Friday, March 13, 2015

forward...arCH!

http://clicksandtrips.com/2013/10/14/ingalls-pass-and-yellow-larches/
Happy Poetry Friday to all, and thanks for meeting me under the arCHes!  If you have not been following my Forward...MarCH CHallenge, you can read about it here, and you are in for suCH a treat.  The participating poets (and that could include YOU) have labored in the trenCHes, stretCHed themselves day after day, reaCHed for new heights, and will bewitCH you with their riCH offerings.  Just scroll down to see the week's posts, featuring the words preaCH, sketCH, smooCH and pitCH.

Today's word is "arCH".  I learned all kinds of things I wasn't planning to this morning, but then we're all about researCH in kindergarten right now!




Larix laricina

Behold the golden larches.
Unlike the yellow beeches
that bend their leafen branches
the larches do not arch
but stand in straightened marches
rich with needled thatches
and bear their spiral cones.

HM 2015
all rights reserved



What's arching towards you this morning?  Leave your poems in the comments or send me an email!

*************************************

Diane brings us what she refers to as "poehistry. Readers will need a little background:  when WW I ended, the French held a celebration in Paris.  The men who flew planes, were made to march with common foot soldiers.  They felt slighted and took their revenge having a pilot fly through the Arc de Triomphe.  It was a well-planned stunt, and the perps made sure there was someone on hand to film it.  Here's a link to the video of the feat: https://youtu.be/HIZzkq5Y8q0/.  The man who flew the small plane (known as the bebe) was Charles Godefroy."  ALERT: unapproved words in this post--but in French.  : )


Arch of Triumph of the Star
(You Up for It, Mr. Godefroy?) 

Merde!
They make us march
with foot soldiers--
those who have no
connection to stars!
Imbéciles!
They make light of us!
We are the future.
We've conquered the enemy.
We've conquered the skies!
Il faut!
They underestimate us.
We will plan carefully.
Study the arch, the air,
le bébé Nieuport.
L’appel du vide!
We will do it—fly through
l'Arc de Triomphe de l'Étoile.
We will touch the heavens.
We will honor this land.
Ça te dit?
14 Juillet, 1919


Donna's back with another shaped poem, and I see we both had trees on the mind:

Arch Overhead

Fingers of trees
gloved in snow
Arch overhead
wherever I go;
Some clasped in prayer,
Some reaching strong,
Loving hands twining,
Sighing for long
Winter to end
and spring to arrive,
when white gloves toss
dust flakes aside,
and tender buds prosper
as branches upraise
their green fingered hands
softly swaying sweet praise

©Donna JT Smith, 2015

        
I'm sorry that the beautiful arch of her poem is not preserved in the formatting--I tried it two ways an couldn't get it to work.  You can see it the right way at Mainely Write.  Wow.  Also check out Donna's winning round in the March Madness Poetry Tournament this week!


Mary Lee's poem is in conversation with her plan for a National Poetry Month Project, described here:

SKEPTIC

Head tilted,
one eyebrow arched,
lips pinched:

Are you sure?
Seven days a week?
Really?


©Mary Lee Hahn, 2015

Kate brings us the arches of Utah:

Arches

Red rock arches, making
a cathedral in the still
desert light of morning.
Sacred shadows sing.

—Kate Coombs

 I bet Diane will like this illustrated one  from Jone, about a different kind of battle!


From Carol we have a Slice of Life rumination on the Grand Army Plaza in Brooklyn, NY:

Oh, impressive arch,
you stand regally as a connector.
Your massive structure
with old world feel, greets each day,
not as a landing platform for pigeons 
but as a gateway to possibilities.
As a separator from a noisy city,
your arched style graces Park Slope.
Visitors stand in awe of your grandeur-
stories told of your life as a Beaux-arts monument,
Brooklyn's own version of the Arc de Triomphe.
Regally and royally, you
recall a bygone time and herald in
the revival of old world Brooklyn.

Oh, historic monument how impressive
you remain as a landmark point of interest
to travelers, tourists, and New York City residents.
As a backdrop for weddings and market vendors
you represent what used to be and
what is to coming back to a borough of old world charm.

Joy has another acrostic that manages to be both dynamic and restful:

Arches
Rest in
Curved open
Humps

Charles closes us out today with a yoga poem--a first at my juicy little universe!

