Happy Poetry Friday, friends! It's a great week to celebrate poetry and friendship! Head over to Jone's space HERE for more poetry celebrations!

This week, I'm sharing a friendship poem about my very special friend, who happens to be a  tree. Yes, that's right! Even trees can be friends! In fact, I have many tree friends on the ridge. I love to gaze up at them and walk beneath their sturdy branches. They are very wise and have many stories to tell. Trees are one of nature's friends that I connect with just like a friend. What objects do you consider friends? I invite you to think about the friends in your life. They might be a person, place, or thing. What makes these friends special? Consider your friendships. What makes those connections valuable and important to you? Try writing a friendship poem to one of your favorite friends!

People and pets are often thought of as friends, but objects can be friends, too! Sometimes, we can develop a very special feeling or connection to an object. This object can be a companion of sorts. We can spend lots of time with our special object and even talk to it! In this way, our object becomes well loved, like a dear friend. Think of objects that are special to you. Make a list and jot down reasons why you connect to the object. You're sure to find a friendship poem hiding inside your writing about your very special friend!  

Happy Poetry Friday! I am so grateful to be back with this amazing community of poets! I can't wait to read all the poetry offerings waiting to be unwrapped at Donna's space, Mainley Write, on this last Poetry Friday round-up of the year. 

It feels so wonderful to be writing for myself again. For some time, much of my writing has been the academic kind. Now that I have completed my master's degree program, I can give myself fully to my writing life. I can return to my pen and notebook. I may be a bit rusty, but I believe writing is the kind of thing that comes back to you with ease. Like a beloved song or some fond memory from childhood, it's always there. It always waits, and it always takes us back whenever we are ready to return. 

For me, nature is a sturdy workbench for my writing. I will make time and listen, to hear the words that it may speak.

Whatever your workbench may be, my hope is that you return to it again and again. It will be there, ready to help you accomplish the work of your heart. 

Happy Poetry Friday! I'm so glad you stopped by! For more of the poetry round-up, visit Tabatha at her space HERE.

Last Friday, I had so much fun visiting all the writers in Mrs. Rodriguez's fourth grade dual language class. I had the opportunity to share my process and my published poem for the Poetry Friday roundup. It was an amazing experience to be with these young writers. Their questions were so insightful, and I learned so much from each of them. One student even offered me a seed poem idea. It was a wonderful invitation! I happily accepted his seed poem idea. The result is this haiku about the very interesting Red-eyed Tree Frog. I want to send a huge thank you to the students of Mrs. Rodriguez's class for welcoming me into their workshop with such enthusiasm for writing!

For this seed poem idea, I did a little research on the Red-eyed Tree Frog. I didn't know much about this fascinating creature, so I had to do a bit of research on this topic. Writers are researchers at times. It helps them collect around their subject or topic. Next, I made the decision to try a haiku using some of the research I gathered. One of the great features of the haiku form is the freedom it provides from structure and form. For example, a haiku doesn't have to rhyme, and usually it doesn't. Another great aspect of the haiku is that punctuation and capitalization are used only if the poet decides to incorporate these conventions. For writers who like to follow the general rule, the standard haiku follows a 5-7-5 syllable pattern. Of course there are always exceptions to the rule. You may choose to experiment with creating a traditional haiku or a variation, such as a Tanka or a Lune. Just start with any topic of interest, like I did. You'll have lots of fun with this short but sweet form of poetry!

Happy Poetry Friday! I'm back in the round up this week with a poem inspired by a pic of one of my favorite flowers, the Four o' clock. Thanks for stopping by the ridge to read it, and for more poetry goodies, head over to Jone's space HERE!

One of my favorite things to do is to walk about the ridge, admiring all of nature's gifts. There are always poems hiding about in the images around me. Just the other day, I was walking about when my nose caught the scent of the most glorious smell. I followed that smell, and it led me straight to a bed of freshly bloomed Four o' clocks. I knew I had to capture this splendid image while I had the chance. You see, Four o' clocks open at four and remain open throughout the night and into the morning. They only bloom once before they wilt and fall off the plant. So of course, I had to snap a pic and write a poem to honor these short blooming beauties!

