Summer Solstice Poetry Retreat in Central Virginia

If any of you are within driving distance of the Charlottesville area, I would like to invite you to an intimate one day poetry retreat at the Mountain Light Retreat outside of Crozet. Limited to 10 poets (whether published or aspiring), Mountain Light is a wonderful place to recharge, reflect, and re-start your journey to the poems you have always wanted to write. This will be our fourth retreat, in what has become a group that meets 2-4 times a year (this is our second year).

Gathering of Poets | Wednesday, June 21, 9:00 am-3:00 pm

On the day of the summer solstice, we will meet to refresh ourselves with nature’s glories, to renew by trying some different forms of poetry, and to deepen our poetic selves through contemplation. Bring a poem of your own (8-12 lines) to share if you wish. Come at 9 to walk the new outdoor labyrinth, and enjoy a meet & greet with refreshments at 9:30. Poet Ray Griffin will facilitate the program beginning at 10 am. Bring lunch, water bottle, and journal, and wear good walking shoes. Reserve your space in this small group by contacting Debbie@mountainlightretreatva.com. The $15 program fee may be paid on arrival.

Flower Moon was May 5

Partial eclipse by
Earth's shadow diminished the
Flower Moon's luster

Hidden in the Grass

Hidden in the grass
Amazing discoveries
Discerning eyes spy

Change in My Pocket by Rhonda Trueman

Rhonda Trueman is another guest poet for National Poetry Month. I first met Rhonda as Abbey Zenith in Second Life. Unlike Rolig Loon, I have gotten to know Rhonda in real life too. She is a participant in our semi-annual Mountain Light Poetry Retreat. Her poem is about an experience many of us have shared.

Change in my Pocket
 

Rifling the pockets of this old jacket,

digging for Coke change.

As a cashier chews impatient gum, my

fingers fumble with lint, pennies,

receipts, a ten, and a crumpled note.

I pause to unfold the paper.

A faded, familiar script unleashes

a sweeping flood of memories,

until the smack of popping gum

cracks my reverie.
 

I hand the ten to the clerk and walk away,

leaving the change behind.
 

Rhonda Trueman

Rhonda is a flibbertigibbet of the highest order. She has dabbled in arts and letters, nature and nurture, and academics and adventure. As such, to quote Beatrice via Shakespeare, “I was born to speak all mirth and no matter.” Once a proud member of the Panhandle Poets Society (FL), retirement has broken up the band, scattering its members far and wide. Rhonda, is now located in north Georgia and although she can see South Carolina, just across the river, she dreams of a day when she will return home to North Carolina.

Full Moon is April 6, 2023

Full Moon of April
symbol of many things
pink for blooming  phlox
fish for upstream shad
grass for emerging shoots,
egg for nesting birds.

Many religions also share
Paschal moon for Easter
 celebrated on 
two different Sundays
when East and West
fail to meet,
Pesach or Passover moon
for Jewish  celebrants,
Hanuman Jayanti festival, 
celebrating the birth of Lord Hanuman
for many Hindus,
Bak Poya, when the Buddha visited Sri Lanka
 settling a dispute between chiefs, avoiding a war.

How to celebrate the Pink Moon:

• Enjoy Spring Flowers
• Perform acts of charity
• Have a welcoming manner
• Set an extra seat at the table
• Don’t start any wars

To Whom It May Concern

Your antics are too vile to describe
But on your tomb I might inscribe
Here lies Whatshisname

You like any type of notoriety
You lack all notions of propriety
It's your claim to fame.

Guest Poem: No Cows Today by Rolig Loon

In honor of  Poetry Month, I have invited a few friends to contribute poems, with a brief biography and a picture. Rolig is the first to respond.

 She draws the curtain
Peers through the pane and
With her magical eye
Wonders if the sky would rather be cerulean
Today.

And if the ancient oak should be instead
A farmyard elm, ringed by daisies
And maybe a cow.

That would be nice.
Cows are nice.

Everyone likes cows.

But she has done cows, and having done them,
Should move on.
She chuckles softly …. Moooves on.
No cow.

So much choice,
So many possibilities.
She frames the day and fills them in.
Line upon line,
Color into form,
Shadow and light.
One at a time. 

No cow. 

It is her window, after all,
Until she opens it.

Rolig Loon is a friend of mine from Second Life. I only know her through her avatar, named Rolig Loon.

Rolig’s Biography: I have been a parent, an educator, a writer, a chemist, a homeowner, an administrator, and a scripter/programmer, among other things and in no particular order. On line, I have no real presence. I am not a real person, after all. Or, more correctly, I am no more real than you are. I have my own impression of myself as a worldly, witty, yet calm person. Hence, my avatar name, Rolig. In Swedish, “rolig” means “funny,” as in a funny story. In Danish, the same word means “calm”. For me, both reflect the aspiration that is the inner me. What anyone else sees is beyond me but I suspect falls well short of what I hope for. But then, as they say,that’s life.

Rolig’s photo : “photo” that shows two sides of me but is a fiction because it’s an AI reconstruction of the RL me, working backwards from my SL avatar. (I ought to get points for double obfuscation.)

