Greetings and welcome, one and all, to this week's Poetry Friday celebration of whatever we darn well feel like! (Poetrywise, that is.)
First, a PSA, not that I think YOU, dear readers, need it, but to remind you of the phenomenon of social contagion. When you vote, tell everybody you did, loudly, in person and digitally, make a fuss! It encourages others to do the same, especially if they were wobbling on the fence about whether to bother. As the logo suggests, this is a life-and-death kind of election year.
I'm delighted to be hosting this week even though it's probably my busiest week since the start of my "rewirement." (For those following along, I now have SEVEN minijobs. Right here is a reminder that if you know college applicants who might want coaching on their essays, I'm available on Zoom! https://www.whispershoutwritingworkshop.net/coaching/college-essay-coaching)
I'm also excited that, since it's already the 1st Friday of November, the Inklings critique group is at another challenge, this one a crossover from the illustrators' Inktober idea, provided by Linda Mitchell (as is the adorable PF star above).
Folktale Week doesn't start until next week, but here we are with 7 front-loaded one-word prompts which sent us off to "search for your favorite folktales, discover new ones, work on your own amazing art, or even write your own tales" or, of course, poems!
I seriously considered POTION (of course; who doesn't love the whole idea of potions?) and FOOL (of course; what an intriguing role the fool often plays in our folktales, which are specifically composed to teach us wisdom), but in the end I must go with TREE. (Why? As a hint, I have finally begun putting together a full manuscript of adult poems, 70 of them, and about 20 of them are about a tree in one way or another.)
For me the idea of Trees as Beings of their own--not people enchanted into them against their will, straining to get out--has always been a natural understanding (which, as more and more science is helping us to understand, is truer than the modern Industrial Era would prefer us to believe). So I offer you this brief rework of another poem:
. . .
Ahem. I WAS going to offer you a brief rework of another poem, but again, it's been a busy week, and no one does a better job of reminding us of the importance of trees in folktales than Stephen Sondheim. I just cannot improve upon the following--and anyway Linda said we could "Find or write a poem in any form of any length" --so here's a video of the Prologue to INTO THE WOODS. Please take 15 minutes to be deeply entertained, and follow along with the lyrics here.
Oh, Heidi! I am excited to see all of the cool things you will be up to. You are so inspiring, and following your "CHANGE" images on Instagram has been an absolute pleasure. I early voted today...and INTO THE WOODS has been popping up in my Spotify feed lately, so I now just wish we could go to tea and make it 3 things in common for the week. Thank you for hosting today...making 8 minijobs! (Those lucky college students!) xo, a.
ReplyDelete<3
DeleteWow, you are a mini-job queen! I feel the same as you re. trees -- definitely beings all their own. Have fun with the folktale week challenge and thanks for the "Into the Woods" video. I voted early :). Oh, and thanks for hosting this week!! ~ Jama
ReplyDeleteSeven minijobs - good grief, it's a good thing you retired, or else you'd be REALLY busy. :D
ReplyDeleteThanks for hosting, and for sharing the fun of "Into the Woods!"
Thanks for hosting, Heidi, especially with your BUSY schedule! I shared my link though it won't go live for a few hours yet because I won't be around much tomorrow. I look forward to checking all the links over the weekend.
ReplyDeleteI had a feeling you and I would be playing in the trees together! I love that you shared this scene from Into the Woods. Your lead in to the clip is exactly what was going through my head as I wrote my poem. If we repeat it often enough maybe "children will listen."
ReplyDeleteWell, nothing like some Sondheim when you don't have time for the original plan! :D SEVEN mini-jobs? Love the word "rewirement," Heidi!
ReplyDeleteI'm having issues with posting my link, but here it is: https://thereisnosuchthingasagodforsakentown.blogspot.com/2022/11/poetry-friday-birdtober-is-over.html. Thanks for hosting, Heidi! I'll be back to read your post when I get done teaching!
ReplyDeleteA busy time, a busy week and a rather eclectic post, Heidi. We are very much aligned with trees and I am so pleased to hear that many of my American friends and colleagues are getting out to vote at this critical juncture in your nation's history.
ReplyDeleteI voted last week, and yes, it's a must to tell everyone, to help get voters there if needed! Thanks for the musical inspiration, Heidi. I love reading about all the things you are doing, busy with the after-retirement! Thanks for hosting!
ReplyDeleteSo, can I come crash that tea party Amy proposed? Haven’t seen either of you in far too long. Thank you for hosting and for taking us into the woods & for doing your part for democracy! xo Robyn
ReplyDeleteI was tree gazing today on my walk, focusing on the treetops and their lovely colors! You do sound a bit busy… I like your "rewirement" not sure if I'll ever get there… I voted over the weekend and continue to send out a blue wave call for votes. Thanks for hosting!
ReplyDeleteThanks for hosting, Heidi, and also for the musical start to my day. I'll be paying extra attention to trees today.
ReplyDeleteI picked up Elena at school and we went to vote last weekend. More people were there than I expected. (Elena was in "Into the Woods" a while back and now sometimes when I think "I wish," that song goes through my head.) Like everyone else, I am impressed by your poetic embrace of change and re-form (re-solve?). I just started being able to identify trees this fall. Something clicked between me and them. Would be nice to go for a walk with you sometime. Thanks for hosting!
ReplyDeleteThanks for hosting us in the midst of your SEVEN (Seven???Really???Hooray???) minijobs. Thanks also for the peek Into The Woods. What fun!
ReplyDelete7 mini jobs! Rewirement, indeed! Thank you for your presence in our community...and for hosting Roundup! xo
ReplyDeleteHeidi, Wow! You sound so busy! That is great! I love how honest you were about your time commitments, Heidi. The Sondheim attachment is perfect. And, TREE - what a perfect word for Folklore! I loved doing a Lore and Legends unit with my past students in garden club! So much out there to inspire! Thanks for hosting! ~ Carol from The Apples in My Orchard ~
ReplyDeleteRewirement! It sounds like what my Mom did instead of retiring. You go, second-cousin! And I adore Into the Woods, what a lovely way to kick off the weekend...
ReplyDeleteHeidi, this post made my day. Thank you! I voted using my ballot dropoff box... the questions on the ballot this year are so, so important in my state. Vote vote vote! Also... I completely agree with you that trees have their own sentience. I hope to, one day, enjoy that manuscript you're working on in print form!
ReplyDeleteHeidi, somehow I'd missed your term "rewirement". What a gem! I also am delighted that you shared an Into the Woods link. What a treat! Finally, I can't wait to get a bit more detail about these seven mini-jobs. Wow! Finally, thanks for hosting!
ReplyDeleteHeidi, I call what you are doing with your 7 mini-jobs - unretirement. I really have enjoyed my unretirement work with teachers. Congratulations. Your vote graphic is great! I showed it to my son who also thought it was a clever way to bring in the vote. Thanks for the video and sharing Linda's folkweek art.
ReplyDeleteSo glad you are finding news ways in rewirement (I love that term). And those words for Fold Tales week, I am writing them down for prompts. Thanks for hosting today,
ReplyDeleteHeidi, you have SO much going on! My daughter Annabelle just mentioned Into the Woods yesterday to me, as she just rewatched. I'm going to have to watch this (though I'm not a musicals person, generally...). Thanks for all you do to continue to educate and inspire everyone, even though you're "retired."
ReplyDelete