Reflecting on the Last Day of #NPM

“The best remedy for those who are afraid, lonely or unhappy is to go outside, somewhere where they can be quite alone with the heavens, nature, and God." - Anne Frank 

As the pandemic continues on Long Island and the weather turns to rain and cloudiness, the human spirit longs for connections. During these types of days, I, like others, need to take a walk, smell the fresh air, and be comforted by nature. When this is impossible, I turn to writing, my #quarentainment that lets creativity bubble inside so voice flys.

Highlights of my week of reflecting and writing during National Poetry Month:

Look Into the Future is a video poem I created using Lumen 5. It holds my thoughts about what the future might be. This video poem is constructed with the first stanza of my Skinny poem series offered to Michelle H. Barnes for Today's Little Ditty April challenge.

While reading Fran Haley's blog post with Ode to the Wind, I was inspired by her words to create a Golden Shovel poem based on her quote. "The universe is a writer." From that, I designed my second video poem. You can access it here.

Following my evolving thoughts on the future, I designed an image poem for my #NatureNurtures2020 Gallery using a nature photo taken by an amazing photographer in South Africa, #chazchaz. I thank Al Dhalla, a Twitter colleague, who sent this photo.

In trying times like these facing humanity, nature is a healer. Stepping outside is a break from indoor quarantine life that allows me to find comfort, reflect on the here and now, and future. Hopefully, lessons learned during the pandemic will initiate a new call to action for mankind, increased problem-solving, and creative, innovative solutions to global issues facing humanity. For me, I will continue to write poems of hope to stir minds and hearts.

I am still collecting image poems, nature photographs,

and any other form of artistic expression for #NatureNurtures2020 Gallery.

Quick Challenge:

This inspirational photo by #chazchaz is waiting for poems of hope and haikus for healing to be written. Compose one for the gallery so we can extend poetry writing into May. Ask your students to create as well. Send all offerings to me via a comment below, on Twitter or Facebook.

I'm joining the Poetry Friday community this week at Elizabeth Steinglass's blog site for the Poetry Friday Roundup. Liz is sharing the new videos she was asked to create. Take a stroll over to her blog to hear her reading from her amazing children's book, Soccerverse, and to pick up some creative ideas for #remotelearning.

Quarantine Life Video Poem

Yesterday, I wrote a skinny poem series, Look Into the Future, and decided to transform the first stanza into a reflective 38-second video poem. I used the Lumen 5 platform then, uploaded the video to my YouTube channel. You can access the link here.  It's interesting how this quarantine time has left many people pondering what is now and what will be. 

In this new normal place and time, we

find solace in each other's company
in virtual spaces of connection.
We gather to listen to stories,
to be close together 
despite a virus that
spreads and
heightens
fears.
©CV,
2020

Video created with Lumen 5.

I join Two Writing Teachers for the last Tuesday of National Poetry Month.

I am grateful for this writing community of distant friends.

Look Into the Future

Into the future, I stare

pondering
its 
vast
unchartedness

pondering
a
new
normal.
Pondering,
I stare into the future.

Future life is unknown.
Virus
implodes,
changing
society.
Virus
affects
humanity's
existence
Virus,
is future life unknown?

With positivity, I imagine possibilities.
Wondering
what
life
holds-
Wondering
what
life
will
unfold.
Wondering
with positivity, I imagine possibilities.

Will mankind
create
cultures
of
trust?
Create
viable 
practices?
Reflect?
Create"
Will mankind?

This week's Ditty Challenge from Michelle H. Barnes

For this week's TLD challenge, Patrice Vecchione selected "Into the Future: Take Yourself There Now" (Chapter 53) from Part III of My Shouting, Shattered, Whispering Voice. 

Patrice writes:  Is the future a place you wish you could arrive at now? I remember feeling that way. Or maybe here and now is fine. For the length of a poem, venture into that place called future, as you imagine it; peer into its unknown terrain, and see what you find. The Padlet can be accessed here.  

I created a skinny poem series for this challenge during National Poetry Month.  

*****

I am accepting poetic/artistic expressions this week for my #NatureNurtures2020 Global Gallery. If interested in learning about the gallery or offering a piece of work, click here. 

Wednesday Thoughts: Quarantine Life

today
is cloudy, 
as many days are
during quarantine life.
I listen to bird's morning song.
there is a soulful tune to his cooing.
does little bird outside my window feel
earth's sadness or does he sing of hope to come?
©CV, 2020

Molly Hogan, 2020, Maine

a text breaks 

the stillness.

oppressive silence

follows 

filling the air.

trying times far away-

grandbaby's fever rises

incessant waiting...

hope lifts

like little bird's

morning song.
©CV, 2020                                                                                  

From Estonia to NY, Nature Nurtures

When my Estonian writing friend Terje Akke shared the following beautiful photo from her homeland, I sighed

blue-purple bloom,
effortlessly beguiling,
springs forth from earth
burgeoning budding-day calls
bringing hope to the hopeless
©CV, 2020

🌸

and followed with a handmade, paper collage card with pressed dried petals.



If I could go to the Post Office, I would have tucked inside the card a poem
but instead, I send a virtual card with wishes
to stay safe during quarantine life.

It's time to join Two Writing Teachers for Slice of Life Tuesday and 
add my National Poetry Month poems of hope with a special announcement.

Roll the Dice-Create a Poem

Recollecting how intrigued I was at the NCTE Conference with Taylor Mali's demonstration of his Metaphor Dice, I decided to enjoy some #quarentainment fun today. After all, it was a rain-sweeping, wind-howling day and I needed a bit of inspiration. I gently shook my dice so that they would fall gracefully on my desk. The word hope popped out and became the central concept for today's National Poetry Month poem-of-the-day. 

