It’s been almost 8 years since my last blog post. Oh how time flies when you’re having fun raising Boys. It has been a complete honor and joy to be their Mom– to pour everything that I have into them, and to be there for every moment possible. They are growing up so quickly and I finally feel like it’s time to make the next evolution in my life. Back to work on writing…Back to work on the craft that I have always loved.

I’ve never stopped writing as you may well have guessed. A writer must write–because that is what we do….

Here is my entry into Vivian Kirkfield’s #50 Precious Words Contest

Hooray for #50 Precious Words…and Hooray for spring!

“Hooray For Spring!”

Sun shines down.
Flowers bloom.

Worms go squirming.
Bees go zoom.

Trees get growing.
Green leaves sprawl.

Eggs get hatching.
Big bugs crawl.

Dragonflies race–
Above the colors.

Butterflies float–
Above the others.

Bluebirds tweet sweet songs and sing,
“Hooray! Hooray! Hooray for spring!”

–

I'd rise to stay...

“Fly”

If I could fly just for a day
Day would drift, I’d rise to stay
Stay and soar, glide past the night
Night would sail, sustain my flight
Flight of weeks and months and years
Years, I’d stretch my wings past fears
Fears that I could never reach forever….

Forever’s where I’d always stay
If I could fly, just for a day.

Today is the final day in  Rena Traxel’s A-Z Poetry Challenge. Today we were challenged to write a “Zig-Zag” poem, where each line begins with the last word from the line before. I would like to personally thank Rena for working so hard to create our challenges and inspiring us to write new poetry every day. I have learned so much about writing and poetry simply by doing. But more than anything, I have been reminded how much poetry brings me joy. So go forth, write poetry–make the world a more joyful place…. 🙂

The 2012 Kidlitosphere Progressive Poem is complete!  For those of you who are not familiar with the project, this poem was written by twenty eight different people, each contributing a single line a day throughout the entire month of April. Thank you to Irene Latham at Live Your Poem for organizing this project and a whole host of others for contributing your beautiful words.  It was fun to be a part of it and watch the poem evolve each day with unexpected twists and turns along the way. I am amazed at how cohesive the finished product reads.  What do you think?

If you are reading this,                                                            
you must be hungry.
Kick off your silver slippers,

come sit with us a spell.
A hanky, here, now dry your tears
and fill your glass with wine.

Now, pour. The parchment has secrets,
smells of a Moroccan market spill-out.
You have come to the right place, just breathe in.

Honey, mint, cinnamon, sorrow. Now, breathe out
last week’s dreams. Take a wish from the jar.
Inside, deep inside, is the answer…

Unfold it, and let us riddle it together,
…Strains of a waltz. How do frozen fingers play?
How do fennel, ginger, saffron blend in the tagine?

Like broken strangers bound by time, they sisterdance…
their veils of sorrow encircle, embrace.
Feed your heart with waltzes and spices.

Feed your soul with wine and dreams.
Humble dust of coriander scents your feet, coaxing
seascapes, crystal sighs and moonshine from your melody.

Beware of dangers along the path of truth
and beware, my friend, of too much bewaring–
strong hands cushion you, sweet scents surround you—now leap

without looking, guided by trust. And when you land
on silver-tipped toes, buoyed by joy– you’ll know
you are amazing, you are love, you are poetry—

here, you rest.
Muse. Up ahead, stepping stones speckle the stream, sturdy now.
May your words roar against the banks, your life a flood of dreams.

I can walk across your ceiling....

“Wicked Bug”

I’m a nasty, rotten crawler
I’m a vicious, wicked bug.
Slowly climbing up your wall or–
lurking curled beneath your rug.
I can walk
across your ceiling
I can sting
you on your feet
But I’ll really have you reeling,
when you find me in your sheet!

This poem was written for Rena Traxel’s A-Z Poetry Challenge.  Today we were challenged to write a “wicked” themed poem.  I chose to write about these wicked little bugs because we find them in our house often. I spotted the first one of the spring season, just yesterday.  *Blech*

“Happily Ever After”

Surprise them in fine slippers....

Clap your hands
to romance.
Stomp your feet
to laughs.
Dance
in beautiful dresses.
Surprise them
in fine slippers.
Happily Ever After…..is possible.
EVERYBODY
Drink a little more champagne!

This poem was written for Rena Traxel’s A-Z Poetry Challenge.  Today we were challenged to write a “found poem.”  A found poem is a poem created out of chosen words and phrases from a given set of source text.  To see the source text we were given for this challenge–click over to Rena’s blog.

“A Vampire by the Campfire”

A monster fire.....

I saw a vampire
by the campfire
roasting sausage on a stick,
Watched a mummy
fill his tummy
with melted marshmallow-ick,
Saw a witch
who had an itch
for stacking smores up to the sky,
Watched a ghoul
acting a fool
and flipping burgers ten feet high,
I peered out from my tent
and couldn’t help by think, “OH MY–
if there’s a vampire by the campfire
this vacation’s gone awry!

This poem was written for Rena Traxel’s A-Z Poetry Challenge.  Today Rena featured children’s writer and poet Renee La Tulippe of No Water River.  Click on over to see Renee discuss poetry and her particular affinity for penguins!

“Wind Whispers”

Have you ever seen Wind speak in whispers?
Gentle breezes
lift butterfly wings-
slowly raising
their fine flutter-dances,
as if hoisted by Heaven’s own strings.

Flutter-dancing....

This poem was written for Rena Traxel’s A-Z Poetry Challenge.  Today Rena discussed universal themes in poetry and literature.  I chose to focus on the universal theme of nature.

Are you a tweeter?

“Short and Tweet”

Good morning faithful readers/My fellow tweeting tweeters/This poem is very short-y/Cause I only have one-forty/See?/I’m done!/#poem

This poem was written for Rena Traxel’s A-Z Poetry Challenge.  I am not currently on Twitter but am discovering that it could be a whole lot of fun! Thank you Rena introducing me to the world of micro-poems.  And thank you for not making me subject my dear blog readers to another sonnet.  Five challenges to go, Folks…….

Natalien Sonnet #1

A life less scrump-chy......

How doth thou choose crunchy over creamy?
For crunchy is like a hard, pebble-chew
Lost are the silken, smooth smears a dreamy
Thou tradest them for lumps and bid silk adieu.
And crunchy cannot well spread across bread
Nor bind with sweet jelly in swirly bliss
Nor be swallowed up without lumpy dread
Nor greet thee with a silky peanut kiss.
Shall I show thee the faults of thy crunchy?
Shall I let thee get lumps in thine own throat?
Shall I let thee choose a life less scrump-chy?
Shall I let thee sail aboard the lump boat?
So long as the sun shines like a bright star,
I shall not let thee have thy crunchy jar!!!!

This poem was written for Rena Traxel’s A-Z Poetry Challenge.  Today we were challenged to write a sonnet……..I have nothing more to say….. 🙂