Poetry Friday: Inspiration for a New Year!

Head over to Katie's blog, The Logonauts,

for this week's round-up of poetic goodness.  

Thanks, Katie, for hosting this week!

I love this exciting array of poetry goodness and it all arrived via snail mail in my mailbox!  This is my first time to participate in the New Year Post Card Exchange sponsored by Jone McCulloch.  It's been such fun to see the artful design of fellow poetry friends.  

Come stroll with me through their inspiring words.

The image of watermelon seemed an unusual choice for January.  But when I flipped the card over to find this haiku from Laura P. Salas, the image was deliciously perfect.  

I bite the sweetness

of juicy January

The new year begins.

The next card that arrived was from Penny Parker Klostermann.   She grew up right beside Elephant Mountain, in fact she saw it every day of her childhood.  This special image was accompanied by these words.  I love the three strong words in the final line.  

elephant mountain

rests in the snowy forest

silent, stone, statue

-Penny Parker Klostermann

Mary Lee Hahn's poem arrived next with an exquisite photo of an iris caught in a sunbeam.  

January dream

spicy scent of iris

ice storm rages

-Mary Lee Hahn

Then I received Jone's single snowy leaf with these words:

first morning

all our resolutions

on a leaf

-jonerushmcculloch

Next I received a packet of Pomelo poem treats from Sylvia Vardell.  It included two poetry cards from The Poetry Friday Anthology for Celebrations (which I recently gifted to my niece who teaches fourth grade), a Got Poetry? sticker, and a sticky note pad for TGI Poetry Friday.  Here's the poem that was included to celebrate Jan. 29, National Puzzle Day.

100 Pieces

by Kristy Dempsey

Piece by piece,

bit by bit, 

try them all

to find a fit.

First the edges,

then between, 

filling in

a puzzling scene.

The last poetic goodness to grace my mailbox came from Joy Acey who I met at Poetry Camp in Bellingham last fall.  It turns out that she has a son who lives in our area.  Her note included a poem, a heart, and a Poetry Speaks calendar page with these words from Donald Hall:  "Sound was my doorway into poems, . . . I say you read poems with your mouth, not with your ears, and they taste good."  If you've ever had the privilege of meeting Joy, you'll read these lilting words with her trademark personality in mind.

You are the song,

    the music.

Your notes trill

high and low.

Your poetry 

makes me dance

every where I go.

-Joy Acey

Thank you, poetry friends, for sharing your poems and images.  your poems are a perfect doorway to wend our way into 2017!