Thoughts on a Leaf Storm

Before Election Day 2020, I looked out a November sky and witnessed an amazing sight. A whooshing noise, swaying movement of branches, and leaves letting go in a downward descent were evidence of a dramatic leaf storm. News of this filled the broadcast channels. I watched and pondered as the leaves appeared to shiver in the breeze. Luckily, I had my iPhone available to record a few seconds of the event.

November Leaf Storm

tumultuous storm brewing

leaves shiver in the breeze

thoughts quiver

of election blues

©CV, 2020

After the storm, I wrote the above "naani" poem. My thoughts were centered on both the leaf storm and Election Day 2020. Obviously, the brewing storm settled, the sky opened with sunshine, and hope was felt.

A naani is one of India's popular Telugu poems introduced by Dr. N. Gopi, one of the renowned Telugu poets. Naani translates as "expression of one and all". It is composed of one stanza of four lines between twenty to twenty-five syllables. Each line is generally three-five syllables but no more than ten. The subject matter is up to the writer, but Teluga poets typically write about the human condition, race, relations, current statements, and life in general.  

13th Century Persian poet Rumi stated, "Respond to every call that excites your spirit." This thought is my call to action. Observing nature allows me to be filled with wonder, honor its movements, and find hope in both storms and sunshine, darkness and light. Sometimes the light is dim. At these times, it is necessary to respond with positivity. It may not always be the emotion felt at the moment but it is a pathway that leads us onward. I need to remember this in trying times.

November trees shake and dance.

Will Autumn stay

or

Winter advance?

"Seasons change as does daily life. "Those who contemplate the beauty of the earth find reserves of strength what will endure as long as life lasts." 

-Rachel Carson

🍁🍂🍃

The month of November is a gratitude month. I am grateful for a pathway to hope in autumn's gold-dusted colors. What are you grateful for?

🍁🍂🍃

I am joining Two Writing Teachers for Tuesday's Slice of Life.

#SOL20

#SharingPlanetBeauty_Earth Day 2020

Today is the day to sing your praises to Mother Earth for sharing the planet's beauty.

Happy Earth Day!

"There are a thousand ways to kneel and kiss the earth." - Rumi
(quote shared by Hoda Maalouf)

🌅🌙

Reasons to kiss the earth:

When winter-in-spring cushions earth with blankets of white

(with inspiration from Michelle I created a haiku)

When the scent of the flowers overwhelmingly fill the air

romantic fragrance

sweetly perfumes earth's garden -

redolence

©CV, 2020

(Meredith kindly bottled the scent of the flowers

for a virtual whiff of fragrance while viewers preview the mini-gallery.)

When spring sky sends love

When songs offer messages of hope

This video, Mother Earth, was created by the students of Pokrovsk Pedagogical College.

🌅🌙

From sunrise to sunset Earth Day bathed the planet with beauty and civic-mindedness.

Thank you to connected colleagues from across the globe

for their beautiful offerings of love for Planet Earth.

@math912teacher

Meredith Johnson

Lori Lite

Hoda Maalouf

Manju Rajput

Celebrate Autumn's Embrace

This digital with its animated leaves and song can be accessed at Buncee.

The leaf of every tree brings a message from the unseen world. 

Look, every falling leaf is a blessing.

-Rumi

As October rolled into a new month this week, I continued to notice, wonder, and find fall. My search led me to upstate New York where I traveled to a conference. I noticed trees lining the Thruway, glittering in beautiful autumn hues, like crayons standing erect in their Crayola box. When I returned home, I was delighted to see autumn colors popping all around me. If that was not enough, connected colleagues from various parts of the United States sent me digitals to grace my repository, #AututmnAblaze. Autumn opened its arms.

Tonight, I 

-its brilliance and beauty-

Tonight, I 
celebrate vivid, digital art created 
from what I noticed and wondered
on my travels.

Tonight, I celebrate daylight saving time, the opportunity to "fall" back.

I continue noticing and wondering as the leaves of autumn fall in graceful patterns here on the East Coast. Look closely at what my grandbaby, Sierra Kathryn, saw as she arrived in Palm Springs, California during daylight saving time. 

Autumn on the West Coast surely looks different but welcoming nonetheless.

I am joining Ruth Ayres at Celebrate This Week where she is turning darkness to light with her new book, Enticing Hard-to-Reach Writers.  

  

Stillness and Serenity: A Poetry Friday Offering

As summer draws to a close and school is back in swing, there is one last stop for the Summer Serenity Gallery before the unveiling: a pairing of my original poem, Stillness and Serenity, with the beauty of the words of the 13th century mystic poet, Rumi. 


In addition, a short Animoto video is provided, a first endeavor with this platform for me. 

Haiku by cvarsalona 2014

I thought that the following poem by Rumi pairs well with the idea of finding balance in life at the close of the summer season. As you read it, allow the words to take you on a reflective journey with the ultimate purpose of merging mind and spirit. 

                              There is a life-force within your soul, seek that life.

                              There is a gem in the mountain of your body, seek that mine.

                              O traveler, if you are in search of That

                              Don't look outside, look inside yourself and seek That.

                              This aloneness is worth more than a thousand lives. 

                              This freedom is worth more than all the lands on earth.

                              To be one with the truth for just a moment,

                              Is worth more than the world and life itself. 

To access my first Animoto video, Stillness and Serenity, please go here.

To read earlier thoughts on finding balance please go here.

Poetry Friday is hosted this week by Author Amok with last night's poetry slumber party complete with scary stories.

Laura Shovan