Category Archives: National Poetry Month

The Tree

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No one tells a tree how it should grow;

or how to shade a lonely heart.

It spreads it branches naturally.

It teaches us about eternal love;

and houses the mourning dove,

It lets the sun shine through

brilliantly from the heavens above.

The tree I planted so long ago

has seen me sobbing all alone,

when I confided all my sorrow.

What comforts me a little

is that it will hopefully still be around

for many a tomorrow.

Someone else will look up to it in awe

and wonder who it was that foresaw

the beauty and peace it would bring,

and help a lonely soul to sing,

when blossoms bloom

in the early spring.

Courtesy of Pixabay

Happy “A Poem In Your Pocket Day”

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Today is “A Poem In Your Pocket Day” so make sure you select a poem and put in your pocket and share it with as many people as you can. Let me know how many times you shared it. I started sharing some poems last night with family and friends. I mailed out some home made masks with a poem attached.

As you may know from reading my blog, poetry for me is life and life is poetry. As National Poetry Month comes to a close I just want to remind you that it is up to you to keep poetry close to your heart all year. Below I have listed a few resources for you to use with your children. I love Shel Silverstein’s poems. I read his poems to my students all the time. Now I read the poems to my grandchildren.

http://www.shelsilverstein.com/media/fun/images/PoetTree_1600x1200.jpg.1024x960_q85.jpg

Here is my voice recording of The Poet Tree by Shel Silverstein.


Here is a video I found on YouTube. I hope you enjoy it.

Other Resources:

 

Poets.org – You will find many poems and readings. If you are a teacher there are many resources to use with your students.

Geraldine Dodge Poetry Foundation – Opportunities to participate in many activities for teachers and students. Also look for The bi-annual poetry festival.

https://poets.org/academy-american-poets/ – You find many programs and contest opportunities.

Reading Poetry Aloud

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Many folks read poetry silently

mindful that they may not

fully understand

the meaning,

the purpose,

the theme,

and the fluidity of a poem.

Why do some poems deserve to be

anthologized,

memorialized,

memorized and even metamorphized

into sweet song lyrics.

I secretly hope mine are someday.

Poems are best when read aloud

I learned that late in life.

They resonate and

infuse your blood stream

with love and passion

as a prayer does.

You become mindful of every breath,

every stress, every meter,

as the words beat in your heart.

I want to hear

the rhymes

but sometimes

I rather repeat just one line

that get lost in the endlessness of time.

Read poetry aloud I say.

As the end of April and National Poetry Month leaves us, I will post some poems to be read aloud. Also I will post some videos of some poets reading their poetry. I hope you enjoy them as much as I have. Please leave a comment and let me know what you think.

Also stay safe. Don’t forget to take deep cleansing breaths. Poetry Month may soon be over but using poetry to help you feel calm and peaceful will always be available.

Can You Sing Some Jazz?

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Reading Aloud

 

Can you sing some jazz?

Who can these days?

Does anyone have the razzmatazz?

How can we sing? We are all cooped up;

Sort of like confined to Alcatraz.

I am feeling the deepness of the rut.

 

Well I know I possess the pizzazz;

But only if you let me cry as much as

I want.

It is the only way for me to glean

Some sanity right now,

How I wish it was all so serene.

The truth is I want to scream.

So I will ask you once again

Can you sing some Jazz?

Are we friends?

If you want,

I will send you some good vibes;

and a little of my razzmatazz.

 

 

 

Challenge Response by Melba Christie – I must speak up

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My heart speaks up all the time

but the thoughts are only mine.

My soul speaks up frequently;

but my soul swears me to secrecy.

However today I must speak out loud

I must make at least, Mrs. Metelitz proud.

She always told us to take control of the shroud.

She told us to take a stand

and if we must,


even reprimand

what is wrong,

what is untrue,

oh yes, and whoever wants to misconstrue.

I must speak up

I cannot hold my tongue

It was ok when I was too young.

