Poemtober's Blackdraped Evening

During October, when the leaves are tinted with golddust and autumn air is crispclean, the creation of a Poemtober experience becomes a therapeutic, poetic diversion from heaviness hovering over the world. Thanks to my Florida poet-friend, Rebecca Herzog, who originated the Poemtober word list, I offer a seasonal collection of poetry. Inspired by outside decorations found in my Long Island neighborhood, I have gathered a plethora of visual prompts.

Below you will find an eerie-looking gathering of spectral sights that sway under an October blackdraped evening. To enhance the scene and create an illuminated sight, I digitized the original photo. Then, I crafted a septercet poem, a form created by poet Jane Yolen with a pattern of seven syllables in three-line stanzas. 

 "I would like, if I may, to take you on a strange journey."

  The Rocky Horror Picture Show

Welcome to a Blackdraped Evening Celebration

Specters' Chant

"Trick or treat," we sing tonight

as night sounds cause howling fright

and specters rise from their rest.

Illuminated in white,

hands join in a spooky fest,

calling spirits from the tomb.

Under a blackdraped, night sky

hums of ancient doom and gloom

cause neighbors' woeful outcry.

"Shed your flowing white costume

Return to your earthen bed,

the cemetery of dread."

©CV, 2020

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Because life is full of fears these days, I saw this amazing outdoor decoration and knew exactly what I wanted to create. My etheree is a call to action, do not enter the fear zone! Face fears that haunt your waking hours.

Fears

hover.

Do not let

them enter your

home but face your fears.

They play tricks, ghoulishly

cause weeping, and entomb the

living in a virtual crypt

of trembling trepidation causing

bonechilling frustration and disruption.

©CV, 2020

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From one year to the next Poemtober offer opportunities to revisit thoughts and happenings, and create stories, stitches of memories sewn together. For now, join me for Slice of Life Tuesday at Two Writing Teachers and keep writing. It's National Day on Writing.

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Autumn Writing

I look out my window each day, wondering what new surprise nature will provide. I slowly discover a rhythm, inspired by the tinges of autumn I see. Writing finds its way into morning. I settle in. From consciousness to paper, words appear as I reveal my inner thoughts. What starts as a glimmer of an idea becomes a messy synthesis of flowing words. With faith and a rewrite, voice will rise on wings that fly. 

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While leaf peeping is not a robust activity on Long Island this October, I seek autumnal beauty through the eyes of others. 

My colleague, Sylvia Vardell, captures the beauty of autumn's colors in the following image poem.

Thanks to my friend, Barbara VanIderstine, 

her magnificent photo of upstate New York provided me with inspiration to create a tribute to autumn.

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Today is the National Day On Writing. 

I celebrate the power of the written word through poetry.

Why do you write? 

Share your thoughts on social media with the hashtag #WhyIWrite.

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Share your digital expressions on the beauty of autumn at my upcoming gallery, #AutumnAblaze. The invitation can be accessed here.

I'm off on a leaf-peeping adventure but before I go, I am checking in with others at Poetry Friday. 

Today's Poetry Friday roundup is hosted is my writing friend, Leigh Anne Eck who offered the following for Autumn Ablaze. Her poem was inspired by Terje Akke's photo of autumn in Estonia.

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Inspired by Nature

On days when writing slows down, I turn to nature to find inspiration. Henry David Thoreau said, "We can never have enough of nature." I am a firm believer in Thoreau's words for nature is my observation window into life. Through the looking glass of nature, I peak at the world with different eyes. I retreat into its depths. Nature never disappoints me. Despite its unpredictability, I can still find splendor in nature.

Today, in hope of finding fall, my family and I took a spontaneous trip to upstate New York. While the leaves have not yet peaked in the Hudson River region, I witnessed the beauty of the season. I was awed by the change of color that I have not seen yet on Long Island. I was inspired to take photos and sear all the memories of this fall day in my mind's eye.

As the sun's rays glistened onto lakes, streams, and the mighty Hudson River, I noticed small objects that complimented the scene: a stray log floating, a solitary, tiny red leaf on a trail, and leaves cascading in mid-air. I approached a man-made dam completed in 1906 and was taken aback by the beauty of rushing water flowing with a forceful, rhythmic motion. Prior to visiting this area, I heard that at the time of its completion, Croton Gorge was the largest dam in the world and second largest man-made structure next to the pyramids of Egypt. Naturally, I wanted to see for myself this structure that has withheld the forces of time. My family and I found the gorge to be a serene place for rest and reflection. 

What did I learn this fall day? Writing promotes self-discovery and peaceful scenes like I experienced are reminders that daily living needs not be rushed. Nature promotes the slowing down of life so that it can be savored. I returned home contemplating the beauty of an autumn day and the fun of a spontaneous Autumnventure. I turn to writing in the evening hours to savor a day well spent. 

I write tonight to preserve the wonder of an autumn day and offer this as my slice for Two Writing Teachers' Slice of Life Tuesday.  

October 20, 2016 is National Day On Writing sponsored by NCTE.

Let's Celebrating Writing Every Day! 

