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© Diane Mayr, all rights reserved.
December 31, 2013
December 29, 2013
December 27, 2013
Poetry Friday--Winter Poem Swap
I hope everyone is enjoying their holiday, and that you have a few days off. Sadly, I had to work yesterday and today, but, I'm so looking forward to the weekend!
This month I participated in the 2013 Winter Poem Swap organized by Tabatha Yeatts. My swap partner, Margaret, of Reflections on the Teche, sent me a copy of her book of poems, with illustrations by her father, John Gibson, titled Illuminate. Margaret generously allowed me to share one of the poems with you. I chose "The Pointellist":
Isn't that just beautiful? Art, love, family, and faith, in one small poem. The illustrations, Margaret explains, are from a series of Christmas cards created by her father. The epigraph from the poem is the message that was found inside the card. If you would like to purchase a copy of Illuminate for your very own, click here.
Last week on her blog Margaret shared the poem I sent to her. If you missed it, I'm including it here:
Click on image to enlarge for easier reading. © Diane Mayr, all rights reserved.
I wrote this on a day when I had to wear a pair of fingerless gloves to type! I have a hard time keeping my hands warm and I was wondering what the temperatures are like down in Louisiana at this time of year. That got me to asking, "just what is the Bayou Teche?" And this is what came out of my research.
This last Poetry Friday of 2013 is being hosted by Mary Lee, our Round-Up coordinator, at A Year of Reading. Don't miss the delights she's gathering up as we speak!
This month I participated in the 2013 Winter Poem Swap organized by Tabatha Yeatts. My swap partner, Margaret, of Reflections on the Teche, sent me a copy of her book of poems, with illustrations by her father, John Gibson, titled Illuminate. Margaret generously allowed me to share one of the poems with you. I chose "The Pointellist":
The Pointillist
She laid him in a manger because there was no room for them in the inn.
He sits at the drawing table,
taps the paper
as an instrument.
Music comes forth
in tones
dark and light.
Rhythm
from his heart
to his hand beats—
syncopated in time—
drumming out each dot
point by point.
Image
emerges in focus
inviting my eye.
I go with him
to the stable,
kneel next to the cow,
smell the light scent of hay,
listen to the breath
of a child,
adore with Mary.
© Margaret Gibson Simon, all rights reserved.
© John Gibson, all rights reserved.
Isn't that just beautiful? Art, love, family, and faith, in one small poem. The illustrations, Margaret explains, are from a series of Christmas cards created by her father. The epigraph from the poem is the message that was found inside the card. If you would like to purchase a copy of Illuminate for your very own, click here.
Last week on her blog Margaret shared the poem I sent to her. If you missed it, I'm including it here:
I wrote this on a day when I had to wear a pair of fingerless gloves to type! I have a hard time keeping my hands warm and I was wondering what the temperatures are like down in Louisiana at this time of year. That got me to asking, "just what is the Bayou Teche?" And this is what came out of my research.
This last Poetry Friday of 2013 is being hosted by Mary Lee, our Round-Up coordinator, at A Year of Reading. Don't miss the delights she's gathering up as we speak!
December 25, 2013
Happy Haiga Day!--A Christmas Edition Rerun
I first posted this on Christmas Day, 2010. It's one of my favorites!
© Diane Mayr, all rights reserved. Image courtesy Library of Congress.
Have a great holiday!
© Diane Mayr, all rights reserved. Image courtesy Library of Congress.
Have a great holiday!
December 24, 2013
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December 22, 2013
Happy Haiga Day!
© Diane Mayr, all rights reserved. Art from vintage postcard, ca. 1919, courtesy NYPL Digital Gallery.
December 20, 2013
Poetry Friday--Enough with the Doors!
Last week I posted four haiga featuring doors, and this week, I'm switching to windows. I believe they've all been posted here before.
I took the photo in January 2009--boy, I hope next month isn't as bad.
A window only in the haiku. Starring Smudge.
Does the shadow of a window count? With Skippy.
This one is a tanka.
A friend's cat named Molly.
Photo by Carol M. Highsmith, courtesy Library of Congress.
This is one of my favorite haiga, with both Smudge and Skippy.
All haiga ©Diane Mayr, all rights reserved.
This past Sunday I posted a short poem, which was layered on top of a photo of a window, see it here.
Had enough? I still have a few more in my files, but, I think if I post one more you'll all be ready to jump out the nearest window! Please don't! Instead, head over to Buffy's Blog for the Round-Up.
If I don't see you before next Wednesday, Merry Christmas to all who celebrate it and happy day off from work to those who don't!
All haiga ©Diane Mayr, all rights reserved.
This past Sunday I posted a short poem, which was layered on top of a photo of a window, see it here.
Had enough? I still have a few more in my files, but, I think if I post one more you'll all be ready to jump out the nearest window! Please don't! Instead, head over to Buffy's Blog for the Round-Up.
If I don't see you before next Wednesday, Merry Christmas to all who celebrate it and happy day off from work to those who don't!
December 17, 2013
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December 15, 2013
Happy Haiga Day!
This one is from yesterday, and is for my online friend Keri Collins Lewis who lives in Mississippi and doesn't have to worry about any of the stuff that's covering the ground in New Hampshire this morning!
© Diane Mayr, all rights reserved.
