Clouds Billow #PoetryFriday #PoemsOfPresence

Happy Poetry Friday, everyone! Jama Rattigan is hosting this week’s gathering on her blog, Jama’s Alphabet Soup. Won’t you join us there? Today is National Chocolate Chip Day and you know how much Jama loves to bake. You might need a big glass of milk to drink while reading Jama’s deliciously delightful post. If you are new to Poetry Friday and are ever wondering where to find the weekly host of the roundup, you’ll find a list of hosts and their blog links here.

As we inch closer to summer and warmer weather, I find myself dreaming of the ocean. My parents are both from Maine, so growing up I spent a part of most summers at one aunt’s home on Peaks Island or another aunt’s on Chebeague Island. My family also, for many years, rented a cottage in Boothbay Harbor. In all three locations, I loved — and still do! — to walk along the shore collecting time- and tide-smoothed stones, sea glass, and picking wild blueberries. It was also fun to just sit and watch all the action on the water. Boats, bobbing birds, and the odd harbor seal provide hours of entertainment and a sense of peace.

Many members of my Tuesday night #TeachWrite writing accountability group have purchased the Write the Poem journal and are writing from “the ocean” prompt. Word associations provided include billows, deep, brine, offing, wave, flux, tide, and current. As I began to write my poem, I had one particular afternoon on Peaks last August in mind. Today’s poem, Clouds Billow, is my second offering to the #PoemsOfPresence collection.

Clouds billow

To learn more about Margaret Simon’s wonderful #PoemsOfPresence challenge, click here. Many thanks to Jama for hosting the roundup this week. Be well, friends!

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A Wonder-inspired Hummingbird Haiku #PoetryFriday #BirdDay

It’s Poetry Friday and Jama Rattigan of Jama’s Alphabet Soup has all the poetry goodness being offered up today. Perhaps you’ll join us? Jama has a lovely May Day celebration waiting for you.

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— Christie Wyman, 2019 (draft)

I’m celebrating Bird Day (not to be confused with National Bird Day) a day early this year. As I write this post, I am awaiting the arrival of my first hummingbird. My feeder has been up for three weeks now, as these tiny creatures have been spotted in the area. Each time I pass the window that looks out upon the feeder, I can’t help but take a glance.

I wanted to create a new poem in honor of these tiny beauties, so for inspiration I turned to Wonderopolis’ Wonder of the Day #556: Do Hummingbirds Really Hum? Several poetic Wonder Words were waiting there for me! Word Swag offered up lots of fabulous hummingbird images, and I was lucky enough to find one that demonstrates that unique pendulum swinging motion the hummingbird uses while it’s hovering. There’s an amazing video on the Wonderopolis page of someone hand-feeding a hummer! Don’t miss it!

And while we are awaiting their grand entrance, here are two of my earlier hummingbird-inspired poems.

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Thanks for hosting this week, Jama!

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