Thursday, January 7, 2016

Muscle and Grace

The work an unknown good man has done is like a vein of water flowing hidden underground, secretly making the ground green.
~Thomas Carlyle



Welcome! Glad you stopped by. The top quote doesn't have anything to do with the post, except that I am always celebrating those hidden veins of water. Our weather finally turned cold this week, so I am bundling up and sharing the first part of a poem by Jamie Morewood Anderson called "Winter Milk." You can read the rest here. Please leave your link in the comments!

Winter Milk
by Jamie Morewood Anderson

Now it is morning,
dawn begins to hem the day, the meadow
and brindled grass take the light.
There is something so beautiful about the window,
the loose silhouette behind the rinse of glass,
the liquid shadow of feline so angular and illustrated
its clarity could break the heart.
The moment she sees him,
panther-like in the dusky daybreak,
the dun-colored cow lets down her milk.
I know precisely
how this bovine’s body is composed,
withers and hoof, the flesh of udder,
her skin so alive against mine.
But he is a mystery, an indescribable movement
of muscle and grace.

********

Robyn Hood Black has a winter poem, too - by Rebecca Kai Dotlich. And a picture of her adorable Chihuahua. All connected by mice....

Kathryn Apel (Kat) is experiencing altogether different weather in her Australian home. She shares three short poems from her #MoP16 efforts.

CB Hanek says, "Thanks to Donna Smith's Christmas Eve post and photo, I was motivated to experience the same Winter heavenly wonder, albeit from another vantage point “underneath the same big sky" (as Linda Ronstadt once reminded us). Thus, my haiku: 'Cold Moon on Christmas Morn.'"

Buffy Silverman has been thinking about snowflakes, and is sharing some snowflake poems today. (Her snowflake photo is spectacular!)

Linda Kulp is in this week with a review of Irene's Latham's lovely new book WHEN THE SUN SHINES ON ANTARCTICA.

Mary Lee offers some haiku art she made over Christmas break as a gift for her brother.

Michelle Heidenrich Barnes turns the spotlight on Douglas Florian and a rather unexpected ditty challenge. (She also makes a good point about the quote and poem being more connected than I first thought!)

Karen Edmisten keeps the holidays going with Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.

April Halprin Wayland says, "Watch a 49-second video of a poet giving a writing tip...and then try it. I did! It sent me on a wild ride..."

At Random Noodling, Diane celebrates the lovely gift from her winter swap partner, Robyn.

Kurious Kitty has A Great Big Cuddle to share with everyone!

Jama Rattigan is back from holiday break with Michael Blumenthal's "Be Kind."

Laura Purdie Salas brings us Row 1 of a Poetry Princess crown sonnet. Her sonnet is about hydrogen, an extra timely element this week.

I wanted to put it in order, so I am breaking in with the rest of them:

Tricia Stohr-Hunt has the second poem in the Poetry Princess crown sonnet.

Sara Lewis Holmes features the element Argon in her sonnet, the third.

Kelly Fineman has the fourth sonnet.

Liz Garton Scanlon brings the fifth sonnet.

Tanita Davis offers the sixth in the crown of sonnets on the Periodic Table.

Tricia Stohr-Hunt also has the final poem in the crown and the entire poem shared.

Matt Forrest Esenwine posts a winter haiku inspired by Buffy Silverman's snowflake photo.

At Gathering Books, Fats is in with bookish poetry.

Linda Baie is thanking Margaret Simon for her winter swap gifts.

Heidi Mordhorst is excerpting Cybils finalists this month and she chose two poems from Joyce Sidman's Winter Bees to begin.

Carol's Corner has another Cybils finalist: Deborah Ruddell's "How a Poet Orders a Milkshake" from POPCORN ASTRONAUTS AND OTHER BITE-ABLE RHYMES.

Kay at A Journey through the Pages has a review of a poetry anthology "What Have You Lost?" selected by Naomi Shihab Nye.

Irene Latham shares three favorite poems from Mary Oliver's newest book FELICITY.

Katie @ The Logonauts brings some of her third graders' responses (as poems) to the question "What is Poetry?"

Kimberley Moran wrote about the pieces of herself she has lost along the way.

Tara at A Teaching Life is in with a snowy poem, feeling the absence of snow.

At The Poem Farm, Amy shares a little story of a poem that grew from a discovery on a winter walk.

Ruth at There's No Such Thing as a Godforsaken Town offers Philip Booth's First Lesson.

Doraine Bennett has "Frost at Midnight" by Samuel Taylor Coleridge.

Friendly Fairy Tales has an icy offering.

Violet Nesdoly contributes a tanka, written to celebrate a stretch of winter at her most beautiful.

As if we weren't already delving into the most difficult kinds of poems to write with a crown sonnet in our midst, Keri Recommends gets us thinking about reversos!

