Energetic Enthusiasm

It was a get-up-and-go trip, full of energy and enthusiasm despite the addition of a stabilizing boot and a walker. My destination was the 2025 NCTE Convention in Denver, and I was ready to learn, listen, meet up with literary friends, and make new friends.

I was fortunate to have a helpful poet friend, Heidi Mordhorst, who flew with me after our delicious breakfast at the Capital One Lounge at Dulles Airport.  As we entered the hotel area, we saw a 40-foot-tall sculpture of a blue bear looking into the Denver Convention Center. The creator, Lawrence Argent, designed this iconic treasure to "inject a welcome sense of fun and playfulness into the convention center experience." 

After settling in at the hotel, I carefully walked across the street to register for the convention. While resting and reading about the many fascinating presentations, another poetry friend, Margaret Simon, walked by. The last time I saw her was at the 2019 Conference, so there was much happiness shared. Off we went to the Elementary Session, where Mary Lee Hahn, third poet friend, was waiting with Heidi. There were so many more literacy friends that I was happy to see. 

Day two started with a morning breakfast with Two Writing Teachers' friends that I have also not see since the 2019 convention. Melanie Meehan, co-author of Two Writing Teachers organized the event that had us all chatting with one another before the General Assembly. 

After a long day of listening and learning, Irene Latham and Matt  Forrest Esenwine invited friends to the Poetry Peeps gathering that was a wonderful way to end a long day filled with energy and enthusiasm.

Saturday was the day for my team's presentation. I was honored to present with my distinguished colleagues, Matt Forrest Essenwine, Georgia Heard, and Allan Wolf on the topic, Free Your Students (And Yourself) With Free Verse. 

The last day of the convention, I packed my bag with wonderful, new children books for my little grandgirls, listened to more presentations, and flew home. I was tired but happy that I was able to navigate the convention center with my stabilizing boot and my walker. 

It is always a great experience to attend a NCTE Conference where I listen to engaging presentations, learn new ideas and techniques, meet up with literary friends, and make new ones. 

INVITATION

Would You Like to Play with Free Verse

Using a Well-known Poem, Stopping By Woods On a Snowy Evening?

Matt Forrest Esenwine originated the idea of taking Frost's poem and writing our own poem in free verse. You can read Matt's, Georgia's, and Allan's well-written poems at here at Matt's blog.. My poem below is in draft form because I wanted to show how ideas flow when in the writing zone. I mentioned in my part of the presentation that I would like to revise and refine my poem but that will be for another blog. If you are interested in playing along with us, send me your poem and I will showcase it in a future blog post.  

  

Hosted by the artistic Michelle Kogan

who sends us a calming, peaceful blog post

after more horrible news has been reported this week.

Peace to All during the Holiday Season!

Silence's Sacred Space

blazing artwork

silently layers the sky

nature's gift of gold

©CVarsalona, 2025

For this month's Spiritual Journey Thursday, our creative poet, artist, librarian host, Jone Rush MacCulloch, offers a quote from Thomas Merton, "The world of men has forgotten the joys of silence, the peace of solitude, which is necessary to some extent, for the fullness of human living!". Following that, Jone poses a question, "What are you doing to promote periods of silence each day?" 

The world is saturated with chatter that encourages loud noise regarding political, environmental, financial, family concerns, etc. I sometimes feel overwhelmed by the news and humanity's lack of kindness across the world. Often, I slip and stumble when grief sweeps over me. Internal noises lead to sadness. Yet, I know that "For God alone my soul waits in silence" (Psalm 62.1) Nature brings the essence of love from the Creator. With thanks, I lean into the beauty of the land, the flight of birds, and glorious garden grounds wondering if is this enough for me to remain present in still moments pondering what life will bring on my spiritual journey. Some days seem dark. Restlessness sets in and shuts out stillness. I reach out to nature to nurture my soul so I can find silence's the sacred space where I can contemplate in peace. 

I sit here now listening to the sounds of silence, feeling the rise of breath and the exhale of what does not belong. This sacred space refreshes me and lets me contemplate about reaching the fullness of human living. I realize that I need to embrace silence more and revere it as a sacred space for inner growth.

In the book, "Healing After Loss, daily meditations for working through grief" by Martha W. Hickman, December 4ths' meditation speaks of silence. The ending thought brought clarity. "In the flurry of the next couple of weeks, I will try to spend a few moments each day in prayerful silence-my own particular stay against the emotional and physical tumult of these days." I thank Jama Rattigan  for sending me this book that helps me slowly move beyond loss and friends that have walked this journey before me. 

My Closing Thought on Silent Meditation: 

• I will continue to write and provide time to ponder on how to remain calm in the midst of disquiet. 
• I will quietly await for peace to settle in my soul.

 

The image above is a magical scene I

photographed before we moved to Virginia. 

