It’s Day 24 of our 2016 daily write-in. This year’s theme is FOUND OBJECTS. We have a new writing prompt for every day in February.For those of you who are new to my blog, please read my introductory post about the February daily write-in. You’ll find more information and all of the Week 4 FOUND OBJECTS at this post.I've ordered the prizes for most frequent contributors. Can you believe we have less than a week to go?Now that we are in the home stretch, do you find your words flowing quickly? I missed several days last week, but surprised myself with a steamy ode to a book cart yesterday.On to Day 24. I'm having some formatting issues with today's post -- sorry about that!
FOUND: Bird's NestWe've had several natural objects over the course of the project. Many of us have stories about happening upon a birds' nest in an unexpected place. I remember little birds nesting in my grandparents' hedgerows when I was a child. It was a thrill to peek between the tight leaves and branches to see eggs sitting in their nest.I hope that Matt Forrest Esenwine will stop by today to tell us more about this nest. Here is his haiku, which identifies the birds.Phoebe meets Phoebe,family flourishes; soonfive wee Phoebes fly– © 2016, Matt Forrest Esenwine, all rights reservedJessica Bigi sent me a note along with her poem today. When an image or object like this nest triggers a memory, that's rich soil for a piece of writing to grow in.
Jessica shared these memories: "I had a dear neighbor, Hannah, who always talked of birds building nest on her porch... One year a robin built a nest on my mom's window sill around Easter. When I was just a little girl I had scared a robin and it dropped its worm. I picked it up and hid behind our lilac bush and dangled it. The bird took it from my hand."
Seasons of Our LivesBy Jessica Bigi
We rest in woven wordsOf those we loveHow’s wings of love cradled usWhen home seems distantWe wrap ourselvesIn broken memories ofA home we once rememberedNests of hope on thewindowsills of our heartsFor in the springs of our livesRobins build their nestAt summers end their hatchlingsFly into new beginnings of lifeReminding us that our lives andhomes must change as each seasonfolds into new beginingsWe rest in woven wordsOf those we love
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Diane Mayr is in with one of her wonderful haiku. On her blog, Random Noodling, Diane has a great series called
"Haiku Sticky."humans resignthemselves to the back entry...swallows' nest
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I like the way that Heidi Mordhorst's language in this poem mimics the "found object" quality of a birds' nest built from whatever materials are on hand.
mudwattlestuccohungbugspattermossdanglebirdhuddlehomewe daren’t open that door© Heidi Mordhorst 2016
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Mary Lee Hahn has a poem in the voice of the nest's inhabitants.
Home
Sure, it's small,but to us, it's cozy.Yes, there's a lot of traffic here,but, well, you get used to it.It's kind of a mess,but I'll tidy up just as soon as I get the chance.What you can't seeis the perfection of light in the mornings.You can't knowthe lingering warmth in the early evenings.And I'm sure you can't imagineour view of the stars when the rest of the world is dark.©Mary Lee Hahn, 2016Check out Mary Lee's blog post for today
http://www.maryleehahn.com/2016/02/found-object-poem-project-home.html.
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I decided to work with the memory of my British grandmother's garden.
Hedgerows
by Laura Shovan
Every nest is tucked into the hedgerows
of the Old Rectory. Every scolding sparrowwatches my brother and me
with a nervous eye. Every nest
holds a memory of my grandmother
in her brown dress, parting the branches
so we might peer into that dark,
tight bramble of green, which hid
a bowl of eggs no bigger than my thumb.
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Charles Waters incorporated a schoolyard rhyme into his poem. What fun!
LOVE BIRDSBy Charles WatersTwo love birds sitting in a tree:Lovely, dovey, OMG.T – W – Double E – THubba, Hubba, leave them be.***
We are in the haiku zone today, my friends. Here, Linda Baie made me think of the noise and movement that come with a busy nest.
on the back porch,kids crowd the nest in cozy congestion -millennials in the bird world.
Linda Baie ©All Rights Reserved
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Donna Smith used the detail that Matt shared about the nest's inhabitants in her poem.