At A Great Nephew and a Great Aunt, Penny's great niece, Klaire, illustrates her poem.

Bildungsroman has lyrics from the song "Wait For It" from the musical Hamilton.

Poetry for Kids Joy has The Poetry Friday Anthology for Science.

Because of the frigid temperatures this week, Catherine at Reading to the Core's cat has been sticking close, making her think of Eleanor Farjeon's poem, "Cats."

Carol Varsalona welcomes winter.

Charles Waters shares a wonderful update at Poetry Time.

Janet Squires' selection is "It's Raining Pigs & Noodles" by Jack Prelutsky with illustrations by James Stevenson.

Julieanne's poem at To Read To Write To Be is about reading joy.

Andi is cheering for the Poetry Sister's Crown.

Alice at Supratentorial has "In Memoriam (Ring Out Wild Bells)" by Lord Alfred Tennyson.

Margaret Simon cruises in with acrostic poems she and her students are writing with their one little words.

Mrs. Merrill is back!.

45 comments:

Robyn Hood Black said...

Happy New Year, Tabatha! Thanks for hosting. I have a winter poem, too - by Rebecca Kai Dotlich. And a picture of my adorable Chihuahua. All connected by mice....
http://www.robynhoodblack.com/blog.htm?post=1017334

Anonymous said...

And the new year is rushing away already! We are in the middle of summer here, so there's no winter poem from me - just a spot of camping by the creek, where I wrote a poem (or more) a day, and was visited by a rather large goanna. There are three short poems from my #MoP16 efforts on the blog. https://katswhiskers.wordpress.com/2016/01/06/mop16-poems-for-my-nieces

Thank-you for hosting, Tabatha. May we all be rich water veins throughout 2016.

Unknown said...

Thanks so much for hosting, and, especially for accommodating early posting! Thank you, too, for the Winter poem, whose line about "mystery" (in the sense of wonder) caught my attention--probably because thanks to Donna Smith's Christmas Eve post and photo, I was motivated to experience the same Winter heavenly wonder, albeit from another vantage point “underneath the same big sky" (as Linda Ronstadt once reminded us). Thus, my haiku: "Cold Moon on Christmas Morn." God bless you! http://cbhanek.com/2016/01/08/cold-moon-on-christmas-morn/

Buffy Silverman said...

What a wonderful depiction of early morning winter light, and a lovely cat/human dance in "Winter Milk!" I've been thinking about snowflakes, and am sharing some snowflake poems today: http://buffysilverman.com/blog/?p=906
Thanks for hosting, Tabatha!

Linda said...

Hi, Tabatha-thank you hosting! I'm in this week with a review of Irene's Latham's lovely new book WHEN THE SUN SHINES ON ANTARCTICA.
http://lindakulp.blogspot.com/2016/01/loving-antarctica.html

I'll be back tomorrow to enjoy the roundup! : )

April Halprin Wayland said...

Tabatha ~ I am reeling from the word pictures Jamie Morewood Anderson creates,such as: "the loose silhouette behind the rinse of glass", "the push of paw at my soft parts is a fellowship of elements"

Thank you!

And now, as Monty Python would have said, for something completely different: Watch a 49-second video of a poet giving a writing tip...and then try it. I did! It sent me on a wild ride...at TeachingAuthors (which goes live on Friday):

http://www.teachingauthors.com/2016/01/49-second-poetry-prompt-guaranteed-to.html

Mary Lee said...

Thanks for hosting, Tabatha!

I'm as mesmerized by that cat as the cow is!

My offering this week is some haiku art I made over Christmas break as a gift for my brother.

http://readingyear.blogspot.com/2016/01/poetry-friday-haiku-gifts.html

Michelle Heidenrich Barnes said...

Thanks for hosting, Tabatha. That's a gorgeous poem you shared. I think it does have a bit to do with your chosen quotation– the flow of milk, the act of goodness toward the cat, and the cat's returned love... anyway, it's lovely. At Today's Little Ditty I have our first spotlight interview of 2016 with Douglas Florian and a rather unexpected ditty challenge. http://michellehbarnes.blogspot.com/2016/01/spotlight-on-douglas-florian-dmc.html

Karen Edmisten said...

Tabatha, that is such a lovely poem! Thank you! And thanks for hosting. I'm in this week with a continuation, of sorts, of holidays. The link is here.

Diane Mayr said...

Love that you featured a cat poem! At Random Noodling I celebrate the lovely gift my winter swap partner, Robyn, sent to me. http://randomnoodling.blogspot.com/2016/01/poetry-friday-winter-swap-delight.html

Kurious Kitty has A Great Big Cuddle to share with everyone! http://kuriouskitty.blogspot.com/2016/01/poetry-friday-great-big-cuddle.html.

jama said...

What a beautiful poem!

I'm back from holiday break with Michael Blumenthal's "Be Kind."

http://wp.me/p1GE6P-4yM

My link will go live at 6 a.m. EST.