© Diane Mayr, all rights reserved.
December 13, 2013
Poetry Friday--Again with the Doors?
Last Friday's post was an original poem, "Interior," inspired by a painting with doorways and a window. I received a few comments from people who mentioned an affinity for doors.
Perhaps a general fascination with doors started with the famous poster, "The Doors of Dublin," information about which can be found here.
I have photographed interesting doors in my area, and several have been made into haiga. I'm going to share a few today. The first three have appeared before.
© Diane Mayr, all rights reserved.
I have more doors in my files that are waiting for a poem. Keep watching this space!
Tabatha Yeatts is hosting the Round-Up this week!
Perhaps a general fascination with doors started with the famous poster, "The Doors of Dublin," information about which can be found here.
I have photographed interesting doors in my area, and several have been made into haiga. I'm going to share a few today. The first three have appeared before.
© Diane Mayr, all rights reserved.
I have more doors in my files that are waiting for a poem. Keep watching this space!
Tabatha Yeatts is hosting the Round-Up this week!
December 11, 2013
A Poetic Tribute
From Maya Angelou by way of the U.S. State Department:
There is extensive coverage of the death and memorial to Nelson Mandela on the BBC website, if you are interested. Sometimes it is good to get a view other than what we get from the American media and pundits.
There is extensive coverage of the death and memorial to Nelson Mandela on the BBC website, if you are interested. Sometimes it is good to get a view other than what we get from the American media and pundits.
December 10, 2013
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December 8, 2013
Happy Haiga Day!
My friend Kevan Atteberry, who lives in Seattle, posted about his hummingbird feeder freezing in the 29 degree temperature. A lively discussion ensued. Someone left a link that explained that not all hummingbirds migrate! Who knew? Here's hoping the little creatures survive the brutal weather.
December 6, 2013
Poetry Friday --"Interior"
Click on image to enlarge for easier reading. © Diane Mayr, all rights reserved. "Interior with a Young Girl Writing" by Peter Ilsted [1905], courtesy The Athenaeum. Cropped slightly to accommodate the poem.
Once again I was browsing through The Athenaeum site and came across a Danish painter by the name of Peter Ilsted (1861–1933). If you go through the pictures on his page you will be struck by the number of them that have doors and/or windows.
For the Poetry Friday Round-Up, hurry over to see Robyn at Life on the Deckle Edge. And after that, do a little holiday shopping at Robyn's Etsy store.
December 3, 2013
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December 1, 2013
Happy Haiga Day!
© Diane Mayr, all rights reserved. Painting by Alfred Sisley "Morning in November," courtesy The Athenaeum.
November 29, 2013
Poetry Friday--15 Words Or Less
Last Friday night I traveled down to Boston to meet up with some bloggers--virtual friends, whom I had never met, or hadn't seen in years. The Hynes Convention Center was the location of the 2013 NCTE convention, and thus, teachers, writers, and bloggers were all gathered in one place, less than an hour away from me.
Me, Linda Baie, and Laura Purdie Salas.
Linda Baie and Tara Smith.
I also met and talked with Janet Fagal and David L. Harrison and his wife, Sandy. (Sandy and I spoke for a time about the changes in adult reading--don't get me started...)
Laura and I discussed her weekly 15 Words Or Less challenges, and of how I've integrated them into my Thursday morning routine (feed cats, make coffee, 15 WOL, feed me, go to work).
When I got home from Boston, I was curious as to how faithful a participant I have been, so I checked back through my poetry folder and found that for 2013, I couldn't find poems for March 28 and August 29. I plan on finishing out the year on schedule. If, you consider I missed two Thursdays this year, and about the same over the past six years that Laura has been running the challenges, that still makes close to 300 short little poems that I have Laura to thank for!
Forgive me for being self-indulgent, but I'm going to share one 15 WOL poem from each month of 2013. Most of these, I think, can be read without the original photo prompt that Laura supplied.
I also met and talked with Janet Fagal and David L. Harrison and his wife, Sandy. (Sandy and I spoke for a time about the changes in adult reading--don't get me started...)
Laura and I discussed her weekly 15 Words Or Less challenges, and of how I've integrated them into my Thursday morning routine (feed cats, make coffee, 15 WOL, feed me, go to work).
When I got home from Boston, I was curious as to how faithful a participant I have been, so I checked back through my poetry folder and found that for 2013, I couldn't find poems for March 28 and August 29. I plan on finishing out the year on schedule. If, you consider I missed two Thursdays this year, and about the same over the past six years that Laura has been running the challenges, that still makes close to 300 short little poems that I have Laura to thank for!
Forgive me for being self-indulgent, but I'm going to share one 15 WOL poem from each month of 2013. Most of these, I think, can be read without the original photo prompt that Laura supplied.
January 17 (Don't bother to count! I counted two-year-old as one word, and by that measure, I'm one word under!)Carol's Corner is where all the kids will be hanging out today doin' some pencil wranglin'!
MUSEUM OF ART
Guard watches,
"One mississippi, two..."
"My two-year-old could do that."
Guard chuckles...
"Five seconds."
February 21
second-hand shop...
in the pocket of a black coat
a theater ticket
March 14
yellow crocuses...
little girl warning a cat
to be good
April 11
Fountain Drink
Sip
sip
sippppppp
always
a little
drip
slips
back
down
the
straw.
