Summertime's Poetic Gift

"Summertime is always the best of what might be." 

With his key eye of an investigative journalist, author, essayist, Charles Bowden, penned the inspiration above. I sit back and read the line again noting what truth lies within the words. Summertime nourishes my soul. It brightens what is and saturates what might be with vivid colors, summer breezes, and leisurely days that free the spirit. Each summer, poet Tabatha Yeatts brings the best of summer wishes to the poetry world in a Summer Poem Swap exchange. I have previously shared my first poem swap with my far-away poet friend Iphigene Daradar. Today, I showcase creative expressions from Tabatha Yeatts herself. How lucky for me to be gifted with zentangle poems and artwork that Tabatha crafted from my own poems. 

Tabatha used my line "Everything around you is nature-scented", to "write a found poem about how our lives are a mix of the good and the bad". I find truth in that statement for life is a series of ups and downs. We find optimism and hope in the thought that life is a cycle and as Tabatha says, "we must find a way to be comfortable and at home with the duality of these aspects of life."

In the above digital poem, Tabatha's artwork compliments different aspects of life, from the words sweet and shadow to the images of the crescent moon and sun.

The second grouping of zentangle found poems center once again around my words, "Everything around you is bathed in beauty". Each found poem is lovingly created into digital artwork on marbleized paper.

Poem Swap Wishes

celebrating  summer you pause; welcome

a new season with new stories.

birthdays come and grow.

you reflect and write!

circle words and

one day leave

skyward and refreshed!

©CV, 2021

Now, I am off to celebrate the Poetry Friday Roundup at our host, Mary Lee Hahn's blog.

This week I was lucky to have the muse visit as did Mary Lee. 

You can find the fruits of my weeklong labor, a cherita and a definito poem.

Summer's Gifts Wrapped in Poems

In the heat of each summer, we weave words to share our thoughts not on the pressures of life but on its beauty wrapped in reflection. A common bond of friendship brings our poetry community closer together through the art of creating small poems. Despite the pandemic, my poetry swap partner from the Philippines, Iphigene Daradar, shared a little poem and painting with me through virtual means. "I wish I could send this to you physically. Unfortunately, things haven't gone back to normal here."  For a successful swap, Iphigine and I decided to change the way we would communicate.

"The secret of change is to focus all of your energy, not on fighting the old, but on building the new." -Socrates

Instead of only gifting our partners with a small poem via postal service, Iphigene emailed me and I sent her a Google slide share. We built a new communication chain through the internet. The pandemic caused us both to reflect deeply on life. Iphigene's thoughts were conveyed through both words and artwork. The poem she created was "one of those things I learned in the duration of the pandemic." In response, I shared a walk through the woods in my new community, along with digital art designed with Google SlideShare. Through digital mediums, we stitched our reflections with the golden threads of poetry. Friendship is a bond that cannot be broken by a global virus. 

Learning to Surrender

Iphigene Daradar

A dried up leaf clings to its branch

The wind blew,

It swayed.

Breaking branch 

It grasp not, but fell

In a slow dance

of gliding

Through air.

Gliding

Through

Air.

Staring into life,

Into each breaking

Learning to

Glide 

Through

Air and fall

In season.

July 2021

Learning to Surrender is a beautiful poem softly rendered in a watercolor-like background. I will think of Iphigene when the leaves gently dance through the sky and remember to glide through challenges, surrender, and rest in the moment.  

Thank you Tabatha Yeatts for gathering our summer poem swap group together again.

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Yesterday when I saw the following beach photo by Leigh Anne Eck on Margaret Simon's site, This Photo Wants to be a Poem, I recalled the wonder and majesty of a Long Island Summer evening at the beach. I paused for a moment, let go of my to-do list, and just stared into the photo waiting for words to frame my thoughts. 

sunset spreads like golden wings

across shores' rippling waters

nature shares its evening gift

love story unfolds

©CV, 2021

Photo by Leigh Anne Eck

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It's time to be dazzled by all the poetic goodness at the Poetry Friday Roundup. Our host this week is Molly Hogan. Join me to see what photographer-poet-teacher friend offers at Nix The Comfort Zone. It's all about luscious summertime in Maine.

Thank you Molly for sharing a summer night in Maine.