I’m late with my response to this month’s Inkling challenge, as it’s been a whirlwind of a month. I’ve spent a lot of the month getting ready for a gallery show of my photographs with some accompanying poetry. The opening was last night and I’m still aglow from the event and all the friends and family who turned up to support me!
A photo and poetry pairing from the show:
World Turtle
You rise from earth
and bear its weight
Seedlings sprout like antlers
Your eye holds a universe
©Molly Hogan
That being said, I have had almost no time to address Heidi’s playful Inkling challenge for the month. She asked us to: “Celebrate May by writing a poem that Maykes use of the verbs may, might, could, can, ought. “These verbs are all modal verbs, which means that they are generally used in combination with other verbs, and are used to change the verb’s meaning to something different from simple fact. Modals express possibility, ability, prediction, permission, and necessity.””
May and might are words that send me straight back to starlit nights and childhood wishes. Each time I read the list of modal verbs, I kept thinking “Star light, Star bright, I wish I may, I wish I might…” So this morning, I let that guide me.
Wishing on a Star
The deadline’s past–
time’s been in flight!
I’ve cast a line
but words won’t bite.
They keep on whisking
out of sight!
But sun’s a star
and rising bright…
I turn to it
and by its light
speak heartfelt plea
to end my plight:
I wish I may
I wish I might
have a poem
come into sight…
Then I sit down
and start to write.
©Molly Hogan
To see what the other Inklings did with this prompt, click on the links below:
Mary Lee @ A(nother) Year of Reading
Linda @A Word Edgewise
Margaret @Reflections on the Teche
Heidi @my juicy little universe
Catherine @ Reading to the Core
Poetry Friday is hosted by Rose Cappelli at her blog, Imagine the Possibilities. Be sure to stop by and see what other poetry is on offer!
I’m busy at the gallery today, so I will be delayed in making the rounds. I hope to get around to comment more tomorrow!
Nix the comfort zone 
Molly, this is P E R F E C T I O N !
I’m so glad that the show went well. I cannot WAIT to hear how the poetry was received with your photography. I’ll bet patrons loved it. I love your metaphor fishing for the words…they bit at just the right time. Well done!
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Thanks, Linda. The opening was a lot of fun and it’s been a rich and rewarding weekend.
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Your poems perfect, full of hope, and delight!!! Many Congratulations 🎊🎈🎉 on your art and poetry opening!!! It looks spectacular, how exciting, I hope this is the first of more to come, thanks for sharing all Molly!
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Thanks, Michelle. It was a lot of fun (and a lot of work!) and I’m very glad I said yes to the experience.
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Congratulations on the gallery event! And thank you for two lovely poems.
”by its light speak a heartfelt plea”- I love that line!
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There’s something about wishing on stars that transcends age for me.
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Congratulations, Molly! I love both of your poems. The photograph of the turtle is incredible and your poem fits so well. “Your eye holds a universe” – sigh!
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Thanks, Rose. I’m fascinated by the eyes of turtles, frogs and many other living things. Thanks for hosting today, as well. I’m so glad I slipped in late!
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Congratulations, Molly!! I love seeing the photo of YOU at your gallery opening. Your “World Turtle” is exquisite, and your starlight, starbright is clever and cute (and also where I started for my poem, too!).
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Thanks for the prompt, Heidi. I’m so glad I managed to cobble something together and participate!
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Congratulations, Molly, on your show! The World Turtle and his poem are perfection. Your sweet “wish I may, wish I might” poem gave me shivers! Wow! You just made that look so easy. (Or was it really a granted wish from the universe?)
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Thanks, Denise. Sometimes rhyming helps me get moving with a poem.
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What a beautiful reason to run late, and what a wonderful poem came of it! I wish I could see your show, Molly. *happy sigh of imagining*
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Thanks, Tabatha! I’m trying to figure out if there’s a way I can capture the show and share it. I’m not sure if I have the time or energy or the tech know-how…still pondering. It would have been delightful to host a Poetry Friday folk gathering there 🙂
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Big smiles about this gallery goodness for your Words+Images! Glad you shared the foto. Such a heart-grabbing World Turtle image & poem.
That biggest of our stars charmed the bright light wishing words out of you with a perfect gift to us & Inklins.
BRAVA!
p.s. hoping a chapbook for these images+words, is down the poetry path…..
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Thanks, Jan! It’s been a busy few weeks, but oh so rewarding.
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Time certainly has been in flight. I love your poem answer to the prompt and how you trusted your voice that kept star light, star bright in your head on repeat.
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Isn’t it funny how leaning into a thought or moment or feeling that lingers can lead you to a poem?
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Congratulations. Satisfying moments.
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Thanks, Lakshmi!
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Perfect!
Wish I could have been there for your show!
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I wish you could have been there, too! Wouldn’t that have been fun!?
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Congrats on your photo/poem showing, Molly! So exciting!
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Thanks so much! It’s been a lot of fun1
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You may have, might have … no, you definitely did! You rose to the challenge at the last minute and you had that amazing gallery show? Congratulations!!
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Thanks, Karen! I was happy I eked out the poem 🙂
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