May 9
Pencil Wranglers
Round 'em poets!
There's a load of words
waitin' to be saddled.
June 6
forsythia...
under the blossoms
the twitch of a nose
July 25
Paint Chart Blues
188 blues
yet none of them
comes close to
matching her
undertones.
August 8
Just After Midnight
April 15, 1912
"Yes, Ma’am.
God bless you."
She watches
the boat lowered,
tasting at last,
her freedom.
September 12
Call the National Enquirer!
On the verge
of burnt
the visage
on my toast
grows. Jesus?
Is that you?
October 10
Upon Receiving an Invitation to the Mermaid’s Wedding
One has to wonder
at the logistics
of that first night
of wedded bliss.
November 7
November
The month poised
between tepid and cold
color and its absence
life and certain death.
All poems © Diane Mayr, all rights reserved.
November 26, 2013
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November 24, 2013
Happy Haiga Day!
An illustrated poem for today, based on what I heard on Friday, or perhaps I only thought I heard it.
Click on the image to enlarge it for easier reading. © Diane Mayr, all rights reserved.
Click on the image to enlarge it for easier reading. © Diane Mayr, all rights reserved.
November 22, 2013
Poetry Friday--"Dear Mr. Ferris"
Three years ago, on The Write Sisters blog, I did a post about the women on the Mayflower. I'm bringing it up again because few people realize that most of the women didn't survive the first winter in Plymouth and that only four adult women remained to do the cooking and serving for the feast we celebrate as the first Thanksgiving.
"The First Thanksgiving, 1621" by Jean-Leon Gerome Ferris [circa 1915], courtesy The Athenaeum.
The artist who painted the above, Jean-Leon Gerome Ferris (1863-1930), created many works portraying pivotal moments in American history such as "Writing the Declaration of Independence, 1776," "Betsy Ross, 1777," and "Let Us Have Peace" (Lee's surrender to Grant).
My poem for today was informed by my learning about the Mayflower women and in response to "The First Thanksgiving, 1621." I'm dedicating it to my friend, Andrea Murphy, a descendant of one of the Mayflower women, Mary Chilton. Andrea, too, is trying to bring forth the truth about the first Thanksgiving. Her audience, however, is preschoolers.
Welcome back to Katya at Write. Sketch. Repeat. who will be hosting the Round-Up this week.
Have a safe and happy Thanksgiving!
The artist who painted the above, Jean-Leon Gerome Ferris (1863-1930), created many works portraying pivotal moments in American history such as "Writing the Declaration of Independence, 1776," "Betsy Ross, 1777," and "Let Us Have Peace" (Lee's surrender to Grant).
My poem for today was informed by my learning about the Mayflower women and in response to "The First Thanksgiving, 1621." I'm dedicating it to my friend, Andrea Murphy, a descendant of one of the Mayflower women, Mary Chilton. Andrea, too, is trying to bring forth the truth about the first Thanksgiving. Her audience, however, is preschoolers.
Dear Mr. Ferris:
Re: your painting titled
"The First Thanksgiving, 1621"
We, the women of Plymouth
were not glowing with health.
Nor, were we given to smiling.
Yet, you portray us as robust,
clean, and gracious hostesses.
Rather, viscera from all manner
of wild creatures stained our dress.
Our scarred hands were burned,
swollen, cracked and bleeding.
We silently wept with pain, fatigue.
We cooked and served as was
our lot, while the stink of bear-
greased savages filled our noses
making us gag. Our own men, too,
had a noxious stink about them--fear.
Some may have given thanks
that day, but it was not the women.
Therefore, we write to urge you to
take up brush and palette once more.
Do not give us beauty, give us truth.
Signed,
The four who had the misfortune not to
have perished in the year of our Lord, 1621
© Diane Mayr, all rights reserved.
Welcome back to Katya at Write. Sketch. Repeat. who will be hosting the Round-Up this week.
Have a safe and happy Thanksgiving!
November 19, 2013
Haiku Sticky #228
A tanka.
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© Diane Mayr, all rights reserved.
I'm sorry to say that I no longer have the type of faith Lincoln exhibited in the speech he delivered 150 years ago today. If you'd like a less morose post on the Gettysburg Address, visit Kurious Kitty.
© Diane Mayr, all rights reserved.
I'm sorry to say that I no longer have the type of faith Lincoln exhibited in the speech he delivered 150 years ago today. If you'd like a less morose post on the Gettysburg Address, visit Kurious Kitty.
November 17, 2013
Happy Haiga Day!
Continuing with the tanka form.
Click on the image to enlarge for easier reading. © Diane Mayr, all rights reserved. Photo by John Collier, courtesy Library of Congress.
Click on the image to enlarge for easier reading. © Diane Mayr, all rights reserved. Photo by John Collier, courtesy Library of Congress.
November 15, 2013
Poetry Friday--"Mr. Klimt's Garden"
Mr. Klimt's Garden
Hens like little soldiers patrol
its path always on the lookout
for a weevil to swallow whole.
Or a snake. Chuck, chuck,
chuck, chuck. They strut plucking
at weeds between the daisies.
They look up at the towering
hollyhocks, ignorant to the fact
that spores of rust are in the wind.
One day soon the gardener
will tear out the infected plants
and the hens will be soup.
