Welcome to this week's Poetry Friday roundup!
For those of you who don't know, I moved to Asunción, Paraguay, with my husband in January after many years living in Haiti. When I signed up for today, months ago, I thought, "By March I'll be settled into my new home, ready to welcome guests. Perfect!" Well, of course, I'm far from settled in, though I'm headed in that direction. And while I can't say I'm fully at home yet, I am finding lots to love in this new place.
I think of this weekly roundup as a collection of what everyone has been reading, writing, and thinking about throughout the week. So today I have a haibun about a collection from last Saturday.
Morning Collection
My brother picked me up at 5:15. We met a friend and his son in the pre-dawn darkness and drove out into the wild. We were in search of birds, and did we ever find them! A hundred and three species, collected one by one as the morning progressed: small, hidden among branches, or enormous, flapping overhead: familiar, or brand new to me. We peered through our binoculars and camera lenses, locating colors and shapes. My brother and his friend spoke the names in Spanish and English, some in Guarani. They said the scientific names, too, in Latin. The words flocked in my mind, abundant and spectacular like the hundred and fifty Wood Storks rising on huge black and white wings against the sunrise.
Morning collection:
Spanish words, photos, bird list,
Mud on my new boots.
©Ruth Bowen Hersey
Leave your collectibles in the comments, and I will round them up the old-school way as the day progresses. I can't wait to see what you've brought to share!
Collection from Thursday Evening
Linda has a review of Amy Ludwig VanDerwater's new book (which looks fabulous, by the way), plus a new star poem on her padlet. Thanks for getting here first, Linda, and for these treasures!
Jama is sharing Diana Hendry's "What is the Pond Doing?" and gearing up for National Poetry Month with a collection of links to poetry projects people will be doing. Yay, it's almost NPM!
Michelle, like many of us, has her heart in Ukraine these days. She's sharing some art, and then an ekphrastic poem she wrote to go with it.
Sally lives in the southern hemisphere as I do, and her post this week is decidedly summery, with bees and a swimming pool.
Laura's thinking of Ukraine too, and also reminding us that everyone belongs.
Matt is sharing about Poetry Out Loud and has a poem from the National Youth Poet Laureate.
Catherine has a bird-related post this week, too!
Laura S. is thinking about birds, too, plus she has a giveaway!
It's past my bedtime here, and I haven't even visited all these links I just rounded up yet. I've been out on a night bike ride in glorious moon-drenched Asunción! I'll be by tomorrow, folks, and I'll keep rounding up links in the morning. Bye for now!
Collection from Thursday Night
Good morning! Here are the links that came in overnight.
Karen has a poem about time. She's wondering about the poet, and reflecting on time herself.
Janice is watching, photographing, and writing about pronghorn sheep in Wyoming.
Ramona had a serendipitous find yesterday. Enjoy, Ramona!
Tabatha has heard the mermaids singing, each to each, and she shares their song with us!
Patricia knows what the world needs now...
Linda is sharing Lawrence Ferlinghetti and thinking about Ukraine.
Alan has some wonderful song lyrics for us today.
Carol is recovering from cataract surgery and still finding time to write every day. She wishes us a happy St. Patrick's Day, with a poem!
Once again, I've made only the briefest of visits to these links, so I look forward to exploring them more later. But right now, I have to go to work. I'm on morning duty this week, greeting kids as they come on campus starting at 6:40 AM! I'm a morning person, and that's still early. Back later with more links! Have a wonderful Friday!
Collection from Friday Morning
Irene has a chameleon poem today! I'm loving her current series. Head on over and take a look!
Marcie is thinking about collecting too, and she shares how she does it. Really interesting, and welcome, Marcie! I don't think we've met yet!
Mary Lee has a review of a new book of poetry.
Margaret has been writing triolets with her student, Chloe. (I love Chloe posts.)
Christie has a moment that took her breath away.
Heidi is thinking about metrics.
Amy has a poem about a secret cloud.
Rose wrote a color poem about yellow.
Collection from Friday Afternoon
Anastasia is booktalking Laura Purdie Salas' new book We Belong.
I'm home from work now, and Friday has a few hours left! Keep those links coming! I may even put in a Saturday Morning section if need be.
Collection from Friday Night
Denise and her husband are painting a house, and it's not exactly fun! She wrote about it, and while I didn't read it until Saturday morning, up early to go out birding again, it did technically come in on Friday night.
I'm off to collect some more birds for my list, and I'll round up any Saturday links later. It's been fun, friends! Hope you have a wonderful week, and see you next Friday!
29 comments:
Oh, this is wonderful! Words flocking to you. Love that. I'm so glad that you are birding along with learning Spanish. Somehow, I think that will help with the language...making associations. You'll have to tell me if I'm right about that. I am in this week with a review of Amy Ludwig Vanderwater's new book, 'If This Bird Had Pockets.' It be no surprise that it's a delight! Wordsong Press and Amy LV are such a good fit for each other. I was deLIGHTed that there are two poems in the book tha reference stars. Yay!