Why I Write

There is much to wonder about in this world for space is infinite and possibilities unlimited. In the evening hours, when the world nods its sleepy head and quiet evokes solace, I close my eyes to wonder a little bit longer. Why do I write?

My mind wanders down corridors of time, reflecting, wondering when the passion for writing began. Words float on by. I imagine this parade of thought to be like the autumnal dance of leaves cascading in the breeze. I wait patiently for words to crystallize. They organically flow in the quiet. Stillness surrounds them. Only the night whispers. I pause to listen; close my eyes to see into the darkness. Fingers sweep the keyboard. Why do I write? I scroll back into my writing and find thoughts from the past that provide responses to this question.

Writing is an art form that moves your consciousness to paper. 

It is the process by which you reveal your inner self while splashing your thoughts across the page. It starts as a glimmer of an idea, a seed that sprouts in the quiet corners of your mind, and takes form when the muse beckons you. Writing can be an arrangement of free thoughts or an on demand task. It can be a messy synthesis of ideas or an elegant rewrite. With faith, the writing process allows thoughts to germinate, grow, and give voice to a writing life.

I zoom in on why I write at this given time.

I write to:

• honor the voice within that has passed through time
• polish the apple while capturing small moments
• observe nature in all its glory
• remember, rephrase, reflect, and revise
• elaborate the known and develop the unknown
• honor those who have written before me
• encourage those whose young voices are maturing
• find the wonder in words and explore their territory
• connect with others who are risk-takers of thought

There is magic in writing. I write because it is my lifeblood flowing as a stream of consciousness. I move from pen and paper to keyboard, notebook to electronic portfolio to find the just right words to define me or extend the topic at hand. Sometimes, my writing is filled with emotions that are locked, passions that are waiting to explode, and thoughts that are reluctant to be released. Since I was a small child, I wrote to creatively express myself. I continue that process realizing that there is still much to uncover, craft moves to explore, and connections to be made. Writing is a continuous act of moving forward, noticing more, digging deeper, and discovering life's unlimited opportunities. 

This week I honor the act of writing along with the National Council of Teachers of English, the DigiLit Sunday community, and educators in the United States. I will add my voice to others on the National Day on Writing, October 20th, an event I have championed for over a decade because Writing Matters and Voice is Strong. On October 20th, NCTE will "celebrate the importance, joy, and evolution of writing" with a Tweetup using the hashtag, #WhyIWrite. Will you join the movement to promote writing as an art form?

The world is busy, but the mind tenacious.

The writing life is all about faith in a fragment.

Kim Stafford

Celebrate 2014 National Day on Writing with #NYEDChat Because Writing Matters

Today, Monday, October 20, 2014 is National Day on Writing sponsored by NCTE, the National Writing Project, and The New York Times Learning Network. #NYEDChat is inviting all Connected Colleagues to celebrate writing with Blanca Duarte and me, tonight's NYEDChat moderators, at 8:30 pm EST. Join us for a fast-paced, our conversation, entitled, "Writing Matters." 

Perhaps, your writing style is a particular genre, such as poetry, essay, narrative, or maybe you best express yourself through art, photography, film, or graphics. You may opt for the traditional form of paper and pencil or intrigued by digital mediums. Some people showcase their writing in street art while others blog, publish, or write letters. Whatever your style is we welcome you to showcase it in the Twitter conversation that will begin at 8:30 pm EST and post your writing or link to it below in the comment section. 

Six questions will be presented for the Twitter convo (see below). Since this is an open chat for all connected colleagues we ask that you spread the word so this conversation can be joined by colleagues across the globe. Let's hear what you have to say on the art of writing. 

Join NYEDChat as we celebrate this day because 

"Writing Matters!"

I watch their flight

As dreamers wander 

and writers write. 

CVarsalona 2014

NYEDChat Questions

Welcome to #NYEDChat. Please introduce yourself with your name, role, and location.	8:30 pm
Tag a tweep to join #NYEDChat tonight. Writing Matters!	8:31 pm
Beside using #NYEDChat you can tweet with #MYWritingCommunity to join the national initiative on writing.	8:31 pm
Q1 What type of writing fits your style? #NYEDChat	8:35 pm
Q2 Who do you have in mind when you write? #NYEDChat	8:43 pm
Q3  Why is writing in all its forms (paper/pen, digital, film, videos, in art, infographics, etc.) important. #NYEDChat	8:51 pm
Q4 How can you encourage others to become connected colleagues who value voice?  #NYEDChat #WriteMyCommunity	8:59 pm
Q5 How does your writing influence others and/or impact students’ writing lives?  #NYEDChat #WriteMyCommunity	9:08pm
Q6 Do you have any parting advice for those who might be interested in blogging or writing professionally?	9:16 pm
Link your voice with #NYEDChat at http://buff.ly/1sIlnnz. Riddle in 140 char? 5 word poem? Blog link? Other? Have fun writing.	9:20 pm
Thank you for joining #NYEDChat tonight. Be connected and continue to write. #CEM14 #WriteMyCommunity	9:28 pm
Join #NYEDChat on November 3, 2014 at 8:30 pm EST TOPIC: TBD	9:29 pm