© Diane Mayr, all rights reserved.
I saw the image above on Facebook and it struck my fancy, so I looked for it online and found this in the Klimt Museum's description:
As with all the paintings that were stored in Schloss Immendorf in Lower Austria during World War II, also this painting burst into flames set by the German Forces.I love the way it was translated: "this painting burst into flames." However, this is not a matter for whimsy. It's heartbreaking that the work was destroyed. I hadn't heard of Schloss Immendorf, so I looked that up, too and found an interesting article from The Guardian about the Klimt paintings in the fire.
I wrote the poem on the same day I heard about the stash of looted paintings that had been discovered in Munich. If you missed that news, read about it in this article, also from The Guardian.
There's a film coming out soon, called The Monuments Men, which is based on the book of the same name, by Robert M. Edsel, about the recovery of art stolen during World War II. The Monuments Men Foundation continues the work begun nearly 70 years ago!
The lovely Ms. Rattigan is doing the Round-Up today at Jama's Alphabet Soup, where there's always something to savor.
November 12, 2013
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November 10, 2013
Happy Haiga Day!
Click on the image to enlarge it for easier reading. © Diane Mayr, all rights reserved. Postcard courtesy NYPL Digital Gallery.
November 8, 2013
Poetry Friday--Yee Ha! The Round-Up is Here!
Welcome to Poetry Friday!
Let me tell you why I like to volunteer to host the Round-Up: most Fridays I have to rush off to be at work by nine. Usually, I have time to read a few posts before I go, but, I don't often comment since that takes longer. On my turn to host the Round-Up, I take the day off from work. I read every linked post, and I make sure to comment. I ask your forgiveness for the rest of the year during which I'm reading, but not commenting much.
Yesterday I posted a short poem to warm us up, and for today, I have a tanka.
Please click on the image to enlarge it for easier reading. © Diane Mayr, all rights reserved.
I guess I was having one of my "Berenstain Bears moments" when I put this haiga together! (If you don't know what a "Berenstain Bears moment" is, it's when you let the desire to hammer home a lesson overcome you.)
So, here are my blog links for today, followed by all yours!
At the Kurious Kitty, where I swore I wasn't going to bother with a post today, I succumbed to a little beauty of a poem by Joyce Sidman.
My Poetry Friday quote at KK's Kwotes is by Marilyn Monroe! I think it's not really a "dumb blonde" statement if you stop and think about it for a while. Let me know what you think.
First out of the gate is Keri at Keri Recommends! She's introducing many of us to the New York Times archive of the "Writers on Writing" column. It looks to be a treasure trove!
At Crackles of Speech Steven has a snapping turtle poem--original and quite punny!
Margaret writes to us from Louisiana and at Reflections on the Teche we're introduced to the Louisiana poet laureate, Ava Leavell Haymon, through a video and two poems. Margaret is anticipating Haymon's visit to New Iberia next week. I wish I lived a little closer! (1,667 miles is just a bit too far!)
Cathy reminds us that art can be fun with an original poem inspired by the DeCordova Museum and Sculpture Gardens in Massachusetts. Check out "Latex Lava" and the accompanying photo at bildebok.
Jama's Alphabet Soup has a review of Yes! We Are Latinos by Alma Flor Ada and F. Isabel Campoy. The book provides a look, through poetry and the fabulous illustrations of David Diaz, at the Latino immigrant experience.
Laura Salas and Kurious Kitty are on the same wave-length this week. We both have poems from Joyce Sidman's book, What the Heart Knows: Chants, Charms & Blessings. She chose "Sleep Charm" to share with us today. Read and listen to it here.
Robyn Hood Black is starting a new series called "We Haiku Here," in which we are introduced to haiku poets from the very active Southeast Chapter of The Haiku Society of America. She starts off with Curtis Dunlap.
At Today's Little Ditty Michelle looks at Joni Mitchell, poet and musician. What's your favorite Joni Mitchell song? Here's one of mine:
April at Teaching Authors has an original poem that poses the question, "are you a Plotter or a Pantser?" Intriqued? Go check it out. We'll be here when you get back. Also, Teaching Authors is gearing up for their annual Two Weeks of Thanks-Giving! April has the details.
Radio, Rhythm & Rhyme's Matt, has a sonnet he wrote in college back in 1988, "Thoughts of the Falconer." He was definitely paying attention in class!
The ubiquitous Charles Ghigna has a poem about dogs at Father Goose--"The Ubiquitous Barking Dogs." And, at Bald Ego he has "Fish Dreams," a sad little poem that starts like this, "August slipped in through the window/and slept heavy in my bed." How lovely is that?
Lucky Linda at TeacherDance is a Cybils poetry award judge this year. The two years I was judged were great--one doesn't often get to have in-depth discussions of poetry. Today, she's sharing one of the Cybils nominees, Cat Talk by Patricia MacLachlan and Emily MacLachlan Charest. My alter-ego, Kurious Kitty, should be ashamed of herself for not having ordered this yet for the library!
Violet Nesdoly is taking part in a poem-a-day challenge and shares one of her poems with us, "The Custodian." She has started off the month with a bang already!
Amy's Poem Farm is full of crows and children's poems today, and also her own little poem. She also blew me away with this, "When we can look at children for all they are and can be, sometimes the boxes that exist in the world of education can be terrifyingly confining." (I think Amy is pushing back at the sides of those boxes, don't you?)
