Month: April 2022

Photo of the Day Poems – Somewhere between Tripoli and Moscow #Poetry #Life #NPM22

30 Apr 2022

For one final celebration of National Poetry Month, I’ll dip back into my collection of Photo of the Day poems drawn from The Guardian website back in 2019. Three years ago, in the final week of April, the following two images appeared and inspired these poetic responses. The stark contrast between these images needs to … More Photo of the Day Poems – Somewhere between Tripoli and Moscow #Poetry #Life #NPM22

Our Inevitable Struggle #Poetry #Nettles #NPM22

27 Apr 2022

Today in British Literature, I reintroduced the “Life is Full of Adventure and Struggle” unit as we began our journey with Frodo Baggins in Tolkien’s The Fellowship of the Ring. As part of the teaser, I shared Vernon Scannell’s “Nettles” with my students, emphasizing that this poem actually comes from a contemporary poet, not a … More Our Inevitable Struggle #Poetry #Nettles #NPM22

Blackout Poetry for a Quiet Morning #Poetry #Morning #Solitude #NPM22

24 Apr 2022

A week away from the normal routines of life is refreshing, even if it comes with other, pressing responsibilities. We have just returned from New Jersey where my son and daughter competed in a regional speech tournament. While there, I spent most of my time either judging rounds (ten, to be exact) or watching my … More Blackout Poetry for a Quiet Morning #Poetry #Morning #Solitude #NPM22

A Poem a Day: A Twist on Traditional Haiku #Poetry #Haiku #NPM22

18 Apr 2022

Having missed International Haiku Poetry Day, let me leave you with this three haiku sampler from David M. Bader’s book Haiku U: From Aristotle to Zola, 100 Great Books in 17 Syllables as today’s selection for National Poetry Month. As Bader himself notes in his humorous foreword, “Deciding which books to include was difficult, as … More A Poem a Day: A Twist on Traditional Haiku #Poetry #Haiku #NPM22

A Poem a Day: Blackout Poetry for Resurrection Day #Poetry #Resurrection #Easter #NPM22

17 Apr 2022

Having not actually written anything new recently, a quiet hour to write (or blackout) tonight was a gift. Flipping through the same book that I have been using for nearly six years, I gratefully unearthed the following poem just in time for Resurrection Day, known to many as Easter. The celebration that finds its source … More A Poem a Day: Blackout Poetry for Resurrection Day #Poetry #Resurrection #Easter #NPM22

#Poetry – A Poem a Day (Especially for Good Friday): Wendell Berry #GoodFriday #Pain

15 Apr 2022

If you’ve followed my blog for the past two years, you will be familiar with Wendell Berry. His Mad Farmer poems have brought such life to my soul (these two years especially). So it’s somewhat surprising that I haven’t posted one of his poems until today during National Poetry Month. However, as I flipped through … More #Poetry – A Poem a Day (Especially for Good Friday): Wendell Berry #GoodFriday #Pain

Photo of the Day Poems: A Collision of Cultures #Poetry #NPM22

6 Apr 2022

Tonight I share the fusion of photography and poetry, of India, Japan, England, and America: a Japanese tanka dedicated to William Carlos Williams (the pediatrician) and William Wordsworth (the romantic) inspired by a photograph by Divyakant Solanki. I am sure both Williamses would see in this everyday image the profound in the common. It comes … More Photo of the Day Poems: A Collision of Cultures #Poetry #NPM22

#Poetry – A Poem a Day: Gerard Manley Hopkins #NPM22

5 Apr 2022

Oh, the joy of Gerard Manley Hopkins! I wish I could capture the beauty of nature in the rich imagery and luscious syntax of this master. As much as I love “Pied Beauty” and “God’s Grandeur,” this poem resonates the loudest with me. In a time when so many people compare themselves to the false … More #Poetry – A Poem a Day: Gerard Manley Hopkins #NPM22