Thanks so much for hosting this week. Happy New Year!

laurasalas said...

Oh, gosh. That is beautiful. Makes me wish to be on a farm with cows and horses right now.

I'm in with Row 1 of a crown sonnet, brought to you by the Poetry Princesses (crown--princesses). My sonnet is about hydrogen, an extra timely element this week :>(

http://laurasalas.com/poems-for-teachers/periodic-table-crown-sonnet-poetry-sisters-poetry-friday/

Thanks for hosting, and Happy New Year!

Matt Forrest Esenwine said...

Such a tender poem, Tabatha - and one with which a country boy like me can so readily identify! Thanks for sharing. Today, I have winter haiku inspired by Buffy Silverman's snowflake photo: http://wp.me/p2DEY3-1pa

GatheringBooks said...

Hi Tabatha! Thank you so much for hosting this week. Fats is in with bookish poetry at GatheringBooks. Here's the link:
http://gatheringbooks.org/2016/01/08/poetry-friday-bookish-poems/
Hope you have a wonderful New Year!

Linda B said...

Thanks for hosting, Tabatha, and for that poem, those wonderful images. We often do start our days with a window of light, don't we? I love it all, but this "as bright reaches of sunrise gather us in" is just right. I'm sharing and thanking Margaret Simon for her winter swap gifts today. And thanking you, too! Happy New Year. I hope it's been a good start, and glad you are cozy! http://www.teacherdance.org/2016/01/poetry-friday-swap-love.html

Tricia said...

What a lovely winter poem. Thank you for sharing it.

I have two posts today. The first is the second poem in a crown sonnet. (Laura Purdie Salas has the first.)
http://missrumphiuseffect.blogspot.com/2016/01/poetry-friday-post-1-crown-sonnet.html

The second is the final poem in the crown and the entire poem shared. I'm hoping folks will visit my poetry sisters' blogs before visiting this one.
http://missrumphiuseffect.blogspot.com/2016/01/poetry-friday-post-1-crown-sonnet.html


Thanks for hosting!

Heidi Mordhorst said...

That is a lovely, surprising Epiphany poem. Who would have thought there was anything new to know about cats?

The chill week has influenced my choice today too. I'm excerpting Cybils finalists this month and I chose two poems from Joyce Sidman's Winter Bees to begin.

http://myjuicylittleuniverse.blogspot.com/2016/01/poetry-finalists-i.html

Thanks for hosting!

Carol said...

Poetry really does help us see the world through new eyes. I will be thinking all day about that last line, "How fragile we are in the glorious light." Wow! I'm in today with Deborah Ruddell's, "How a Poet Orders a Milkshake," from POPCORN ASTRONAUTS AND OTHER BITE-ABLE RHYMES, which was one of the 2015CYBILS poetry finalists.

Irene Latham said...

I love so much grace and muscle being applied to a cow! Thank you, Tabatha, whose waters are rich and deep. I've got 3 favorite poems from Mary Oliver's newest book FELICITY: http://www.irenelatham.blogspot.com/2016/01/three-poems-from-felicity-by-mary-oliver.html

Katie said...

I am sharing some of my third graders' responses (as poems) to the question What is Poetry? http://www.thelogonauts.com/2016/01/what-is-poetry.html

- Katie @ The Logonauts

Kimberley Moran said...

Thank you for hosting! I wrote about the pieces of myself I have lost along the way. http://kimberleymoran.blogspot.com/2016/01/parts-of-me.html

Liz Steinglass said...

Hi Tabatha, Thanks for hosting and for sharing the lovely poem.

Tara said...

Happy New Year, Tabatha! I am lost in the line "dawn begins the hem of the day" - just beautiful! I am in today with a snowy poem, feeling the absence of snow:
https://ateachinglifedotcom.wordpress.com/2016/01/08/poetry-fridaysnow-by-kenneth-rexroth/

Amy LV said...

"How fragile we are in the glorious light." Wow. Thank you for this keeper. Just gorgeous, and making me think about our barn...once a home to cows, so many long years before us.

At The Poem Farm today, I share a little story of a poem that grew from a discovery on a winter walk. http://www.poemfarm.amylv.com/2016/01/walk-discover-write-repeat.html

Thank you for hosting - Happy Poetry Friday!
xo

Ruth said...

Thanks for hosting! I'll be back to read your post and everyone else's later, but for now, here's mine: http://thereisnosuchthingasagodforsakentown.blogspot.com/2016/01/poetry-friday-first-lesson.html

Doraine said...

What a beautiful poem. I love how "dawn hems the day." Thanks for hosting. I, too, have a winter poem today.

http://dorireads.blogspot.com/2016/01/not-quite-ready-for-new-year.html

Anonymous said...

