Patchwork Prose and Verse
first the landscape changed ~
two months ago they clear cut this land
harvested the pine trees
I cried for the trees,
for the birds
I’d loved to watch from the front porch
for their nests
for their eggs
for their fledglings
a few remained in the hardwoods,
the usual cast of characters~
cardinals, wrens, finches, pine warblers
my favorite wood thrushes
but then Dad died
and the world changed
Tammi Belko of Ohio is our host today for the second day of the June Open Write, inspiring us to write poems about our normalcy. You can read her full prompt here.
Tammi explains the process:
1. Use the word “normal” or another word of your choice.
2. Brainstorm examples or characteristics of that word as they relate to your life or the world around you past or present.
3. Write a poem that defines your chosen word. Your poem may take any form.
Teaching Ideas:
Kim’s Normal Poem
the day normal changed
normal changed on Friday the 13th
the way things do
when Dad drew his last breath
my brother and I
had gone home
for showers and sleep
planning to return
shortly
but shortly came sooner
than we’d thought
and the Hospice nurse
called to tell us
we could come spend time
with him before
she called the funeral home
we walked in to find him
under a scripture-embroidered
bright yellow blanket
wearing his Georgia Bulldogs cap
as if he were taking a nap
right before the game
at perfect peace
with the world
as we exchanged
a knowing look:
it would only be normal
for our quirky dad to
wear his velvet-sleeved
doctoral robe
and ball cap straight
through the pearly gates
***
he brought tears
and laughter as folks
realized: this is so Felix!
one green pepper
one red pepper
one onion
one sirloin steak
one squirt of olive oil
one dash of salt
one pinch of pepper
two forks
two plates
two hearty appetites
three dogs awaiting a scrap
fairy lights twinkle in summertime trees
night magic sparkles on firefly green leaves
darkness of black sky sets stage for the stars
evening’s cool blanket, reprieve from the heat
front porch swing beckoning rest for sore feet
chamomile tea welcomes day’s end with peace
myth’s constellations: such stories they weave
Jessie
her servant’s heart embraced their broken hope
her gentle spirit wielded toughest love
such prayerful presence resurrecting souls
her intercessions strong on their behalf
(and even in their healing, they could laugh)
in restoration, re-learned how to cope
with Jessie‘s guiding wisdom from above
If I were giving
you a gift basket
I’d make it a summertime sensation!
you’d receive
a skin-safe clean sunscreen
to keep you scorch-free and silky
a pair of sunglasses with readers
to soften the sunbeams
and a splishy
lightweight water tumbler
to saturate your senses
a basket sure
to make a splash !
I find inspiration in the lids of the yogurt I eat. I buy this brand not just because it’s delicious, but for the messages and the pure glass containers that will root new plant life for me to share with friends. Here is a poem inspired by Say Oui to Time Off!
Say Yes
we said yes because
what we know about us
is that we like a big window
and gray and white
and newness and matching
towels and linens
not odd assortments
and light,
plenty of light
and good music speakers
front, back, and outside
for good 70s tunes
and fifteen trips to France but
not going there
instead, staying close to home
but still away, oui?
and time off
to enjoy it
One of the things I love to do when I have a little spare time is read the blogs of other writers. I noticed that Donna Smith of Mainely Write was part of the same KidLit Progressive Poem that I was writing for 2025, so I checked out her blog and discovered a new poetry form – – a Rictameter. You can check out Donna’s blog here to read about the structure.
For today, I’m writing a Rictameter to celebrate the beginning of summer.
School’s Out!
school’s out!
what will we do?
camp in state park campgrounds
take family trips to the beach
have watermelon seed-spitting contests
read books in a hammock all day
count stars on a clear night
take a night swim
school’s out!
In the spirit of tiny writing and short forms, today’s poem is a Shadorma (3-5-3-3-7-5) inspired by Georgia Heard’s Tiny Writing prompt calendar: A Poem Made of Questions.
A Poem Made of Questions
doesn’t have
exclamation points
periods
or hellfire
narcissism directives ~
it offers free choice
In the spirit of tiny writing and short forms, today’s poem is a Shadorma (3-5-3-3-7-5) inspired by Georgia Heard’s Tiny Writing prompt calendar: A Scent from Long Ago.
A Scent from Long Ago
White Shoulders
her scent permeates
the gold box
containing
not just jewelry but her
presence ~ memories!
Common Threads 