Category Archives: Inspiration

Snow Wonder

Posted on March 4, 2016 | 17 comments
Poetry Friday Tag

Linda is this week’s hostess at Teacher Dance.

 

Televised newscast in the background, me: half-listening, not watching; engrossed in what I was composing on the laptop; upright screen blocking my television vision.

… “It’s snow wonder…”

Curiosity piqued, I stop typing, literally sticking my neck out to see the televised “snow wonder” …

Putting audio and video together, I soon realized that while I obviously had snow on the brain, the reporter didn’t….

Instant mental gymnastics replay, and:

“It’s no wonder…”

And that hearing-realization led to this play on the reporter’s expression:

 

PF wk 5 snow pictures (2)

 

Even though I preferred using the alliterative “surprise,” rather than the reporter’s “wonder,” I haven’t given up trying to make that work… maybe next week…

Who snows! …I mean who knows!

 

p.s. I’m always second-guessing–especially my use of punctuation (punctuation lover that I am). Please indulge me, if you would. More effective last line ditching ellipsis; replacing exclamation mark with colon?

 

It’s snow!

It’s no surprise: no school!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

17 Comments

Posted in Inspiration

Tagged ,

Vicariously Zany

Posted on February 26, 2016 | 24 comments

 

It wasn’t until I read “A Snowy Day” to my primary students just a few years ago that I learned what a doubly-deprived childhood I had experienced– based, in fact, on what I hadn’t experienced.

…And not experienced–but not for a lack of annual snowy days growing up.

Regardless….

(1) Never heard of ’em.

(2) Never became one of ’em.

So now, on my A1 zany bucket list, virtually, vicariously fulfilled by the real life angel to whom I am most grateful:

 

angel vertical cb

Are there any leftover childhood wannado experiences on your bucket list?

24 Comments

Posted in Inspiration

Tagged ,

Vive la difference!…Merci, Carol V. & Entire PF Community!

Posted on February 19, 2016 | 28 comments
Poetry Friday Tag

Donna is this week’s hostess at Mainely Write

 

The same weekend that the NFL Super Bowl celebrated its 50th anniversary, WordPress notified me that I had accomplished my 50th posting. That same weekend, I responded to Michelle Barnes’ invitation to participate in David Harrison’s WOM (LEAVES) challenge.

Remembering that I had created a Haiku about leaving, I searched back among the fifty posts. Yes! On October 2nd, I posted a Haiku (not in conjunction with Poetry Friday) that I was happy to rework, accommodating the changes necessitated by going from “leave” to “leaves.”

More than revisiting the words, I was happy to rework the visual context. And that’s when I realized I have a HUGE debt of gratitude/thanks to offer one Carol Varsalona whose exquisite photo-poems and “Autumn’s Palette” gallery invitation challenged me to push some personal photo-poetry limits.

Since a picture really is worth a thousand words, please take a look at the first rendition (pre-Carol’s influence) and the second one (post-Carol’s influence). …Then, please tell me what you think! …Amazing difference between the two, isn’t there?

 

storm cropped (2)

DOM leave2 (2)

 

As much as Carol single-handedly influenced me with her “Autumn’s Palette” gallery challenge and modeling, I must also give credit and wholehearted thanks to all the other members of the Poetry Friday community  whose highly visual posts and photo-poems spurred me on to do my best, gaining inspiration and tactical tips from their talented weekly postings.

Since I made my first Poetry Friday post on September 11, 2015, I have looked forward each week to participating in the Round-ups, and have greatly appreciated the time that members have spent reading my posts, and especially sharing their encouraging comments.

Please know that as much as I very much look forward to affirmation, I seek and value every suggestion and criticism that will help me become a better artist-practitioner, and thus, a more worthy contributing member of the PF community, a giver, instead of just a “taker.”

Heart-beatThank you and God bless you!