I've also added another poem to the star padlet. I love seeing the poems pile up.
https://awordedgewiselindamitchell.blogspot.com/
Thanks for hosting, Ruth!
What a sight that must have been -- over a hundred wood storks rising on huge black and white wings against the sunrise! Thanks for the flock of words, the gorgeous photos, and for taking us along on your early morning birding adventure.
At Alphabet Soup I'm sharing Diana Hendry's, "What is the Pond Doing?" I'll also be "collecting" info and links for April's NPM Kidlitosphere roundup. Have a nice weekend and thanks for hosting!
https://jamarattigan.com/2022/03/18/diana-hendrys-what-is-the-pond-doing/
What a marvelous bird-venture you had Ruth, thanks for taking us along with for a bit! Seeing those 150 "Wood Storks rising" sounds like a real visual wonder!!! Glad you are starting to settle in, thanks for hosting the roundup. I'm sharing some art of Anna Scherbyna, a contemporary Ukrainian, woman artist and an ekphrastic poem to accompany it: https://moreart4all.wordpress.com/?p=10534&preview=true
I love that you went out collecting memories, and language. And you collected a poem, too.
As for me, I've been watching bees collecting honey in my front garden : http://sallymurphy.com.au/2022/03/poetry-friday-pool-bugs-and-busy-bees/
Thanks for hosting.
Ruth, the settling in never happens as quickly as we would wish. Thanks for hosting and for the beautiful pictures and haibun! I'm in sharing a poem I originally wrote inspired by Syrian refugees and asylum seekers, but at the moment it's the people of Ukraine who are in my heart. I'm also sharing a link to a poetry activity that I shared on Wednesday for writing we belong poems with a classroom. Someday, we'll learn that we all belong, right? https://www.laurasalas.com/poems-for-teachers/leaving-things-behind-for-ukraine-poetry-friday/
Wow, I didn't realize you had moved to Paraguay! Some beautiful pics, though - hope you're enjoying our new life, even if you havent unpacked the old one, ha! ;)
Thanks for hosting, Ruth. I'm sharing one of the poems that was used for the NH State Poetry Out Loud championship last week: https://wp.me/p2DEY3-341
Your bird-watching adventure sounds wonderful! I've been collecting birds this week, too. Thank you for hosting us this week, Ruth!
http://readingtothecore.com/2022/03/17/poetry-friday-a-riot-of-robins/
Oh, Ruth. How I love the line, "words flocked in my mind." It's good to hear you are settling into your new home but also making discoveries.
I have a poem about birds today also! One bird, actually -- a red tailed hawk that used to perch on our swingset. It appears in the 2021 Bay to Ocean Journal. I have one copy of the book to give away to a lucky PF person.
https://laurashovan.com/2022/03/poetry-friday-hawk-giveaway/
Ruth, I love your haibun! (I also love that form — it has everything that I love in a piece of writing — prose! haiku! diary! story! — and you've made the most of it. I adore:
The words flocked in my mind, abundant and spectacular like the hundred and fifty Wood Storks rising on huge black and white wings against the sunrise.
Beautiful.
Thanks for hosting this week! I'm in with some thoughts on time, and the link is here.
Hi Ruth, I loved that you shared your early morning birdwatching with us, the photos and poem, took me there, especially the mud on your boots. I am sharing a poem from my travel out west and the prairie on Salt City Verse.
http://janicescully.com
I hate to be redundant, but your phrase, "the words flocked in my mind, abundant and spectacular" is truly lovely. Thanks for hosting us today. I'm here with a two-fer for Slice of Life and Poetry Friday.
My pot of gold had flecks of red and green and was edible.
https://pleasuresfromthepage.blogspot.com/2022/03/sol-1731-poetry-friday-serendipity.html
Hi Ruth, SO MANY BIRDS! Wow!
Thank you for hosting, even as you find your feet.
I posted a song about mermaids. https://tabathayeatts.blogspot.com/
xo
Just lovely, Ruth! Thank you!
Here is my contribution for #PoetryFriday this week:
https://patriciajfranz.com/blog-poetry-friday-what-the-world-needs/
I guess that I am repeating everyone else, Ruth, your 'flock' of words and wonderful pictures and poem, a special trip for BIRDS! Over a hundred sightings makes me wish very much for spring & our birds, thought seeing the ones you saw also makes me a tiny bit jealous. I wrote about my sadness for Ukraine, too. My link: https://www.teacherdance.org/2022/03/poetry-friday-thinking-of-ukraine.html Thanks for hosting!
Hi Ruth, Love the haibun. It captures the scene so clearly. I'm partial to the haibun and have written a few, so I readily identify with your poem. I did enjoy the clever use of 'words flocked in my mind.' Settling into a new home does take time. We have to establish some history, some stories. It's a journey that takes a little time. You are clearly underway. Happy times...
