It’s November, and the Poetry Friday Roundup is HERE! Welcome, everyone! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.)
So, this month, our Poetry Princess challenge was the terza rima, Tricia’ choice.
Initially, someone threw the election out as a possible theme. No way. I don’t like to read political poems nor write them. And then we agreed on hope. But…somehow, I think the election did work its way into my poem, after all. Without my meaning for that to happen.
I’ve been on school visits this week while at the same time trying to meet a couple of big writing deadlines. I haven’t been part of the sharing process the past several days, so I’m looking forward to seeing what my Poetry Sisters have come up with–right along with you guys!
Kelly
Liz
Sara
Tanita
Tricia
Non-poetry demands are keeping Andi away this month, but she’ll return :>)
And here are the previous Poetry Sisters collaborations:
| Oct 2016 | Ekphrastic poems (“Flip a Coin”) |
| Sep 2016 | Clogyrnach poems (“Monarch”) |
| Aug 2016 | Ekphrastic poems |
| Jul 2016 | Poems inspired by a Kay Ryan poem (“House for Sale”) |
| Jun 2016 | Harpy poems |
| May 2016 | Tritina |
| Apr 2016 | “Channel-Hopping Through Grasshopper Reality TV” |
| Mar 2016 | Sedoka |
| Feb 2016 | Poem Inspired by a Picasso Sculpture (ugh) |
| Jan 2016 | Crown sonnet (on the periodic table) |
| Nov 2015 | Ekphrastic poems |
| Oct 2015 | Etherees |
| Sep 2015 | Found poems |
| Aug 2015 | Classified haiku |
| Jul 2015 | Inspired by e.e. cummings’ poems |
| Jun 2015 | Odes |
| May 2015 | Pantoums |
| Apr 2015 | Raccontinos |
| Mar 2015 | Sestinas (Lord have mercy) |
| Feb 2015 | Villanelles on hidden things |
| Jan 2015 | Triolets on beginnings (And I posted an extra one here.) |
| Pre-2015 | Villanelles, a crown sonnet, rondeau redoubles, and pantoums |
Mr. Linky is rounding us up today, so please fill out the doohickey below to both leave your link and to check out all the other links you can explore. Thanks for being part of Poetry Friday, and I look forward to reading all of your posts throughout the weekend!
76 Responses
Hi, Laura — thanks for rounding up, especially during such a busy week! You Poetry Sisters are something else. Thanks for sharing the thoughts behind your poem. Here’s to expansions of hope, and those gates of hate pried wide apart.
Thank you, Robyn:>)
Thanks for the poem of hope (beautiful presentation, too!). “Pry the gates of hate apart.” Yes.
Happy November, thanks for hosting this week, Laura!
Thanks, Jama!
I hope we all survive this election! Thanks for hosting today and good luck with your upcoming deadlines.
Me, too–thanks! I voted early and am frankly glad to be done.
Wow you are busy, and I am not surprised that the election managed to sneak into your poem. A special wish of “hope” for everyone, lovely to tell it true! Thanks for hosting, Laura.
Thanks, Linda!
Reaching for kindness and prying “the gates of hate apart” seems to be our eternal quest. Your lovely poem captures this perfectly. Good luck with your writing projects, and thanks for hosting!
Thanks, Catherine:>) Hey, are you going to NCTE?
Unfortunately, no. I’ll be there in spirit, though (and will follow along on Twitter)!
Bummer.
“The park’s soon paved with golden halls”
So lovely. This whole poem.
Thank you for these words of hope…and for hosting.
xo
Thanks, Amy. Ya know, I wish a poet like you would run for president:>)
I adore this poem and think your tercets are powerful. There is so much hope here! I think the second tercet is my favorite, though as others before me have said, the line “and pry the gates of hate apart” is incredible. Thank you for sharing this. And thank you for hosting.
Thanks, Tricia. That middle one is my favorite, too:>) Thanks for initiating this and keeping us moving forward, with hope and poetry, over and over.
