I caught part of Krista Tippett’s “On Being” interview with Marilyn Nelson last weekend. In the portion I heard, Marilyn Nelson shared part of her poem “Farm Garden,” inspired by the life of Venture Smith. I grabbed a strike line to write this golden shovel poem.
Gratitude
a golden shovel after Marilyn Nelson’s “Farm Garden”
These days gratitude
soothes my parched throat. It is
a balm in fevered days, a
source of comfort, never-emptying,
ever-present in life’s cup.
©Molly Hogan
Recently, I’ve been actively working to foster a sense of gratitude. I’ve been focusing on positive moments throughout the day, then writing small poems and sharing them with the hashtag #poeticdiversion. (Please join in on Twitter if you’d like to do so.) Already, I can attest to the value of searching for and focusing on positive moments and gratitude every day!
Here are five small poems from this week:
8/3/20
wayward blossom
some call it “weed”
I prefer “volunteer”
©Molly Hogan
8/4/20
How is it
that watching
the sun rise
can so profoundly alter
the dawn of a day?
©Molly Hogan
8/5/20
“Look at all the dragonflies!”
“Oh!”
“Oooooohhhhhh….”
Awkward…
Feeling like a voyeur,
I took photos
and laughed.
©Molly Hogan, 2020
8/6/20
Back Meadow in August
criss-crossing desiccated stalks
splashes of sun-seared blossoms
the shadow of a passing bee
faded patchwork quilt
©Molly Hogan
8/7/20
Look closely!
Within a zinnia’s tender petals
a secret garden thrives
©Molly Hogan
Laura Purdie Salas is hosting this week’s Poetry Friday Roundup at her blog . She’s sharing a delightful poem about a pufferfish (Be sure to take time to read this one aloud!) and encouragement for dealing with poetry writing anxiety. Thanks, Laura!
Nix the comfort zone 
Wow! There are several posts on gratitude/thanks this week. I love a spontaneous theme. I haven’t tuned in to ‘On Being’ in a while. This makes me want to. Thank you, friend. Beautiful words and images in this post. Marilyn Nelson is a wonderful source of striking lines.
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I’ve not been listening to the radio (my main news source) much at all lately, so this was the first ‘On Being’ I’d heard in a long time. I was immediately drawn into it and inspired. I’m definitely going to go back and listen to the whole thing.
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I’ve seen some, but not all of these. Finding the small things in gratitude makes our lives very rich, and while I am a noticer, I think I’ve done more these months. I love each one, but that zinnia “garden” is terrific, Molly!
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I was so excited when I noticed that mini zinnia garden! I’m glad you like it, too. Here’s to noticing!
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Molly, these are fabulous! I’ve been so overwhelmed with a book launch blog tour that I haven’t been on Twitter much. Your dragonflies made me laugh, as did the “volunteer.” Beautiful observation and wonder in the others. I write my little gratitude list every night–it helps, right!
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Thanks, Laura. I seldom use Twitter at all, but it’s perfect for small daily poems. Good luck with your book launch blog tour–I imagine there are all sorts of new waters to navigate with that!
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Thanks for reminding me over and over to just be grateful. It is a balm I need daily. Your images and poems help. I especially love the garden in the zinnia.
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I need the reminder as well, Margaret. Daily poems are just like a gratitude practice for me.
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How lovely to pop into your blog and be delighted – again! I do so love your way of looking at things. Volunteer. Unexpected! And that is your marsh at summer’s dawn? (That is such a restful pic/poem/Q.) Wow – so many busy dragonflies in one pic!🤭 Many years ago my young son wrote a haiku for an almost-identical zinnia pic; flowers / inside / another flower. 🌺 I loved his – and yours too.
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I’m so delighted to “see” you here, Kat! I’ve missed you 🙂 I hope all is well for you and your loved ones. These are crazy times, indeed! The dawn photo is from the marsh–though it’s an older one. I haven’t been there much this summer but hope to go within the next few days. I still wish we could have wandered in Maine together!
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Molly, your focus on gratitude provides solace for you and your readers alike. You are turning towards the light- a most important action in a trying and difficult time. Thank you for efforts via these poetic pieces. You continue to be a worthy exhibitor of the Golden Shovel.
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Thanks, Alan! Sometimes my efforts at turning toward the light turn dark–but I’m keeping those in my notebook for now!
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I’m smiling about the dragonflies — the poem captures your surprise. And what a great observation about zinnias! I will always see that inner garden now.
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Those dragonflies were crazy! lol I’m especially fond of that zinnia because it was a “from seed success story”–I tend to have epic failures when starting from seed.
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Thank you for #poeticdiversion s and for this new way to look at zinnias!!
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Thank you for the inspiration and reminder to take joy in fleeting moments as they arise.
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Molly, thank you for a wonderful post! I was struck by your “Gratitude” and have spent some time copying it into my notebook this morning. Gratitude is indeed a balm, though one I don’t reach for often enough.
I also really like the small poems. I’ve seen a few on Twitter, and will have to see what I can do to contribute. My favorite is about the zinnia, as I’ve spent a lot of time over the past few weeks marveling at them in my own front garden. Beautiful!
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Thanks, Tim! I hope you do participate with #poeticdiversion. I’ll keep an eye out on Twitter.
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Powerful golden shovel poem Molly– and that talk with Marilyn Nelson sounds like one to listen too, she’s a favorite of mine. I especially like your last zinnia haiku with the secret garden–I’ll be looking for mine, my zinnias are just starting to form buds, I always plant them from seeds. Thanks!
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Michelle, I planted my zinnias from seed as well. I learned this year that getting plants from seeds to plants is not as simple as it seems! A few zinnias survived though and this is one of them. I’m quite fond of it 🙂 Here’s to blooming flowers in your future!
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[…] her writing this past Friday, Molly Hogan of Nix the comfort zone published a blog post (Gratitude and #poeticdiversion) in which she presented some poems she’d posted to Twitter with the hashtag #poeticdiversion. […]
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Attitude is everything. There is beauty all around us, however cliche that sounds. Love that you have introduced me to seeing volunteers all around me. “wayward blossom
some call it “weed”
I prefer “volunteer”
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It’s all a matter of perspective, isn’t it!?
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It is. No matter the times, there is always something to be grateful for. A Brewer principal mentioned that we need to be concerned with more than our students physical health. Their social and emotional health are very important. I can see why schools are reopening. Is yours?
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We are reopening with a delayed beginning student first day and in a hybrid model. Fingers crossed.
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Up and down Chases Pond Road we are cheering for you!
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