Jone looks at November with a shadorma at Check It Out. Don't know what a shadorma is? It's a six-line poem, and if you read Jone's poem, I'll bet you'll figure out what else is involved in writing one! (Think syllables.)
At the Opposite of Indifference, Tabatha celebrates The Baby's Opera by Walter Crane. The illustrations are just delicious! And the poems are true to the book's subtitle, "old rhymes with new dresses." Tabatha pulls out a few of the lesser-known nursery rhymes to share.
Mary Lee, has discovered the wonder hidden within the cinquain form. She has a lovely sequence at A Year of Reading, which was inspired by student art.
"A Flake in Fall" is an original poem by Betsy at I Think in Poems. I just heard that we may be getting some snow here in NH later in the weekend. NOOOOOOOOOOOO! I'm not ready!
Tara @ A Teaching Life shows us the fun involved in recycling--from buildings made of plastic bottles, to poetry! How can we not recycle?
Heidi is challenging herself with MyPoPerDayMo. She share three days' worth of poems today at My Juicy Little Universe. And don't forget to read her back posts for the first days' poems.
Ruth is another who is taking on the daily poem challenge. Today, however, she's sharing a poem by a blogging friend, Jessica Stock, called "thinking about Thoreau at the end of the sixth birthday party." I think you will like it, too, I sure do, especially the opening lines! Read it at There is no such thing as a God-forsaken town.
As much as I like rounding up the P.F. links, there are some drawbacks--like drinking too much coffee! I'm on my third cup already (and they're not little wimpy 6 oz. cups). I'd better switch to seltzer soon or I'll be looking like Sylvester.
Karen Edmisten shares Ellen Bass's poem "After a Daughter's Wedding." My own daughter got married in late August and I'm still in shock, so this poem resonates with me!
Check out Jeannine's post "Nudging Up the Volume Control" at Views from a Window Seat. She ponders some questions of concern such as this: "Can I make a poem like a painting that provokes a gasp at a glance, yet still reveal more for those who linger?"
At Gathering Books Fats has Kenn Nesbitt's "My Brother's Not a Werewolf." It's the last poem in the Gathering Books' series "Monsters, Beasts, and Chimeras: Spooks and Spectres."
If you're ready for words that dance, head over to see Elizabeth Steinglass where she has an original fall poem called "The Maple." Images such as "She shimmied like she was on fire," will put a big grin on your face!
Little Willow at Bildungsroman shares a W.S. Merwin poem. I also found that my old friend Mortimer is still hopping around! I think he's got the Energizer Bunny beat!
Speaking of rabbits, have you seen Nick Bruel's response to an Amazon review? I'll try to post a link, but Facebook, where I shared it originally, won't let me into my page! "Sorry, but this page didn't load properly. Please try again." I've been trying for the past half-hour! WTF! Found it!
Renee at No Water River received a lovely gift this week from the two Julies--Julie Larios and Julie Paschkis. She shared "Trolls" and a specially inscribed title page. To say I'm green with envy is an understatement!
Lucky Lorie Ann Grover is just back from Greece and we get a vicarious thrill through her photo and poem, "Santorini Sunset." You'll find it at On Point.
On the other hand, poor Anastasia at Poet! Poet! is not so lucky. Fortunately we don't get the computer problems, just the poem, "Wait!" that tells us about it!
Catherine shares a poem by Marie Howe called "Hurry." You can hurry to Reading to the Core to read it, but let's not hurry too much or someone will get hurt!
Tricia is back! She's suggesting that everyone subscribe to Ted Kooser's American Life in Poetry weekly email. I second that! There are some really great short poems showing up in my inbox! Tricia can be found at The Miss Rumphius Effect where she's also sharing one of the poems she received in Mr. Kooser's mailings.
Poetry for Kids Joy has an original poem, "My Sippy Cup," obviously for a young audience! (Or the dog that is usually the beneficiary of anything edible/drinkable that is flung from a highchair.)
Mrs. Bennett shares an awesome lesson in which students experience loss in a thoughtful, yet harmless way. I was so impressed by the use of a list of favorite things! At Used Books in Class, Mrs. Bennett also shows a video of Elizabeth Bishop's brilliant "One Art."
It's almost time to shut down for the night. If I haven't commented at your blog yet rest assured I will do so tomorrow morning. If you haven't left a link, you can do it at any time, I will post it. I Promise.
Let me tell you why I like to volunteer to host the Round-Up: most Fridays I have to rush off to be at work by nine. Usually, I have time to read a few posts before I go, but, I don't often comment since that takes longer. On my turn to host the Round-Up, I take the day off from work. I read every linked post, and I make sure to comment. I ask your forgiveness for the rest of the year during which I'm reading, but not commenting much.
Yesterday I posted a short poem to warm us up, and for today, I have a tanka.
Please click on the image to enlarge it for easier reading. © Diane Mayr, all rights reserved.
I guess I was having one of my "Berenstain Bears moments" when I put this haiga together! (If you don't know what a "Berenstain Bears moment" is, it's when you let the desire to hammer home a lesson overcome you.)
So, here are my blog links for today, followed by all yours!
