Poetry Friday Roundup is Here!
It's Poetry Friday! Welcome! Click the Mr. Linky button at the end of this post to add your link to this week's collection. Of course, if you'd just like to enjoy a little poetry, you can click the button to view linked posts for this week's event.
Welcome, Poetry Friday Community. You're in the right place. Yes, I'm honored to be hosting this week's Poetry Friday event - and all of you!
I'm rolling out the red carpet and...
putting out the welcome mat...
for YOU!
I'm so excited to have you here today. I wanted to use this space today to thank you. You see, I have been popping in and out of Poetry Friday for years. I'm always so thankful for all of you and all that you share.
Like many of you, poetry is my North Star. Though I may wander, I always find myself coming back. My hope is to post poems with the community, but sometimes a poem doesn't find its way to me - and I've learned to be patient. There are times, I just wander the blogs to read. You each bring such inspiration. Of course, this community also gives me much to think about and learn. I'm always checking out books, trying unfamiliar forms, and learning about new poets. Finally, you give me so much to celebrate.
So today, as I host each of you, I want to celebrate YOU!
In the time I've been following this community, many of you have become published poets. Many of you have found a style to your poetry that suits you. Many of you continue learning, growing, and sharing. It's this connection that can be felt across blogs. It's this connection for which I am grateful. It's this connection that makes everyone feel welcome.
I look forward to wandering your posts to read all that you are sharing today.
My Friday poem is for YOU!
Unseen Ripples
though you walk softly
through this world,
you do not go
unnoticed;
though it seems
the world screams
as you whisper and
wait.
you move step after step
finding your way,
creating paths for
others.
the rain falls,
the wind blows,
the ocean roars,
yet you
carefully tend to
a crying earth,
find firm
ground.
you shine a light
where there is darkness,
you make the world
sing.
© Cathy L. Mere, 2021
Click & Leave Your Link
Thanks so much for hosting, Kathy and your sweet words. I look forward to reading everyone's words, too, find much to inspire, much to just sink into and enjoy. I just read another post where the poem spoke of being the light. What an uplifting poem your wrote for us. Thank you again!
ReplyDeleteThank you for stopping, Linda. Like you, I look forward to making my way through the roundup in the coming week.
DeleteThoughtful and inspiring, Cathy. Thanks for hosting!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Matt.
DeleteThank you, Cathy, firstly for hosting and secondly for your generous remarks to all who assemble in this space with their poetic words and ideas. Your gentle poem is a reminder that care, persistence and patience are preferable to loud and shouty. Someone once told me that the meaning of life is to shine a light into dark corners. Your poem further reinforces that point. Well said.
ReplyDelete"Shine a light into dark corners." Surely, that should be the goal each of us keeps centered in our lives.
DeleteThanks for hosting Cathy, for your kind words, and shining poem that lifts all!
ReplyDeleteI'm always grateful for this community.
DeleteAs one who also has to dip in and out of the PF world depending on life and bandwidth, your blog post and poem really resonated with me. I love how you liken PF as a journey that we go on each week - what a wonderful metaphor. Thank you for sharing your poem and for hosting us today!
ReplyDeleteElisabeth, I wish I was better at being consistent. I think you are right on target when you talk about life and bandwidth. It is what I love about this community. It's a bit like a river. It's steady and moving - and always there. It gives so much to each of us.
DeleteI'm glad you have stopped by, Elisabeth.
Thank you for hosting and your "shine a light" poem, Cathy. And a woof-hello to the fur-cutie on your welcome mat! :)
ReplyDeleteHe was hard to resist. I have to give credit of the fur-cutie to Canva. We do have a fur-cutie here too. He's a very large long haired Weimaraner. He would have happily posed for a picture. However, this picture was already ready and so cute.
DeleteThanks for stopping, Bridget.
Cathy, thanks for being our host today. It is a celebration of the Poetry Friday community. The following stanza in your poem is lovely with good word choice.
ReplyDeletecarefully tend to
a crying earth,
find firm
ground.
Let'a all shine together during this month of waiting, preparations, and wonder.
Great advice, Carol.
DeleteCathy, what a wonderful, wonderful welcome. Thank you for that. And, thank you for hosting. I'm especially taken with this stanza, "though it seems
ReplyDeletethe world screams
as you whisper and
wait."
I just needed to hear that...read that today. Thank you.
I'm glad it spoke to you. Thanks for stopping by and joining the roundup.
DeleteCathy, what a beautiful post. It sure is easy to feel not seen, especially when you write poetry. I love your poem and the way you use images from nature as you talk about the words we grow and the effect we all have on each other. Thank you, and thank you for hosting!
ReplyDeleteAs a teacher - and in all of life - I've always been a little struck by the people who walk softly in this world. I often wonder what the world would be like if those voices were the ones that bubbled to the top of the noise. Thanks for stopping by, Laura.
DeleteIt's amazing to me that this community has remained strong for FIFTEEN years! The power of poetry, right? We talk about The Ripple Effect every year at the Casting for Recovery retreat. Your poem contains so much truth. It's important to remember that every. single. action. has repercussions, and it's up to us to "create paths," "tend the crying earth," and "shine a light."