Seems those gates are getting heavier and heavier the longer this election season goes on! Poor hope is trembling from the exertion. Thanks for reminding us it’s there with your golden poem, Laura. Perhaps we can give it a hand.
I agree, Michelle. And all the poems and posts (and your lovely interview with Ann Rider) filled me with all sorts of drops of hope.
Hi Laura! Your schedule sounds as pressing as that of an election candidate. It’s with hope that I approach next Tuesday. This is a new poetry form to me & I’m hopeful to learn more about it & buoyed up by your approach to this pressing election at hand. Weekend deep breathing & relaxation to the Poetry Friday pals.
Thank you, Jan. My schedule’s hardly THAT hectic, though it has been quite a busy week. I’m glad you’re feeling hopeful. Reading everyone’s posts yesterday and today has definitely been uplifting for me:>)
I so connect to the “shaky hands” that hold hope. Beautiful poem, a tonic for our times1
Thank you so much. I am feeling nervous and just keep trying to push my worry out of my head…Thank goodness for poetry!
“Pry the gates of hate apart” is such a powerful ending. Love your election poem (even if it isn’t one). Thanks so much for hosting us this busy week!
Thanks, Violet–I appreciate that!
Enjoyed your poem. You poetry seven are impressive! Thanks for hosting! 🙂
Thanks, Tabatha. I love being part of the 7 :>)
I particularly like the final line. Loved the image and its implied action. Thank you for sharing Laura. Hope indeed. Looking in from outside your country, I too can only hope at this time as the big day looms.
Thank you, Al. We’ll take ALL the hope we can get from around the world, no matter what happens!
Good early morning.…I love Poetry Friday in the Fall. Your image background for this Terza Rima is beautiful. I am too caught by the image of golden halls and reaching out for kindness. This election has left me disillusioned and disappointed with so many of my fellow citizens. I pray that a peaceful transition will take place and we can do better moving forward. Thank you so much for hosting. I look forward to clicking all the links!
Following all the links has been very joyful for me, Linda. Thanks for sharing your thoughts:>)
Now is the time for hope indeed! Thank you for this inspiring poem, Laura.
Thanks, Kiesha!
I love this poem and I particularly love how it’s laid out — it feels more accessible than the form feels when it’s typed on the page. And I really, really love that long list of poetry projects we’ve tackled together. How lucky we are. That’s really what I’m grateful for.…
I totally agree. That long list is…amazing. I debated moving the Roundup link to ABOVE the list, but then I thought, nope, I love that there’s a long list to scroll through before getting to the Roundup :>)
The Poetry Princesses! Always, always a huge treat. I love what you did with your contribution, love “Pry the gates of hate apart.”
Thank you for hosting, Laura! Here’s to hope!
Thank you, Karen:>)
Hi, Laura–
Thanks for hosting! I’ll definitely be back with comments this weekend, now that the first 3 college applications are submitted. I’m not seeing Mr. Linky’s doohickey, so here’s my link to a post about my November poem in One Minute till Bedtime!
http://myjuicylittleuniverse.blogspot.com/2016/11/november-kaboom.html
Congrats on college apps, Heidi.See you at NCTE!
I think you fulfilled your challenge wonderfully, Laura — and I agree, it’s probably a better poem because it’s ‘specifically’ an election poem, although it alludes to the atmosphere that pervades our country. Well done — and thanks for hosting!
Thanks, Matt. I wish I could have made the election line small and in parentheses. Oh, well. I take what technology offers:>)
Love the hope in this poem. Thanks for hosting amid the flurry of fun you’re having.
Thanks, Brenda!
Lovely poem, Laura. Thanks for hosting after such a busy week and for holding hope.
Reading everyone’s wonderful, generous posts has been a balm for me!
Loved your full-of-hope poem. It’s beautiful and the last line is perfect.
Thanks for hosting 🙂
Thanks, Penny–enjoyed your guest poet and artist:>)
Thanks, Laura. I’ve never tried a Terza Rima. I’m going to give it a try.
