Poetry Friday Poetry Swap Roundup
Linda B. at Teacher Dance is our Poetry Friday host this week. Hop on over there for the roundup.
Summer of Poetry Swaps
I participated in the poetry swap this summer organized by Tabatha Yeatts. It was so fun to send and to receive poetry and poetry-related gifts.
Check out the lovely poems and gifts from Carol Varsalona.
And the poetry cards from Jone Rush MacCulloch.
Tabatha Yeatts sent me a poem inspired by one of my photos (and lots of other goodies).
Linda Mitchell made me a journal. It has lots of hidden treasures.
Rose Cappelli sent me two poems. My word of the year is notice, so I love the way this poem connected to that
She also sent me a little ornament to honor my deep dive into Mary Oliver this year.
What a gift to receive poetry all summer long.
Sealey Challenge
This week I had a couple of books that I bought used. This inscription was inside Donald Hall’s THE MUSEUM OF CLEAR IDEAS.
This inscription was inside a Stanley Kunitz book I read last week.
It also had a Barcelona metro ticket inside with a grocery list on it.
It made me think of the Instagram account “In Used Books.” My friend, Jen, also sent me this cool website with grocery lists.
Haiku of the Week
by a stream-breezed perch
damsel not in distress—
ready for liftoff
Photo Taken: July 10, 2023 Hidden Oaks Nature Park
Haiku Written: August 9, 2023
What I’m Noticing
My favorite tree (which I think is struggling) is growing some fungi.
30 Comments
Mary Lee
What riches in your poem swaps! And this week’s Sealey roundup contains some of my all-time favorite poets! I’m still swooning over the book with the metropass-grocerylist “poem” inside it! Fun!
Marcie Flinchum Atkins
Yes, I will have to use metropass to explore some poems, for sure!
Irene Latham
Dear Marcie, I do believe there’s a found poem waiting in those inscriptions + grocery list! That fungi pic is amazing. xo
Marcie Flinchum Atkins
Thank you, Irene! Yes, I do hope to write some found poetry from it!
Tabatha
Hi Marcie! I love how heartfelt everyone’s swaps are.
Your damselfly is such a beauty. “Ready for liftoff” is a great line.
I’m worried about your favorite tree. It’s struggling?
(What I’M noticing is that I want to change a stanza of my poem for you. Better late than never!)
Marcie Flinchum Atkins
I’m worried about my tree too. Every year, we think it’s going to be okay and then it looks like it might not make it. I think the Brood X cicadas might have harmed it. And yes, we are always our own worst critics with seeing our poetry. For what it’s worth–I love your poem! Thank you for sending to me!
Rose Cappelli
So many treasures inside those books, Marcie! I agree with Irene – I think there is a found poem in there somewhere. I remember reading books by Donald Hall on writing craft in NWP classes. Love your “damsel not in distress” haiku.
Marcie Flinchum Atkins
Thank you, Rose! I’m sure you’ll see a found poem from me sometime!
Linda Baie
It’s a bounty of gifts accompanied by that damsel “not in distress” – big smile for that one, Marcie. Working at the used bookstore brings us many smiles at the enclosures & inscriptions. It looks like you discovered some wonderful ones!
Marcie Flinchum Atkins
I’ll bet you find all sorts of treasures!
Tracey Kiff-Judson
What thoughtful gifts, hidden treats, and amazing finds! I love the stunning eveningwear of your damselfly, and those long spindly legs.
Marcie Flinchum Atkins
Right! And the hairs on her legs. I love that my camera captured that!
Laura Purdie Salas
So many gifts, literal and figurative, in this post, Marcie. Thank you for “finding” and sharing :>)
Marcie Flinchum Atkins
Thank you, Laura!
Denise Krebs
Marcie, what a beautiful, rich post. I love all seeing all the gifts and poetry here in one place. I also swapped five times this summer, and you are right. Poetry all summer was really nourishing. Loved those sweet inscriptions and the ticket for the Barcelona metro complete with grocery list. It makes those used books all so personal. And the damselfly–definitely ready for takeoff. Not in distress! What a spectacular image!
Marcie Flinchum Atkins
Thank you so much, Denise! Poetry was such a great gift this summer!
Linda Mitchell
Oh, what treasures! I’m loving all of the goodies in your photos. Poetry swaps are one of my favorite things about our community. It’s fun and creative. Your damsel haiku is perfect…like so many of our students sitting at desks waiting for class change. Ready for the next instruction 🙂
Marcie Flinchum Atkins
YES!!! Ready to take off! We don’t deal with that quite as much at elementary school. I have had students in the sprint position when I say it’s time to checkout books. 🙂
janice scully
What an incredible photo of the “damsel ready for liftoff!” The haiku is just right. So many wonderful treasures! I especially enjoyed the notes found in books, the note in the Donald Hall book and the shopping list. Glimpses into other lives. Thank you, Marcie!
Marcie Flinchum Atkins
Thank you, Janice. Yes, it’s a bit like eavesdropping, right?
PATRICIA J FRANZ
That is a hearty bit of fungi on your tree! I love the glimpses into all that you are noticing each week, Marcie. And the “found” notes inside used books makes me think of poetry swaps in a whole new way!
Marcie Flinchum Atkins
Yes, so true!!!
Jone R MacCulloch
Poetry swaps are the best. I loved peeking into the books with the inscriptionas and notes. There is definitely a found poem to be had. And your haiku fits the photo so well. That’s quite the fungi on your tree.
Marcie Flinchum Atkins
When I first saw the fungi, I thought my husband might have cut a limb off–it looked like a fresh cut. But then I got closer…
Carol Varsalona
Marcie, for the love of poetry and friendship, poem swaps are wonderful ways to be creative and have fun. Thanks for sharing your bundle of gifts. They are each unique and lovely pieces shared during the summer. Your damsel not in distress is such a fantastic closeup. I love your haiku postcards. Enjoy late summer and I hope you savor some time to live, laugh, and splash! BTW, I love finding messages inside old books. It makes me wonder what the life was back when the book was inscribed or items left inside.
Marcie Flinchum Atkins
Yes, I think messages in books are so interesting!
Karen Edmisten
Oh, those poetry swaps are such treasures!
My daughters and I have often talked about starting an IG account of all the interesting inscriptions we find in used books. But now I know it’s already out there! 🙂 Oh, well. 🙂 Sometimes the inscriptions make us a little sad, as in, “Why did Jennifer give away this book when it clearly meant so much to her mother?!” 😀
Your haiku hits all the marks. The stream-breezed perch, the determination of that damsel not in distress — love it.
Marcie Flinchum Atkins
It’s such an interesting IG account! There’s room for more! I visited a used bookstore this past weekend and I just wonder how many interesting things the owner must find.
Karen Finch
Ooh! Your photo of the prepared, determined, damsel not in distress! So cool what you capture with your lens and your words. Always a treat!
Marcie Flinchum Atkins
Thank you so much, Karen!