The Progressive Poem Is Here!

Welcome to the Progressive Poem! Each day in April the Progressive Poem travels from blog to blog, gaining a line at each stop. I’m happy to participate again in this wonderful community writing game, masterminded by Irene Latham. Today I’ll add a few new words as our poem prepares to wrap its tendrils closer to Earth.

But before we get to the new line, let’s travel back in time to our baby poem’s birthday. Heidi challenged us to jot down our thoughts about the first line and predict where the poem might go. Here’s what I wrote on April 1, after Liz set the poem in motion with a terrific line which spoke to me as a nature-obsessed writer:

Nestled in her cozy bed, a seed stretched.

I love the lyricalness of this line—the cozy bed for soil, the image of a seed stretching in bed. And it’s perfect for the beginning of spring! Right away, I am thinking of this in terms of the natural world. If I were writing this poem, I’d stick to the science of a seed growing and try to match the wonderful imagery and language. But I’m not the only author…and I’m guessing the poem will diverge from a nature/seasonal view. Where will it go? I have no idea!

The poem certainly has journeyed from the start of spring, taking a trip on owl wings to the moon and landing at a lunar birthday celebration.  Yesterday Renee suggested that it was time to start gathering tendrils and head little Jasmine home. So of course, my first thought for a line was: and headed back home. Now that’s a lyrical line….or, maybe not. I scratched my head a little longer, and thought a bit more. Maybe we can just forget about describing the earth-bound trip, and assume that Jasmine has found her way home. Or maybe someone more clever than moi will wrap it all up neatly and I can delay a bit longer…

Nestled in her cozy bed, a seed stretched.
Oh, what wonderful dreams she had!
Blooming in midnight moonlight, dancing with
the pulse of a thousand stars, sweet Jasmine
invented a game.
“Moon?” she called across warm honeyed air.
“I’m sad you’re alone; come join Owl and me.
We’re feasting on stardrops, we’ll share them with you.”
“Come find me,” Moon called, hiding behind a cloud.
Secure in gentle talons’ embrace, Jasmine rose
and set. She split, twining up Owl’s toes, pale
moonbeams sliding in between, Whoosh, Jasmine goes.
Owl flew Jasmine between clouds and moon to Lee’s party!
Moon, that wily bright balloon, was NOT alone.
……………………………………………..Jas grinned,
………………………………………………………stretched,
……………………………………………………………..reached,
……………………………………………………………………wrapped
…………………………………………………………………a new,
………………………………………..around……….tender
…………………………………………………rootlet
a trellis Sky held out to her, made of braided wind and song.
Her green melody line twisted and clung.
Because she was twining poet’s jasmine, she
wiggled a wink back at Moon, and began her poem.
Her whispered words floated on a puff of wind,
filled with light and starsong. “Revelers, lean in –
let’s add to this merriment a game that grows
wordgifts for Lee. He’s a man who knows
selection, collection, and wisely advising
these dreamers, word-weavers, and friends.”
Jas enfolded Moon-Sky-Owl into the cup of her petals,
lifted new greens to the warming rays of spring sun

And now it’s Kat’s turn to root this plant, while I sit back and sip a cup of Jasmine tea.

http://www.flowerstips.org/symbolic-spiritual-meaning-jasmine-flowers/

Here’s a list of all the contributors to the poem, where it’s been to date, and where it will travel in the next few days:

April

4 Michelle at Today’s Little Ditty
6 Irene at Live Your Poem
7 Linda at TeacherDance
8 Janet F. at Live Your Poem
11 Brenda at Friendly Fairy Tales
12 Carol at Beyond LiteracyLink
13 Linda at A Word Edgewise
15 Donna at Mainely Write
16 Sarah at Sarah Grace Tuttle
18 Christie at Wondering and Wandering
19 Michelle at Michelle Kogan
20 Linda at Write Time
23 Amy at The Poem Farm
24 Mary Lee at A Year of Reading
26 Renee at No Water River
27 Buffy at Buffy’s Blog
29 April at Teaching Authors
30 Doraine at Dori Reads

 

Irene is hosting Poetry Friday today–check out what goodies the blogosphere is serving on this final Friday of April!

24 thoughts on “The Progressive Poem Is Here!

  1. Oh, i love where you’ve taken our Jas, Buffy! Gently back, and onward at the same time… looking forward to where we land! Thank you!! xo

  2. I’ve been trying to keep up with the poem, and finally had a chance to comment! This little seed has had a busy evening – waking up, sprouting, blooming, going on her adventure, and now it appears morning is right around the corner! Nice way to start wrapping up her evening and settling her down…or not?? 😉

  3. “lifted new greens” so hopeful and perfect for a beautiful day like today! I love how each poet’s personality comes through in each line.

  4. I was never afraid for spunky Jas…I assumed it was a dream she had about growing in the first place…so she never left anywhere! Love that she now seems to be awakening to her “self” and we’ve come around full circle…or cycle…almost full anyway! What’s the ending?

  5. Yowzer-owzer-yowzers… Why does it feel like the pressure is suddenly on? I’ve been tinkering at this (errr… procrastinating and hoping it would subconsciously write itself) for some hours now – and still haven’t got a line that will live up to all that has gone before! Mayhaps I’ll dream the line overnight.

  6. Sun! Yes. After all, Jas started out stretching in her cozy bed. Was traveling through the night sky with her celebratory friends part of the dream she’d had? Who knows – but this poem allows a young reader to interpret it according to his/her sensibilities. Lovely and just right, Buffy. :0) Looking forward to Kat’s magic next….

  7. Note to self — never sign up for one of the ending slots! Steering this poem to an end has been tricky, but luckily, as Renee pointed out, we’ve got some great minds set to the task, and we need to trust our readers to fill in some of the gaps. Great job!

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