I am looking at the connection between song lyrics and poetry in my post
My link is: https://alanjwrightpoetrypizzazz.blogspot.com/2022/03/the-poetry-of-lyrics.html
Ruth, I will come back to read your post and others. My eye is starting to blur up more now so off to bed I will go.(I had my first cataract surgery this week) I write about St. Patrick's Day and the wonderful family gathering we had. https://beyondliteracylink.blogspot.com/2022/03/sol22-march-musings-day-14-day-in-six.html
Ruth, I may have left the wrong URL. It is https://beyondliteracylink.blogspot.com/2022/03/march-musings-day-18-touch-of-green.html. Thank you for hosting.
Ruth, I'm not sure which I love more: the words flocking in your mind or the mud on your boots. 103 species! That's so great. I'm glad you are finding things to love as you continue to settle into your new home.
I've got another ArtSpeak: Animals poem..."Creativity is a Chameleon." Thank you for rounding us up so lovingly! xo
https://irenelatham.blogspot.com/2022/03/creativity-is-chameleon-poem.html
Your haibun is stunning. I hope things start to feel settled soon. Thank you for hosting. Here is my post: https://www.marcieatkins.com/2022/03/18/poetry-friday-field-notes-in-my-pockets/
Thank you for rounding us up with both bird watching AND an moonlit bike ride! It must be glorious to be so much safer now. I'm happy for you!! I love your haibun.
I have a review of Marshmallow Clouds: Two Poets at Play among Figures of Speech, a new book of poetry for children by Ted Kooser and Connie Wanek (two of my favorites!!).
https://ayearofreading.org/2022/03/18/poetry-friday-marshmallow-clouds/
Sounds like a wonderful adventure with your brother. My MIL is a bird watcher. She used to go out before dawn with my father-in-law to catch the birds after their long trek over the Gulf of Mexico.
My student Chloe and I wrote Triolet poems after Irene Latham. https://reflectionsontheteche.com/2022/03/18/poetry-friday-spring-triolet/
Today I share a moment that took my breath away. Thank you for hosting, Ruth! https://wonderingandwondering.wordpress.com/2022/03/18/together-sol22-poetryfriday/
I wrote a long comment when I thought I wasn't going to post, and then you inspired me, and while I was writing I lost the draft of my comment, so now all I have time for is my link: https://myjuicylittleuniverse.blogspot.com/2022/03/the-metrics.html
No, I must say how brilliantly "mud on my new boots" captures the settling in you're doing in Asuncion, and how the richness of your birding brings optimism to me during a week when I have felt uncharacteristic pessimism. Thank you, Ruth.
Collectibles!
Welcome to your new home. What a beautiful haibun...and oh what a dream of a day. Thank you tons for hosting as you settle in.
Today at The Poem Farm I offer a poem about a secret cloud.
http://www.poemfarm.amylv.com/2022/03/a-secret-or-surprise.html
xo,
Amy
Good luck as you settle into your new home, Ruth. Thanks for introducing me to this new poetry form. "Words flocked" is a wonderful image and fits so well. Love of birds and words - two of my favorites as well!
Here's my link to a color poem I did this week:
https://imaginethepossibilitiesblog.wordpress.com/2022/03/18/poetry-friday-thats-yellow/
That's a big move, Ruth! When we moved after 23 years, it took a long time to settle in, too. I *love* the haibun and the 103 species of birds that inspired it. Wow! I'm sharing a snippet from Laura Purdie Salas' new rhyming picture book of opposites: We Belong. https://asuen.com/we-belong/
Ruth, the sting of the eye drops is wearing off so now I have some time to read and write. It is a glorious day here and I get a bonus surprise: placing my computer outside under the bright sun. I love your presentation today and your haibun. I can't imagine how beautiful the sight was that you saw. Thank you for the photos of your new location where you will spend some remarkable days in service of new students. May your days be filled with warmth and many delights. Thanks for hosting today.
Ruth, sorry I'm late to the Poetry Friday party. Thank you for hosting, and also for sharing some of the beauty of Paraguay with us. With your lovely description, I can see the experience you had last Saturday. What a wealth of new birds and old friends, too. It sounds fabulous. One hundred, three species! What? That's amazing. And then to see so many wood storks at one time must have been a sight. My favorite line is the last in your haiku--about the mud on your new boots. Perfect. It made it personal and so real.
https://mrsdkrebs.edublogs.org/2022/03/18/march-sol22-day-18-and-poetry-friday-a-perverse-amusement-park/
I missed last week, Ruth, but am so happy I can visit your post today! Of course I love reading haibun, and especially reading about your birding adventures in your new home. Continued best wishes as you all settle in and get to know the locals, human and feathered!
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