I studied my photo of the Four o' clocks and zoomed in on every tiny detail I noticed. I asked myself, What do I notice? and What does this image "say" to me? Next, I tried to describe it using my five senses and my reactions to the image. Then, I wrote everything out in my notebook. Finally, I reread my entry with my poet's eye and found this poem blooming there!  

Snap a picture of something you like, wonder about, or notice. If you don't have access to a camera, snap a mental image in your mind. Study your picture and zoom into every detail of the image. What do you notice? What does the image "say" to you? Talk it out with a friend. Describe it from the inside out. Then, write it out in your notebook. You can bet, there's a poem hiding in each pic you take!

Happy New Year Poetry Friday friends! Thanks for visiting the first post of the year here on the ridge. Catherine is hosting the first poetry round-up of 2018 at her space, Reading to the Core. Be sure to ring in the new year by stopping by!

On New Year's day, there was a super-blue-wolf-full moon! I hope you had a chance to see it rising in the night sky. Not to worry though if you missed it because there will be another super-blue-wolf moon on January 31st. I read that it will also be a super-blue-blood lunar eclipse moon. Wow! We are certainly experiencing some spectacular astronomical events this year already. 

I always find writing inspiration from my favorite magnet topics like the stars and the moon! In this image, I put two photos of the full moon side by side to give the effect of the eyes of the wolf moon on the rise. The poem this image inspired turned out to be a little sadder than many of the poems I write, but I think poems must be written as we feel them. I was also trying to play with line breaks in a way that allowed the poem to be read as one voice or two voices. The two italicized lines can either be read as the first voice or the moon's echo in response. Try reading it with a friend in this way. I'm not sure if there is a technical poetry term for this strategy, but it was fun to fiddle with anyway! And if you prefer to read something not quite so full of sadness, I have included a haiku in honor of the wolf moon as well. Happy moon watching in 2018!    

A poet can express a wide range of emotions throughout a single poem or focus intently on one. A writer can invite the reader to feel whatever they choose, and sometimes the writer hopes to elicit a certain response from the reader. Think about poems or other pieces of literature that you have read with expressive emotions. In what way or ways did the writer invite you to feel or decide something on your own? Maybe it was the word choice or the use of line breaks to create "rooms" throughout the poem. Take note of this and try it out in your own writing., staying true to the feeling in your words. 

Poetry Friday is a dream this week! Be sure to visit Brenda at her fairyland space, Friendly Fairy Tales.

Dear friends, this week I have been thinking about how important it is to return to the people, places, and things we love. I do this a lot, especially when I start realizing how much I have missed. One evening, I was walking out in my yard by the old elm tree, and I suddenly noticed how much had changed. While I was off living in my own world, the natural world I love was changing and living its life as well. As I stood there gazing up at the branches, I was sad that I had passed by so many times without stopping. I missed the birds. I missed the trees. I missed the spiders and the crickets. So I imagined that they could hear me and that we could talk to each other. This poem is that conversation. I talked to my dear friends, and they answered, like a soft echo of the breeze through the trees.

Too Long
 
I miss the elm.
I miss the spider.
 
Too long, too long                  
                       you have passed us by.
 
I miss the wren.
I miss the cricket.
 
Too long, too long
                       you have passed us by.
 
Too long, too long
I have passed you by,
dear earthly friends.
 
© Kiesha Shepard
​

Try reading this poem with a friend. Partner A reads the narrator's statements. Partner B reads the nature's response echo in italics. Then switch. Try adding stanzas and response lines to my poem if you like, or better yet, have fun experimenting with your own call and response type poems.! 

Happy Friday friends! Join the Poetry Friday crew at Kat's space HERE.

Today, I am thinking beyond the ridge down to Houston and the gulf coast of Texas where so many lives have been rocked by a storm called Harvey. As you may have heard, many people have been displaced from their homes due to the destructive and devastating Hurricane Harvey. You can see this storm's wrath and read about its destructive path throughout the news. When things like this happen, I realize how important our connection to each other is. 

We all feel the swamps. We may all face the storms. Together, we can find our way home. Right now across the state of Texas and throughout the USA, so many people have joined together to provide comfort and help to those in need. It's truly amazing and inspiring to witness the generosity and kindness happening all around us. If you would like to help, there are many ways to do so. One great place to start is the American Red Cross. Our friends in Houston and South Texas could use all our thoughts and well wishes.