Harp Music in the Cove

The gentle melodic plucking
Of the skilled harpist's fingers
Lifted my spirit and imagination
Soaring beyond the wooden rafters
Up over the eternal Blue Ridge Mountains
And into the fairy world of bliss
Where I sipped nectar
Nibbled on delicacies
And conversed with the Spirits
A portal was opened in this world
And the next where transport
Is a melody away.

Today is World Poetry Day – March 21

The theme for World Poetry Day 2023 is “Always be a poet, even in prose.” This famous line of verse by French poet Charles Baudelaire emphasizes the importance of creativity and beauty in all forms of writing, not just poetry.

On World Poetry Day, people all around the world celebrate poetry through various events, such as poetry readings and performances.

There are many ways to get involved, including sharing your favorite poems – whether your own poetry or the work of others – or attending poetry events. Check out local listings for open mic nights or recitals.

We are poets
and we know it
Invite others to join
so we can grow it.

Test your knowledge of better known world poets and poetry by taking this simple quiz.

One simple way to celebrate World Poetry Day is to read the poems of some of your favorite poet bloggers. Drop them a line and let them know if one of their poems particularly speaks to you.

Cell of Convalescing

What should be minutes
Seem like hours
As you continue to wait
For healing powers
The hands on the clock
Don't seem to budge
While the sands in the hour glass
Have turned to sludge
The only variety
 is the level of pain
Will this stalker
Ever leave again?
It dogs your steps
Shares your sleep
It's not a companion
You want to keep.
Hopefully the pain will end
Comfort becomes your new best friend.

Be Like Pluto

From a Facebook post shared by Luisa Zambrotta from Words and Music and Stories.

When all the world's against you
and it seems like an evil plot
Just continue being you
You're the only you, you've got.

Crepuscolo en Mexico

En Mexico, el crespuscolo
was gorgeous in the west
where the sun had almost finished setting
but Venus and Jupiter
were in glorious ascendance
against the darkening twilight sky.

Raised in Supplication

Buds formed.
Promises made.  
Beseeching branches
ask when.

SatNav ( a poem contributed by EasyMalc)

Although Malc may or may not have written it, this poem does deserve to be shared. For anyone who has ever had the benefit of a backseat (or even front seat) passenger. I can honestly say that it can refer to any driver that repeatedly gets the benefit of a passenger’s unsolicited (and often unwanted) opinion.

 I have a little Satnav
It sits there in my car 
A Satnav is a driver's friend 
It tells you where you are 

I have a little Satnav
I've had it all my life 
It's better than the normal ones
My Satnav is my wife 

It gives me full instructions 
Especially how to drive 
"It's thirty miles an hour", it says 
"You're doing thirty five"  

It tells me when to stop and start 
And when to use the brake 
And tells me that it's never ever 
Safe to overtake 

It tells me when a light is red 
And when it goes to green 
It seems to know instinctively 
Just when to intervene  

It lists the vehicles just in front
And all those to the rear 
And taking this into account 
It specifies my gear. 

 I'm sure no other driver 
Has so helpful a device 
For when we leave and lock the car 
It still gives its advice  

It fills me up with counselling
Each journey's pretty fraught
So why don't I exchange it
And get a quieter sort?  

Ah well, you see, it cleans the house, 
Makes sure I'm properly fed,
It washes all my shirts and things 
And keeps me warm in bed!  

Despite all these advantages 
And my tendency to scoff, 
I only wish that now and then 
I could turn the bugger off. 

Boar’s Head Bedecked

Boar's Head picture
in hand have I
bedecked in holly
no rosemary

Library Carrel- O Festivus

To the tune of O Christmas Tree

The usual holiday tradition of a tree is manifested in an unadorned aluminum pole, which is in direct contrast to normal holiday materialism. Those attending Festivus may also participate in the “Airing of Grievances” which is an opportunity to tell others how they have disappointed you in the past year, followed by a Festivus dinner, and then completed by the “Feats of Strength” where the head of the household must be pinned. All of these traditions are based upon the events in the Seinfeld episode, Strangely enough, our Festivus traditions also have roots that pre-date Seinfeld, as it began in the household of Dan O’Keefe, a television writer who is credited for writing the Seinfeld episode.

The traditional greeting of Festivus is “Happy Festivus.” The slogan of Festivus is “A Festivus for the rest of us!“

O Festivus
O Festivus
You stand in naked splendor
O Festivus
O Festivus
We can't return to sender

You metal branches are left bare
No decorations anywhere

O Festivus
O Festivus
An antidote to Christmas

Hark the Politicans Shout

Hark the politicians shout
Grift is what its all about
Fleece the public and the poor
Like we did the year before

Self-service is our favorite quote
Except when it's time for you to vote
Then we do it all for you
Until the election season's through.
When the count is finally done
We're back to serving number one.

–

Agony of Cacophony

The agony of cacophony
Has almost put an end to me
My nerves are shot
Down to my last knot
Need some quiet
Which I haven't got
The drunks are loud
In this boisterous crowd
Solitude not yet allowed 

Sea Legs

Ferry rocks side to side 
older legs no longer accommodate. 
Sea legs become
see me stumble around legs

Candy Cotton Clouds

Candy cotton clouds
Soft sunlight portends chance for
Renewal of hope