PRETZEL LOGIC
Arching like an upright horseshoe,
I contort my frame as each piece
Of sinew screams in anger; I hope
This human bridge I've created
Doesn't have a faulty structure
So my yoga teacher could one day
 Be my beloved. 

(c) Charles Waters 2015 all rights reserved.
Laura Shovan has the round-up today and shares details of a really thrilling Poetry Month Project.  See you at Author Amok!

16 comments:

  1. Here's my arch for today:

    SKEPTIC

    Head tilted,
    one eyebrow arched,
    lips pinched:

    Are you sure?
    Seven days a week?
    Really?


    ©Mary Lee Hahn, 2015

    That's my inner voice not being so sure about our Poetry Month project for 2015. Details here:

    http://www.maryleehahn.com/2015/03/poetry-month-2015.html

    ReplyDelete
  2. A little background on my poem: when WW I ended, the French held a celebration in Paris. The men who flew planes, were made to march with common foot soldiers. They felt slighted and took their revenge having a pilot fly through the Arc de Triomphe. It was a well-planned stunt, and the perps made sure there was someone on hand to film it. Here's a link to the video of the feat: https://youtu.be/HIZzkq5Y8q0/. The man who flew the small plane (known as the bebe) was Charles Godefroy.

    Arch of Triumph of the Star
    (You Up for It, Mr. Godefroy?)

    Merde!
    They make us march
    with foot soldiers--
    those who have no
    connection to stars!

    Imbéciles!
    They make light of us!
    We are the future.
    We've conquered the enemy.
    We've conquered the skies!

    Il faut!
    They underestimate us.
    We will plan carefully.
    Study the arch, the air,
    le bébé Nieuport.

    L’appel du vide!
    We will do it—fly through
    l'Arc de Triomphe de l'Étoile.
    We will touch the heavens.
    We will honor this land.

    Ça te dit?

    14 Juillet, 1919

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That was awesome! Loved this...loved your opener...not taught in my French class...

      Delete
  3. Love your poem, Heidi! Great internal rhyme.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I live in Utah, so…

    Arches

    Red rock arches, making
    a cathedral in the still
    desert light of morning.
    Sacred shadows sing.

    —Kate Coombs

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. So often we hear light singing--it's nice to hear the shadows for a change.

      Delete
  5. Ha! I just decided to take a picture of it. But you can use the one with no formatting as an arch for purposes here. Can't read the arch format anyway!
    Arch Overhead

    Fingers of trees
    gloved in snow
    Arch overhead
    wherever I go;
    Some clasped in prayer,
    Some reaching strong,
    Loving hands twining,
    Sighing for long
    Winter to end
    and spring to arrive,
    when white gloves toss
    dust flakes aside,
    and tender buds prosper
    as branches upraise
    their green fingered hands
    softly swaying sweet praise

    ©Donna JT Smith, 2015

    ReplyDelete
  6. Such great images. I love the spiral cones. I wrote about my blackberry arches:https://deowriter.wordpress.com/2015/03/13/solsc15-day-13-forward-march-challenge/

    ReplyDelete
  7. These are awesome, everyone. Heidi -- I think your golden larches take the arch back from the infamous golden arches.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That was totally the idea, Laura, so I'm glad it was successful!

      Delete
  8. Heidi, I am late to the party due to a medical emergency for my son that thankfully did not turn into a hospital visit. My offering is part of my Poetry Friday, #SOL15, blog and your Ch challenge at and=>http://beyondliteracylink.blogspot.com/2015/03/digital-learning-day-2015.htm. l It is dedicated to

    ReplyDelete
  9. Can't believe you were worried about being late, Carol--glad your son is all right. I also can't believe how much you're writing these last two weeks! It's neat how your piece meets up with Diane's!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Lovely larches and Poehistory! Again a wealth of ideas, creativity, and words arching in my mind.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Another acrostic

    Arches
    Rest in
    Curved open
    Humps

    ReplyDelete
  12. What wonderful ARCH poems! And oh my, but I LOVE the rhythm, the MUSIC of your larches poem, Heidi. I still hope to join in at least once this month – March Madness has been doing a number on my schedule, but I'm still hoping....

    ReplyDelete
  13. hese are great ARCH poems. I really like the Arc de Triomphe one. That's a bit of history I hadn't heard about.

    ReplyDelete

Thanks for joining in the wild rumpus!