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. Invitation to Write: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.
8 Comments
9/1/2017 02:25:12 pm
The shape of this poem is gorgeous. My favorite part are the lines about ground...high ground, middle ground, moral ground. There are so many metaphors in rivers. The hopeful ending is just what we need this week. Thank you.
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9/1/2017 05:19:01 pm
Such a thoughtful post and poem, Kiesha - thank you for tackling this overwhelming subject in such a personal way.
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Mary Lee
9/2/2017 07:00:21 am
I like how both yours and Mary Oliver's end with hope.
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9/2/2017 05:44:08 pm
I appreciate the hopefulness of your post and poem.
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9/6/2017 10:12:39 pm
I like how your poem moved from destruction to a positive plateau. The movement of your lines fits well with the movement of a river, this way and that. Mary Oliver is a favorite of mine, thanks for all Kiesha!
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4/15/2018 05:32:58 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
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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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