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Poetry Friday is Here! (The Shape of a Year)

5/17/2017

45 Comments

 
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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.  
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My well-loved copy of Jean Hersey's, The Shape of a Year
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Photo of Jean Hersey on the back jacket of her book, The Shape of a Year
You can find some of her quotes HERE.
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The first of many poems inspired by the writing of Jean Hersey

Invitation to Write:

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?
45 Comments
Kay Jernigan McGriff link
5/18/2017 01:27:18 pm

What a lovely excerpt you shared. THE SHAPE OF A YEAR sounds like a good read. I love the title of her gardening book--I LIKE GARDENING. Your poem is a breath of fresh air. I want to breathe it in along with the "scent of wild onion and oak."

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Kiesha Shepars link
5/18/2017 07:19:52 pm

Thanks for stopping by Kay!

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Linda Mitchell link
5/18/2017 01:37:33 pm

Keisha, what a delight to see you hosting this week's round-up. I so love your writing invitations and look forward to new ones each week. What a coincidence that my contribution this week is a reflection over my past year in writing. I'm so glad to mesh with your theme. And, the quotes from Hersey are stunning. I appreciate learning about her from you. Her words remind me a bit of Mary Oliver.....she seems such a perfect guest of the ridge. Have a great week and I am so glad to be entering Friday. I've had a week of testing here....not a fan. Not a fan.

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Kiesha Shepard link
5/18/2017 07:24:11 pm

Linda,
Thank you so much for your kind words. And yes, she does remind me of Mary Oliver as well!

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Robyn Hood Black link
5/18/2017 04:16:58 pm

Thanks so much for hosting, Kiesha! Your poem is delightful (what a surprising combination - wild onion and oak!), and thanks for sharing your treasure.
We're on a similar wavelength today with spring poems by early 20th-Century women poets. :0)

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Kiesha Shepard link
5/18/2017 07:26:30 pm

I can't wait to read your post Robyn! Thanks for visiting!

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Brenda link
5/18/2017 04:28:01 pm

She sounds like a kindred spirit to you and me. What a great find. I like the excerpts. Thanks for hosting this week and sharing your poem.

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Kiesha Shepard link
5/18/2017 07:38:48 pm

I think so too, Brenda! It was such a joy to find another mentor like Mary Oliver.

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Linda Baie link
5/18/2017 05:26:18 pm

The book gift from your friend sounds lovely. I love books like that, to read what others so long ago wrote about their days. And your poem reflection for spring takes me to yesterday, working in the garden, taking in the delight of a spring day with smells like no other. Today, it's snowing/raining all day, a very different look at spring. I suspect that once the warmth returns, it will be greener than ever! Thanks for hosting, Kiesha!

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Kiesha Shepard link
5/18/2017 07:28:17 pm

A different shape of spring indeed, Linda! Thanks for joining today!

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Keri Collins Lewis link
5/18/2017 05:36:58 pm

What a lovely gift to receive -- thanks for sharing it with us. Thanks also for hosting and having such uplifting thoughts. (My poem is a bit of a downer, I confess.) Our garden is doing well so far. I even have a few small cherry tomatoes I hope will ripen soon!

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Kiesha Shepard link
5/18/2017 07:40:37 pm

Thank you for visiting Keri! I will be sending hope your way for those tomatoes to ripen!

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Tabatha link
5/18/2017 06:28:36 pm

I like her description: "Our reachings, acceptances, rejections, our hesitancies, courage, fears, and our loves, all these form the shape of the year..." Your poem complements it nicely. Thank you for hosting, Kiesha!

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Kiesha Shepard link
5/18/2017 07:41:13 pm

Thanks, Tabatha!

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Violet N. link
5/18/2017 06:42:08 pm

So enjoyed the snippet from your new book find. It reminds me a bit of the writing of Sarah Orne Jewett in The Country of the Pointed Firs. Thanks for inspiring us to appreciate the ordinary... and for hosting PF this week. My offering is a set of haiga - photos taken by my sister together with her haiku.

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Kiesha Shepard link
5/18/2017 07:42:13 pm

I will have to look her up, Violet. Thanks for sharing!

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Diane Mayr
5/18/2017 06:45:32 pm

What fun to receive a book that's passed through many hands, and many hearts. I hope the rest of your reading gives you as much pleasure!

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Kiesha Shepard link
5/18/2017 07:43:30 pm

It was really magical in that way, Diane. Thank you for visiting!

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jama link
5/18/2017 07:01:27 pm

What a nice gift -- lovely excerpt and wonderful to learn about this book. I like your life affirming, uplifting poem. Thanks so much for hosting this week, Kiesha. (My link will go live at 6 a.m. Friday)

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Kiesha Shepard link
5/18/2017 07:44:42 pm

Thank you, Jama! I look forward to visiting you this weekend!

