As I drafted this post, it struck me that most of the poems I’ve written and shared recently seem to be a bit dark. Honestly, I don’t think they reflect my state of mind! With that disclaimer,  I’m sharing my #Poemtober responses  for “dizzy” and for “pattern.” As always, I’m grateful for the prompts and challenges that encourage me to write regularly. 

buffeted by daily news
dizzy with dismay
hope hides in shadows

©Molly Hogan, 2019

One dull thud

Three wispy red feathers
pattern the smudged windowpane

one brilliant cardinal
dims and cools on the ground
the silence reverberates

©Molly Hogan, 2019

This week’s Poetry Friday Roundup is hosted by the gracious and talented Irene Latham at her blog, Live Your Poem. Make sure to drop by and fill up with some poetry!

Conference Week

A bounty of PTA-donated
tempting treats
fills baskets and bowls
in the Teacher’s Room.
I pick a pack of Teddy Grahams.
Back in my classroom,
I relish biting off the heads
of each cheerful little bear.

Molly Hogan ©2019

Ok, I actually do enjoy conferences, but I truly do not enjoy the week of planning, teaching and late nights of conferencing combined. What a week! With so many late nights, I’ve fallen a bit behind on #Poemtober, but here are a few of my recent efforts.

Ash

After the volcano
of his rage,
she picks her way
through the ash,
wary of embers
eager to ignite
a new
conflagration.

Molly Hogan ©2019

Legend

Legend tells
of a teacher
who discovered the secret
of balancing
work and home
and kept it.

I don’t believe it.

©Molly Hogan, 2019

And I revisited the prompt “build” to pair with my daughter’s illustration:

#Inktober sketch by Adeline Schneider

Build

Let’s build a tower
above the sea
high, in the sky,
an eagle’s aerie.
We’ll live each day,
wild and free,
whilst unheeded, the surf
works her treachery.

©Molly Hogan, 2019

Oh, my! These are cheerful, aren’t they?  lol

This week’s Poetry Friday Roundup is hosted by Karen Edmisten. Stop by to check out all the poetry goodness.

Once again, most of the writing I’ve been doing lately has been quick responses to prompts. Among other things,  I’ve been semi-participating in this month’s Poemtober. That means that I’ve tried to write to the word prompt each day, with wildly varying results. Here are my responses for the prompts “swing” and “husky.”

In October
the balance swings
from “on top of it”
to “overwhelmed”
in the blink
of an eye

©Molly Hogan, 2019

In the shadowed field
beneath glowing hunter’s moon
corn stalks rustle
a haunting, husky tune
winter’s coming…
coming soon…

©Molly Hogan, 2019

This week’s Poetry Friday Roundup is hosted by Catherine Flynn, at her blog, Reading to the Core. Catherine reminds us of the power of gratitude and shares, among other things, a wonderful poem “Let’s Remake the World with Words.”