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! Listen to my poem:Invitation to Write:
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!
11 Comments
Irene Latham
9/28/2018 05:26:31 am
Oh wow, I didn't know these were called four o'clocks! I like how enthusiastic the speaker of the poem is about these flowers... for me, 4:00 is snack time, so my poem might include a wee piece of chocolate to go with these lovely blossoms. :) Thank you for sharing your ridge with us!
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9/28/2018 06:36:18 am
I'm happy you discovered them, Kiesha, "smelled" your way to them & then wrote. I didn't know they only bloomed at four o'clock, a wonderful thing. "can't wait till it's four"
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9/28/2018 05:12:45 pm
Kiesha, while I could not access your photos, I could visualize your walk. The poem is lovely and inviting. I surely would love to see a 4 o'clock flower.
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9/28/2018 05:36:27 pm
Well, for perhaps the first time, I have answered one of your invitations simultaneously to receiving it. This week, I wrote a poem inspired by one of Molly H's photos. The photo held a story that I didn't know until I wrote it. I love it when that happens.
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Mary Lee
9/29/2018 05:15:07 am
How fun that your flower poem follows Michelle's in the roundup!
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9/29/2018 09:01:34 am
Oh, I don't think I've heard of a Four O'Clock flower! But what a lovely ode to a lovely flower!
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Kay Jernigan McGriff
9/30/2018 05:37:31 am
I'm glad you followed your nose to discover these flowers blooming. Your pictures are beautiful, and I enjoyed the enthusiasm of the speaker. May we all be so excited to enjoy nature's beauty.
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9/30/2018 02:23:15 pm
Nothing better than following your camera to a new poem! Thanks for sharing your four o'clocks.
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Kimberly M. Hutmacher
9/30/2018 05:13:55 pm
Love your photos and your poem.
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10/1/2018 08:10:01 pm
I like the brassy voice for your four o'clocks–and why not they are only there for a short time, like my Moon Flower. Thanks Kiesha!
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AuthorWelcome! 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. Follow by Email
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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 |