poetry friday round-up: open house

Yes, indeed, friends--my house is open!  Today at 1:30 pm children and their families will surge in around the lists posted in the foyer of the school to see who has which teacher, and then the new 2nd graders will surge up the stairs to the 2nd floor for the first time to find their new classrooms, and then 16 of them will surge through my door looking for a new home away from home.  I hope they find it, and I hope you will also find a home away from home here today in this community, in a poem someone has posted.  I almost always find something just right!

Three Little Birds
(a mindful breathing practice)

Criss cross. Sit straight.
Hands out. Reach and gather.
Gently scoop it to your belly.
Hold it there for 1, 2, 3
feathered seconds.
Its bones are hollow,
its eyes are bright.

Now lift. Lift it up
with gentle hands
and let it fly lightly away
taking your breath
along with it.

Reach again and scoop
a second one.  Don't worry
about a thing.
Hold it, counting 1, 2, 3,
and then let it fly.

Once more, a third little bird,
reach and gather, hold it
to your belly.
Hear a melody pure and true,
and let this one fly too.

draft (c) HM 2016
with thanks to Bob Marley

**************************
I won't be available to do any rounding-up until much later today, but the link-up will automate us and I look forward to reading your posts as I get a chance over the weekend!

An InLinkz Link-up

miracles

kudzu canyon www.ncsu.edu

 that which causes wonder and astonishment, 
being an extraordinary effect or event in the physical world 
that surpasses all known human or natural powers 

¡mira!
clay shaped and baked into flowerpots
flavors of basil, mint, oregano

symmetry of the cat's markings
silent din of dawn
but also
engineering of a glossy magazine
interlock of Lego bricks

and look--¡mira!
closure technologies: button, zipper, snap
scrubbable, self-healing, waterproof skin

kudzu canyons stretching for miles
traffic flowing easily, ever
and what about
babies, born to laugh
ready shower of hot water

¡mira!
clean sweetness of Cheerios, blueberries, milk
daily delivery of mail

"all known human and natural powers,"
every one, and
every one a miracle


draft (c) Heidi Mordhorst 2016

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

Today's Poetry Friday roundup is hosted by Dori at Dori Reads.  Go catch some breathy bubbles of poetry!

late summer leaving

There's a gentle battle going on at our house...

I Defend a Habitually Rash Action to My Teenager

Yes, daughter, I let the cat out again.

      It’s late summer and the world is

      steaming with sunshine,

      streaming with cloud and blossom

      and voluptuous voles.

He is not wise but filled with the beastly miracle of himself,

filled with the urge to be out,

to make his foolish way.

(You know how he comes back after

two minutes or two days, stands at the threshold,

leans in, steps back, leans in,

then turns and bolts away?)

Yes, daughter, I know there are dangers

out there—sly foxes, cars that run so

      silently we don’t hear them coming,

      other cats who are not kind.

But I have no right to keep him in, happy

as he is in his carpeted climber, curled

in any of his many cozy corners, thrilled

as he is by his kibble.

He knows his instincts.

Disaster may await.  Yes, daughter,

there might be sadness.

I slide the door open, and trust.

 

©Heidi Mordhorst 2016

I can only imagine what it will be like next year, when daughter is 18...

Our Poetry Friday round-up is with Julieann at To Read To Write To Be, where her small commitment to GO AHEAD with poetry in the first days of school has inspired me!