Columbine

Yesterday in class, one of my husband's high school students said she's always wondering what if it happens here, now.

Thank you to The Poetry Box for publishing this in 2018. 

Little Darlings -- Creative Essay by Deborah Lee

In my last creative writing class at Taborspace, we took inspiration from Nikki Giovanni's essay/prose poem "In Defense of Flowers." My warmest thanks to the big-hearted Deborah Lee for sharing her appreciation of little things.

In defense of stuffed animals, I say, bring 'em on! I have my famous cupboard of little guys, all smiling at me as I reach for a towel or washcloth. These little dolls and toys are so fun.

I love the little peepers, I call 'em, the live guys who fly around the suet block and the bird feeders: bushtits are the cutest birds I've ever come across, with their high-pitched peeps as they move about in their little flocks. My heart lifts to see them gather round our humble home.

Little children are fun too, to look at, at least – maybe not so fun to care for when they're having a tantrum, though. But at play, or even just riding in a Radio Flyer wagon pulled by a parent, their grinning faces and laughter make me smile.

I like little bananas, too. And tangerines. And little cookies, and mini cinnamon buns.

In defense of smaller portions, I am not one to go for gigantic portions, at home or in a restaurant. They are too overwhelming.

I like little flowers, too – carnations, aka pinks; and pansies, and forget-me-nots.

In defense of cups, I believe one should always use a demitasse when drinking espresso, with the little saucer included. Steve, my husband, goes for a mug of the stuff, because he always get a double. Well, that's just not very artistic, is it. We have three or four sets of demitasse cups and saucers – and I say, why not use these cute little darlings?

There's a saying, "It's the little things..." which means it's often the small aspects, the tiny ones, that should not be overlooked. 

If you peek closer, you'll see there's magic in there.

April 17, 2023

About the author:

Deborah Lee is a writer, baker, singer, and avid reader.

She works in a kitchen in a club downtown.

Smoke and Angels

We recently played with blackout poetry in my online class. Here's what I came up with:

Thanks to Linda Ann Fraser for the suggestion!

Mimics -- Poetry by Linda Ann Fraser

Here's a poem for Earth Day by a wonderful friend and student, Linda Ann Fraser.

Mimics

by Linda Ann Fraser

When you see the eagle fly

and wild cats stalk,

humankind seems out of

place and awkward. 

A centipede manages

all his legs with ease,

an iridescent hummingbird

hovers over a scarlet bloom.

Without fur or feathers

humans are dull and

very venerable to

weather and nature

not able to fly or

run very fast.

So they gather fallen

feathers from birds,

shells that wash a shore

and adorn themselves

with natures’ cast offs.

Humans invented the

wheel to move faster

and then they changed

the world, forgetting where

their first inspiration came from.

Forgetting that

birds need fresh clean air and forests.

Fish and sea life need unpolluted waters.

But still with all this inventing,

humans aren’t satisfied with

the simple life provided by nature. 

Soon there may not be a nature

for them to improve.

Then every living thing loses.

Linda Ann Fraser

1/12/2023

About the author: Linda Ann Fraser's interest in poetry and writing began as a senior high school student in Ellensburg, Washington. Early marriage and raising three girls took a toll on writing but creativity thrived as she sewed for her daughters. After the girls grew up, sewing merged into cloth art dolls and drawing. She thought the dolls needed stories, and she’s found that writing keeps her sane.

Gertrude and Gwendolyn

 

Thank you, Oregon Poetry Association! 

This was my first brush with the Golden Shovel, a poetic form created by Terrance Hayes, who used the words in Gwendolyn Brooks' poem "We Real Cool" to end each of his own lines.

To write my poem, I took these words from Gertrude Stein: 

A kind in glass and a cousin, a spectacle and nothing strange a single hurt color...

Everyone's Got Something to Say

To get in the mood for my Persona Poetry Workshop on April 8, here's my poem that won 1st place in the Oregon Poetry Association's Spring 2021 Members Only contest.

If you'd like to join the workshop, it's free! You can email me at ljdferguson(at)gmail(dot)com to register.

FREE Persona Poetry Workshop

In this encouraging class, we’ll look at a variety of persona poems (poems written from another person's point of view), then try writing our own.

Saturday, April 8, 2023 10:15 a.m. – 11:45 a.m. Taborspace, 5441 SE Belmont All experience levels are welcome. Led by award-winning writer Linda Ferguson, whose most recent collection, Not Me: Poems About Other Women, was published by Finishing Line Press in 2022. As a writing teacher, Linda has a passion for helping students find their voice and explore new territory in a supportive community.