Today is the day;

when I must say,

what I feel,

Because I cannot believe

what we are all living is really real.

I must speak up before something even more horrible occurs

like more deaths because of ignorance and grave errors

or a war in the midst of this health crisis.

We must decree justice.

I am here to tell you

we must all unite.

and not allow partisan politics win the fight.

We need truth and honesty;

we cannot allow any more of this travesty.

Our democracy must prevail;

and propel our ship with the toughest of sails.

Our journey has been hard up until now;

but together we will make this virus kowtow

to our firm stance and belief

that God will help us get through our grief.

Our Nation of the people,

is our principal value;

one for all and all for one

United we will win the run.

God Bless America.

Image by truthseeker08 from Pixabay

Masquespade

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I never learned how to sew

even though

my mom tried endlessly to show me the basics

like hem the edge of the fabric

to keep the raw edge from unraveling.

Perhaps a lesson for life was embedded

but I was definitely too hard headed

I would exclaim sewing is boring,

I mean who wants to measure and do all that scoring.

Who would have guessed

I am now sewing like crazy

I need to keep doing

so I won’t grow too lazy.

I been on a masquespade lately

making all kinds of masks to keep the safety.

They are not perfect or fancy;

no embroidery,

or appliqués,

I try my best is all I can say.

As I sew I also silently pray

that soon we will not have to stay six feet away,

from our neighbors, elders, friends and family.

When that day comes I will sing with glee!

Free at last! Free at last!

Then I will invite everyone

to visit so we can party and have a blast.

For all those who wish to help by sewing masks to donate to different organizations like nursing homes and hospitals or even simply your local grocery store workers. I have linked a few videos and the guidelines for making the more professional type masks.

In the meantime, just remember we are all in this together. Stay safe and cherish the time at home with family. Let’s make this a mission. Do not allow the fabric of our most precious values to unravel. God Bless America and the world!

003902oo-1 Olson Mask V07.pdf

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html

Some of my homemade masks.

Poetry Challenge – I must speak up today . . .

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This week’s challenge is to write a poem starting with the line: “I must speak up today.” I am looking forward to reading your poems so please post them on your sites and send me a link in the comments section of any of my posts this week.

In the meantime, stay safe, stay home if you can, and keep the faith. Don’t forget to breathe and look at the view. We will get through this together. There is no other way.

Photograph by Melba Christie

Poetry Challenge Response – Coping

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My days, these days, always begin with prayer.

Nothing scripted or too profound,

only from my heart and without despair.

I try to speak succinctly, clearly and with calm

to the almighty universe and any God who will listen.

Sometimes I sneak in a proposition,

with the hope that there is no repetition,

of the mistakes we made in the past.

I ask for healing for all over the world

But sometimes I can only tell of my unique wows,

But the realist in me knows,

No one on this earth owns the controls.

I ask for patience,

I ask for peace,

I pray to soon be released,

from the prisons of fear and uncertainty,

I envision a new earth;

we are all on common ground.

We must all work together.

And allow only hope and love to surround.

I write a poem to help me cope.

And look for poems that fill me with hope.

*Please stay safe my fellow bloggers and friends. God bless America!

Got On line

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Got on line

masked and subdued,

nothing much else to do.

My shopping list as long as the line

not everyone looked fine.

Glazed suspicious looks and stares

as if no one were there to comfort or to care.

Finally a signal

to walk right in.

I hope this time I’ll find everything.

Blue masking tape marks the spot

where the sixth feet distancing

between, begins and stops.

Cashier stands behind a shield of Plexiglass

Wearing white plastic gloves and

a light blue cloth mask.

No one speaks to one another;

voices muffled so why bother anyway.

So hard to understand what people say.

Cannot tell if anyone smiles.

Everyone tries not to touch someone

as they walk down the aisles.

Empty shelves

symbolize.

Does anyone truly realize

what is at stake here?

I do not think anyone knows for sure.

All we know is we must endure.

