Catherine Flynn had our challenge for August and invited us to focus on the power of naming. She asked us to write in any format, and “Look closely at the flowers, birds, trees, or other natural features in your neighborhood (or if you’re traveling, a new-to-you species) and write a poem about your chosen species.” Everyone else responded last week, but I was on the road a lot in July and failed to anticipate how much this would impact my time to write. Oops!
Even though I didn’t manage to post, I thought about Catherine’s prompt a lot. I was fascinated by the broad swathes of lichen in Canada and later in the month, on Martha’s Vineyard. When I left Maine for my last trip, there were new baby robins in the barn nest and the echinacea I’d grown from seeds from my father’s garden was just about to bloom. I loved seeing the crepe myrtle in Tennessee, and was enchanted by the antics of the baby house wrens on the porch at my in-law’s house there. So much to see! So many thoughts! So little writing! lol
Since I’ve been back, I’ve been trying to rev up my morning writing and commit to a morning walking habit. Sometimes those two interests feel mutually exclusive, time-wise, but It’s been lovely to rediscover how much walking and observing can spark writing ideas. Here’s a small poem that names some of what I’ve been seeing.
Along the Road
summer casts her last spell
verges splurge with purple aster
goldenrod blazes in the hay fields
and clover flaunts its jaunty tassels
A living bouquet
©Molly Hogan
If you’re interested in reading what the other Inklings wrote last week, click on the links!
Linda Mitchell
Margaret Simon
Heidi Mordhorst
MaryLee Hahn
Catherine Flynn
This week’s Poetry Friday is hosted by Tabatha Yeatts at her blog The Opposite of Indifference. Go take a look! You will always find something to inspire you there!
Nix the comfort zone 
Excellent word choices, Molly. Splurge, blaze and flaunt are such abundant, glorious images.
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Thanks, Kat. It’s been fun to wander each morning and play with words in my head 🙂
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This poem is so fun to read aloud! Like Kat said, excellent word choices, Molly!
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Thanks, Mary Lee! Morning walks have been a lovely inspiration.
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What mastery of assonance! Thank you for the beautiful image of summer winding down.
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Molly, wow, so much beauty in that bouquet. These /er/ sounds are delicious: “verges splurge with purple aster” And that blaze and the jaunty tassels. Such perfect word choice. Good luck with your walking and writing renewal.
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Thanks! I’m already planning how to keep walking once the school year begins. That’s always a bit tricky!
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I am such a fan of clover, love to see its jaunty tassels appearing in your poem! Your travels sound like food for the spirit, even if they didn’t give you much time to write.
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The clover has been so abundant here this year. Cow’s vetch is also in its glory, but somehow didn’t have quite the poetic ring I was looking for. lol
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I enjoyed hearing all that you noticed on your trip, too, Molly. My mother loved her crepe myrtle & I hadn’t thought of it for a long while. I love reading of ‘goldenrod blazing’, indeed a sign of the ‘last spell’.
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I was fascinated by the bark of the crepe myrtle tree. In my opinion, it outshone the lovely blossoms!
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Molly your words-‘walking and observing can spark writing ideas’ is so true. Your poem is testimony to this truism. Love the opening line of your poem -‘summer casts her last spell.’ It says so much about our seasonal experiences.
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There is a sort of witchery to the seasons, isn’t there?
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I love that summer is a witch casting a spell. I know her, I think.
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I’m sure you do!
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Lovely, Molly! The verges splurge… etc. Beautiful word painting. Thank you.
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Thanks, Karen. I thought about including a photo, but couldn’t really capture what I wanted. I’m glad my words painted a picture for you.
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Look what wonder a walk inspires! Love “verges splurge” and “living bouquet”! Maybe taking time off served its purpose 🙂
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Your choice of verbs pop! I love seeing your photos from your adventures. Sometimes we need to be present. There will be time for writing. I’ve had to greatly lower my expectations for writing this summer.
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I’m glad you’ve enjoyed the photos. I’m hoping some of them will serve as writing inspiration for me in the coming weeks.
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As others have noticed, the assonance in your word choice is delicious and makes your poem a feast for the ears. What a lovely time you had filling your bucket of ideas!
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Thanks, Rose! It has been lovely!
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Blazing beauty here, just like the goldenrod. ❤️
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Thanks! The goldenrod has really set the fields on fire this year!
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Well, this short poem is full of lovely, lovely sounds. What great word choices!
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Thanks so much! I really enjoy walking and playing with words 🙂 I’d forgotten how much!
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“A living bouquet” indeed!
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There’s so much blooming here this year. I wonder if it’s because we’ve had so much more rain than usual.
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A very evocative summer poem, Molly. Love it! There is indeed such value in naming.
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Thanks! My husband and I were just talking about which flower names we’ve known since we were young. It differed a lot for us. It was an interesting conversation and I felt so grateful for all those who taught me the names.
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What a fragrantly rich and textural bouquet you’ve created Molly! 💙 the
“verges splurge with purple aster’
and I can picture the
“clover flaunts its jaunty tassels”
Thanks!
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What a lovely small poem in full color! A find!
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