the poetry

There have been a few notes about my poetry lately, it's just what I do. I was raised on Robert Frost and Carl Sandburg. My grandfather recited poetry to me when we walked through his fields and my parents both read to me when I was a child. When I was old enough to read to myself, I read everything, stories, poetry, dictionaries (we had 3 big dictionaries in the house when I was growing up, I now have 3 big ones and a couple of "compact" models),
if it was printed material lying around, I read it.

I wrote my first poem in 6th grade as part of a civics test. Yes, I still remember it, no I'm not going to share it. It was pretty awful - about Gus Grissom eating in space - but the rhythms and rhymes were pretty much complete and accurate for a poem of its type.

the poetry I write would come under the headings of "serious" and largely free verse, although I have a good sense of both rhyme and rhythm in much of my work, and I play with both alliteration and assonance. I have been published a bit, mostly in very small presses, although I've had some in nationally published farm magazines - not your common path to publication in the poetry world!

Here are a couple of August poems:

In a Dry Season

The rain is a ghost
that haunts us. It whispers
a melody through the high branches
of the tallest trees, and moves on.
Field and flower wilt in its passing,
and the days pile up,
like thunderheads to the west.





An Old Song

The geese, with their new flight feathers
go over for the first time in weeks.
They give the little pond
a quick buzz, fly on
to the bigger pond over the hill.
The flock has grown from five
early in spring, to twelve.
They honk the whole way over.
Under the geese, the sparrows
chirp, under the sparrows
the crickets tune
in their late summer search for an old song,
under the crickets my heart
finds an older rhythm.
The sun rises above the wood
and filters through nut trees in the side yard.

One quick note about copyright, this is all copyrighted by me under the common law copyright, and some has been copyrighted by publications wherein it appeared. this is not to frighten or annoy anyone - please don't think that - it is just information.

Ah you beautiful, modest lady. I am so happy to see you have at last allowed more people into your world. I am still in awe of your works and whilst driving back from the country store yesterday I thought of you and promptly started writing a poem myself. I will send it to you for your comments. Thank you Kathleen - you are truly an inspiration, gifted and a very special friend.

It's beautiful, thanks for sharing Kathleen.

very nice Kathleen. I heard you had a wonderful gift of writing poetry, I am so glad you've finally shared it. Thank you.

Thank you so much. I am going to post the dry season one on my fridge. You are very talented.

() () () () ☺☺☺ () () () !!!! Standing Ovation!! Encore!! Encore!!!

"eyes"

Thanks, Kathleen!! I love all your poetry. I treasure the book you gave me. Jo

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Kathleen, I really like the image of the different levels -- geese, sparrows, crickets...That's wonderful. I really liked these. Thanks for posting them. :)

Wonderful..wonderful,

Thank you.

Donna

You are a delight Kathleen. I once read all the poetry I could get my hands on. Then with time and age I allowed myself to drift away to other things like child raising, gardening, etc. I vow now after reading your beautiful poetry that I will return to the love that once held me captive, poetry. You are truly talented and any one of our DG members who has met you will attest to that. Maybe one of these days I will get a chance to meet you. I do hope so. Have you written any "rose" poetry? Surely you must have written something nostalgic about the roses that you discovered on your farm when you moved there. Roses from the past that have endured and bloomed in the hearts of many before you......
Ellen

Kathleen....I particularly like the one "Sowing the Hollyhock Seeds". You know I loved your hollyhocks anyhow...especially the burgandy one that I posted the photo of....don't forget my seeds! Jo