Yesterday afternoon, as I was talking to a colleague, we glanced out my office window to both be surprised by a party of blue jays sitting in a budding magnolia tree. They were close enough to touch. I wanted to keep them there. Keep them in my memory. What better way to do that than to write a poem. April offers so many gifts, if you are present to see them.
Tag: inspiration
April Poems #3: Make Your Presence Known
The rain says, "It's okay to go no where. You can stop being busy. You can read, write a poem, lay in bed with your head under the pillows. It is perfectly fine to rest. In fact, I demand that you rest!" And so I listen to the rain.
Growth Power
The funny thing, like plants, children don’t always grow in a straight line reaching directly up to sun, luscious and fragrant. Sometimes growth takes a hard, circuitous route and more time than expected.
The Silly and the Sublime
The sky was decorated with amazing clouds. I gasped and thought, “This is what sublime is. Sublime is the surf and sky dotted with this dramatic cloud cover in shades that run from bright white to cream to pale blue to pink to lavender.
Doors and Windows
When my husband and I take photo trips, whether near or far, I am often attracted to doors and windows. I like exploring small quaint towns that have been revived by artisans and documenting what I see.
On Turtle Time
Turtles are known to symbolize long life, so it also acted as a good luck charm and miraculously it was. Since that time all types of turtles are welcome in our house, and we seek them out when traveling too. For me, they are a reminder to slow down and remember what is most important. They remind me to keep my face towards the sun and savor the sunshine.
Isle of Hope
Isle of Hope. I am enchanted by that name. You might think it’s a fictitious place, but it is very real and also historic. The Isle of Hope is about eight miles south of Savannah, Georgia. On this narrow strip of land lies Wormsloe State Historic Site. In 1737, Noble Jones built his homestead here … Continue reading Isle of Hope
Sand Dollar Sanctuary
One day at the beach, I walked along peacefully intent on taking photographs of shells and other bits of nature that the ocean tide delivered on the sand. I sought out colorful shapes: golden yellow, pale pink, deep purple, and luminous blue. I was deep in thought, in the flow of the moment. I felt truly happy.
Room for Imagination
Just before I awake in the morning, I often have what I call a “waking dream,” a clear and powerful image comes to my mind. It is a place so vivid that I think it is real, that I have been there but my rational mind knows that I have never visited such a place.
Invitation to Joy
I think that my major role as an educator is to invite joy. I have always thought this from the beginning of my career over forty years ago. Maybe it’s because I started teaching in a nursery school. You can’t help to be joyful when teaching two, three, and four-year-old children. They actually exude joie de vivre and happily invite adults into their world. It’s a great place to dwell.
Word Dancer: Literature, the Arts, & Education 