The impact of this storm called Harvey has made me reach for Mary Oliver's poem, "Crossing the Swamp". In this poem, Oliver speaks to the struggles and bogs of human life that we often encounter. Yet she speaks of hope, too. Throughout the entire poem there is a sense of determination and strength to re-root. These words are perfectly etched in a way that only Mary Oliver could craft. I do hope you have a chance to read it.

Today, I offer my own poetic response to Mary Oliver's inspiring poem that spoke to me after a storm called Harvey.

How will you brave each storm that may come your way? When you feel stuck in a swamp or flooded by a river, what guides you? I invite you to take a moment and write. Write until your words flow like a river. May they toss upon the page and land, re-rooting themselves home. 

Happy Poetry Friday! Our friend Margaret is hosting today at her space Reflections on the Teche. Don't miss out on the poetry fun!

This week, I am back at the ridge with my friend, the moon. Yes, that's right, the moon again. I never grow tired of giving the moon  praise for my writing inspiration. The moon is one of those magnetic topics for me. I feel drawn to write about it whenever I might feel a little empty. Thanks to the moon, my writing can always fill itself full. 

Writers have different ways of filling their writing life with an abundance of words. What strategies do you have for bringing fullness to your writing?

Happy Poetry Friday and July full moon week! On the ridge this week I am sharing a poem in honor of my friend, the moon. For more Poetry Friday friends and offerings, visit Carol at Beyond LiteracyLink.

There's just something about a full moon that really helps ignite my writing ideas. It's fun to watch the moon grow and rise. My writing seems to grow more full and heavy with emotions the more time I spend under the moonlight. Perhaps that's why the moon is one of my favorite magnet topics. I can always find inspiration from its glow. In this way, I consider the moon as one of my "topic friends."

As a writer, I think it's so important to have topic friends to count on as well as people in your life that you consider writing friends. These might be members of a writing group, colleagues, or even members of your family. 

If you would like to see the full moon this week, be sure to look to the sky on Sunday July 9th. My dear friend, moon, will  be there waiting to light the way to many new words and writing ideas for you!  

Make a list of your "topic friends" and other writing friends. Think about one of your topics and spend a little time collecting ideas around this friend. Sometimes having a conversation with your topic and listening to your topic speak to you is helpful, too! After you have collected around your "topic friend", choose a writing friend from your other list as someone you can talk to about your writing. Writing with friends can be a rewarding and joyful experience!

Welcome! I am so excited to be hosting the Poetry Friday round-up this week. I am incredibly grateful to be a part of this group of poetry friends! Thank you for joining in the round-up this week. Please be my guest here at the ridge and add your link at the bottom of the post if you like.

A few days ago, a special package arrived in the mail. Inside was a well-loved copy of the book, The Shape of a Year by Jean Hersey. It was a gift from my dear cousin Ali, who had discovered it in her late grandmother's house. She had read it and thought that I might enjoy reading it as much as she did.

It turns out she was right. After reading the inside jacket and the introductory chapter, I knew that it was one of those unexpected treasures that find their way into the heart.

Here are a few excerpts that I particularly admire.
QUIET AND SMOOTH, fresh and untouched the new snow lies across our meadow. Its pristine surface catches the sunlight, and tree shadows stretch like great blue pencils over the unbroken white. The snow folds gently over rocks and hummocks half concealing, half revealing a variety of different shapes.
  So lies our year ahead, its basic ingredients sun and shadow and suggested shapes of things to come. I wonder what we will do with this year, what it will do with us, and what together we and life will create during the twelve months ahead.
  A new year is a gift... Things happen. We grow (we hope), and we learn willy nilly... Our reachings, acceptances, rejections, our hesitancies, courage, fears, and our loves, all these form the shape of the year for us, as individuals, as part of a family, as a member of a community.

For me, Hersey's words offer a gentle invitation to find joy in the ordinary gifts of each day of the year. She invokes a sense of purpose in the awareness and careful observation of ourselves and the world around us.

Though I was unable to find much information online about her personally or professionally, I was able to find a few tidbits about her life's work. Jean Hersey was born in 1902 in New York City. She later moved to Weston, Connecticut where she wrote several books about gardening including, A Woman's Day Book of Houseplants and I Like Gardening. Her other books, A Sense of Seasons and The Shape of a Year, are incredibly poetic memoirs that reflect her love of nature and her pleasure in documenting the beauty of ordinary life.

