Whispers from the Ridge
  • Home
  • About
  • Contact
  • Blog
  • Peek inside my notebook
  • Teaching the Writer

I Found Fortitude...

5/10/2017

9 Comments

 
Picture
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.  
Picture

Invitation to Write:

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.
9 Comments
Brend link
5/12/2017 04:56:34 am

Nature and all its denizens have grit, I agree. Including us. We'll have to if climate change overtakes the world the way they are predicting.

Reply
Linda Baie link
5/12/2017 06:28:40 am

I love that you found words for each of those in nature, Kiesha. Your poem makes a good conversation.

Reply
Kay Jernigan McGriff link
5/12/2017 06:52:24 am

Fortitude is such a great word. I love how you draw strength from nature in so many ways through this poem.

Reply
Jane @ Raincity Librarian link
5/12/2017 09:09:06 am

We so often think that as human beings we are masters of the natural realm and superior to everything in it, but in fact we have so much to learn from the creatures we share our home with!

Reply
jone link
5/12/2017 08:03:50 pm

I love the word fortitude and how you wove it into this poem. So much to think about.

Reply
Mary Lee Hahn
5/13/2017 03:37:32 am

Yes, fortitude is a good word and a good goal. Especially these days and these times. Your poem reminds me so much of this one by J Patrick Lewis: http://www.yourdailypoem.com/listpoem.jsp?poem_id=1814

Reply
Linda Mitchell link
5/14/2017 08:31:30 am

Keisha, this might be my favorite poem of yours yet. The personification of Fortitude and meeting Fortitude in the forest. Well, it's magical. There's an arthurian vibe going on here with the bended knee and all. This is a beauty. I'd love to see where this goes in the world. Thanks for the inspiration. I will be thinking of some words I am in love with.....because I do have lists and lists of words.

Reply
Michelle Kogan link
5/14/2017 09:42:11 pm

Beautiful tribute to living with nature Keisha via finding fortitude, thanks!

Reply
LifePoemsProject.com link
4/24/2018 02:25:20 pm

Your poem affected life?! Yes, you can share your lovely poem and its great "after story" with the world... Submit now on LifePoemsProject.com

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Author

    Welcome! I'm Kiesha Shepard, and I have a love for writing and the teaching of writing. Whispers From the Ridge is a place where I can share my words and ideas for teaching writing. It's also a place for you to find inspiration for writing the words inside of you. I invite you into my world of writing as I capture the whispers from the ridge.

    Picture
    Picture

    Follow by Email

    Subscribe to Whispers from the Ridge - Blog by Email
    Subscribe to Newsletter

    RSS Feed

    Archives

    November 2021
    September 2020
    April 2020
    January 2020
    September 2019
    August 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014

    Categories

    All
    Animal Poems
    Autumn Poems
    Bird Poems
    Collecting Around A Topic
    Color Poems
    Concrete Poems
    Conversations With Nature
    Craft
    CSISD Writing Project
    Drafts
    Found Poems
    Friendship Poems
    Haiku
    Insect Poems
    Invitations To Write
    Line Breaks
    List Poems
    Magnet Topics
    National Poetry Month
    Observations To Consider
    Poem In Your Pocket Day
    Poems
    Poems About Flowers
    Poems About Hope
    Poems About Objects
    Poems About Places
    Poems About Science
    Poems About Serious Topics
    Poems About Sounds
    Poems About The Moon
    Poems About The Ocean
    Poem Songs
    Poems With Alliteration
    Poems With A Resolution
    Poems With Expressive Emotions
    Poems With Magic
    Poems With Repetition
    Poetry Challenges
    Poetry Friday
    Power Of Three Poem
    Progressive Poem
    Response Poems
    Revision
    Rhyming Poems
    Sensory Poems
    Spring Poems
    Summer Poems
    White Space
    Winter Poems
    Wonder Poems
    Writer's Notebook
    Writer's Tools
    Writing Life
    Writing Process
    Writing Spaces
    Writing Times

    Picture
    Click to learn about Poetry Friday!

    Schedule of Round Up:

    July
    2    Laura at Laura Shovan
    9    Margaret at Reflections on the Teche
    16  Molly at Nix the Comfort Zone
    23  Kat at Kathryn Apel
    30  Becky at Sloth Reads
    August
    6   Mary Lee at A(nother) Year of Reading
    13 Christie at Wondering and Wandering
    20 Carol at The Apples in My Orchard
    27 Elisabeth at Unexpected Intersections
    September
    3   Heidi at my juicy little universe
    10 Tricia at The Miss Rumphius Effect
    17 Denise at Dare to Care
    24 Laura at Laura Purdie Salas
    October
    1   Catherine at Reading to the Core
    8   Irene at Live Your Poem
    15 Bridget at wee words for wee ones
    22 Jama at Jama's Alphabet Soup
    29 Linda at TeacherDance
    November
    5   Tabatha at The Opposite of Indifference
    12 Matt at Radio, Rhythm & Rhyme
    19 Carol at Beyond LiteracyLink
    26 Ruth at there is no such thing as a God-forsaken town
    December
    3   Michelle at Michelle Kogan
    10 Cathy at Merely Day by Day
    17 Jone at Jone Rush MacCulloch
    24 Buffy at Buffy Silverman
    31 Carol at Carol's Corner

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.
Photos used under Creative Commons from Kristine Paulus, Ryan Hodnett, Marie Hale, gurdonark, btrentler, Kelly Colgan Azar, jeffreyw, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service - Midwest Region
  • Home
  • About
  • Contact
  • Blog
  • Peek inside my notebook
  • Teaching the Writer