Welcome Poetry Friday friends! Don't miss today's round-up over at Brenda's Friendly Fairy Tales, where there's tons of poetry magic! Thank you for hosting, Brenda!

This week I decided to share a poem that expresses my feelings for a plant in my yard that I am particularly fond of. You see, I have a habit of writing about my admiration for all living things up here on the ridge. I'm afraid I just can't help myself! There are so many things in this world to shower with poetic adoration. My Elaeagnus plant happens to be one of the things that brings me joy to write about this time of year. It graces my yard each fall by offering up the most delicious autumn fragrance. The tiny white flowers are practically invisible to the eye, but the smell that fills the air is hard to miss! Something about the smell takes me back to the many autumn memories of my childhood. Out of all the ways to express my affinity for this silvery shrub, a letter seemed the most appropriate form in which to declare my gratefulness.

I wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving wherever you are. May your hearts be thankful and glad! 

Writers have different ways of expressing their emotions within poems. Think about the people and things in your life that you have strong emotions for. You might start by making a list of these in your notebook. Then pick one and start jotting all the different feelings and emotions you have for that one thing. Ask yourself, "Why do I feel this way?" and "What does this mean to me?" Now read through the words and descriptions you have down on paper. How will you choose to express them as a writer? What form will you use to declare your emotions? Play around with your words and lines. You'll discover lots of ways to express yourself as a writer!

So glad it's Poetry Friday! This week the round-up is being hosted by our friend Jama at Jama's Alphabet Soup. She is cooking up a bountiful Poetry Friday menu, so be sure to stop by her space and enjoy the feast!

A few weeks ago, I was walking around the dragonfly tree when I noticed two leaves that seemed to be suspended in mid air. I could see them spinning and twirling on wisps of a breeze. As I got up closer, I could finally see that the two leaves had fallen from a branch and had nestled themselves in the safety net of a spider's delicate web. And it was there that they decided to dance! I captured this magical leaf dance on video and then immediately scribbled it into my notebook. This poem about an object talking (or mask poem as it sometimes called) comes from my imagination of what one leaf said to another during this enchanted leaf dance.   

Have you ever wondered what objects would say if they could speak? I wonder about this all the time! I think about what questions I would ask them and what questions they might ask of me. It would be so interesting to hear the stories they would tell. So whenever you find an object that fascinates you for whatever reason, take a moment to listen. What is the object thinking? What would the object say? What questions would you ask? Make a list or jot down a few notes in your notebook. You might just discover a poem lurking there!