I have only begun to read The Shape of a Year, but I am certain that I will continue to be inspired by Hersey's graceful words and the joy she finds in the realm of daily life.  

You can find some of her quotes HERE.

The shape of our year will soon change again as we head into the summer season. Spend some time thinking about the shape of your year so far and the days to come. Where do you already find joy in your daily life routines? Take a moment to write and reflect on these instances.

​Think about how these moments help shape your thinking throughout the year. What impact might this thinking have on your goals and challenges this year?

Welcome Poetry Friday visitors! Thanks for stopping by the ridge today. Another exciting round-up is happening over at Tara's space, A Teaching Life, where you'll find lots more poetry fun!

The dictionary defines fortitude as "strength in the face of adversity or difficulty." People described as having fortitude are often admired for their courage, which is why fortitude comes from the Latin word fortitudo, meaning "strength".

I thought it was such a great word for so many different reasons. I guess you could say, I fell in love with the word, as writers often do.

Not only did I like how powerful the way the word sounded when I said it out loud, but it also made me think about how much I would like to be regarded as someone who embodies fortitude. This poem is my attempt to find fortitude through the simple act of listening and surrendering to all of nature's teachings.  

There are some words that naturally have a way of sticking with us all the time. As writers, we keep list upon list of these words we hold dear. Think about some of your favorite words. What makes them special to you? Study the meaning(s) of the words. What do they mean to you? Try putting a few of these words together. Write whatever comes. You're sure to find what you were looking for. Words have a way of finding their way onto the page and into your heart.

Happy Poetry Friday! It is so good to be back with all my poetry friends. I am so very grateful to be a part of such an incredible community of poetry enthusiasts! All are welcome to join in the round-up at any time. This week, the poetry festivities are happening at Catherine's space, Reading to the Core.

Last week, I took a step outside to take a deep breath and write some poetry. I do this often, not just to find inspiration for writing, but especially before I take on the work of revision. I realize that when I take a step away from a draft for a period of time, I gain a sense of clarity and purpose for my work. Then when I am ready, I am eager to awake my resting draft and reread it with a renewed lens of attention. This "step out" strategy really has helped me approach the revising process with excitement and initiative.

Today, I am sharing a poem which came to life only because I chose to step out and away from my draft for a moment before returning to the real revision work with fresh eyes.     

Sometimes taking a step out or away from our normal routines can help refresh our thinking and help us to make sense of our world. As a writer, I have used this strategy often. Often times, a physical step out into nature or an emotional step out of my comfort zone, is just what I need to inspire new ideas. Other times, a step out and away from a first or second draft, allows me the time to consider my work with a fresh pair of eyes.

I invite you to take some time to think of how a step out or away from your current work might help you as a writer. Take your current work or a working draft, and let it rest in a quiet space for as long as you feel necessary. Then, give yourself permission to step out for awhile. When the time is right, take out your piece. Give yourself a nudge, and begin again.  

Welcome, Poetry Friday friends! This week I am going back to my roots and sharing a poem that sprouted from my conversations with nature. For more poetry, visit Violet at her space Violet Nesdoly/poems.

​Whenever my thoughts start to get a bit hazy or when I feel like I'm losing my perspective, I turn to nature. Each day brings so many new experiences and ideas to mull over in my brain. I love all the thinking and learning I get to do each day, but sometimes my brain goes into overload. I find it easier to lose track of my core beliefs during these overwhelming moments. When I sense that this is happening, I retreat to nature. The natural world serves as a haven for me. It provides a place for me to work through all the thoughts bouncing around in my head. Nature becomes a sanctuary where I can rejuvenate my thinking and writing life.

In this poem, I share a conversation with nature. That day at Blackjack Pond I remember imagining that the water thrush birds and the marsh shoots were speaking to me. It was as if they were welcoming me back to their world, a world where I could gain back a sense of my own perspective on subjects and topics that really matter to me.   

Think about where you find clarity in your life. It might be a person or a place that you go to for guidance, or maybe something you do to help balance your thoughts. Write about where and how you find sanctuary to approach new ideas while re-energizing your brain.