A Simple Melody

My mother has dementia. As more of her memory fades with each passing day, we come closer and closer to making tough decisions. Lately she has mentioned how she just wants to go home. She still lives at home, so we are assuming that she is remembering her childhood home, as driving through that area of town seems to bring her joy.

It seems the childhood memories are the ones she keeps tucked away in a safe place.

Music also seems to bring her joy. When she listens to Dean Martin or Elvis Presley, it's like I have my mother back. This is when I wish time could stand still. 

Solace & Connection {7}

     

Welcome to this week's nature-inspired invitation to write and connect. Each week, I will post a round-up, and you just need to write your blog post and link up at the bottom of my post. I leave a little inspiration each week, but you are free to write about nature:  prose, poetry, images, or anything else you would like to share. 

This week's inspiration comes from The Curious Nature Guide by Clare Walker Leslie where she encourages us to take a night walk. "Let your eyes and mind adjust to being out after dark. How do the smells, sounds, and colors of night differ from those of daytime? Which of your senses feel most alive?"

I hope you take some time this week to take a night walk and spend some time with the night sky. 

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When my children were younger, we would always try to be the one to see the first firefly of the season. Now that they are adults, I still text them when I see my first one. This past week, I was sitting on my back porch, and it was dark. Although I have seen a few fireflies, they have not been in abundance yet. 

I looked over in the line of white pines, and the fireflies were putting on an early show. There were only a few, but they were dancing with partners and entertaining me with their lights. I wrote a cherita, a poem consisting of a one-line stanza followed by a two and three lined stanza and also tells a story.

Fireflies 

waltzing with their partners

between the white pines,

perform against 

the dark curtain of nighttime

in three-quarter time.

Image by Monika from Pixabay

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The Finish Line {11}

 

It is April, and I am joining many others in celebrating National Poetry Month by reading, writing, sharing, and celebrating poetry each day this month. I have chosen to combine my love of reading with my love of writing. I will be writing poems using all things bookish--from titles to quotes to characters. So, come turn the page and write a little poetry with me.

I am lingering in the Poetry Friday community this month, and Jone has the round-up. 

Today's poem is a "found" cherita. A cherita is a poem consisting of a one-line stanza followed by a two and three lined stanza and also tells a story.  My inspiration come from The Running Dream by Wendelin Van Draanen. My poem was written from page 214 in the book, which I had copied and wrote beside in my notebook back in January of 2021.

Crossing the finish line,

even if you don't 

win a ribbon,

is symbolic,

as the finish line

becomes a new starting line.

Check out the Kidlit Progressive Poem, which is being organized by Margaret Simon at Reflections on the Teche. A different poet adds a line each day for the month of April. You can find the poem's trail below.

April 1 Mary Lee Hahn, Another Year of Reading
April 2 Heidi Mordhorst, My Juicy Little Universe
April 3 Tabatha, The Opposite of Indifference
April 4 Buffy Silverman
April 5 Rose Cappelli, Imagine the Possibilities
April 6 Donna Smith, Mainely Write
April 7 Margaret Simon, Reflections on the Teche
April 8 Leigh Anne, A Day in the Life
April 9 Linda Mitchell, A Word Edgewise
April 10 Denise Krebs, Dare to Care
April 11 Emma Roller, Penguins and Poems
April 12 Dave Roller, Leap Of Dave 
April 13 Irene Latham Live You Poem 
April 14 Janice Scully, Salt City Verse
April 15 Jone Rush MacCulloch
April 16 Linda Baie TeacherDance
April 17 Carol Varsalona, Beyond Literacy Link
April 18 Marcie Atkins
April 19 Carol Labuzzetta at The Apples in My Orchard 
April 20 Cathy Hutter, Poeturescapes
April 21 Sarah Grace Tuttle at Sarah Grace Tuttle’s Blog, 
April 22 Marilyn Garcia
April 23 Catherine at Reading to the Core
April 24 Janet Fagal, hosted by Tabatha, The Opposite of Indifference
April 25 Ruth, There is no Such Thing as a God-Forsaken Town
April 26 Patricia J. Franz, Reverie
April 27 Theresa Gaughan, Theresa’s Teaching Tidbits
April 28 Karin Fisher-Golton, Still in Awe Blog
April 29 Karen Eastlund, Karen’s Got a Blog
April 30 Michelle Kogan Illustration, Painting, and Writing