At the Kurious Kitty, where I swore I wasn't going to bother with a post today, I succumbed to a little beauty of a poem by Joyce Sidman.
My Poetry Friday quote at KK's Kwotes is by Marilyn Monroe! I think it's not really a "dumb blonde" statement if you stop and think about it for a while. Let me know what you think.
First out of the gate is Keri at Keri Recommends! She's introducing many of us to the New York Times archive of the "Writers on Writing" column. It looks to be a treasure trove!
At Crackles of Speech Steven has a snapping turtle poem--original and quite punny!
Margaret writes to us from Louisiana and at Reflections on the Teche we're introduced to the Louisiana poet laureate, Ava Leavell Haymon, through a video and two poems. Margaret is anticipating Haymon's visit to New Iberia next week. I wish I lived a little closer! (1,667 miles is just a bit too far!)
Cathy reminds us that art can be fun with an original poem inspired by the DeCordova Museum and Sculpture Gardens in Massachusetts. Check out "Latex Lava" and the accompanying photo at bildebok.
Jama's Alphabet Soup has a review of Yes! We Are Latinos by Alma Flor Ada and F. Isabel Campoy. The book provides a look, through poetry and the fabulous illustrations of David Diaz, at the Latino immigrant experience.
Laura Salas and Kurious Kitty are on the same wave-length this week. We both have poems from Joyce Sidman's book, What the Heart Knows: Chants, Charms & Blessings. She chose "Sleep Charm" to share with us today. Read and listen to it here.
Robyn Hood Black is starting a new series called "We Haiku Here," in which we are introduced to haiku poets from the very active Southeast Chapter of The Haiku Society of America. She starts off with Curtis Dunlap.
At Today's Little Ditty Michelle looks at Joni Mitchell, poet and musician. What's your favorite Joni Mitchell song? Here's one of mine:
April at Teaching Authors has an original poem that poses the question, "are you a Plotter or a Pantser?" Intriqued? Go check it out. We'll be here when you get back. Also, Teaching Authors is gearing up for their annual Two Weeks of Thanks-Giving! April has the details.
Radio, Rhythm & Rhyme's Matt, has a sonnet he wrote in college back in 1988, "Thoughts of the Falconer." He was definitely paying attention in class!
The ubiquitous Charles Ghigna has a poem about dogs at Father Goose--"The Ubiquitous Barking Dogs." And, at Bald Ego he has "Fish Dreams," a sad little poem that starts like this, "August slipped in through the window/and slept heavy in my bed." How lovely is that?
Lucky Linda at TeacherDance is a Cybils poetry award judge this year. The two years I was judged were great--one doesn't often get to have in-depth discussions of poetry. Today, she's sharing one of the Cybils nominees, Cat Talk by Patricia MacLachlan and Emily MacLachlan Charest. My alter-ego, Kurious Kitty, should be ashamed of herself for not having ordered this yet for the library!
Violet Nesdoly is taking part in a poem-a-day challenge and shares one of her poems with us, "The Custodian." She has started off the month with a bang already!
Amy's Poem Farm is full of crows and children's poems today, and also her own little poem. She also blew me away with this, "When we can look at children for all they are and can be, sometimes the boxes that exist in the world of education can be terrifyingly confining." (I think Amy is pushing back at the sides of those boxes, don't you?)
Jone looks at November with a shadorma at Check It Out. Don't know what a shadorma is? It's a six-line poem, and if you read Jone's poem, I'll bet you'll figure out what else is involved in writing one! (Think syllables.)
At the Opposite of Indifference, Tabatha celebrates The Baby's Opera by Walter Crane. The illustrations are just delicious! And the poems are true to the book's subtitle, "old rhymes with new dresses." Tabatha pulls out a few of the lesser-known nursery rhymes to share.
Mary Lee, has discovered the wonder hidden within the cinquain form. She has a lovely sequence at A Year of Reading, which was inspired by student art.
"A Flake in Fall" is an original poem by Betsy at I Think in Poems. I just heard that we may be getting some snow here in NH later in the weekend. NOOOOOOOOOOOO! I'm not ready!
Tara @ A Teaching Life shows us the fun involved in recycling--from buildings made of plastic bottles, to poetry! How can we not recycle?
Heidi is challenging herself with MyPoPerDayMo. She share three days' worth of poems today at My Juicy Little Universe. And don't forget to read her back posts for the first days' poems.
Ruth is another who is taking on the daily poem challenge. Today, however, she's sharing a poem by a blogging friend, Jessica Stock, called "thinking about Thoreau at the end of the sixth birthday party." I think you will like it, too, I sure do, especially the opening lines! Read it at There is no such thing as a God-forsaken town.
As much as I like rounding up the P.F. links, there are some drawbacks--like drinking too much coffee! I'm on my third cup already (and they're not little wimpy 6 oz. cups). I'd better switch to seltzer soon or I'll be looking like Sylvester.
Karen Edmisten shares Ellen Bass's poem "After a Daughter's Wedding." My own daughter got married in late August and I'm still in shock, so this poem resonates with me!
Check out Jeannine's post "Nudging Up the Volume Control" at Views from a Window Seat. She ponders some questions of concern such as this: "Can I make a poem like a painting that provokes a gasp at a glance, yet still reveal more for those who linger?"