I liked the idea that hope is a gentle songbird so I decided to turn this metaphor into a poem of hope. Since the rain was pelting down and the trees were swaying with vigor, the birds were not singing their songs. Luckily, FotoJet has a library of beautiful photos to use. I chose the photo that inspired me and created a digital inspiration for my #NatureNurtures2020 Gallery of Artistic Expressions. Not only has this poem been added to the collection under the hashtag noted above, but it is showcased at my Nature Nurtures! Padlet. You can find many other digital inspirations on the padlet. Please consider creating your own image poem for the collection. The invitation can be accessed here. 

Solemn Springtime Morn

In the solemn silence of springtime,

a cooing bird sings his morning song.

Light streams golden glints on tinkling chime.

Path softens as creatures walk along.

Earth whispers softly, sweet voices praise

resurrection's gift-nature ablaze!

©CV, 2020

May the blessings of Easter's Resurrection Morn

spread light on everyone's pathway

during our quarantine life.

Thank you, Linda Mitchell, for nudging me to use take the first line of this poem and write a new poem. (This line was an option I wrote for the Kidlithosphere Progressive Poem and not chosen.)

#NatureNurtures2020 at Poetry Friday

This week has been one of continued daily news blasts, face mask making, and cabin fever, "a real situation" as stated by NYS Governor Andrew Cuomo. He further noted there are positive ways to help with cabin fever feelings. My way is to spend National Poetry Month writing daily poems and curating a gallery of artistic expressions to bring positivity into the pandemic situation. 

With Nature Nurtures as the mantra, I invited people from across the globe to share the beauty of nature and the power of poetry to soothe souls at this trying time. Joining me on this poetic venture, #NatureNurtures2020, are some of my Poetry Friday poet friends with offerings you can see at Nature Nurtures! Padlet:

Jan Godown Annino

Karen Eastlund

Laura Purdie Salas

Buffy Silverman

Liz Steinglass

With Good Friday and the pandemic on my mind (the number of cases in my Long Island hometown has risen), I created a found #poemofhope. It is based on an inspirational message from Father Cedric that I heard on television this morning.

I am traveling over to Poetry Friday led by the amazing poet and author, Amy Ludwig VanDerwater at The Poem Farm. Amy is sharing her National Poetry Month project and welcoming everyone to Poetry Friday, "our little community's way of sharing." 

#NPM20-#SharingPlanetBeauty

This season, spring debuted with earth-shattering news. I, like others, watched in disbelief as an unseen interloper encroached upon the earth, area by area causing havoc.  Newscasts continue to flash, repeat, and remind us to shelter in place. I remind myself to refresh my senses with a walk and writing.

While writing and creating digitals might be a solitary act, it connects me with communities of writers whose ideas come into focus and are exchanged through written words. Slicers, Leigh Anne Eck, Fran Haley, and Brian Rozinsky joined my National Poetry Month project, Nature Nurtures Global Gallery of Artistic Voices. They couple the artistry of nature with their timely writing. Each one of the following image poems share the power of poetry to soothe souls during COVID19 troubled times.

Leigh Anne Eck

Fran Haley

Brian Rozinsky

Would you like to join my #quarentainment project to flood social media with your own inspirational messages, poetry, and nature photographs on the beauty of nature and your students' work?  

See details at the special invitation here.  Reminder: please send your offering to my Nature Nurtures! padlet and on social media using the hashtag, #NatureNurtures2020 and #Sharing PlanetBeauty.

Thank you Two Writing Teachers for providing a space for writers to gather together

and share their slices of life each Tuesday. 

Earth, Je t'ieme

restful roadside sight

single happening mid-day

hope's sensory lift
©CV, 2020

The combination of poetry and nature are soothing forces during quarantine life that requires shelter-in-place actions. The above sight recalls a photograph I took when traveling for pleasure was allowed. The trees clustered together were so beautiful that needed to capture the happening in a poem for Day 6 of National Poetry Month.

Do you have a love song to Earth you wish to share?

If so, join me during National Poetry Month to lift your voice and bring the artistry of nature to soothe souls during these challenging times. Notice, wonder, create an artistic expression that uncovers the beauty of nature. See details at the special invitation here.  Reminder: Add your offering to my Nature Nurtures! padlet and on social media using the hashtag, #NatureNurtures2020.

Virtual Travel Diary

Each new day is a blank page in the diary of your life. 
The secret of success is in turning that diary into the best story you possibly can.
-Douglas Pagels

As the pandemic rages across the globe, colleagues practice social distancing Twitter-style. With no mention of quarantine life, a tweet chat turns into a travel diary. Places across the states and as far away as Brazil and South Africa are shared with those who shelter in place.

Honey blush sunrise stills Central New York.

Sunny bluebird feather skies shine in California.

with a similar sight in North Carolina.

Rose-pink florals cascade in Los Angeles.

Courtyard green vegetation thrives in Texas while

Colorado white snow snowscapes share faith over fear.

Kansas white downy clouds billow

and ducks congregate in Wisconsin.

Silver strand clouds brush across Brazil's sky.

Evening nears with a heartthrob sunset hovering over Los Angeles.


☵
as day closes
nature shades evening light
shelter in place
humanity needs peace
 ataraxia exists

Nature Nurtures

©CVarsalona, 2020

Photographs collected from Cheryl Abla, Robert Breyer, #chazchaz, Christelle, colldingwithscience, Al Dhalla, Eric Hayes, Faige Meller, Sharon Norden, 
Karl O'Leary, Dr. Jill Ries, Elizabeth Russell

I invite you to join me bring voice and the artistry of nature to heal troubled hearts during these challenging times. See the special invitation by clicking here. Reminder to add your offering to my Nature Nurtures! padlet and on social media using the hashtag, #NatureNurtures2020.