Window Poems

I wake each day, look out my window, and wonder what will be. Do you do this?

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At the beginning of the month, Michelle Heidenrich Barnes invited Julie Fogliano to  Today's Little Ditty. During the interview, Michelle asked Julie to create a Ditty Challenge for May: stare out the window and write what you see. In response, I have penned three poems.

Window Poem #1:

Remembering when a week of rainy and damp weather was the norm:

Mother Nature colored the world a shade of grey,

While leisurely planning her artistic play.

Thought again, and repainted the sky

By mixing her favorite bright, blue dye.

Her plan to change the landscape green

Was vividly noticed on my window screen.

©Carol Varsalona, 2018

Window Poem #2:

After the endless rainstorms that I watched each day from my window, I created this image poem / digital inspiration:

Window Poem #3:
My latest digital inspiration recollects what I have seen this week from my window vantage point:

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Thank you Michelle H. Barnes and Julie Fogliano for inspiring me to present my poetic perspective from my daily practice of looking out my window.

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Are you interested in another creative challenge? I am collecting digital inspirations, nature photography, inspirational quotes, image poems, spring songs, and artwork for my Sense-sational Spring Gallery of Artistic Expressions that will be unveiled in June. If interested, the invitation with the guidelines can be accessed here. 

Moments of Inspiration

It's been three months of writing starting with Laura Shovan's February Poetry Project, then March 2018 Slice of Life Story Challenge, and followed by #NationalPoetryMonth. Where does inspiration come from?

The World Dictionary defines inspiration as "an arousal of the mind, feelings, etc., to special or unusual activity or creativity." 

I believe that the mind can be aroused by ordinary aspects of life if we continue to notice and wonder. This daily practice triggers the creative process. Since I need to practice what I share as a tip, I consciously engaged in noticing and wondering when I woke today. As thoughts came into my mind, I jotted them done in my tiny journal. 

wisp of wind

bending branch

soaring swallows

sunshine sweeping sky

Since outside my window, it looked like the start of spring, I was surprised to hear the meteorologist announce, "We are in for 1 spring day and 3 days of summer weather." Really! I thought. We just got a taste of spring. The AccuWeather report flashed on the screen and that started me thinking. 

From ordinary moments of noticing, I wondered and created a quick poem.

What did you notice on this spring day that inspired you?

Today is Slice of Life Tuesday at Two Writing Teachers. I'm off to post there.

For those who are inspired to create a spring poem, I invite you to my newest gallery, Sense-sational Spring.

Celebrating Springtime '18

Finally, spring has come to Long Island for a full week! It's been a week of celebrating all "things" related to spring: a changeover in closets, walks in the neighborhood, a fond remembrance of a trip to the boardwalk, and topped off with poetry writing. Lately, my umbrella and sunglasses take turns as the accessory of the day while my iPhone, always busy capturing nature, is a faithful companion. Here on Long Island, spring is a celebratory experience after a long #winterinspring phenomenon that led me to unveil my Winter Wonderland Gallery of Artistic Expressions. 

Now, the weather has settled into a spring pattern of sun and rain and so, I took the opportunity to send out an invitation to my spring gallery, Sense-sational Spring. All this talk of spring has inspired me to continue to write poetry and create digital art. Life is full. Even the birds have returned to their daily practice of awakening morning each spring day. 

"Spring is when life's alive in everything!" This quote from the 19th century poet, Christina Rossetti, has given rise to a flurry of digitals on social media. I couldn't resist using one of my favorite spring scenes of the preserve north of Sleepy Hollow, New York to create a digital inspiration. I hope this creation brings you a sense of peace and the interest to capture your own spring scenes.

For all the baseball fans, the season is upon us and even my grandbaby is enjoying spring at a ball game.

Are you feeling the spring-is-in-the-air love?

Only 2 more days to enjoy National Poetry Month with the amazing poetry that is happening on and off-line. You still have time to check out the poetry happenings at Jama Rattigan's 2018 National Poetry Month Kidlitosphere Events Roundup. Click here for the calendar. I know that I have some catching up to do myself.

Signing off with more #poetrylisciouspoetry creations in mind.

I  Celebrate This Week with Ruth Ayres at her site on the weekends and post at #celebratelu. What are you celebrating this weekend?

Spring Salutations with an Invitation to Write

It's the end of April, a time of renewal. Showers fall gently awakening flowers. Earth comes alive after the chill of winter and a unique weather phenomenon, #winterinspring. 

daybreak dusting

early morning surprise-

winter in april

Photo and Poem by Spiri Howard

Now at the end of April, #winterinspring has moved on, allowing springtime the space to restore life. Traditional April showers greet Long Island in between sunny days of warmer weather. Poets continue to write #poetryliciouspoetry as National Poetry Month draws to a close. The Northeast where I live craves color and warmth.

Laura Hill Timpanaro

It is time to dig deep into our soul to bloom and become a troubadour of nature. It is time to feel earth's call to action, engage your senses, re-energize your spirit, and restore a colorful lens to everyday life. 

CALL TO ACTION

As the earth salutes spring, I invite all to capture the beauty of the season with all five senses. Paint a canvas fresh with deep verdant green colors accented by a rainbow of florals. Light up a gallery of artistic expressions with nature photograph, artwork, poetry, inspirational thoughts, and music. 

Let's capture the renewal of life this spring and

send a myriad of artistic expressions

out into the universe.

Sense-sational Spring Gallery Awaits Your Offerings!

HOW TO ENGAGE IN THIS CHALLENGE
Be creative. Capture the splendors of springtime in a variety of ways:

• Image poems - Superimpose an original poem on an image using a photo editing tool, like PicMonkey, FotoJet, or Canva
• Audio reading of an original poem using SoundCloud, etc.
• Collage, scrapbook art 
• Original inspirational quote or one from a poet or philosopher that is superimposed on a photo 
• Original nature photography in a picture postcard format
• Original artwork (any format)
• Playlist of springtime music linked to the songs or instrumental score
• A Buncee using the Buncee platform
• Video poem using iMovie, Animoto, or Magisto
• Short videos

IMPORTANT INFORMATION:

All submissions must:

• Have your name and locale at the bottom
• Be sized to 450 pixels in a jpeg or png format
• Be sent to #Sense_sationalSpring and @cvarsalona at Twitter or cvarsalona at gmail.com with the subject being Sense-sational Spring Gallery Offering

Deadline for Submission: May 31, 2018

Still Not Sure How to Begin: You can refer to last year's spring gallery of artistic expressions, Springsations, here to find mentor texts.

WANTED:

Student Voice for Sense-sational Spring Gallery

Please encourage your class and/or students to engage in this creative writing challenge that will amplify their voices and showcase their artistic talents. 

This invitation extends the experience of writing poetry beyond National Poetry Month because poetry is a YEAR-ROUND endeavor of creative expression. The challenge is full of choice options to amplify voice and integrates the arts, technology, and literacy. Have fun creating poetryliscious poetry.  the Poetry Friday Round-up with ARTSPEAK! Harlem Renaissance "Poems Come Lately"

 

Today, the Poetry Friday Round-up with ARTSPEAK! Harlem Renaissance "Poems Come Lately" by Irene Latham, children's book author and amazing poet is at Irene's blog site Live Your Poem.

Thank you to the Poetry Friday poets whose talented work graced the halls of my recently released Winter Wonderland Gallery of Artistic Expressions that can be found here.