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Michelle Heidenrich Barnes link
5/18/2017 07:56:59 pm

Your poem pairs beautifully with the excerpt you shared, Kiesha. Between deep breaths... poetry. The perfect recipe for shaping any season! Thanks for hosting this week.

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Kiesha Shepard
5/19/2017 08:41:44 am

Thanks for visiting, Michelle!

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Fats Suela link
5/18/2017 08:31:54 pm

Thank you for hosting Poetry Friday, Kiesha! I also received books in the mail this week, one of which is a poetry collection by Amanda Lovelace entitled "the princess saves herself in this one." Your book looks lovely! I adore the poem that you shared today. It is nice to reflect on special moments that have an impact in our lives, year after year. Thanks again!

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Kiesha Shepard
5/19/2017 08:42:29 am

I will have to look her up! Thanks for visiting!

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Carol Varsalona link
5/18/2017 08:44:14 pm

Kiesha, it was a delightful surprise to get an invitation to Poetry Friday from you today. Your warm spirit makes traveling o the ridge a pleasure. Speaking of a treasure, the book you received is filled with many treasures so enjoy it. I love the descriptions and the reference to spring. Hold on to that copy!

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Kiesha Shepard
5/19/2017 08:43:06 am

Thanks, Carol! I will definitely be holding on to my copy!

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Michelle Kogan link
5/18/2017 09:35:11 pm

Thanks for this slice of nature through the eyes of Jean Hersey, so many wonderful, and worth revisiting thoughts in her quotes! Thank you also Keisha for hosting the Poetry Friday Roundup. And I agree with Michelle your poem fits so well with Jean Hersey's work. I appreciate the invitation slow down and smell the roses. BTW I was looking through an old book I picked up last summer for a poem to share, and found George Eliot's "More Roses," Something must be in the air . . .

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Kiesha Shepard
5/19/2017 08:44:13 am

I think so too! I can find so much inspiration from just reading her quotes.

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Christie Wyman link
5/19/2017 02:53:50 am

Thanks for hosting, Kiesha. What a treasure Jean Hersey's book is! We do get so busy with life and need to slow down so we may notice and appreciate more. Thank you for reminding us of this.

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Kiesha Shepard
5/19/2017 08:46:45 am

Yes, a daily dose of deep breathes and calming thoughts is something I have to remind myself of often. Thanks, Christie!

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Laura Shovan link
5/19/2017 03:31:58 am

"The scent of wild onion and oak" captures spring so vividly. Great post, Kiesha. Thank you for hosting.

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Kiesha Shepard
5/19/2017 08:44:45 am

Thank you for visiting, Laura!

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Irene Latham
5/19/2017 04:59:44 am

Thank you for sharing about this book! The shape of my year so far would be... a cloud that looks like a rabbit. :) I love the connection you make in your poem between joy and easing up on oneself... that really resonates with me. Happy Poetry Friday!

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Kiesha Shepard
5/19/2017 08:48:08 am

Happy Poetry Friday to you, Irene! What a neat way of describing the shape of your year thus far!

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Ramona link
5/19/2017 06:13:32 am

"Give yourself some ease." I think I'll adopt these four words as my summer mantra. I love your poem. Anything that reminds me to "Take the next long, deep breath," is a gift. Hershey's writing reminds me of a small gem I recently discovered, Ted Kooser's - Lights on a Ground of Darkness. I'll be back later today with my post.

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Kiesha Shepard
5/19/2017 08:49:43 am

Hi Ramona! I will be looking that poem up for sure. I look forward to visiting you later!

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Little Willow link
5/19/2017 06:43:49 am

Cool backstory! Thanks for hosting!

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Kiesha Shepard
5/19/2017 08:48:59 am

Thank you! It was neat to backtrack into the history of this writer.

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Elaine Magliaro link
5/19/2017 08:31:32 am

Keisha,

Thanks for doing the roundup this week!

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Kiesha Shepard
5/19/2017 08:50:30 am

So glad you could join us, Elaine!

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Amy Ludwig VanDerwater link
5/19/2017 10:34:00 am

Ah, that "wild onion and oak." Lovely. What a beautiful gift. Thank you for passing it along to us and for hosting today with beauty and ease. x

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Matt Forrest Esenwine link
5/19/2017 11:28:29 am

I've heard of this book but have not read it - so thank you for heightening my interest! (And for hosting!)

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Laura Purdie Salas link
5/19/2017 12:55:07 pm

That's wonderful when an unexpected book becomes a friend! Your poem is delightful--so nice to hear permission from someone else to just breathe, to be.

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Mary Lee hahn
5/20/2017 03:03:46 am

What a fun find this book was. I'm in love with the tree shadows like blue pencils on the snow, and especially these ingredients: "sun and shadow and suggested shapes of things to come." Thanks for hosting!

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Christina link
10/29/2024 07:14:10 pm

Your posts always seem to show up at the right time for me! This was packed with insights I needed, and I’m grateful for the inspiration.

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    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.

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    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

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