 

28 Comments

Posted in Inspiration

Tagged , ,

Defensive Valentine: (In)vulnerable

Posted on February 12, 2016 | 30 comments
Poetry Friday Tag

Kimberley Moran is this week’s hostess at Written Reflections

 

Being part of a martial arts family, I have to say that “Haiku” sounds as if it could be a martial arts self-defense style.

Ergo, on this Valentine’s Day weekend, rather than sparring helmets, arm and shin guards self-protective love….a Haiku heart of stone self-defense mechanism photo-poem for those responsibly cautious-in-love (a.k.a.”control freaks” —that would be me!) who want to protect against being caught off guard, impaled by one of Cupid’s unexpected love-at-first-sight arrows–especially if Cupid’s aim is off and the arrow is wayward!  Scary stuff!

 

heart horiz 6 (3)

(Martial artists–with the correct mind-over-matter hand or foot technique–actually can break through stone. But please don’t tell the cautious-in-love  heart-protective self-defense artist.)

 

Now, for the entire Poetry Friday community and all those–hearts totally vulnerable–who love and allow themselves to be loved by poetry:

Heart-beatHappy Valentine’s Day, Blessed Poetry Lovers!

 

By Nevit Dilmen (talk · contribs) (Own work) [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html)%5D, via Wikimedia Commons

 

30 Comments

Posted in Inspiration

Tagged , ,

Ditty Delirium

Posted on February 8, 2016 | 4 comments

 

 

In response to Michelle Barnes’ DOM challenge, my “ditty” fun submission, which Michelle, whose consistent wit and sense of humor I greatly admire and enjoy, good-naturedly accepted. Thank you, Michelle!

 

DOM Ditty cbhanek

p.s. I’d love it if one of my PF comrades could compose a really challenging “ditty” tongue twister (compared with my string of “D” words. Delirious. Delirium.) Thank you!

4 Comments

Posted in Inspiration, Poetry, Poetry Friday

Tagged , ,

Leaves

Posted on February 7, 2016 | 3 comments

 

DOM leave2 (2)

This Haiku photo-poem is a revision of an earlier poem, posted in October. This version has been created for David Harrison’s February Word of the Month challenge: LEAVES.

Special thanks are extended to Michelle Barnes, whose informative Ditty of the Month interview with Mr. Harrison included the invitation for Poetry Friday community members to participate in Mr. Harrison’s February WOM challenge.

Here, then, is my first Word of the Month sharing.  I welcome, most sincerely, comments and suggestions.

 

3 Comments

Posted in Inspiration

Tagged , ,

Chillin’

Posted on February 5, 2016 | 17 comments
Poetry Friday Tag

Tricia is this week’s hostess at The Miss Rumphius Effect

 

With mixed feelings, I can share that yesterday’s nearly all-day heavy rain removed most–but still not all– of the evidence of the Blizzard of 2016 from our lawns, roofs, and streets.

Since I’m not giving up my snow-inspired photo-poem infatuation (yet) I have a “wild” public domain photo inspiration for this poem-post.

For many years, I missed seeing snowpersons of any size or shape grace our neighborhood. Then, a couple of years ago, a young couple moved across the street, and their children warmed my heart on a cold winter’s day as I watched them build a snowperson or two with their father.

Alas and alack, the family moved right before Halloween; no little kids replacing them. And so, once again, no snowpersons did I see–even with plenty of raw material, compliments of the blizzard. Once again, there were no snowpersons drawing me back to the days of yesteryear when I fashioned them so joyfully.

And so, the closest I could come (short of building one myself) is this loving couple. I hope you enjoy his and her bravado! (As for why I didn’t build one myself: it’s not that I mind getting my hands dirty; it’s getting them frozen–along with the rest of my body, feeling chilled to the brain, that I mind.)

Did you build any snowpersons this season? Looks as if this pair is open for some good company!

chillin' snowpersons

 

 

 

17 Comments

Posted in Inspiration

Tagged ,