The 2023 Progressive Poem is Here!
As part of National Poetry Month, the Poetry Friday community is celebrating together by crafting a poem, one line at a time. There are 30 of us. Begun by Irene Latham and currently curated by Margaret Simon, each poet is adding one line. Follow our progress (list of blog contributors after the poem below).
Awakened, drawn by sunshine into a garden of delight, our wanderer follows sunbeams through a gate holding a curious invitation and stumbles upon a magical space. Who is waiting?
Thank you, Ruth, for teeing up the anticipation. I’ve added my line in green below. Now it’s your turn, Theresa!
Suddenly everything fell into place
like raindrops hitting soil and sinking in.
When morning first poked me, I’d wished it away
my mind in the mist, muddled, confused.
Was this a dream or reality, rousing my response?
The sun surged, urging me to join in its rising,
Rising like a crystal ball reflecting on morning dew.
I jumped out of bed, ready to explore the day.
My feet pull me outside and into the garden
Where lilies and bees weave…but wait! What’s that?
A bevy of bunnies jart and dart and play in the clover.
A dog barks and flash, the bunderstorm is over.
I breathe-brave, quiet. Like a seed,
as the day, foretold in my dream, ventured upon me.
Sunbeams guided me to the gate overgrown with wisteria
where I spotted the note tied to the gate.
As I reached the gnarled gate, pollen floated like fairy dust into my face. Aaah Choo!
Enter, if you must. We’ve been waiting for you.
Not giving the curious note a thought, I pushed the gate open and ran through.
Stopped in my tracks, eyes wide in awe- can this really be true?
Huge mushrooms for tables, vines twined into chairs,
a flutter of fairies filled flowery teawares.
With glazed nut cakes and apple blossom tea,
I heard soft whispers from behind a tree. Oh my! They had been “waiting for me!”
Still brave, but cautious I waited for them.
Forested friends filled the glade. “You’ve arrived! Let the reverie begin!”
Progressive Poem Schedule
April 1 Mary Lee Hahn, Another Year of Reading
April 2 Heidi Mordhorst, My Juicy Little Universe
April 3 Tabatha, The Opposite of Indifference
April 4 Buffy Silverman
April 5 Rose Cappelli, Imagine the Possibilities
April 6 Donna Smith, Mainely Write
April 7 Margaret Simon, Reflections on the Teche
April 8 Leigh Anne, A Day in the Life
April 9 Linda Mitchell, A Word Edgewise
April 10 Denise Krebs, Dare to Care
April 11 Emma Roller, Penguins and Poems
April 12 Dave Roller, Leap Of Dave
April 13 Irene Latham Live Your Poem
April 14 Janice Scully, Salt City Verse
April 15 Jone Rush MacCulloch
April 16 Linda Baie TeacherDance
April 17 Carol Varsalona, Beyond Literacy Link
April 18 Marcie Atkins
April 19 Carol Labuzzetta at The Apples in My Orchard
April 20 Cathy Hutter, Poeturescapes
April 21 Sarah Grace Tuttle at Sarah Grace Tuttle’s Blog,
April 22 Marilyn Garcia
April 23 Catherine at Reading to the Core
April 24 Janet Fagal, hosted by Tabatha, The Opposite of Indifference
April 25 Ruth, There is no Such Thing as a God-Forsaken Town
April 26 Patricia J. Franz, Reverie
April 27 Theresa Gaughan, Theresa’s Teaching Tidbits
April 28 Karin Fisher-Golton, Still in Awe B
April 29 Karen Eastlund, Karen’s Got a Blog
April 30 Michelle Kogan Illustration, Painting, and Writing
Patricia Franz is a kidlit writer and published poet. She believes children, dogs, and sourdough have a lot to teach us about life, joy, and wonder. She has raised two boys, four dogs, and holds a master’s degree in Theology with a focus on children’s spirituality. Patricia, her husband, her Bernese Mountain dog, Bonny, and her sourdough starter split their time between the Arizona desert and the Sierra Nevada mountains. 
Yay! The party is starting! Thanks for participating with such Joy. I want to find an illustrator for the poem this year. Any takers?
An illustrator and possibly we could create/record it to video. I learned how to do that with Sylvia Vardell. Could be very fun!
And you taught me! I can have a student do it. Great idea.
I lost track of the poem for a few days (apologies if I missed commenting on your line) but lookie there! A party and some new characters! Hooray!
Well, I guess it remains to be seen?
🙂
Oh Patricia, a garden party with those forested friends, how grand. A way to live a dream, I’d say. Bravo and thank you. Well, thank you to all the participating poets. I am thinking a touch of music and scents of flowers. (No peeking, Theresa!!) I am so eager to see how this flows and I love Margaret’s idea!!! This one does yearn for an illustrator!
An illustration and a VIDEO recording!
Oh, Patricia,
Reverie, like your blog name, is such an interesting word. I had to look it up because I was thinking “revelry.” But I think this more dreamy version is what is happening in our poem. Lovely!
Yep, totally guilty: Reverie was PERFECT – right time; right space.
🙂
I love the words “glade” and “reverie”–and welcome the forest friends!
Me, too. GLADE.
I love the whimsical turn in this poem. What could be better than a reverie in the glade with forested friends!?
…and no TICKS
🙂
Hooray for the reverie!
I just love the dang word!
I love the new direction here at the end, Patricia, with only a few lines to go. “Reverie” brings new thoughts to me! Terrific!
Can’t wait to see tomorrow’s line!