What lovely quotes and poem. I was also thinking of the cold this morning. Here is my icy offering: http://friendlyfairytales.com/2016/01/08/gray-magic/

Thanks for hosting and Happy New Year!

tanita✿davis said...

Good morning! - I like that poem. Its a use of the word "grace" in an unexpected place - which of course is how it works.

I'm in with the Poetry Seven, with our crown of sonnets on the Periodic Table here. Thanks for hosting!

Sara said...

Oh, winter. I try to hate you, but this poem is right---there is beauty and clarity in the quiet cold. Thank you, Tabitha, for reminding me of that, and for hosting today.

I'm posting a sonnet this morning, as part of the Poetry Princesses's crown of sonnets. My features the element Argon. (As one of my fellow writers said: NERD ALERT! NERD ALERT!) But to me, it just proves that poetry can be about anything.

http://saralewisholmes.blogspot.com/2016/01/poetry-friday-period-table-of-crown.html

Violet N. said...

Hi Tabatha. Happy New Year! And thanks for hosting.

My contribution today is a tanka, written to celebrate a stretch of winter at her most beautiful. Generous Winter is here: https://vnesdolypoems.wordpress.com/2016/01/08/generous-winter/

Keri said...

What a glorious turnout for the celebration this week! I took your advice and wrote about reversos at Keri Recommends -- yours is stunning! http://wp.me/p4P49X-g5

Penny Parker Klostermann said...

Thanks for hosting, Tabatha. And thanks for sharing the lovely poem.

Today on A Great Nephew and a Great Aunt, I have my great niece, Klaire, illustrating my poem. . Here is the link. http://pennyklostermann.com/2016/01/08/a-great-nephew-and-a-great-aunt-klaire-and-penny/

Kay said...

Thanks for hosting, Tabitha! I will carry the image of the cow with me through the day.

I have a review of a poetry anthology "What Have You Lost?" selected by Naomi Shihab Nye.

Anonymous said...

Happy Friday, everyone! Thank you for hosting today.

I posted lyrics from the Hamilton musical from the song "Wait For It" at my blog, Bildungsroman: http://slayground.livejournal.com/824093.html

http://slayground.livejournal.com/824093.html

Liz Garton Scanlon said...

Muscle and grace -- the perfect, poetic combination! Thanks so much for hosting today and for sharing all these lovely links....

Catherine said...

Thanks for hosting today, Tabatha! I'm running late, so will be back to read the rest of Anderson's poem this afternoon, but what an opening! I love this: "dawn begins to hem the day..."

Because of the frigid temperatures this week, my cat has been sticking close to my side, making me think of Eleanor Farjeon's poem, "Cats." https://readingtothecore.wordpress.com/2016/01/08/poetry-friday-cats-by-eleanor-farjeon/

Carol Varsalona said...

Happy New Year, Tabatha. Thank you for hosting Poetry Friday this week. I am taking down the Christmas decorations and am feeling a bit nostalgic. Because winter is open us, I created a digital composition from a photo of a mannequin. I muse that she is announcing winter. http://beyondliteracylink.blogspot.com/2016/01/winter-enters.html

Charles Waters said...

Hey Tabatha! Happy 2016. Thanks for hosting. Got some good things going on for all to read at Poetry Time.

http://www.charleswaterspoetry.com/#!POETRY-TIME-BLOG-30/c23vc/565ff37f0cf212bd6be3f0ec

Janet S. said...

Thanks for hosting.
My selection is "It's Raining Pigs & Noodles: poems" by Jack Prelutsky with illustrations by James Stevenson.

Anonymous said...

Thanks for hosting! I'm in with the Fourth Row of the Periodic Table of the Elements ( a sonnet that is part of a crown sonnet). Here's the link: http://kellyrfineman.livejournal.com/871378.html

Julieanne said...

Thank you for the winter! We don't get the true winter. Your poem brings it here to love without the extreme cold! My poem is about reading joy. Something I've found this winder. https://jarhartz.wordpress.com/2016/01/08/poetry-friday-reading-reclaimed/

Andromeda Jazmon said...

Happy New Year, Tabitha, and thanks for hosting! I am cheering for the Poetry Sister's Crown today: http://awrungsponge.blogspot.com/2016/01/a-crown-of-sonnets.html

Alice@Supratentorial said...

Thanks for hosting. I'm late and my poem is late for New Year's but I figure it's still worth celebrating 2016. I'm sharing In Memoriam (Ring Out Wild Bells) by Lord Alfred Tennyson

Margaret Simon said...

Sorry I'm so late today. My students and I are writing acrostic poems with our one little words.
https://reflectionsontheteche.wordpress.com/2016/01/08/poetry-friday-one-little-word/

Mrs. Merrill said...

Hello! I'm happy to be back in the Poetry Friday community! I'm late but it's still Friday!
http://mrsmerrillsbookbreak.blogspot.com