Welcome to April and National Poetry Month. I plan to write a new poem every day for the month of April. For much of the month I hope to explore prompts in poemcrazy by Susan Goldsmith Wooldridge, but I make no promises not to find inspiration in other places. If you want to join in even more poetry fun and shenanigans check out the 2020 National Poetry Month Kidlitosphere Events Roundup hosted by Jama over at Jama’s Alphabet Soup. And for the first time (for me) I am taking part in the Progressive Poem organized by Margaret at Reflections on the Teche. Check out the daily progress with the list of contributors on the right (scroll down).
Today’s poem started with a prompt from poemcrrazy but quickly went in another direction. In “on a night picnic” Wooldridge challenges readers to create a small occasion–celebrate those ordinary moments with something special from candles to fireworks. We have been celebrating small moments through these turbulent weeks. We’ve toasted grad school decisions made and accepted, grilled pizzas for an evening picnic, picked flowers to herald spring’s arrival. But as I was pondering what to write, I witnessed a celebration that captivated me.
Small Celebrations
The world outside
has paused or gone mad–
I’m not sure which.
But here at home
we gather close
as spring unfurls.
Tiny purple stars
and fuzzy suns
scatter across
an emerald lawn
and a warm breeze
ruffles the surface
of the pond
from its still reflection.
Just beyond the beveled
glass of the front door
a little brown bird
alights atop
the flowered wreath,
raises his beak,
pours forth a melody,
and my heart
sings, too.
If you want to see the rest of National Poetry Month poems, here they are:
Day 4: A Water Limerick (from Laura Shovan’s #WaterPoemProject)
Day 3: our real names (from poemcrazy)
Day 2: Star Burst (from poemcrazy)
Day 1: Pandemic (DMC from Today’s Little Diitty)
…and my heart sings also, Kay. The sun just came out so I will take a neighborhood walk. “The world outside has paused” here on Long Island but there is so much cabin fever that perhaps there is some madness involved as well. Nature brings me peace as it does you.
Thanks, Carol. I hope the sun brought a lovely walk for you. We haven’t had too much cabin fever, but we do have 3 acres and a pond so we can get outside quite a bit. It helps that we live where there are more cows than people! Stay safe and well. The news from New York is devastating,
Lovely poem! Glad you have been making the most of your time. xo
Thanks, Tabatha. We are trying to find the best in each day.
I have a friend who celebrates the first spotting of those ‘fuzzy suns’, Kay. They are the bee’s first food & she wants everyone to stop digging them up! Beautiful small celebrations, noticing the things we may not have in the before!
I love my dandelions in the spring. I don’t dig them up, but I do cut some to make dandelion jelly. Hopefully the bees don’t mind sharing a few. I am definitely noticing things I haven’t before.
I think you’ve captured the strange disconnect between the crazy outside world and our small worlds at home. I’m also spending extra time noticing the birds.
Thanks, Liz. There is such a disconnect between inside and outside these days. I wonder how we will recombine the two when we return to a new normal.
We have two bluebird houses outside the kitchen window, and it brings me such joy to see the mother and father going in and out or sitting on the fence. 💕
That would be a treat to watch throughout the day.
Oh, this is beautiful! I watched a sparrow singing its heart out just the other day. It’s amazing to listen to the song that comes from a little brown bird. Thanks for sharing this moment.
Thanks, Molly. Mere words don’t do justice to the bird song. I can’t believe he was so close. I wish I had gotten a picture.