It has an ethereal quality reminding me.

Thank you Jone, for the creative, amazing Holiday Poem Swap she sent me. Thanks to Tabatha Yeatts for organizing the Holiday Poem Swap.

More will be shared in the future.

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I am also offering this blog post for the Poetry Friday Roundup hosted by a talented poet, author, and cellist, Irene Latham.  You can find Irene's blog at Live Your Poem where she is sharing information on her Open Call submission, a Barbara Crooker poem, and offers her new poem, "ArtSpeak Picasso.

autumn leaves

flitter-flutter in silence

winter's coming

©CVarsalona, 2025

A Bump in the Road

There have been many bumps in the road as I journey, but I always try to move forward. After twisting my ankle In October, I tried the usual remedies, ice packs, and elevation but they did not work. A few days later, an xray showed a fractured ankle. While this  bump in the road made me antsy for days, I decided that I needed to bring nature inside. 

The healing time may have been and still is a bump in the road but with friends and family it became a time to move forward. Nature nurtures my soul during it's annual autumn fashion show. 

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bumpy rides are annoying

and at times soul destroying

 so to the countryside we go

spotting trees with color flow

nature eases antsy stresses

that life sometimes addresses

listen to fall's quiet voice

strike the cord and rejoice

Being in the moment is the positive choice!

©CVarsalona, 2025 

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A month later, I visited my foot specialist doctor once again. I waited with bated breath. Would she approve my travel to Denver for the NCTE Convention? After spending Zoom time preparing a presentation on free verse with my talented poet/authors, Matt Forrest Esenwine, Georgia Heard, and Allan Wolf, I was eager to take the trip. After all, the last time I saw my writer, poetry, and and literary friends was at the 2019 NCTE Convention in Baltimore. 

With an ankle that was still in the early healing stage, I was more than happy to wear the stabilizing boot, walking with a walker, and using a wheelchair in the airport. So off I went to Denver hoping  for four days of learning and enjoyment.  Both were found but that's another Slice of Life.

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A poem from the past that brings peace to me:

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Thank You To:

• Melanie Meehan for organizing a breakfast get-together for Two Writing Teachers' friends at  the NCTE Convention. 
• Matt Forrest Esenwine  and Irene Latham for their open invitation to the  Poetry Peeps evening event at  the NCTE Convention.

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I now join Two Writing Teachers on their special day, Giving Tuesday. "Every year, on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving, this organization leads a movement encouraging others to give. This could be giving your time, creativity, care, or any act of generosity you can share with others."

I give you my Slice of Life with inspiration from the season of autumn in Virginia, and nature photography turned into digital art image poems. 

Look Around-What Do You See?

Do you pause and look around when outside? I marvel at nature often even now when I am immobolized by the twist of my ankle. cracks of nature opening its sky every morning when I automatically lift pleated shades to invite the garden to connect with the inside. Some leaves are brown crackling with crunch, but Mother Nature is not yet ready to have this "season change with the scenery". 

If you could, how would you describe earth's landscape at this moment? Would it be the sunshiny essence of summer with waves swiiftly moving in foaming waters?  

Or perhaps you would prefer the crispy sound of brittle leaves as we stroll through the trail on a hazy day.

Some people sit and watch the boats spreading their sails on a windy day in springtime.

 Winter captures the beauty of snowfall and a blazing fireplace.

Mother Nature whimsically changes her scenery with flash surprises of different weather patterns. I am in awe of each season that brings more delight and hope for the future.

Have you noticed that I have used lines from Paul Simon's song, A Hazy Shade of Winter in 1966. The Bangles made the song popular in 1987 for a movie, Less Than Zero. Their lines below concentrate on hope. Many people see hope passing away but we need to believe and rebuild hope to find possibilities for the future.

Hang on to your hopes, my friend

That's an easy thing to say

But if your hopes should pass away

Simply pretend that you can build them again

Look around

Thank you, Michelle Kogan, for giving me the inspiration and artwork to write about time and pausing,

IN AUTUMN

Mother Nature nurtures earth.

Kaleidoscoptic coloring dresses

Landscapes in crimson and gold glory. 

Not to be thwarted by grief,

Autumn shares her brilliance.

Leaning on hope's possibilities

Daylight saving time passes by.

Draft, CVarsalona, 2025, Northern Virginia

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Join me at the Poetry Friday Roundup where Carol Labuzzetta is the host. She is chilling out spending time painting, reading, and crocheting. Today, she shares her Northern Lights poem and a gorgeous, serene photo. You can find her here.

Flurry, Float, and Fly!

The first falling of gentle snow is magical and so is Laura Purdie Salas' new book, "Flurry, Float, and Fly - The Story of a Snowstorm". 

