Friday, November 17, 2023

A November Conversation

This week, November's weather swung back and forth like a playground swing. Conversations arose: Chill in the air. 36 degrees to 70 degrees." Beyond human talk, there was a huge stir in the sky when my son and I were in the parking lot of Tyson's Corner Mall in Virginia. A mass of blackbirds swarmed the sky above the building. Dipping, diving, screeching they flew up and down. Loud conversations were heard as in the chasing scene in the movie, The Birds by Alfred Hitchcock. Immediately, my son shot the photo. We stood in awe of what we witnessed.

This week I thought about that stunning but eerie scene. When Anastasia Suen posted her #smallpoem challenge with the theme "Conversations", my mind started sparking ideas.


















Photo by Derek Varsalona edited in FotoJet
Poem and digital artwork by CVarsalona

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November is the month to reflect on what we have learned over the past months. The holiday season begins and conversations are full of opportunities to listen and pause with hope, gladness, and appreciation. It is time to reset our journey with gratitude. 


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Thank you to Irene Latham, poet extraordinaire for hosting Poetry Friday and filling my thoughts with wonder. Today, she brings the gift of reflecting, pondering, and poetic goodness. 

12 comments:

  1. Your crow extravaganza is amazing, Carol. It is those moments that lift us up with big smiles. And I love the final lines of your November Reset: "Gratitude flows with Thanksgiving's breath! Wishing you and yours a special time together this holiday!

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    1. Linda, thank you for your comment. May your Thanksgiving be filled with gratitude for family and the holiday season.

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  2. I love the line "crunchy leaves crumble" -- it has such a pleasing sound in more ways than one! Happy Poetry Friday Carol, and thank you for sharing!

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    1. Sarah, I changed that line so many times to get the words just where I wanted them. Thanks for agreeing with me. I am heading over to your blog right now.

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  3. ooooh, the conversations are everywhere. I imagine the leaves all calling goodbye from a ship...fluttering and saying, goodbye. And me saying, bon voyage. safe journey. See you in the spring.

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  4. Carol, a happy Thanksgiving to you. I love the way you collaged the black birds stretching across the sky. I can almost hear them screeching! I love the thought of "Thanksgiving's breath"

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    1. Denise, once I read Anastasia Suen's small poem theme, Conversations, I was able to dig in to create the above digital graphic. I did lose the first draft and had to start once again trying to recreate the sky scene and a #smallpoem but it was fun project. Thanks for stopping by even with your busy time at NCTE!

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  5. Those birds! I vividly remember The Birds on TV in black and white. Thank you for following with the calming November pause and reflection. : )

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  6. "Nature pauses" - I like that, Carol - the inspiration to take time and like, nature, rest in small changes -- of weather, conversations, sky-happenings. It inspires me to notice, to be surprised by something. I will be on the look out...

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  7. Wonderful blackbird sky poem and pic Carol, the color blue you selected takes away any ominous feeling that the Alfred Hitchcock emulates. And love your "Crunchy leaves crumble" poem and image–They are both so inviting, thanks for all!

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  8. I love seeing nature even among the city life. I was driving on 495 and saw just incredible skies last weekend--both sunrises and sunsets. Also punctuated with all of that traffic and power lines and overpasses.

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  9. Wow! What a scary "sky conversation" you overheard, Carol! It also reminds me of that Hitchcock scene...

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