Happy National Poetry Month! Spring is beginning to blossom, and I'm looking forward to a month celebrating the works of poets and writing a poem a day. I’ll be following the prompts at https://www.napowrimo.net/ where there are already early bird prompts.
Today, I'm also celebrating the publication of a poem in The Bluebird Word, a literary journal. Check out the poem & journal here: https://thebluebirdword.com/i-am-learning-to-be-still-by-stacie-eirich/
I'm happy to share a poem-a-day aloud in short videos posted to my YouTube channel this month. I'll be choosing a wide range of poems and poets to share, as well as a few verses of my own. You can follow my daily read-aloud playlist here: National Poetry Month, April 2022
You can find many poetry resources for home and in the classroom at https://poets.org/national-poetry-month including a sign up for a Poem-a-Day in your inbox.
Here's a previously unpublished poem that I wrote during National Poetry Month 2021:
What season hath joys so wondrous as this?
What season hath joys so wondrous as this?
Spring alone holds such bountiful beauties.
Cool breezes temper the evenings of April,
And brightly she shines with blossoms of lovers.
Oft' the warmth of May presses in too quickly,
Summer's child basking in the glow, unhurried.
Against the slow, sumptuous serenade of Spring,
That lingers in the ever-changing, delighted air,
And sings with magnificent shades,
Of lovely notes sprung from heavens' garden,
Of blissful phrases writ from sweet afternoons,
Whence we shared a kiss 'neath the cherry tree,
In praise of Spring's pleasures bestowed upon us,
In ecstasy of her gifts, given freely to our besotted hearts.
Copyright @ Stacie Eirich April 1, 2022
*Note* This poem took inspiration from Shakespeare's Sonnet #18.
In the spring of 2021, the Forget-Me-Not Chorus, a chorus founded in Wales for people living with dementia, celebrated their 10th anniversary by rehearsing and recording 'With Joy My Soul Sings.' with singers around the world.
A year later, I'm still loving the generous and joyful hearts of the Forget-Me-Not singers, family members and caregivers in this choir. Connecting through music is a healing, restorative process that reaches our souls, no matter the challenges we face. The Forget-Me-Nots are true testament to this!
What are you reading this spring? I'm savoring poetry collections, including Barbara Kingsolver's How to Fly (in Ten Thousand Easy Lessons), and Joy Harjo's American Sunrise. I'm also in the middle of reading the next novel for the book club I lead at my local library.
📕Better late than never! Here's my book club review for our April pick: When the Apricots Bloom by Gina Wilkinson.
Thank you for visiting my blog & supporting my creative endeavors. May your spring be bountiful, and your days alive with art, music & connection. Be well. -Stacie