ReplyDeleteThank you for hosting our gathering this week, and for being a part of this amazing community!
Thank you, Mary Lee. It is you who brought me to this community (created the path). It has remained a favorite stop in this virtual space. I was looking around as I was writing the post for this event and found Renée M. LaTulippe's post from years ago about Poetry Friday: https://www.nowaterriver.com/what-is-poetry-friday/
DeleteI was surprised to find the beginning date of 2006! You're right. It's impressive. I found the post interesting to read - and still true today.
Thanks for rolling out the red carpet, Cathy! Your poem reminds me of a quote: The work an unknown good man has done is like a vein of water flowing hidden underground, secretly making the ground green (Thomas Carlyle) and also the Van Gogh poem I wrote a couple of weeks ago. Thanks for hosting!
ReplyDeleteLove this! Such truth. Thank you for sharing.
DeleteThank you for hosting, Cathy, and for reminding us that we can all "shine a light where there is darkness and make the world sing." I remember talking to a few regulars of PF at an NCTE Conference several years back (you might have been one of them!). They encouraged me to join in, but it took a while before I felt brave enough to post. And I'm so glad I did. I've learned a lot, been inspired, and always, always, felt welcome.
ReplyDeleteIt's so true, Rose. Your last sentence deserves !!!!!!!.
DeleteCathy, I am so glad you are here and with such a wonderful poem. You, too, offer inspiration. I've noticed how step by step you are creating paths with Choice Literacy. I admire that work so much. Thanks for hosting.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Margaret. I do enjoy celebrating all that contributors share with Choice Literacy. My hope would be that teacher voice would rise to the top of conversations around education and children.
DeleteMargaret, thank you for all that you share. You always inspire! When I'm having a hard time finding poems, you are often one of the first stops in my quest for inspiration.
I love "Unseen Ripples!" Appreciate the gentle, heartfelt sentiment, your quiet determination and patience. So glad you're part of this community! Thanks for hosting this week. Happy Holidays!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Jama. As I was rolling out the red carpet, I wondered if I should be providing food. You always are such an inspiring host. I had to think long and hard about my plan.
DeleteI got a little into the history of Poetry Friday today and it's serendipitous that you are also reflecting on the ripples this tradition has had on you. Glad to be a part of it; wishing we could ripple outward into broader communities, not by way of flooding but by way of Water for All. Thanks for hosting!
ReplyDeleteI love this, Heidi: "Water for All"
DeleteYes, I'm with April. "Water for all" seems perfect.
DeleteYes, the rain falls/ the wind blows/the ocean roars, yet every Friday there is a group of poets posting. What a lovely poem and thank you for hosting and joining us.
ReplyDeleteThankfully there is a group of poets posting. I often say, "Poetry might just save the world."
DeleteThank you, Cathy, for your welcome and your gentle and generous words. I felt hugged as I read your poem, and too, it reminded me of so many teachers who quietly do the work and bring out light in others. Thank you for all that you do too, and for this reminder of how lucky we are to have each other. xxoo
ReplyDeleteAmy, I am forever grateful. I can't tell you how many times the words of someone in this community have been just the lift I needed.
DeleteDear Cathy, so lovely of you to celebrate this community's ripples! How grateful I am that you are part of it. The red carpet is fun, and your poem is lovely! xo
ReplyDeleteOh, the ripples. Grateful to all who create them.
DeleteWhat a beautiful tribute to the PF community, Cathy. "Unseen Ripples" is lovely! Thank you for hosting this week. I think I first hosted back in 2008 (Yikes!) :D Here's to many years of hosting for you! :)
ReplyDeleteHeidi made me wonder the first day I posted with the community. Now you have me wondering when I first hosted. I need to do a bit of research.
DeleteCathy, thank you for this lovely poem. I like the "unseen ripples" and ... well... everything about your poem. If we only could make the world sing! I love that. Thank you for joining us and for hosting today. I look forward to hearing more from you.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Karen.
DeleteCathy, your poem lifted me up this morning and I wasn't even in particular need of lifting! The way you open the door of your home, giving us each a hug as we enter. So welcoming. Exactly the way this community is. Namaste
ReplyDeleteTreats are waiting inside - and a lot of wonderful poetry.
DeleteThank you for hosting, Cathy! Your poem is lovely!
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by, Ruth.
DeleteThank you for hosting this week, Cathy! I appreciated your poem. I also dip in and out of poetry. I've been finding more prose appearing on my blog lately as I finish my latest novel-in-verse.
ReplyDeleteThat sounds exciting. Thanks for stopping.
DeleteCathy, Thanks for hosting. Your poem is touching. I love that you want to honor us all! How kind! I'm finding my poetry style is changing. It'll be interesting where the next year takes me. Thanks again for hosting at this busy time of year! Carol L. from The Apples in My Orchard.
ReplyDeleteStyle is an interesting thing. I sometimes think it is easier for others to see our tendencies than for us to notice them and use them to our advantage.
DeleteThank you for your kind words and your poem. This community is such a gift.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely. Thanks for stopping, Jone.
DeleteThat's such a lovely poem. Thank you for rounding up!
ReplyDelete