Today’s poem comes thanks to Matt Forest, who once again offered a Poetry Cubed challenge for this month. Check out his blog over at Radio, Rhythm and Rhyme to learn more about the challenge. There’s even time to take part, if you hurry! Be sure to check out all the poems offered so far!

First, I have to confess I broke one of the rules by spending more time than just a quick write in response, but I did have fun with it. I have been wanting to write about an experience from my teen years, but couldn’t figure out how to get into it. For some reason, the three images from this challenge sparked an idea that allowed a way into my very own experience with an urban legend.

One of the rites of passage for teens in my county was to track down a local ghost story by driving down a winding, country road (the trick was to find someone who knew the way) late at night to see your headlights reflect off the whirling blades of towering sculptures. The story claimed that the man who created them did so because his teenage daughter had taken the curve too fast and was killed when her car slammed into a tree. The sculptures were meant to be a warning to other drivers to slow down and avoid crashing. Supposedly, if you drove past late at night, you would hear the screams of the dying girl. One night, I rode by with a group of friends. We were all convinced that we heard the screams, but that may have been our own screams from the backseat.

There is absolutely no basis in fact for this story. The artist, Vollis Simpson, did not have a daughter killed in a car crash around that curve or any other. I’m not sure he even had a daughter, but the real story is just as cool. He began building the sculptures on his farm and soon people from all around the country began driving to see them. Now they have been preserved and moved to a new park in my hometown of Wilson, NC. You can read about it here and see photos of some of the sculptures, but you really need to see them in motion to get the full effect. Here’s a video of the grand opening of the park.

The Ghosts of Art

Headlights slash
flickering shadows
through the trees
to glitter against
the metal skeletons
whirling in the wind.
Whimsical sculptures
sprinkle light
with twirling blades
to shine a beacon
for unwary drivers
rounding the fateful curve
where no one really died.
But still the screams
echo from the backseat
as we chase a ghost
who only lived in legend.

Each Friday, I am excited to take part in Poetry Friday, where writers share their love of all things poetry. Carol has the Poetry Friday Roundup today at Carol’s Corner. She shares her reaction to a very important book: Schomburg: The Man Who Built a Library by Carol Boston Weatherford. You don’t won’t to miss this one. Drop by and see what poetry morsels are offered this week .

Today’s  Poetry Friday offering comes thanks to Laura Purdie Salas’s weekly challenge to write a poem in 15 words or less. Check out the photo and invitation from yesterday. Here is where my thoughts wandered:

Waiting

Falling leaves
reveal gaps
that must
wait
through
winter
before
next year’s
growth
blooms
anew.

Each Friday, I am excited to take part in Poetry Friday, where writers share their love of all things poetry. Jane has the Poetry Friday Roundup today at Raincity Librarian. She shares haiku from her trip to Japan. Drop by and see what poetry morsels are offered this week .

Last week Michelle Barnes over at Today’s Little Ditty shone a spotlight on Carol Hinz, Editorial Director of Millbrook Press and Carolrhoda Books, divisions of Lerner Publishing Group. After sharing some delightful books that have either recently or will soon come out, Carol offered the challenge for this month’s ditty challenge:

Returning to my favorite quote from earlier, I would like your readers to write a poem that finds beauty in something that is not usually considered beautiful.

This is a challenge I will come back to more than once. In fact, I think I’ve been here before as I do sometimes see beauty where others don’t. Don’t believe me? Check out this earlier post on an Ode to Dandelions. For more inspiration, check out the contributions on the November 2017 Padlet and add your own!

As my husband and I were walking through our farm last Sunday to add yet another deer stand, I took a moment to admire a turkey buzzard (definitely not admired by many) circling against the cloudy sky. (And yes, we made it back to the truck before the deluge hit.) Back in the truck, I wrote this haiku.

A buzzard circles
Ever higher in the sky.
Dark clouds prowl beyond.

PS – Many thanks to Kiesha Shepard, who shared Google Keep a few weeks ago. I have loved using it to keep track of everything from poetry contests and prompts and books and my own poems to organizing Christmas lists and our trip to England.

Each Friday, I am excited to take part in Poetry Friday, where writers share their love of all things poetry. Jama has the Poetry Friday Roundup today at Jama’s Alphabet Soup. She is serving up donuts and coffee with a delightful poem (from an entire poetry anthology about donuts) that will leave you drooling outside the Voodoo Donut shop. Drop by and see what poetry morsels are offered this week and check out a thought-provoking video on how we spend our time.

Throughout this year I have been trying to slow down and listen. Sometimes that takes the form of listening to Scripture by responding to it in poetry. I first wrote about it here. Most of these poems are more for my own reflection, but this one seemed to speak to me and want to be shared through my very busy week this week.

Our responsive call to worship last Sunday was based on Jeremiah 31:31-34. I couldn’t get it out of my mind, so Sunday afternoon and I read and listened and responded.

Be Still

Be still and know
a new covenant comes,
no longer broken
or forgotten.
Be still
while I write
my ways
on your heart.
Be still and know
you are my people
and I am
your God.
Be still.

May you find time to be still in this busy time of year.

Each Friday, I am excited to take part in Poetry Friday, where writers share their love of all things poetry. Linda has the Poetry Friday Roundup today at Teacher Dance. She welcomes us to November and invites us to be grateful for all the month brings with two cinquains. Drop by and see what poetry morsels are offered this week and check out a thought-provoking video on how we spend our time.