Happy Poetry Friday! It's so great to be visiting the round up. I'm grateful that our sweet friend, Carol is hosting this week at her space, Beyond LiteracyLink. 

Throughout the month of November, I have taken some time to consider the simple things in my life and my gratefulness for them. I need only step out into nature, and I am reminded of the blissful way it calls to me. These days it is one of the things that is always sure to fill my cup. This old elm tree is one such majestic being that brings joy time and time again. It is particularly lovely in the autumn as it turns, and when there is also a full harvest moon on the rise, a poem is destined to emerge. For this poem, the words came to me in threes. Soon, images began to form and words tumbled on the page.

I invite you to be inspired by the "power of threes" strategy in my invitation below. May it stir your poetry spirit! 

As it so often happens in fairy tales. many things happen in threes. For this poem, I brainstormed a list of strong verbs. I arranged them and re-arranged them until I found my perfect combination of three. Afterward, I stepped out on my back porch and let nature do the rest! I focused in on the sights, sounds, and smells around me. I invite you to try out your own  "power of three" poem as well. Once you have your three, allow yourself to immerse into your senses. Retreat to your own oasis for inspiration and let the pen carry you to wherever it may.

Welcome to the ridge! Thanks for stopping by this week. For more of the Poetry Friday collection, visit Carol at Carol's Corner.

I am back this week from my relaxing trip to the beach. I took advantage of the ocean's poetic whispers while I was there. As I sat on the shoreline, I started generating a list in my notebook. I used my five senses and the imagery of this coastal scene to get some words onto the page. Then, I started playing with the words and phrases from my list. The result is my "Ocean Scene" poem. Working from a list is a quick strategy I use often to get my ideas flowing.

Try creating a word list in your notebook. Once you have your list, try putting words and phrases together. Play with different combinations until you find one you like. Collecting lists can be great fun!

It's the eve of National Poetry Month! How exciting it is to have a whole month to celebrate poetry in all its glory. To kick it all off, our dear friend Amy is hosting the round-up today. You can find her at The Poem Farm where she is gathering and tending to all the poetry seedlings today.

The month of April will be filled with spring beginnings and blooming poetry. As winter bows to spring and ushers in a new season of change, I am reminded of what remains the same. There is such beauty in life's natural course. No matter the season, fulfilling a purpose-whatever that might be, is really the bones of it all.     

Today's poem sprouted from a single word. The word "bones" popped into my head as I sat outside admiring the winter trees one day. Maybe that happens to you sometimes. What do you do with words that pop into your head? Whenever this happens to me, I reach for my pen and immediately jot that word down. Then, I think of how I could use that word in a way that it is not normally thought of or used to describe something else. 

For example, when I was writing my poem, I thought about how the trees looked like bones without their summer leaves. I thought to myself, one does not typically think of trees as having bones. Yes, I was on the right track! This led me even further to thinking about how the word bones could be used to describe things in a different way other than the typical white pieces of skeleton in humans and animals. Can you find other words I used to describe or explain something in a different way other than the more common way the word is used?

So the next time a word pops into your head, be sure to write it down. Have some fun using the word in a different way than it is usually meant in order to describe something in a not so ordinary way!

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.  

Thank goodness for Poetry Friday! I look forward to this day all week long. It is a joy to read all of the poetic posts written by people I admire very much. So whether you are a regular traveler on the Poetry Friday train or you are climbing aboard for the first time, be sure to stop at the round-up station this week where Keri at Keri Recommends is our host!

When I was little, I remember my dad preparing the meat and readying the pump house for making sausage. First, he would grind the meat and put it into casings. Then, he would hang the links of sausage on the poles that hung in the rafters of the pump house. After that it was time to light a small fire underneath to smolder and create the most delicious smell of maple and oak. Some smells you never forget, and this is certainly one I am drawn back to every winter. So I was very excited one evening when I was taking a walk in the woods and got a whiff of that familiar scent in the air. I immediately whispered to myself, "It's sausage making time." From that one line, this poem emerged from deep within a treasured childhood moment with my father.

Writers often rely on their senses when they are reaching into memory as they write. Think about some of your most treasured memories. What are the sights, sounds, and smells that you associate with these memories? Jot down some of these sensory details and see what bubbles up. Now, stretch yourself reach even deeper into the details of this memory and think out loud about what you have to say about this moment. That's right, talk to yourself! Jot down a few lines as you talk your way through this responsive experience. It's sensory writing time!

Welcome Poetry Friday friends! Thanks for visiting today, and be sure to wander over to Reading to the Core where Catherine is hosting the round-up.

Writers, so many moments in my life remind me of the power and importance of taking deep breaths throughout my day. I notice that when I take the time to relax and breathe deeply, all of my senses seem keener. I find that I am much more equipped to handle whatever comes my way, especially when it involves making a change or trying something I've never done before.

This makes me realize how important is to breathe and to open my senses to the world changing around me. The poem I am sharing today comes from my own wish to spend more time taking in the air around me and exploring the writing gifts that my senses bring to life.

Something to think about...
With each inhale and exhale, the senses are awakened. As writers, we can learn to make the most of these golden opportunities. Each breath we take can heighten our senses, giving life to our words.

You can give this strategy a try, too! Take a few moments to close your eyes and take a deep breathe. Try writing with your ears first. What do you hear? What does it sound like? Maybe it reminds you of something or makes you wonder. Now open your eyes, and take another breath in. What do you smell? How would you describe it? Look for connections between what you hear, smell, and see. Use those connections to create an image for your reader that is filled with sensory bliss!