The miles unroll from Maine to Ohio.
We pass budding trees, dilapidated barns
flocks of migrating birds.
All of us en route,
traveling to some
final resting place.
©Molly Hogan
NPM: Cherita
Tag Archives: cherita
NPM Day 4ish: cherita
In case you’re looking, Day 3 of my NPM (National Poetry Month) “project” didn’t happen. Hence Day 4ish. Of course, now I’m not sure how to move forward. Will tomorrow be 5ish? Am I numbering my actual posts this month or the day of the month? My head’s spinning, but I’m sure I’ll figure something out. Maybe tomorrow. If I post. We’ll just have to see how it all unfolds. (If you’re wondering what my project is, you can check out this post. If this all feels a bit unstructured, well…that’s kind of my NPM vibe.)
On a bright note, this morning a lovely little moment called out for recognition. So on the way to work, I dictated a cherita. A cherita is a title-less poem that tells a story in linked 1-line, 2-line and 3-line stanzas. Once I got home, I pulled up my dictated notes, polished them up a tad, and here’s what I had:
Running late, I step outside
a repeating call
stops me in my tracks
High upon our rooftop
sweet phoebe perches
welcoming spring with her tell-tale song
©Molly Hogan
If you find that you enjoy this poetry form, be sure to check out this site where,Mary Lee Hahn is sharing her National Poetry Month project: 30 days of cheritas!
Inspired by Poetry Friday
I’ve been dabbling in this and that this month, but mostly I’ve found a lot of inspiration in the recent posts of different Poetry Friday participants. I can’t say how thankful I am for this community. It enriches my life in so many ways!
First, I was inspired to respond to the Poetry Princess invitation to write an etheree. An etheree is a 10 line poem, beginning with a one syllable line and working its way up to 10 syllables in the tenth line.
Summer Passes
June
unrolls
a carpet
of fragrant blooms
to welcome July,
who unleashes her heat
and temper in thundrous bursts.
She cedes lush gardens to August
who blankets them in humidity
and the faintest whiff of autumnal spice.
©Molly Hogan, 2020
Matt Esenwine’s post last week reminded me of the power of a cherita. Cheritas tell a story in 6 lines, separated into one, two and three lines. Better yet, they don’t typically have titles and wow, do I struggle with titles!
At the shore
the waves curl and unfurl
in endless repetitions.
Two young lovers, sun-lit and carefree,
construct a castle of sand,
beautiful and doomed.
©Molly Hogan, 2020
I also was inspired by Tabatha Yeatt’s post last week about senryu, haiku-style verse that focus on humanity rather than nature.
control
slowly letting go
of that illusion
©Molly Hogan, 2020
And on a lighter note, very much inspired by one of the mentor poems that Tabatha shared:
indigestion
after once again
eating my words
©Molly Hogan, 2020
Finally, after reading Mary Lee Hahn’s post last week, I was inspired to create a daily challenge for myself and anyone who wants to join . Rather than spinning in circles trying to figure out what’s going to happen with school, I’m trying to focus on something small and positive each day, enjoying fleeting moments as they happen. Join in if you’d like!
in the garden
summer sun comes on strong
tomato blushes
©Molly Hogan, 2020
#poeticdiversion
Thanks to all my PF friends. You are such an inspiration!
Catherine Flynn, a regular inspiration to all, is hosting this week’s Poetry Friday Roundup at her blog, Reading to the Core. She’s sharing another beautiful resource and the poem it inspired.
Raccoons and Cherita
Inspired by Diane Mayr (Random Noodling) and others, I’ve been wanting to write a cherita for a while. I was intrigued by the flexibility of the form (no syllabic count!) and the narrative focus. The word cherita comes from the Malay word for story. The cherita’s creator, ai li, describes it thus: “”a single stanza of a one-line verse, followed by a two-line verse, and then finishing with a three-line verse.” I’m pretty sure I still have a lot to learn about the nuances of the form, but I’ve had fun playing around with it. I decided to put two cherita together, because… well, why not!? I do hope this isn’t offensive to any cherita purists out there.
Betrayed by bare branches
you scramble upward
toward the apple or away from me?
I edge in to capture
not your body, but your face
deceptively innocent
For long moments
your clever hands hold tight
I take picture after picture
You climb higher into swaying branches
your backward glance reproaches
contrite, I depart.
M. Hogan ©2018
I knew I’d played around with a cherita before, and I went back through my notebooks determined to find it. I couldn’t even remember what I’d written about. How surprised I was to find this cherita, written in mid-August.
The trap has sprung
Feeders rest on the earth
amidst scattered sunflower seeds
Within the trap
lie a few lonely suet crumbs
the bandit has escaped
M. Hogan © 2018
Clearly this raccoon situation isn’t a new one! Oh, and for the record, it was a Have-a-Heart trap.
My post today combines my love of photography, nature, and poetry. I am thankful for all of these things (and so many more!) and, as always, for the wonderful support and community of this group. This week’s Poetry Friday Roundup is hosted by Irene Latham at her blog, Live Your Poem. In a haiku bonanza, she’s sharing a beautiful new book by Laura Purdie Salas and a link to a Jack Prelutsky read along. Be sure to check it out and add some poetry to your holiday weekend!
Nix the comfort zone 