New Day, New Strength

"With the new day comes new strength & new thoughts."
Eleanor Roosevelt

Backstory: The other day I was pleasantly surprised to see the sun radiate through the bushes and flowers and seep through my window. Grateful for a colorful day as opposed to the rainy days we have experienced, I penned the above haiku. 

My Intention:
On Day 4 of National Poetry Month, I continue to write and curate poems of hope to populate Nature Nurtures 2020, my newest gallery of artistic expressions. My intention is to bring allow poetry and art soothe the soul for all who are saddened and troubled by the darkness that has entered the world with the coronavirus.

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I invite you to join me bring voice and the artistry of nature to heal troubled hearts during these challenging times. See the special invitation by clicking here. Reminder to add your offering to my Nature Nurtures! padlet and on social media using the hashtag, #NatureNurtures2020.

Tensions Mount_SOLSC 16

Yikes! The phone rings with another COVID-19 news update from Town Hall-virus spreads closer to home. Mid-afternoon call comes in from the village-offices close starting today. Message from the Governor interrupts afternoon TV. Then, NYC Mayor comes on. New York State prepares for a month of closures. Ring, ring ! 9:14 pm-phone call from the Town office again. - State of Emergency -



Schools close. 

Playground laughter

No longer heard.

"Remote learning" trends.

News bulletins blare.

TV's interrupted.

COVID-19 spreads

Inches closer to home. 

Self-quarantine rises.

Life is not the way it was-

And yet, we go on 
just like post-911 days. 

We are resilient!
©CV, 2020

Surrender the me to WE!

-Chris Cuomo

☵

Each year since March 2015, I have engaged in Two Writing Teacher's Annual Slice of Life Story Challenge. Slicing allows me to ponder life, literacy, and learning, capturing small moments poetically through writing, photography, and digital art. Welcome to Day 16 of 31 days of writing with Two Writing Teachers. 

Finding Peace_SOLSC 15

This week has been a difficult one of ramped up tension. The news of the coronavirus growing in proportions has caused fear, concern, school districts closing, and the darkening of the NYC theater. Life is not the way we knew it so when another gray day suddenly turned to sunshine, my family took a ride to one of Long Island's most beautiful areas, the ocean. 

On a sky-lit afternoon,
I soak in the expansive shoreline view.

A cool breeze brushes past

on its way to rustle in the seagrass.

I listen to the soft voices of

 whispering waves crashing the shore.

I watch high-spirited visitors

whose feet caress the sand,

leisurely pedal their bikes,

or jauntily walk the long boardwalk.

I pause to capture sun shadows

playing on the boardwalk,

grateful for the sun lighting the sky

with radiant joy.

Life is different at the beach.

Peace floats on a sea of thought.

far away from media blasts.

☵

Each year since March 2015, I have engaged in Two Writing Teacher's Annual Slice of Life Story Challenge. Slicing allows me to ponder life, literacy, and learning, capturing small moments poetically through writing, photography, and digital art. Welcome to Day 15 of 31 days of writing with Two Writing Teachers. 

Commentary on Social Distancing_SOLSC 14

A  cool breeze filters through the open window with a dull, grayish sky opening day. There are no birds singing their tunes. I wonder why. Is life here in my suburb close to Manhattan finding its way to cope with the pandemic? Is nature responding to the crisis? Do the birds understand the concept behind social distancing? I imagine this gray day moving toward Manhattan as I write. 

May this poem help us understand the gravity of the pandemic's reach and bring us closer together in thought as a global community during this trying time.

Each year since March 2015, I have engaged in Two Writing Teacher's Annual Slice of Life Story Challenge. Slicing allows me to ponder life, literacy, and learning, capturing small moments poetically through writing, photography, and digital art. Welcome to Day 14 of 31 days of writing with Two Writing Teachers. 

Spring Forward!_SOLSC13

As part of the pathway to spring, clocks are set ahead for daylight savings time. 

I celebrate the onset of a new season while listening to the birds sing their morning songs. While this is always a celebratory event for me, this year the news of the pandemic coronavirus overshadows the excitement of the movement toward spring.

The hype over the virus rises each day. Conversations center on the sad reality of life as we now know it. Oftentimes, I turn to writing to block out any challenges or issues and calm me.  I decided to use the Buncee platform to capture the gathering of the birds in a short verse. Stanza one of my Buncee poem provides the scenario that I witnessed from my upstairs window. Stanza two introduces a character who is the master craftsman of each season. This is a light piece to move readers' attention away from ramped-up news coverage. 

May you spring forward with thoughts of renewal and hope for a peaceful world
amidst contemporary medical issues.

Each year since March 2015, I have engaged in Two Writing Teacher's Annual Slice of Life Story Challenge. Slicing allows me to ponder life, literacy, and learning, capturing small moments poetically through writing, photography, and digital art. Welcome to Day 13 of 31 days of writing with Two Writing Teachers.

Today is Poetry Friday at my poet friend, Matt Forrest Esenwine's blog. Join me in congratulating Matt on his poetic accomplishments and explore the world of poetry goodness.

Thought to Live By_SOLSC 12

News blasts shout out alarming reports of the spread of the coronavirus. Two phone calls come in with cancellations of appointments and yoga classes. Life replays like the young adult dystopian novel, Life as We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer. Where is the world heading? It is time to ponder the present and find some semblance of peace in an unfamiliar world.

Each year since March 2015, I have engaged in Two Writing Teacher's Annual Slice of Life Story Challenge. Slicing allows me to ponder life, literacy, and learning, capturing small moments poetically through writing, photography, and digital art. Welcome to Day 12 of 31 days of writing with Two Writing Teachers.