Tag: Irene Latham

Poetry Friday – ACT now

Denise Krebs17 Comments

Heidi is hosting the Poetry Friday roundup today here at her blog, “my juicy little universe.” Be sure to read her amazing collection of odes to the month of March across the centuries. And a happy birthday to Heidi tomorrow!

I’ve had thoughts of my mortality this week. (No particular reason, except I’ll be 65 this year!) Today I woke up thinking about my one word for 2023–ACT–and wrote this acrostic (with my new Sharpie markers).

A reason to thrive
Cherished time
Ticks on

Last year, my word was PURPOSE. I felt I spent the whole year with vague wonderings like, “Could this be my retirement purpose?” Then in 2023, I thought I just need to ACT on the needs around me. I won’t be here forever.

Last week in the Slice of Life challenge I wrote a golden shovel poem based on a quote from Irene Latham’s Poetry Friday post last week. Read Irene’s post here; it’s beautiful, and she is a good example of someone who acts–making opportunities for living well and doing good. The quote I used is “What if our only purpose really is to be present?”

What can I say except this day is precious and
if it must be my last, I will live it contentedly.
Our world will go on without me, and finally
only LOVE will prevail. But if I get another day, on
purpose I will live it–
really live it. Even if it
is just sitting inside, staying warm,
to read and write, I can still
be here, in this place, fully alive, opening this sweet
present.
~Denise Krebs, after Irene Latham

March 5 – Golden Moments

Denise Krebs4 Comments
Wise words I return to often are these: “You’re either in your head, or you’re in your life.” And I want to be in my life!
What if our only purpose really is to be present? To shine?
Like light.
The quote above is from a recent blog post of Irene Latham, award-winning poet and author. Do visit and enjoy her post here. I took a portion of her quote and wrote a golden shovel poem. The Golden Shovel poetry form was created by Terrance Hayes.  “Golden shovel poetry is a poetic form that takes a word from each line of an existing poem and uses them as the last word of each line in a new poem.” ~MasterClass definition, and you can read more here.
What can I say except this day is precious and
if it must be my last, I will live it contentedly.
Our world will go on without me, and finally
only LOVE will prevail. But if I get another day, on
purpose I will live it–
really live it. Even if it
is just sitting inside, staying warm,
to read and write, I can still
be here, in this place, fully alive, opening this sweet
present.
~Denise Krebs

 

On another note: Grandparenting is not for sissies. The day after my grandbaby left, I slept in until 8 a.m., and I thought I had missed the Slice of Life meet up. Before I posted my Saturday slice, I started to add a little apology for not showing up when I had signed up. Instead, when I went to the Two Teachers blog and saw the sign up sheet still there, I realized something was amiss. I did a quick calendar check and realized I had another day to remember. And I did. I had a lovely golden moment time connecting with  Jennifer K., Jennifer M., Kim Johnson, Erica J., Stacey Shubitz, Glenda Funk, Ramona, Kate Narita, Dr. Carla Michelle Brown, Heidi C., and Margaret. Life is sweet, and it was a treasure opening the gift of meeting new people today. I wish I could have been in a small group with each of them. I’m looking forward to reading their blogs today!

I am participating in the March Slice of Life Challenge: A slice a day for all of March. Thank you, Two Writing Teachers! 

 

Poetry Friday – Poemtober

Denise Krebs12 Comments

Happy Poetry Friday today! Thank you, Irene, at Live Your Poem for hosting today. Here is her post with an Ode to Autumn by Neruda and “Autumn Puzzle” by Irene, as well as an opportunity in 2022. I hope to become an official wild and precious writer.

It’s a busy week here, so I have another LaMiPoFri again. (See Kat Apel’s blog for more information on the Last Minute Poetry Friday form.)

I was inspired last week by Jone McCulloch to look at the prompts for the Inktober and write small poems. Here are my first week’s October #smallpoems.

And today for my lamipofri poem, with today’s Inktober prompt watch:

How to Be Here

  • be curious
  • be courageous
  • watch for your privilege like a guard patrols a parapet
  • let that power go
  • listen laser-focused
  • be curious
  • be courageous

The ABC’s of Poetry Power

Denise Krebs12 Comments
Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

The ABCs of Poetry Power

a poem advances truth
and briefs the sleuth
a poem caresses cheeks
and dams up leaks
a poem enlarges hearts
and flings safe darts
a poem glistens with glitter
and harnesses the quitter
a poem ignites understanding
and justifies demanding
a poem keeps a tune
and launches to the moon
a poem mushrooms thoughts
and nests in tight spots
a poem opens us to find
and parks in the mind
a poem quickens senses
and refashions fences
a poem sizzles in the pan
and transforms our plan
a poem uncovers sin
and validates within
a poem weaves a story
and x-rays allegory
a poem yanks our smugness
and zaps us with justness

By Denise Krebs
After Irene Latham

Today is Poetry Friday with Irene Latham at Live Your Poem as host. Visit her blog and learn more about Irene’s new verse novel D-39: A Robodog’s Journey, which is coming out on Tuesday. My poem is after Irene’s poem called, “A Poem for the Girl by the Lake.”

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