A Little Peaceful Poetry

Happy Poetry Friday! Today's poem takes us to the oceans' edge, as the morning symphony is about to begin.

My inspiration for today's poem:

Imagining I am at an ocean front cottage, early on a crisp salty morning, hands wrapped around a cup of hot coffee anticipating the sunrise. I open the door and take my seat in nature's auditorium, readying for the concert to begin.

Grab your coffee, pull up an Adirondack chair and enjoy. :)

Hope you will stop by the blog of this month's host, Irene Latham @ Live Your Poem, to see her lovely poem, as well as the other poets listed in her comments. It will be peaceful time well spent. Have a great weekend!

Thinking about Poetry

Last June, on a trip Highlights, I followed my heart, and dove more seriously into the world of poetry. Like an excited explorer, I tied on my hiking boots, grabbed my trekking poles and set out into the unknown.

Around every corner, I found new forms of poetic life that surprised and delighted me by their unique nature and form:

Poems that explained just how I feel about books.

Poems that were unexpected and made me laugh.

and poems that touched in my heart to the point of tears

This is the magic of words.

This is the magic of poetry.

Check out this beautiful poster. You can read more about it here.

April is National Poetry Month. I am so very excited about pouring more of myself into my poetry writing this month. I have an adult poetry collection I have been working on for a few months and new children's one. I love coming up with a theme for a collection and brainstorming a list of inspiration to draw from. Somehow when I sit down to write, it feels like a visit to Baskin Robbins with their 32 flavors. Which one should I try today? Hmmmm....

Fun note: In the 1960's, dressed in our pajamas and unbuckled in the back seat of our maroon chevy convertible ( yikes!), my parents would take us kids to Baskin Robbins for ice cream on a hot summer evening . Dad would go in and come out with vanilla for everyone, despite there being 31 flavors!

I hope you will stop our Poetry Friday host, Marcie Flinchum Atkins 's blog this week for the complete roundup. Each poem you enjoy today will inspire, and give you a lovely escape into the beauty of words.

Happy Poetry Friday! Time to get writing :)

Watch Where You're Going!

March Literary Madness has commenced! It seems everyone is hosting contests, authors are busy with school visits, agents are opening for submissions again and there is an exciting energy in the air.

I have been taking advantage of some of the opportunities to stretch my writing wings. Like a fisherman who is after the BIG CATCH, I have learned you have to keep casting, always making sure your bait has a fresh perspective and is publishing-ready!

One of my favorite opportunities jus arrived. Every March, author @VivianKirkfield hosts the #50PreciousWordsContest. Take a look at all these great stories she has reeled in this year!

You may have read my entry from last year here. It is challenging to know what to write about. Sometimes I start with a pretty concrete idea and spend time squeezing a full story arc out of it. Other times my fingers sit idle on the keyboard for quite awhile. This year's 50 precious words entry was born out of playing with fun words that tickled my tongue.

Out of this word play came two characters- Bunny and Duck.

A mallard and a rabbit. Interesting pairing, and probably unlikely friends.

They have an unfortunate collision leading them, not to anger and name calling, but to listening and learning from each other, ultimately to forgiveness and perhaps in their understanding and compassion, a new friendship might take flight.

But how to do this in just 50 words????

Hope you enjoy my attempt below. Let me know what you think.

Fingers crossed on this one :)

©cathystenquist

Thanks to @Margaret Simon of https://reflectionsontheteche.com/ who is hosting the Poetry Friday roundup today. Hope you'll skip on by to take a look at her amazing poem in a weather map form. Yep! Her approach really has opened my eyes to poetry's possibilities.

Have a good weekend everyone!