We Three Phoebes (or Christmas in July)By Donna SmithWe three Phoebes ofNew Hampshire peekOut of the nestAnd open each beak;Flies from Mamma,Beetles from Papa,Insects are what we seek.Ohhh – oh!Wings of wonder,Wings of flight,Wings of phoebesStrong and light;Nest we’re leaving,Flight achieving,We will fledge in a fortnight.©2016, Donna JT Smith, all rights reserved***Carol Varsalona also has a family connection with the nest and her poem for today. I hope you'll stop by her blog to see the photograph she's paired with this poem and story.Carol says, "I have one of my own at my post but my daughter who is buying for the first time fell in love with a house that has pet odors (dog, cats, birds). This may mean having to take up the hardwood floors."
http://beyondliteracylink.blogspot.com/2016/02/home-builders.htmlHome BuildersKeys to a new home-closer look-a festive spring touchoutside our new front door-a do it yourself decorating service?Wait a minute,did we ask forshared space with neighbors?Residency requirement needed immediately.Whose paying the rent?Moving day!!!©Carol Varsalona, 2016***Sticking with our haiku theme today, here is Jone Rush MacCulloch's contribution.Sayornis phoebemud and grass dwellersno flies here***
See you tomorrow for Day 25.REMINDER: If you have contributed any poems that have not been posted yet, please send me a reminder either in the comments or via email. I aim to have all of the poems up by the project wrap-up on Friday, March 4.Interested in what we’ve written so far? Here are links to this week’s poems:Sunday, February 21FOUND OBJECT: Antique Sewing MachinePoems by: Diane Mayr, Linda Baie, Jone Rush MacCulloch, Jessica Bigi, Matt Forrest Esenwine, Donna Smith, Carol Varsalona, Charles Waters.Note: You will find links to all of the Week 1, 2, and 3 poems at this post.Monday, February 22FOUND OBJECT: Stick InsectPoems by: Mary Lee Hahn, Donna Smith, Carol Varsalona, Jessica Bigi, Charles Watesr, Jone Rush MacCulloch, Linda Baie, Diane Mayr.Tuesday, February 23 at BOOKSEED STUDIOFOUND OBJECT: Library of Congress CartPoems by: Jan Godown Annino, Jessica Bigi, Donna Smith, Linda Baie, Laura Shovan, Carol Varsalona, Diane Mayr, Mary Lee Hahn, Charles Waters.
FOUND: Bird's NestWe've had several natural objects over the course of the project. Many of us have stories about happening upon a birds' nest in an unexpected place. I remember little birds nesting in my grandparents' hedgerows when I was a child. It was a thrill to peek between the tight leaves and branches to see eggs sitting in their nest.I hope that Matt Forrest Esenwine will stop by today to tell us more about this nest. Here is his haiku, which identifies the birds.Phoebe meets Phoebe,family flourishes; soonfive wee Phoebes fly– © 2016, Matt Forrest Esenwine, all rights reservedJessica Bigi sent me a note along with her poem today. When an image or object like this nest triggers a memory, that's rich soil for a piece of writing to grow in.
Seasons of Our LivesBy Jessica Bigi
See you tomorrow for Day 25.REMINDER: If you have contributed any poems that have not been posted yet, please send me a reminder either in the comments or via email. I aim to have all of the poems up by the project wrap-up on Friday, March 4.Interested in what we’ve written so far? Here are links to this week’s poems:Sunday, February 21FOUND OBJECT: Antique Sewing MachinePoems by: Diane Mayr, Linda Baie, Jone Rush MacCulloch, Jessica Bigi, Matt Forrest Esenwine, Donna Smith, Carol Varsalona, Charles Waters.Note: You will find links to all of the Week 1, 2, and 3 poems at this post.Monday, February 22FOUND OBJECT: Stick InsectPoems by: Mary Lee Hahn, Donna Smith, Carol Varsalona, Jessica Bigi, Charles Watesr, Jone Rush MacCulloch, Linda Baie, Diane Mayr.Tuesday, February 23 at BOOKSEED STUDIOFOUND OBJECT: Library of Congress CartPoems by: Jan Godown Annino, Jessica Bigi, Donna Smith, Linda Baie, Laura Shovan, Carol Varsalona, Diane Mayr, Mary Lee Hahn, Charles Waters.