Day 19 of the AtoZ Challenge, where I am gathering Maine vanity plates alphabetically.  Today is S.
It is also National Poetry month, day 22 of a poem a day for April!



S is for SEA MATE and SOL-M8

Together
My soul mate is my sea mate we both fish in the deep With traps and line, both hers and mine. In faith we took the leap to fish together all our days and weather every storm; and so we sail through every gale, and keep each other warm. When at last our boat hits land, the ending of our journey her heart and mine remain entwined - she with me and blue sea.
by Donna JT Smith ©2019

Some extra plates for S:


Find more AtoZ Challenge participants here.

Today I have written an Easter poem using only vanity plates.  At the end I also gathered extra plates collected over the past few years that might be used in a Bible passage or sermon/message:

Happy Easter
“For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?”  Mark 8:36
Here's my Easter Poem on a Plate for today, using only the plates - a found poem!.  Can you read it?  I've put the poem below the plates.

Easter Message on a Plate


Hey, you! Sunbeam,

Give thanks
Forever; Anchored
In faith,
Believe! Look up, Know Him;
God loves you!
Rejoice!

Love,
Jesus -
I am  the only one.
by Donna JT Smith ©2019

It's R today for AtoZ!
R is for ride, too.  Our motorcycles arrived yesterday evening in perfect shape.  I had my denim skirt on, but I took it for a spin around the block as soon as it hopped out of the van...no helmet, no jacket, no gloves, no valid license plate...what a Rebel!  Boy, did that feel fine!  Now to get our driver's licenses here and get these registered and inspected here.  Sigh.  No real riding until that is done.




R is for READ2M - I thought first it was Read 2 ME and then I reread it... ah, "read to 'em" - probably a teacher's plate.



Read to Them

Read to them
   the books they need
   the books they want
   the books they breathe

read to them
   and give them words
   and give them thoughts
   and give them...birds

      and dinosaurs
      and little bugs
      and knowledge that's
      like little hugs

read to them
   from days of old
   those tales we loved
   that we were told

read to them
   of Alice, Seuss,
   of Treasure Isle
…

First, it is Poetry Friday..  so you have to opportunity to read and relish poetry from all around the world today, just by clicking on a few links at Amy Ludwig VanDerwater, our Poetry Friday host today at The Poem Farm.
Secondly, yesterday was Poem in Your Pocket day - though no one seemed to know that.  But I gave my grandson poems to be handed out at school anyway - he handed out 30 poems for kids to put in their pockets!   I visited our local library and handed out a few myself.  I figured, why not?  It was a school break day for some area schools, so there were parents and students everywhere.

And then a side note...our motorcycles arrive today sometime, along with my helmet, jacket and boots!  So exciting.  Hope the trip goes smoothly!

And now for AtoZ Q day.  Honestly, this has been the worst letter every year!  People just don't like using Q on their plates.  I have used these all in the past on Q day.
Q is for...QUANDR3 - I made my own plate and posted all my other yea…