Hold on to what is so dear you hear;

even at a distance,

everyone still feels the fear.

Will today be the day

that someone here

becomes

another number calculated

on those dreaded deadly graphs

with slopes and curves

that shake and toss around our nerves.

As I walk back to my car,

I cannot hold back the tears.

I want to believe this may all just be a bad dream;

and that with a forceful and fiery scream,

I will awake,

to what was before.

A New Poetry Challenge – Coping

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We are all coping or trying very hard to cope with the situation at hand. Write a poem about how you are coping. I think it is so important to share our thoughts, fears, and anxieties with others. But we should offer uplifting thoughts or share good strategies for coping. Reading a poem and writing helps me cope. Gratitude also helps. Thank someone who is out there risking their life one way or another to keep us safe, fed and cared for.

Please post your poem and use the #CopingamI and leave a copy or feedback in the comments section. I will share my poem by the end of this week which is the deadline for this challenge. Thanks. Be safe. Help keep others safe. We are in this together.

Image by Alexas_Fotos from Pixabay

¿Qué Será?

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What will be?

¿Qué será?

This was the title of my late sister’s favorite song.

It was one of the last pieces she requested to listen to in the hospital.

I cannot help to think about the COVID 19 victims

who may have passed

asking

¿Qué será?

I ask myself this question every day since the beginning of this nightmare.

What will be?

Well this morning I did not ask.

I proclaimed, love will be.

Hope will be.

Faith will be.

Amor será !

Paz será.

La esperanza será.

Today especially, Christians celebrate the Resurrection and Jews celebrate Passover

we all know that we must be together so that what will be, will be triumphant.

My beloved sister knew the answer

when she asked this question one day before she died.

There was little hope for her.

But we got to say goodbye even though at the time

we did not know though – ¿Qué será?

But there is hope for us.

What will be is clear.

We must get rid of the fear.

and do what needs to be done.

Together. One force. One love united.

So that no one else

will have to ask

¿Qué será?

Image by S. Hermann & F. Richter from Pixabay

My sister loved both versions.

Faith

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Easter, Passover, and Ramadan

All in April this year. Yes.

Festivities cancelled, Yes.

Family reunions. No.

Time for reflection and introspection.

Yes. Very true.

For me and for you too.

There is no difference here

We all are facing the same fears.

We all want this to end.

So we can hug an elderly parent or a friend.

The three faiths

tied together in some ways

Renewal, Rebirth, Redemption,

Sacred sacrafice

A deep look into our souls.

Week long-time traditions

of Prayers, taraweeh, worship

Fasting, forbidden to eat certain foods

But later feasting in family.

Reading the books of wisdom

Bible. Torah, Quran,

Relearning what

Disciples and prophets have said.

We all have Faith in common,

Faith in God, in ourselves, in someone we love.

Nothing is simple.

We cannot give up.

We cannot loose hope.

We will overcome.

The pain will ease -up.

The earth will continue to turn.

The sun will continue to shine.

It is really up to us.

Together.

Even when we are socially distant from each other,

There are so many lessons to be learned by all of us.

One sweet lesson gained once again;

We all need LOVE.


Image by Afshad Subair from Pixabay

Happy Holidays to all. Be Well. Be Safe.

Let us take care of each other.

What the World Needs Now

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*Please go the You tube link and leave a wishful thought in the comments section

Walk mindfully today

Keeping your distance, yes

But only physically

We need each other more these days

The pain is overwhelming for many

it is the greatest reverse of fortune

even for the mighty and brave

Tomorrow’s journey is uncertain

So live today fully

Love passionately

Give genorously

Let gratitude be your daily mantra

Oh yes, and Breathe!

Look at the view!

Nature will be your teacher.

The trees have continued to bloom,

the birds continue to build their nests,

Unaware perhaps of our grave situation,

It is our opportunity today, right now

to watch and listen carefully

natural intelligence

will always prevail.

*Please go the You tube link and leave a wishful thought in the comments section

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