Growing up in Central New York, reminds me of the beautiful illustration on the cover of Laura's book. Lovely white snowflakes descending into billowy snow piles is an annual weather scene in Syracuse, NY that occurrs from November to Easter. As you can see from the scene to the left, Illustrator, Chiara Fedele, captures the joy of children frolicking in piles of snowy wonder, taking me back to my own early snow days. 

Author and poet Laura Purdie Salas did not live in a wintery, snowy climate when she was a child and wished for snow. Perhaps this is why she fell in love with winters in Minnesota and shares her joy in this book that opens with color changes in clouds and the wish for snow.

As you read on, the lyrical rhyming and the gorgeous winter scenes mix with meteorological wording give a magical tone to the storyline. "From the north, a polar freeze... from the south, a humid breeze. All winds advance. They mix and dance."  Can you feel the cold and imagine the winds dancing in the sky? This amazing children's book moves on to a beautiful two-page display of a variety of snowflakes with rhyme and the repetition of the title: "Stars and columns fill the sky with dreams to flurry, float, and fly."

It is no wonder that the Kirkus Reviews writes that "deft wordplay and lovely art blend for a tale of a most magical snowy day".

Mid-book a gorgeous scene and lyrical verse not only introduces words that share the serenity of snowflakes drifting downward but a sky of layered colors.

I found many tranquil scenes in the book. One in particular showcases a country house covered by fleeting snow at evening time. Ahh, how lovely!

The ending takes the reader back to the excitement of children enjoying  winter fun outdoors. Laura Purdie Salas offers much more beyond the story. On her website's book page, she shares many resources including, 4 short videos (from the publisher, 2 short writings about her process, 1 silly one to introduce a science weather concept), several downloadable activity sheets, photos of one history of snow, winter poems, and links for educators. Laura also offers a Giveaway to teachers that add student's snowflakes to her Snowflakes Padlet. You can find that here and so many more classroom activities, such us back matter on the science of snow. 

Add this book to your classroom and school library so children can engage in the magic of a snowstorm. A read aloud of the book in the reading corner following with a discussion on how the science of snow blends with poetry is an excellent starter. Be creative with the multiple activities that Laura Purdie Salas offers so they can reflect on nature and the season of winter. Create a Flurry, Float, and Fly! bulletin board to bring winter inside, although the season is not officially here. Meteorologists are already sharing news as the first snowfall moves across the states. So teachers, enjoy the first snowfall virtually or in real time with your students. Create a Flurry, Float, and Fly! bulletin board to bring winter inside, although the season is not officially here. Add in this lovely quote by Lewis Carroll. 

I wonder if the snow loves the trees and fields that It kisses then so gently? And then it covers them up snug, you know with a white quilt; and perhaps it says, 'Go to sleep, darlings, till the summer comes again.' " 

I am adding an equation poem, the format comes from Laura Purdie Salas' Classroom Connections posts. This poem, Flurry, Float, and Fly! connects me with her book and follow-up classroom topic.

snow + imagination + creativity = classroom fun

Today is Flurry, Float, and Fly!'s Book Birthday - 

🎂 the Official Publication Date! 🎂

Thank you, Laura and  Ciara for creating this wonder-filled book. 

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This Slice of Life is dedicated to the educators who provide noteworthy books to their students and family members who continue the art of reading in their homes.

at Two Writing Teachers

Doubt on the Spiriutal Journey

What is on my mind?

Katie Moum, Unsplash

photographer

How does doubt affect me when grief knocks on my door?

At the Poetry Friday Roundup on November 2nd, one of Tricia Stohr-Hunt's lines in her burning haibun prose struck me. "I am only moving, carrying the weight of my own doubt."  I immediately paused to reflect on this thought and evening dreams (sometimes nightmares) that have been burdening me. I knew that I needed to be mindful. A mindful pause led to an intense pondering of my initial question above. With raw thoughts that fell from my heart, I quickly wrote a Golden Shovel poem using Tricia's lines below in italics as my strike line.

What is hiding deep in my soul?

As grief quickly enters and leaves repeatedly,     I

ponder its affect on my daily living.                         Am

I masking my fears and doubts,                                only

spending time worrying and                                    moving

as I try to manage my life that is now                      carrying

the heaviness of each day? Can I accomplish     the

task of handling my loss and dealing with the   weight

of loneliness in this chapter of life? Waves           of

jabbing grief nestle in the depths of                      my

heart. Is there a veil hiding my                                  own  

fragile, plaguing                                                            doubt?

Response to Grief and Doubt

Trees comforts me during the autumn of        life.

Brilliant colors sparkle while sunshine             is

Felt as a warm blessing, not to be                     changed

By grief. So flutter away doubt. Hope will     not

Be extinguished, nor love                                    ended.

