Progressive Poem, 2023

Happy National Poetry Month! I’m on the road right now, traveling to the younger offspring’s house in Lincoln, Nebraska where we will celebrate Passover. (Passover is my favorite holiday–a time for families to gather and retell the story of moving from slavery to freedom, to celebrate the renewal of springtime, and to slurp matzoh ball soup!)

And speaking of celebrating spring time, I am once again participating in the kidlit progressive poem. Irene Latham began this tradition in 2012 and hosted our month-long collaboration through 2019, when Margaret Simon took over. (Early archives here; recent archives are tabs at the top of Margaret’s page.)

Mary Lee Hahn kicks us off this year, following these few rules:

  • Each poet-blogger adds a line, creating a poem for children
  • by copying the previous lines exactly as written (unless permission from the previous poet is obtained).
  • Commentary on the process is welcome but optional.

Mary Lee Hahn started the poem off at its end, and Heidi Mordhost continued Mary Lee’s moment. Tabatha Yeatts brought us back to the beginning, with a young person struggling through a challenge. What challenge is that? Is it my challenge to figure that out? Here are the lines to date: (and thanks to Tabatha who kindly shared her line early so I could write before beginning my own journey.)

Suddenly everything fell into place
like raindrops hitting soil and sinking in.

When morning first poked me, I’d wished it away

I love that image of morning poking. What would I do in response to that poke? Probably hide under a blanket! So I will linger in uncertainty and let the next writers define the actual challenge that our narrator faces. Here is the poem, with my line added.

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.

Rose Cappelli writes tomorrow’s line, which you’ll find at Imagine the Possibilities

Would you like to follow the poem as it hops and grows?

11 thoughts on “Progressive Poem, 2023

  1. There is so much to be misted and muddled by these days, for our young ones as well as ourselves. What steps will they take next? Thanks for a line that moves us, tentatively!

  2. Hoping that you are now having a loving time with your family, Buffy. Happy Passover. I, like that you’ve kept the uncertainty going and deepened the emotions with your “mind in the mist, muddled. . .”

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  3. Buffy, the alliteration you used suits the Progressive Poem providing more information on how the character feels. Perhaps, Rose will have a next step. Anticipation is high.

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  4. I am with Janice!! This makes me ponder what could be going on, what lies ahead. PS I hate it when I wake up in that state and being a morning person I am glad that is rare, but oh where it might lead our poem. Happy Passover to you and safe travels. I am going to savor mist muddled confused and make that mistmuddled a new word. Genius!!! Perhaps you have coined something here, Buffy.

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    1. Ha… that might have been why I signed up for April 4. Thanks again for organizing us, Margaret.

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