I had a crafty moment a few weeks back and decided to make a real poetry prompt jar, just like the one that Ms. Hill uses in THE LAST FIFTH GRADE. I’m giving the jar away to one home or classroom. The giveaway is here: http://laurashovan.com/2016/11/poetry-prompt-jar-giveaway/
You can also make your own jar by following the DIY blogpost at Jacqueline Jules’ blog: http://penciltipswritingworkshop.blogspot.com/2016/10/poetry-prompt-jar.html. This post includes a poem from my book about the poetry prompt jar.
Love your post and giveaway. Hope you get lots of entries!
I briefly fumbled for the theme, too. Wait, did we say election, or not election? I like how you included both the uncertainty and fear and resolution in one poem, and the imagery is evocative as well.
Thanks, Tanita. The leaves on our Duluth trip were so wonderful, it made me feel hopeful to use one of those pics.
Laura,
Thanks for doing the roundup this week!
At Wild Rose Reader–in recognition of Native American Heritage Month–I have a poem by Sherman Alexie titled “The Powwow at the End of the World” and an excerpt from an article titled “The Human Right to Water at Standing Rock.”
Thanks, Elaine! Can’t wait for your book!
Thanks for hosting, Laura.
Be well, everyone!
Thanks for visiting:>)
Thank you for hosting and keeping up the hope! And yikes, here’s to holding onto poetry in busy weeks.
Poetry is what gets me through!
Laura, your poem is right on! You captured both the sentiment of many and hope (something precious). This line says it all: “Pry the gates of hate apart.” I can’t wait to see you this month at #NCTE16.
I’m excited to present alongside you and everyone at our session. It’s coming up soon!
Dear Laura, I feel the same way as you do about election/election poems… and yet… I have posted one as well. 🙂 Thank you for rounding up and for leaving us with hope. xo
Loved your poem, Irene! Hope to see you at NCTE!
Love your poem — and the way you set it up as an image!
Thanks, Kelly!
So happy that it was YOU hosting today. Your poems are always clear-eyed, and that helps me look at the world with new hope. I particularly love the line about letting the leaf fall—I could just see it, drifting, waiting for gravity to claim it, and make it part of the golden hall. So lovely.
Aw, thanks, Sara. I admire your poetry so much–your words mean a lot.
Dear Laura! I thought my fellow TeachingAuthor, JoAnn, hadn’t posted her link…so, trying to be a nice person, I added it to today’s Mr. Linky…only to see that she had, indeed posted it–ack! Sorry it’s posted twice!
I run a monthly folk music gathering. There are three themes each month to inspire people’s song choices. For many dark political years, “hope” was the third theme every single month. I needed it that much.
I feel hopeful that our greater angels will help our country heal. Meanwhile, thank you for prying apart those gates for us. Those words give me hope!
I am worried about what things will look like Wednesday, but trying to be hopeful. Love your “hope” theme monthly and all you’ve been doing to spread hope and positivity through AIC.
Laura! This lost dog youtube will give you hope–hope that our nation can, indeed heal:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tQk3lF2ljxc
Oh, I love that! Thanks for sharing it with me, April:>)
Thanks so much for hosting, Laura. Looking forward to seeing you at NCTE!
Yes! Need to connect:>)
Your poem is helping my hopefulness to expand.
Thanks, Mary Lee–see you SOON!
Back to actually comment on your terza rima–I love the way I can’t tell exactly where the poem begins, and somehow the contrast of register (which would normally bother me) instead is part of the serious charm. The golden halls, something created out of decline–very hopeful. And I really love the design. How did you make that?
Thanks, Heidi–I find it disconcerting, since I like poem texts broken into small pieces (or extremely short poems to begin with), but I’m glad the running on and varied sizes are working for you. I took my image of fall trees and Waterlogued it (iPhone app that I adore) and then used Wordswag to put the poem in. Played with it for almost an hour because of having to use two different devices. Ugh. Was simpler back on my iPhone, but that’s the only thing I miss about my iPhone:>)