Beyond LiteracyLink: Sense-sational Spring Gallery Unveiled

Designed and Curated by Carol Varsalona

featuring a Community of Reflective Poets, Photographers, and Artists

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Spring is when life's alive in everything. - Christina Rossetti

April is typically earth's time of renewal when spring starts to come alive. Oddly enough, this year the season was on slow speed. Marked by a winter in spring attitude, parts of the USA found Mother Nature sprinkling her powdery dust before she donned her full bloom attire.

daybreak dusting

early morning surprise-

winter in april

Photo and poem by Spiri Howard

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Then, with an air of expectancy, the rains came to greet Long Island. The quenched earth showed signs of awakening. Hearts swayed to the beat of Mother's Nature's promise as her soft breath gently sent the winds to breath in new life.

Gardens were perfumed with a fresh fragrance and outlooks on life changed.

Flowers saluted the sun. Dandelions flourished. Spring transformed the landscape.

NATURE

Act 1:

Elusive Spring stretches, awaked.

She offers another sunless day.

Cheerily, cherup, cherup, Robin sings.

Act II

Afternoon brings fresh perspectives.

Sun moves through

Leaving us breathless for more.

Act III

Late afternoon, bees dance across dandelions.

Violas stand prim and proper.

Sun spills herself everywhere...

©Michelle Kogan

Pause to Listen

Terje Akke, Estonia

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"Forgetting oneself, becoming the world for a moment: Wonder."

-Jeannine Atkins

Jeannine Atkins, Massachusetts

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Looking back on the spring season, recall your senses awakening.

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Stroll through the spring gallery with a new lens on everyday life.

First Stop

Long Island, New York where I live

Laura Hill Timpanaro

Kay McGriff

2nd Stop

New England

3rd Stop - East Coast USA

Pennsylvania

Virginia

North Carolina

South Carolina

Florida

4th Stop - Midwest USA

Indiana

Kansas

Michigan

Minnesota

Ohio

5th Stop - Southern USA

Texas

6th Stop - Western USA

Colorado

Linda Baie - Denver, Colorado

Montana

Nevada

7th Stop - West Coast USA
Oregon

Hawaii

8th Stop - Canada

9th Stop - Europe

10th Stop - Middle East

11th Stop - Asia

12th Stop - Oceania

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Gardening Joy

Being one with nature-

a rite of spring,
a seasonal delight
connecting human lives,
channeling peaceful living,
Being one with nature-
a restorative practice
flowing from Mother Earth
nurturing natural life
from seed to fruition.
©CVarsalona, 2018

Joy Andrews

Terje Akke - Estonia

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Sunrise and Sunset Moments

The sky takes on shades of orange during sunrise and sunset, the color that gives you hope that the sun will set only to rise again. -Ram Charan

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Musical Interlude

Listen to the Sense-sational Spring Gallery Playlist here.

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2018 Kidlitosphere Progressive Poem

Poet's Jasmine, Blooming Lovely

Nestled in her cozy bed, a seed stretched.
Oh, what wonderful dreams she'd had!

Blooming in midnight moonlight, dancing with
the pulse of a thousand stars, sweet Jasmine

invented a game.

“Moon?” she called across warm honeyed air.
“I’m sad you’re alone; come join Owl and me.
We’re feasting on stardrops, we’ll share them with you.”

“Come find me,” Moon called, hiding behind a cloud.

Secure in gentle talons’ embrace, Jasmine rose
and set. She split, twining up Owl’s toes, pale
moonbeams sliding in between, Whoosh, Jasmine goes.
Owl flew Jasmine between clouds and moon to Lee’s party!
Moon, that wily bright balloon, was NOT alone.

Jas grinned,

stretched,

reached,

wrapped

a new,

tender
around
rootlet

a trellis Sky held out to her, made of braided wind and song.
Her green melody line twisted and clung.

Because she was twining poet’s jasmine, she
wiggled a wink back at Moon, and began her poem.
Her whispered words floated on a puff of wind,
filled with light and starsong. “Revelers, lean in –
let’s add to this merriment a game that grows
wordgifts for Lee. He’s a man who knows
selection, collection, and wisely advising
these dreamers, word-weavers, and friends.”

Jas enfolded Moon-Sky-Owl into the cup of her petals,
lifted new greens to the warming rays of spring. Sun
smeared the horizon with colour, as Jasmine stretched.
She felt powerful. She felt fresh. She bloomed and took a breath

and filled the earth with a fragrance all her own.

Written by the following poets according to the number of the line they each penned:

1 Liz at Elizabeth Steinglass

2 Jane at Raincity Librarian

3 Laura at Writing the World for Kids

4 Michelle at Today's Little Ditty

5 Jan at bookseedstudio

6 Irene at Live Your Poem

7 Linda at TeacherDance

8 Janet F. at LiveYour Poem

9 Ramona at Pleasures from the Page

10 Matt at Radio, Rhythm and Rhyme

11 Brenda at Friendly Fairy Tales

12 Carol at Beyond LiteracyLink

13 Linda at A Word Edgewise

14 Heidi at my juicy little universe

15 Donna at Mainely Write

16 Sarah at Sarah Grace Tuttle

17 Ruth at There is no such thing as a Godforsaken town

18 Christie at Wondering and Wandering

19 Michelle at Michelle Kogan

20 Linda at Write Time

21 Robyn at Life on the Deckle Edge

22 Tabatha at The Opposite of Indifference

23 Amy at The Poem Farm

24 Mary Lee at A Year of Reading

25 Kiesha at Whispers from the Ridge

26 Renee at No Water River

27 Buffy at Buffy's Blog

28 Kat at Kat'sWhiskers

29 April at Teaching Authors

30 Doraine at Dori Reads

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Ekphrastic Poetry
Poetry inspired or stimulated by a work of art

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Inspiration to Live By

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Springtime Walks Inspire Artists and Writers

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Children's Corner

Buncee Creations below - to learn more about Buncee click here.

The above three Buncees were created by the young poets in Mrs. Monti's Class, Florida

Michael Dresek's Class

Devin Hartnett, Washington, DC

Wyman's Wonders - Kinder Poets

from Teacher Modeling

to Student Drafts

to Poetry that Makes Voices Soar

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Digital Art

Yes, let's celebrate life and look back to

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In spring, the world evolves in shades of changing color for all to appreciate.

May we continue to honor the earth and preserve its beauty.

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Please take a moment to thank the amazing contributors of the

Sense-sational Spring Gallery for bringing joy into the world by leaving a comment on social media or in the comment section. This would be most appreciated.