At Gathering Books Fats has Kenn Nesbitt's "My Brother's Not a Werewolf." It's the last poem in the Gathering Books' series "Monsters, Beasts, and Chimeras: Spooks and Spectres."
If you're ready for words that dance, head over to see Elizabeth Steinglass where she has an original fall poem called "The Maple." Images such as "She shimmied like she was on fire," will put a big grin on your face!
Little Willow at Bildungsroman shares a W.S. Merwin poem. I also found that my old friend Mortimer is still hopping around! I think he's got the Energizer Bunny beat!
Speaking of rabbits, have you seen Nick Bruel's response to an Amazon review? I'll try to post a link, but Facebook, where I shared it originally, won't let me into my page! "Sorry, but this page didn't load properly. Please try again." I've been trying for the past half-hour! WTF! Found it!
Renee at No Water River received a lovely gift this week from the two Julies--Julie Larios and Julie Paschkis. She shared "Trolls" and a specially inscribed title page. To say I'm green with envy is an understatement!
Lucky Lorie Ann Grover is just back from Greece and we get a vicarious thrill through her photo and poem, "Santorini Sunset." You'll find it at On Point.
On the other hand, poor Anastasia at Poet! Poet! is not so lucky. Fortunately we don't get the computer problems, just the poem, "Wait!" that tells us about it!
Catherine shares a poem by Marie Howe called "Hurry." You can hurry to Reading to the Core to read it, but let's not hurry too much or someone will get hurt!
Tricia is back! She's suggesting that everyone subscribe to Ted Kooser's American Life in Poetry weekly email. I second that! There are some really great short poems showing up in my inbox! Tricia can be found at The Miss Rumphius Effect where she's also sharing one of the poems she received in Mr. Kooser's mailings.
Poetry for Kids Joy has an original poem, "My Sippy Cup," obviously for a young audience! (Or the dog that is usually the beneficiary of anything edible/drinkable that is flung from a highchair.)
Mrs. Bennett shares an awesome lesson in which students experience loss in a thoughtful, yet harmless way. I was so impressed by the use of a list of favorite things! At Used Books in Class, Mrs. Bennett also shows a video of Elizabeth Bishop's brilliant "One Art."
It's almost time to shut down for the night. If I haven't commented at your blog yet rest assured I will do so tomorrow morning. If you haven't left a link, you can do it at any time, I will post it. I Promise.
November 7, 2013
Ready for the Round-Up?
For those of you who have to be out and about early tomorrow, you can add your Poetry Friday links starting now.
Here's a little poem to get us going:
A "Duh" Forty Years in the Making
I don't know what
made me think of
this yesterday, but
I remembered when a
nun told me, "You look
good in black & white."
How pleased I was
that she saw me as
enchanting as the black
& white dress I often
wore made me feel.
Here's where the "duh"
comes in--it took me 40
years to realize that
maybe she had been
trying to recruit me.
© Diane Mayr, all rights reserved.
Let the Poetry Friday Round-Up begin!
November 5, 2013
Haiku Sticky #226
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Last Friday the wind was crazy, and so was Skippy who tried to catch all the leaves that blew against the window. It's not easy being an indoor cat.
November 3, 2013
Happy Haiga Day!
November 1, 2013
Poetry Friday--"The Last Greeting of Autumn"
One of my favorite online sites is The Athenaeum, which has over 100,000 works of art for you to browse. I found the painting above, which is perfect for today. It's by Bertha Wegmann, a Danish woman who lived 1847 to 1926. Here's a short video of Wegmann's work; it also includes a photo of her at the end.
My poem for today is inspired by Wegmann's painting and informed by my having lived in New Hampshire for 37 years:
The Last Greeting of Autumn
In the transitory days of October
she combs the verges of her
stone walls like a wayward crow.
She picks Goldenrod, blue tufted
Chicory, red berries of Purple
Nightshade, Sumac the color
of cinnabar, and, Daisy Fleabane.
She takes her time, only cutting
herbage barely touched by the
increasingly cold crisping winds.
For interest she selects tall,
feathery, Indian grass, the wide
leaves of Fox Grape, and lacy
Wild Carrot. Her neighbor's Catalpa
yields a handful of twisting pods.
She places these remnants of two
seasons, in a vase, near the door.
Unlike the crow, she takes no
nourishment from her gleanings--
unless you consider the pleasure
it gives her as days grow shorter.
The arrangement grows brown and
slowly fades in the moistureless
heat from aging radiators. Still,
it will remain for months--through
times when all colors but gray
and white have disappeared from
the world outside. It will be there
to greet the next equinox and then,
undoubtedly, will end up as compost.
© Diane Mayr, all rights reserved.
The Round-Up today is being held at TeacherDance, and next Friday it will be right here! See you then!
October 29, 2013
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October 27, 2013
October 25, 2013
Poetry Friday--A Few Figs from Thistles
Last week I posted a little political poem about a fig. In the comments section Mary Lee mentioned Edna St. Vincent Millay's figs--her P. F. post was about Millay's collection titled A Few Figs from Thistles. The most famous poem from that collection is undoubtedly this one, which made for some lively discussion amongst Mary Lee's commentors:
Being as I'm currently obsessed with political shananigans, I think this ditty is a perfect description of the freshman senator who has recently made a name for himself!
