As this year progresses, I sit back and ponder what may have been a winter of discontent with raging storms, the heaviness of pandemic days, and the challenge of my life move. But there is more to reflect upon. I recall the freshness of a winter day with its bright sunshine and mounds of snow greeting morning. I think of dark nights in which the snow did not even whisper its way to earth, but seemed to salt the night with silence. (Dean Koontz) I recollect snowflakes, soft and white, dancing their way to earth and then, I drift into a sanctuary of thought. It is in winter we behold the charms of solemn majesty and naked grandeur. (James Ellis)
Photo of the aftereffects of a Long Island winter storm by Judi Drucker
Why now in the heat of spring do I think of winter? Fueled by sights and sounds of this past winter, I quietly sit designing #WintersEmbrace2021 Gallery. Within its range of artistic expressions, I contemplate how many lessons of faith and beauty we should lose if there were no winter in our year! (Thomas Wentworth Higginson)
winter embraced earth
warming the coldest of hearts
silence altered thoughts
©CV, 2021
I hope this post entices you to join me as I gear up to unveil Winter's Embrace Gallery. Stay tuned for the gallery to become a springtime gift that cools down our heated days.
In the meantime, I am off to a virtual retirement party for Poetry Friday's calendar keeper, teacher extraordinaire, author, cherished poet, and friend, Mary Lee Hahn.
#MarvelousMaryLee has been a supporter of my galleries for years, so what better way than sharing some of her treasured words from past galleries.
A dual language ekphrastic poem fit for winter
Since winter edged its way back into spring in one of its sprinter moods, I share one of MaryLee's spring image poems.
I also would like to share Mary Lee's poem on gratitude and give thanks for the poetic gifts she has bestowed on the Kidlit poetry community.
In gratitude
for living among poet friends
who share corners of their minds,
heartbeats of their thoughts,
and the depth of their emotions.
In gratitude
for a bright star named Mary Lee-
keeper of the Poetry Friday calendar,
NCTE presenter with a smile for all,
beloved teacher with lessons that energize her students,
and revered poet friend.
©CV, 2021
#MarvelousMaryLee, may your retirement open the door to another chapter in your book of life!
Hooray for #MarvelousMaryLee
and
for throwing a surprise party for our #MarvelousMaryLee.
Ah, Carol, the thoughts back to winter are beautiful. All the best on your Winter's Embrace 2021 Gallery.
ReplyDeleteYour tribute to Mary Lee is warm and beautiful. The poems you chose to share by her are stunning. I love the golden shovel "Springtime" poem, a celebration of making the most of life.
These lines about friends like Mary Lee are so touching:
"...who share corners of their minds,
heartbeats of their thoughts,
and the depth of their emotions."
Yes, for more friends like this!
For friendship and poetry, I raise my glass to you, Denise. If you have an image poem of winter, please send it my way for the gallery.
DeleteYour winter gallery looks awesome, Carol! And what a beautiful tribute to Mary Lee. You picked some special poems of hers to share. Love these lines from yours about her:
ReplyDelete"In gratitude
for living among poet friends
who share corners of their minds,
heartbeats of their thoughts,
and the depth of their emotions."
And you are one of those poet friends, Rose. Thanks for commenting.
DeleteIn gratitude indeed!! For you, dear Carol, your gorgeous galleries, and these lovely Mary Lee words as we celebrate friendship and poetry and living our poems today. xo
ReplyDeleteThank you, Irene, for stopping by so early in the morning. It is good to see your thumbnail portrait. If you have any winter photos of your new homesite or an ArtSpeak winter scene image poem, send them my way for the new gallery.
DeleteI love the return to your galleries for more gratitude to Mary Lee's look at life, a treasure we all take to our hearts, Carol. Winter's return will give us the hope we held during these recent months. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteHope is in our hearts, Linda, and much gratitude for our Marvelous Mary Lee. This is a great send-off into her next chapter of life.
DeleteIt was wonderful to read through some of Mary Lee's poems, Carol, and to share in your gratitudes for our friend.
ReplyDeleteWe live, love, and keep a strong communion of thoughts for those we call friends, Laura. Thanks for stopping by and sharing your lovely poem to Mary Lee at your blog.
DeleteSo many shiny gems in this post, Carol. Thank-you, thank-you, thank-you. xx
ReplyDeleteI am so filled by the amazing poems that Mary Lee has written. I am impressed by her wealth of work and in one of these posts, I read that one of her students is 50 now. It is always amazing to see students when they grow up. Thanks for stopping by, Kat.
DeleteBeautiful, Carol. Your winter gallery will be like a cool drink on one of our hot days. And, I join you in gratitude for the work and career of Mary Lee. I'm so enjoying this party!
ReplyDeleteI am trying to read all of the posts to soak in the wonder in Marvelous Mary Lee's mind and poems.
DeleteLovely post, Carol. Where would we be without winter? Loved the way Mary Lee wrote about clouds.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was a child, winter in Syracuse was one that left vivid images in my mind, like making an igloo in my backyard.
DeleteLovely!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Ruth. I have continued hope for your family's COVID issues.
DeleteBright star, yes! That's our Mary Lee. I enjoyed all the quotes about winter that you floated in this post today and look forward to the big gallery reveal, Carol. You've been through a lot, for sure, these last few months, but you're a pro at meeting challenges!
ReplyDeleteMichelle, of course, the challenges are mounting up again for another week so quiet time is not an option. BUT the gallery will rise sometime in the future.
DeleteI am grateful for your upcoming seasonal gallery offering and for highlighting Mary Lee's brilliance in the form of her gratitude poem, Carol. Of all life's challenges, "behind them there will always be blue skies" - yes!
ReplyDeleteBridget, the metaphorical blue skies will appear even on the darkest days.
DeleteYour galleries are one of the wonders of the digital world, Carol. I'm proud to have my work included, and grateful for all you do for the poetry community. Thank you for the kind words in your beautiful poem!
ReplyDeleteMary Lee, thank you for being you and inspiring all of us. I am so happy to have participated in your birthday celebration. Thank you for finding time to visit and chat with me here at my blog. Enjoy retirement!
Delete