©CVarsalona, 2025, free verse poem

     Dedicated to my husband who recently passed away

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Thank you Patricia J. Franz for hosting this month's Spiritual Journey Thursday that focuses on doubt. I also thank you for sharing the insightful article,“The Drawer Where I Keep My Doubts” .

"Doubt, hesitation, unfinished questions, 'small hauntings'—

these aren’t failures of willpower, but the raw material of growth."  -Jeff DeGraff, Professor, author, essayist

Patricia asked an excellent question.

"Where does doubt fit into your spiritual journey?" 

The word, doubt, has been like a seed waiting to grow. It took root long before my husband passed away. It came and went like a roaring storm that gave no warning. Sometimes, it lingered in my mind without me knowing it. Other times, I pushed it aside when I found inspirational thoughts that gave me hope, such as the one below.

And so, friends, I am ready to move on once again, regardless of doubts that I hope to toss away.  I look forward to reading your blog posts on doubt. Enjoy the coming weekend.

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Poetry Friday Friends, I started this week excited to dig deep into my poet-author friend Laura Purdie Salas' upcoming book, Furry, Float, and Fly!  It is a seasonal beauty, and I was ready to write a book review. But as life can throw some bumps in the road, my plans were taken over by grief surrounding me and my friends. I finished my Spiritual Journey blog post with good intentions, but time did not permit it. I hope to finish my review of Laura's fabulous book and have it ready for her publication date, Tuesday. Meanwhile, please visit Laura's welcome to the Poetry Friday Roundup that you can find here at her blog. Enjoy Laura's winter thoughts, NCTE presenter news, and excitement for her book's birthday day. You will also find many blogs that are filled with poetic goodness from Poetry Friday friends.

Hallow's Eve

It was the sign of the times. The Wraiths' Feast came to be. Collegiate voice lifters journeyed through the Witches' Passage to the nearest Wailing Walls. With Lantern Haze devices, they slowly proceeded onward. Under a darkened sky, they listened for Midnight Murmurs from Gossamer Ghosts who enjoyed lurking on the bewitching night of Halloween. 

Are you ready for a ghostly poems prompted by our creative Poetry Friday host, Jone Rush MacCulloch? Jone offers a list of Halloween prompts to create a variety of poems by our community of writer-poets.  What I did was take her poems and introduce them in a short tale that is partially true from my college days with additional support from Halloween photos I took while living in Long Island.           

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DON'T BE AFRAID!

Howling whisperers

screech and whimper.

With bated breath,

 Halloweeners creep quietly,

slowly inching their way

throughout the cemetery

until they notice

a formidable sign.

"Yikes!"  Do you see a conclave before us?

Ghastly, bellowing ghosts circle.

Whose Moolinght Graveyard is this?

I think I know, but

not all agree.

Some friends step back,

tingling like scared cats,

Others mesmerized by the Phantom Lullaby.

Howling screams, frozen in time, rise. Stop!

Something lurks by the Velvet Coffin.

"Let it be known", so it is said.

"There is something haunting

in the light of the moon."

Without delay, scratching voices

rise from the ground.

We quickly skedaddle

under the light of the evening moon,

before sirens chase us out.

©CVarsalona, 2025

Just Remember:

Beware of what lurks at night on Hallow's Eve.

@CVarsalona, free verse, Halloween 2025

@CVarsalona digital artwork 

Follow the light of the moon to Jone's Poetry Friday Halloween Roundup.

You never know what you will find.

Poetry Peeps were invited to the Poetry Sisters challenge for October! A burning haibun arrived from the ashes of my opening prose poem. As the Poetry Princesses noted, the burning haibun is not the "old regular haibun. It highlights the internal landscape of memory and within them, something somewhere must BURN." 

(Please enjoy visiting other poets who enjoyed creating burning haibuns: Tricia, Sara, Laura, Mary Lee, Liz, and Michelle K. Check Tanita's blog to see if more people joined in.)

In prose, I present Hallow's Eve.

It was the sign of the times. The Wraiths' Feast came to be. Collegiate voice lifters journeyed through the Witches' Passage to the nearest Wailing Walls. With Lantern Haze devices, they slowly proceeded onward. Under a darkened sky, they listened for Midnight Murmurs from Gossamer Ghosts who enjoyed lurking on the bewitching night of Halloween. 

Erasure #1. Result after the blackout technique:

it's time. Wraths' Feast came. Voice lifted. Journey with lanterns slowly proceeded. Darkened sky listened. Midnight ghosts lurking on Halloween. 

Erasure #2. Burnout leads to a haiku.

It's time wraith came

voices journey listen

night ghosts lurk

  Draft CVarsalona, Halloween 2025, burning haibun

Oh, what fun it is to capture Halloween Eve, especially since this year I am homebound with a fractured ankle. My boot and walker chair are my costume for a chilly night at home.

Please understand that I have been on slow-go movement since last week.