Don't you love the visual for this year's progressive poem? The image of the stones going round and round leading to a lovely floral center . . . Or is it the lovely floral center that leads us out and out and around and around?
I promised myself that I wouldn't get involved this year. But I watched the spaces on the calendar fill up and before I knew it, I committed again to join Irene Latham and friends for the 2016 Kitdlitosphere Progressive Poem. The schedule for the month and the links for each day are in the sidebar.
I enjoyed the analogy in Robyn's post linking the cruise ship docking process to our communal progressive poem - a journey directed by different folks along the way. Robyn handed me this line: "blowing soft words the seer discerns." I've spent many petrified moments reading and rereading our poem, thinking, writing and rewriting. I chose to drift a bit, to gaze back at the journey we've taken together.
I loved Jan's nod on the 21st to Poem in Your Pocket Day. I included my own little nod to Earth Day in my contribution for the 23rd (composed on Earth Day). I'm in awe of each added line and thank each
2016 Progressive Poem
A squall of hawk wings stirs the sky.
A hummingbird holds and then hies.
If I could fly, I’d choose to be
Sailing through a forest of poet-trees.
A cast of crabs engraves the sand
Delighting a child’s outstretched hand.
If I could breathe under the sea,
I’d dive, I’d dip, I’d dance with glee.
A clump of crocuses crave the sun.
Kites soar while joyful dogs run.
I sing to spring, to budding green,
to all of life – seen and unseen.
Wee whispers drift from cloud to ear
and finally reach one divining seer
who looks up from her perch and beams —
West Wind is dreaming May, it seems.
Golden wings open and gleam
as I greet the prancing team.
Gliding aside with lyrical speed,
I’d ride Pegasus to Ganymede.
To a pied pocket, the zephyr returns
blowing soft words the seer discerns
from earthbound voyage to dreamy night
from earthbound voyage to dreamy night
Thanks, Jama, for hosting this week's poetry round-up of poetic goodness. And I promise to get back soon to my project for April of sharing thirty favorite books of poetry!
Ramona, I love this lovely line with the great word - voyage.
ReplyDeleteCurious about events of the dreamy night.
Thanks, Jan, I originally wanted voyages, but revised to voyage in submission to meter. So, Amy, if you want voyages and nights, feel free to change it.
DeletePerfect, now you've brought the events down to one "dreamy night", Ramona. Love the back reference of the "voyage" that gathers all that has happened before.
ReplyDeleteSo many ways to look at a line! I was thinking of the dreamy night as a reference to the wee whispers drifting , our dreamy West Wind and the night ride on Pegasus.
DeleteThat's just what I was thinking, how we've gone from earth to myth. You captured it well in your line.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Margaret! A journey that took flight for me when Linda introduced those wee whispers. Suddenly we left the confines of earth and entered the realm of fancy. Actually our fanciful journey probably began with those "If I could . . ." lines.
DeleteYes, me, too. I echo Linda, Margaret and Jan. I think you have a perfect line here....and on to Amy to let us know more. I understand the quake-y feeling and the thinking that JUST ONE LINE requires here, in this progressive poem. So much about the journey and for me, the teacher in me, has me thinking about using this approach with kids and seeing what it brings out in them in a thoughtful way....over time, like this, but not too much time. Just enough to leave some petrified for a bit...and then the next poet takes the poem by the hand and leads us on. Janet F. (FB Janet Clare)
ReplyDeleteThanks, Janet. Still in love with your line - "I'd dive, I'd dip,I'd dance with glee." And I'm definitely glad to be over the quake-y feeling of what will I add. Now I can settle back to luxuriate in the final week's journey.
DeleteAt every added line I think "maybe I can start thinking of my line early...." No, no, no. There is no way to do that. Every line brings such new possibilities and opportunities.
ReplyDeleteA beautiful line adding to those possibilities! Sweet words! 'Voyage' is perfect.
You're so right, that there is no need to begin thinking early. The poem is bound to take a new turn before your turn. You'll never believe all the words I tried before settling on dreamy. I liked passage also, but journey won out. And dreamy night was originally dreamy night ride, but dropping ride fit the meter better and leaves the line more open.
DeleteDreamy and lovely, Ramona, my poetic friend! Thank you for being a part of this. XO
DeleteThanks for inviting me, Irene!
DeleteI love the way this line encapsulates the previous ones with its voyage and dreams and points to....what? we'll have to wait and see!
ReplyDeleteYes, I loved being able to drift and look back and leave the what? up to the next poet. Can't wait to see what Amy adds tomorrow! Thanks, Buffy.
DeleteA very worthy line.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Kat. I love your pocket poems! Printing them out to tuck in my Poem in Your Pocket files.
DeleteThank you, Ramona, for such a lovely line to fly from! I was excited to read it - this morning as we were away yesterday! Beautiful! I hope you do not mind that I added a comma to the end of it to precede the seer's words in my line. Happy continued Poetry Month! xx
ReplyDeleteGlad you like the line. No problem with the comma. Love the seer's words! I've enjoyed your wonder poems this month, but my favorite year was when you wrote the poems from the thrift store items.
DeleteWonderful line, Ramona, and a lovely one too!
ReplyDeleteRamona, I like the way you wove in Robyn's thoughts on our journey but also giving nod to the poem's journey to fanciful places and back to earth. The words dreamy night make me think of the little children dreaming as they fall into a deep sleep.
ReplyDeleteVery nice, Ramona! Your line builds expectation. What will the seer say?
ReplyDelete