After reading Mary Lee's post, I sought out Millay's collection and I was struck by this poem:
Irene is hosting this week's P. F. Round-Up at Live Your Poem. Without a doubt she will have plenty there to add to my happy mood.
Photo by BlueRidgeKitties.
First Fig
My candle burns at both ends;
It will not last the night;
But ah, my foes, and oh, my friends--
It gives a lovely light!
Being as I'm currently obsessed with political shananigans, I think this ditty is a perfect description of the freshman senator who has recently made a name for himself!
After reading Mary Lee's post, I sought out Millay's collection and I was struck by this poem:
Look closely at the title, it's Portrait BY a Neighbor, not OF a Neighbor. So, are we to assume that Millay is the neighbor being written about? If so, then I think Millay is rather proud of being painted as a free spirit. I don't know about you, but this poem fills me with happiness!
Portrait by a Neighbor
Before she has her floor swept
Or her dishes done,
Any day you'll find her
A-sunning in the sun!
It's long after midnight
Her key's in the lock,
And you never see her chimney smoke
Till past ten o'clock!
She digs in her garden
With a shovel and a spoon,
She weeds her lazy lettuce
By the light of the moon,
She walks up the walk
Like a woman in a dream,
She forgets she borrowed butter
And pays you back cream!
Her lawn looks like a meadow,
And if she mows the place
She leaves the clover standing
And the Queen Anne's lace!
From A Few Figs from Thistles
Irene is hosting this week's P. F. Round-Up at Live Your Poem. Without a doubt she will have plenty there to add to my happy mood.
Photo by BlueRidgeKitties.
October 22, 2013
Haiku Sticky #224
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I entered this haiku in October's Caribbean Kigo Kukai, and then, in my rush to leave the house on Saturday to drive down to Boston for the Boston Book Festival, I completely forgot to send in my votes. I apologize to Gillena and all the CKK participants.
Imagine "instructions" as part of the second line. The restrictions of the sticky note program, with its inability to allow one to change the font size, often makes it difficult to format the poems. Generally, I don't use the poems that won't fit, but I make exceptions on occasion.
I originally wrote it with "daylight savings" as the final line, but, the assigned kigo was "early darkness." I think it works either way, but the switchover to daylight savings time adds an extra urgency to the search for the instructions!
October 20, 2013
October 18, 2013
Poetry Friday--Our Times
These are truly strange times. Some even say we are in the end times. Last weekend, I heard a story on NPR in which A. J. Jacobs, a editor at Esquire magazine, related stories of physical confrontations by members of Congress. Listen to the story here:
Jacobs told of Henry Clay's being referred to as "like a rotten mackerel in the moonlight." That phrase jumped out at me. Then, mere minutes later, I read about a congresswoman's claim that we are in the end times. [Read the article here.] That idea, and the mackerel quote, tangled themselves in my head. A quick search online revealed that the quote is even more revealing when read in its more complete form, "like a rotten mackerel in the moonlight, he both shines and stinks." Ouch!
Photo by Axel Rouvin.
After many fits and starts, I ended up with this:
Do any of you write poems in response to political goings-on? I sometimes question why I do, when, in all likelihood, a year from now, this poem will make no sense! Or perhaps it will make perfect sense? I wonder if, when Kipling wrote "Dane-Geld: A.D. 980-1016" 100 years ago, he ever would have imagined its relevancy in 2013?
I'm sure there are plenty of sensible and relevant poems being rounded-up today at Merely Day By Day--be sure to stop by!
Jacobs told of Henry Clay's being referred to as "like a rotten mackerel in the moonlight." That phrase jumped out at me. Then, mere minutes later, I read about a congresswoman's claim that we are in the end times. [Read the article here.] That idea, and the mackerel quote, tangled themselves in my head. A quick search online revealed that the quote is even more revealing when read in its more complete form, "like a rotten mackerel in the moonlight, he both shines and stinks." Ouch!
After many fits and starts, I ended up with this:
In the Moonlight
...the leaf is on the fig tree and we are to understand the signs of the times, which is your ministry, we are to understand where we are in God’s end times history.
--Michele Bachmann
It is claimed a leaf
sprouts on the fig,
but,
in the darkness
in the moonlight
fruit concealed by
the slick new shoot
remains unseen.
There it may grow
there it may wither
we do not know
until the stench of
rot is indisputable.
So please, trust your
primal animal sense;
periodically stick
your nose in the air
to sniff.
© Diane Mayr, all rights reserved.
Do any of you write poems in response to political goings-on? I sometimes question why I do, when, in all likelihood, a year from now, this poem will make no sense! Or perhaps it will make perfect sense? I wonder if, when Kipling wrote "Dane-Geld: A.D. 980-1016" 100 years ago, he ever would have imagined its relevancy in 2013?
I'm sure there are plenty of sensible and relevant poems being rounded-up today at Merely Day By Day--be sure to stop by!
October 15, 2013
Haiku Sticky #223
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© Diane Mayr, all rights reserved.
I'll bet you didn't realize that this haiku is about zoochory! I would say that 99% of my mail is junk. A waste of time (mine), money (the vendor's), and the life of a tree. I now only check my mailbox two or three times a week. In walking to the mailbox in the fall, I always end up covered in hooked seeds. I'm an animal agent of seed dispersal, which is called zoochory.
