Sunday, April 24, 2016

2016 Progressive Poem - Taking to the Air...


Since 2012, my poet friend Irene Latham from Live Your Poem has invited folks to participate in a progressive poem.  Like a progressive dinner, everyone who comes contributes, and we end up with a surprising and fulfilling meal of words.  I always like seeing the poem grow and change as it passes from one friend to another.  This year, I have especially enjoyed the poem's structure, watching how we have held it together line-by-line.

Today I receive the poem-baton from Ramona at Pleasures from the Page, and with line 24, my small contribution of one syllable words, I pass this dish to Mark at Jackett Writes.  You can see all line-contributors in my sidebar there to the left through the end of April.  And you can read past Progressive Poems and see all contributors here at Irene's Progressive Poem Page.

Enjoy!


2016 Progressive Poem

A squall of hawk wings stirs the sky.
A hummingbird holds and then hies.
If I could fly, I’d choose to be
Sailing through a forest of poet-trees.

A cast of crabs engraves the sand
Delighting a child’s outstretched hand.
If I could breathe under the sea,
I’d dive, I’d dip, I’d dance with glee.

A clump of crocuses crave the sun.
Kites soar while joyful dogs run.
I sing to spring, to budding green,
to all of life – seen and unseen.

Wee whispers drift from cloud to ear
and finally reach one divining seer
who looks up from her perch and beams —
West Wind is dreaming May, it seems.



Golden wings open and gleam
as I greet the prancing team.
Gliding aside with lyrical speed,
I’d ride Pegasus to Ganymede.

To a pied pocket, the zephyr returns
blowing soft words the seer discerns
from earthbound voyage to dreamy night,
The time is now.  I give you flight!


And so I leave you in the air, on this, the first day of the last week of National Poetry Month 2016.  Thank you, Irene, for hosting this party once more!

I will be back later with Wallow in Wonder 24...

Please share a comment below if you wish.

8 comments:

  1. Now time for action, Amy! I like the voice you've entered into the poem. Now, more mystery. Who will go?

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  2. I love your line of one syllable decisive words. And the exclamation mark! I knew you'd figure out what our seer was discerning. Can't wait for the last six lines.

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  3. All righty - I'm printing out my boarding pass! Thanks, Amy.

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  4. The time IS now! Let's see where!

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  5. I read this yesterday morning and indeed loved the opening you gave....beautiful line! I give you flight....sail on, sail through more poet-trees? Wouldn't that be grand if we actually had poems floating around like leaves and you are certainly putting so much wonderful new poetry into the world.....can't wait to see where the PP heads. And you, too. XXOO and more!
    Janet F. (Janet Clare)

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  6. I like the promise of locomotion in your single-syllable words.
    Luv that you chose two distinct sentences.

    I hope to return to this site for nourishgment when I can spend time with some more of your
    daily poetry month verses. But I am tickled with a sweet babe joey being a poem,
    of Poem in Your Pocket Day. How you think of these connections is genius.

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  7. Perfect as the poem moves toward and ending!

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  8. Freedom is in the air as the poem soars. What a wonderful ending to this stanza, Amy.

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