Morning Musings

This week, I mindfully opened the door to each new day. I listened to bird chatter, the drip-drop of rain falling upon the earth, or marveled at the sky's brightness. Morning awakened life daily. I was grateful to be a participant so I started searching for words of wisdom to honor the awakening of day. One of my favorite poets, Kahlil Gibran, reminded me, "for in the dew of little things the heart finds its morning and is refreshed."

Each day, I appreciate nature's daily orchestration starting with a morning welcome. While in the hospital in May, I felt restricted. There were no sounds of nature awakening me. Only the sounds of busy feet entering my room or the loudspeaker blaring its messages were heard. As a quiet onlooker, I often gazed out the window and pretended to hear nature's daily welcome. Time moved slowly then. Now that I am discharged from home care and in-house physical therapy, I look forward to opening the blinds in the great room and go outside to see what nature offers.

"Let your life lightly dance on the edges of Time like the dew on the tip of a life."

~Rabindranath Tagore

Pause

Morning awakens daily,

welcoming each new day of wonder.

In our complex, multi-tasked world,

Who will listen to birds chattering?

Who will pause to watch flowers grow?

Morning soars among the clouds

offering refreshing renewal and

an open invitation to slow down.

Be of good faith; find solace in nature to

peacefully walk the path of quietude.

Disregard the past for

"The beginning is always today." *

"And every dewdrop paints a bow."

draft ©CVarsalona, 2024

*1st Quote by Mary W. Shelley

2nd Quote by Lord Alfred Tennyson

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The Poetry Sisters, Tanita, Mary Lee, Tricia, Laura, and Liz, invited writers to write haiku want ads, a clever ideas that I once tried years ago.

 

#PoetryPals

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It's time to join the Poetry Friday Roundup hosted by the wonderful poet/author/librarian, Marcie Flinchum Atkins. Click here to read her blog post.

"Bless The Earth" - Each and Everyday

Are you a concerned citizen of our planet Earth? Many people gather together each year to find ways to protect our Earth. Elementary school children also honor Earth each April on Earth Day. In reality, we should celebrate our beautiful yet fragile Earth daily.  A new children's anthology, Bless The Earth, edited by June Cotner and Nancy Tupper Ling blends poetry with beautiful illustrations in a fabulous new collection of poetry to celebrate and care for our world. The illustrator, Keum Jin Song, also shares beautiful artwork that children and adults will appreciate. Join me as I review this amazing book of praise from the initial two-page spread on Bless The Earth to the last page about the editors.

This amazing book is written for children, who are the future stewards of our planet. It should be a treasured part of classrooms and libraries where children can read the collected praise poems and inspirational quotes and use the book as a mentor text.  As June and Nancy say in their introductory note, "This anthology knits together humanity, the environment, and spirituality in an engaging way." 

With love for our planet, June and Nancy gathered a collection of poems from different poetic voices to focus on themed sections: dreams and prayers for the world, elements of our planet, all creatures, and seasons. The last section of the book focuses on caring for our Earth. It reads as a call to action for young environmentalists. 

The poetry collection starts with a rhymed praise poem to Earth by Nancy Tupper Ling. Nancy paints a beautiful picture of the gifts nature gives to the world.

Many poets contributed to the anthology. I especially thank Matt Forrest Esenwine for sending me news of Bless The Earth. Matt and other poet friends, Michelle Heidenrich Barnes, Charles Ghinga, and Irene Latham, have poems published within the collection. Each poet's voice becomes a poem of wonder and gratitude. See both Matt Forrest Esenwine's and Charles Ghinga's poems below.

As an extra bonus, one child's voice is featured among the adult poets in the collection. I am impressed by Jillian Pappan, age 10, from the Omaha Tribe of Nebraska. Her reflective and imaginative poem,  "If I Could See the Sky", is full of wonder and purpose in life. The title could be a writing prompt for intermediate to middle-school-age children who are dreamers, nature lovers, and artists. 

There are at least 60 poems with varied formats included in this anthology. Children will enjoy reading and writing poems using the mentor texts provided in the collection. Teachers will find the book a wealth of ideas for new lessons, especially since environmental and ecological issues are in the news these days.  This summer is an ideal time for children and teachers to dig into this anthology that praises Earth. Perhaps, thoughts on becoming future stewards of our planet will evolve after reading this book.

Below you will find a song, Love Song to the World, that pairs well with Bless The Earth. For some musically inclined children, this song may be an incentive to write lyrics that flow like poetry for the opening of school. 

As a person who enjoys nature and thinks about keeping the Earth pristine for future generations, I highly recommend this book with its ties to humanity, the environment, and spirituality. 

May summertime be filled with thoughts of gratitude for our beautiful planet Earth. Thank you, June Cotner, Nancy Tupper Ling, and Keum Jin Song for a wonder-filled anthology that my little grandgirls will read throughout the years as will many other children.

@CVarsalona, 2017, Long Island, NY

Note: This book review will be featured on my Poetry Parade Padlet here.

Now, I am off to Poetry Friday where a poet-friend on the side of the United States is hosting the Roundup. Thank you, Denise Krebs for opening your space for the Poetry Friday poets and sharing your thoughts on the sacred seven poem format and poetry ops. 

Invest In Our Earth

 

Poster created by NASA. See the whole poster here.

Each year, Earth Day is celebrated around the globe. This year's theme is "Invest In Our Earth". As residents of the earth, we need to take on the role of steward and keep watch over the bountiful creation provided to us. 

"Look at a tree, a flower, a plant. Let your awareness rest upon it. How still they are, how deeply rooted in Being. Allow nature to teach you stillness."   - Eckhart Tolle 

This year, EarthDay.org asks people across the world to "invest in technologies and practices that can benefit the earth".   

Recipe for Change

Observe our beautiful earth through nature's eyes, protective and calm.

Become a watchful steward; recycle waste properly.

Commit to a green future; next generations need your help now!

©CVarsalona, 2022, sijo

Listen to Love Song to the Earth.

Quote  to Inspire Poetry:

The earth is what we all have in common. - Wendell Berry

There is beauty in fragile flowers, the

turn of light upon the grass. The earth

wrapped in shades of vibrant hues is

resplendent in springtime, but what 

if we neglect our mighty land?  Will we

deplete earth of its riches or of all

it has bestowed on mankind. Have

we forgotten what is necessary in

our haste to have superfluous interests in common?
©Carol Varsalona, 2017

On April 26th, I will gather image poems and artistic expressions that are offered

for my 2022 National Poetry Month Poetryliscious Gallery. 

You can find my padlet repository for the Poetryliscious Gallery here.

The Twitter hashtag is #Poetryliscious.

Thank you to poet-author-teacher, Margaret Simon, who is the host of Poetry Friday this week. It is Margaret's turn to add line 21 to the Progressive Poem and she does so with grace. Join me at Margaret's blog post to read other posts filled with poetic goodness for the Poetry Friday Roundup.