I’m participating in the summer poetry swap again this year, organized by Tabatha Yeatts. Most of my mail is of the junk variety, so it’s a treat to open an envelope and find poetry! My first swapper was Diane Mayr, whose random noodling is a poetry delight. Diane took her inspiration from the dragonfly on my blog.
One of the things I enjoy about the swap is seeing the different approaches that poets take–I love that Diane’s poem combines science and art, and goes from historic to realistic to fantastic. Imagining a dragonfly making off with the occasional small child definitely appeals to my strange sense of humor!
When I received Diane’s poem I realized that I had better get moving on my first swap poem, which was meant to go to Diane. I thought I might write a dragonfly poem in return. But then I remembered that I had recently photographed a newly-emerged damselfly, complete with the damsel’s nymphal skin. And since Diane wrote about damsels and nymphs, I was set. Here’s the mask poem I wrote to go with the photo:
For the second swap, Tabatha gave an optional prompt of writing a small sonnet. According to Tabatha, a small sonnet has seven couplets, with an AB or BA rhyme scheme. Each line is 5 syllables, with the first line rhyming with the title. PLUS at least one line has 5 monosyllabic words, and at least one line is one 5 syllable word. Talk about a challenge! The poem I sent to Carol Varsalona did not have a 5 syllable word, but I think I managed to follow the rest of the form’s rules. And I got to include a dragonfly! The photo that inspired the poem was taken with my left hand because my right hand was otherwise occupied:
The poem that Keri Collins Lewis sent me for the second swap made me blush–it was about me! I’m pretty sure no one has ever written a poem with moi as the subject before, and it is unlikely to happen again, so I will treasure this one.
I’ve got more poetry swap treasures to share, but I’ll save them for another week. Tabatha has all this week’s poetry friday offerings at The Opposite of Indifference.
Buffy, your poems and photos are such amazing pieces that reflect the beauty of nature. I love your attention to detail. Thanks for contributing to Summer Splashings.
A fun set of poems — I’m honored to be in such talented company. Your sonnet rocks!! How you could stay so still & be the lunch counter I have no idea! Superb, as usual!
Thanks to you, Keri–I really was honored by your poem.
Love the last two lines of your damselfly poem, Buffy. It’s so cool to read these poems and the ways that they enter into a dialogue with each other. I’m a bug lover too and summer is full of these wonderful creatures.
Those are my favorite lines in that one too, Laura. Bugs do make the summer more fun (except for the mosquitoes that were biting me tonight…)
I second Keri’s poem about you — she’s captured your poetic essence!
Thanks, Mary Lee–it’s certainly what I strive for.
I loved reading all of these, Buffy– thank you for sharing them. I almost emailed you to “borrow” that left-handed dragonfly photo for my Two Line Tuesday quote earlier this week! And in your other poem, I was especially struck by the lines, “I stretch my body,/a darning needle/that stitches future/from the past.” Oh, and I’m glad Keri wrote a poem about you… she’s right, of course.
Thanks, Michelle–and I’m glad to loan a dragonfly whenever you’ve got the need.
Good for you for writing a sonnet. I’m so afraid of rhyme and I admire anyone who seems to write it so effortlessly as you do! Also, thanks for sharing my poem! I enjoyed finding and combining all the images.
Thank you again, Diane, for the anisoptera gift and for letting me share it here!
What a lovely project for summer. I am really enjoying all these poems. The images are so beautiful, and poems fit perfectly. Yours is especially delightful. It’s true!
Thanks, Andromeda–the summer poetry swap is great fun and having some deadlines in the summer is good for the writing muscles!
Love all of these – fun imagery & wordplay!
Thank you, Matt–they were a treat to receive (and write!)
These are all so lovely with and without the accompanying images. What a perfect poem about you!
Thanks, Liz. I really was touched by Keri’s poem.
Your sonnet reminds me of my childhood days of coaxing butterflies to land on my fingers! I loved looking at them up close as they used their long proboscis to sample my skin. Or having grasshoppers and caterpillars as pets to study their clingy feet and watch them eat.
I adore ALL these poems!
Thank you, Donna. I’m guessing you and I had similar childhood interests! My mother kept waiting for me to “outgrow” mine….
Lovely – all of them! I especially love the small sonnet – and am inspired to want to try one myself.
Thank you, Sally–that small sonnet form is a challenge, but an enjoyable one.
These are all quite beautiful, would go very well at a new exhibit at our Museum of Nature and Science, Buffy, “Mythological Creatures”. I’ve taken my granddaughters, examined quite a few of those ‘dragons’ our humans have ‘discovered’ through our history. The poem by Keri is how I think of you, too. What a lovely gift!
Sounds like a terrific exhibit, Linda. And thanks for dropping by my poetry exhibit!
Love your exquisite photos and right on poems. You inspire me to look closely and take time to ponder. thanks!
Thank you, Kate, for coming to visit my blog (not as grand as your visiting Michigan, but I’ll take it for now!)