Naomi Shihab Nye-Themed Roundup

Welcome, it's a Naomi Shihab Nye-themed roundup at Mary Lee Hahn's blog site this week. Did you know that Naomi has been named the Young People's Poet Laureate for 2019--2021 by Poetry Foundation?  Today, I dedicate my post in honor of Naomi, the amazing poet whose soulful heart and creative talent weaves words that dig deep into emotions. 

In preparing for this post, I read Naomi Shihab's poem, Famous, many times. Its simple repetition and depth of message in the final stanza resonated with me.

I want to be famous in the way a pulley is famous
or a buttonhole, not because it did anything spectacular,
but because it never forgot what it could do. 

I watched the video rendition of the poem here and then, thinking of my granddaughter who is celebrating her 2nd birthday in two weeks, I wrote.

My Grandma Wish 

I want to be famous in the eyes of a child,
who knows me by name, not because I did anything spectacular,
but because I never forget what being a grandma means. 
©CV, 2019

I used Naomi Shihab Nye's poem, Burning the Old Year, as a mentor text to write a birthday poem for my little Sierra Kathryn.




Remembering Early Years

Photos flash in chronological order.
Comments written on digital screens,
jubilant baby smiles,
rise like beach gulls,
soaring into year two.

So much of beginning life is remembered,
videos of first attempts, cherished toys.
Pink and perky milestones,
so little is a lost memory.

Where there was babyhood and suddenly isn't,
a babble of words flows, celebrates, fills the space.
I begin again witnessing wonders of grandbaby life.

Only the things I didn't do,
the moments I wasn't there,
Remind me to savor your childhood.
©CVarsalona, June 2019, Sierra Kathryn's 2nd Birthday

Now I am off to celebrate Naomi Shihab Nye-themed poetry at the Poetry Friday Roundup that Mary Lee Hahn is hosting.  

Notes:

-A previous blog post on Sierra Kathryn, is at Grandma Wishes.
-Please check out my invitation to salute spring, a creative challenge for the upcoming Spring Splendor Gallery that I posted last week. I would be delighted to have my Poetry Friday friends offer a digital inspiration on springtime. (Deadline: June 13th)

Invitation to Salute Spring

Each spring, the peony bush sits quietly in a dark bed of soil waiting for its lush foliage to spread. Amidst the noise of garden mowers and clanking garden tools, it slowly awakens to springtimes tunes of chirping birds. Morning greetings filter the air as the bright blue sky quickly fills with gushing grayish rain. Soil soaked with nourishing raindrops, watches pollen blankets being washed away. Then, as the rain slows down, peony branches bow in reverence for Mother Nature's gift. Earth fills with the splendor of spring and the peony bush dressed in deep green allows its red buds to slowly open. Perhaps, tomorrow will be the day that the dress rehearsal opens to a springtime showcase.

Dress rehearsal:

though mine

I hesitate to pluck

the peonies

-Baishitsu

As I prepare for a Memorial Day barbecue, I reflect:

in the stillness

Between the arrival of guests,

The peonies.

-Buson

I wonder how long I will have to wait for my peonies to salute spring. Will I ever be able to write of my beautiful peony in the simplistic manner of the 17th-19th century Japanese poets from the Endo period? 

what peonies!

one poem per flower

will not do

-Ryumin

Please join me at the hashtag, #SpringSplendorGallery, on Twitter to share your image poems, haikus, nature photos, musical compositions, artwork, and inspirational quotes on the splendor of spring.  For those who frequent other social media sites, you can email me your offerings at cvarsalona at gmail.com. Deadline: Thursday, June 13, 2019.

Do you have:

half a mind

to dress up and bow down

to the peony

-Shiki

or bow down to the beauty of spring?

for peony blossom viewing

a spring look is fine

and rosé wine

(the above haiku was created using Torin's haiku as mentor text)

for peony blossom viewing
a pale kimono is good
and chinese tea
-Torin

2016 Peony Surprise

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Now I'm off to post this invitation to Poetry Friday's host, Dani Burtsfield. Dani has a beautiful golden shovel poem to share.