Category Archives: January 2012 challenge

Stone #26 dry air in winter

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Day 26

indoors in winter, a dry climate.
I think of Arizona, Sonoran desert,
the beauty in empty spaces,
flowers blooming in parched cracks
in the hard dry earth.

I reflect on my hands, and wonder:
will flowers sprout from the cracks
and fissures dry air creates
between my fingers, and
on my roughened palms?

25th Stone: on listening to the sea

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Day 25

on the window sill
a large pink conch sleeps
until I raise it to my ear to hear
the shush of the sea as it breathes
molecules of shell, fine filaments of krill
and tiny silver fish that slide through surf
a million tiny butter knives winking

Small stones 23 and 24 and poems going to the End of the World

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I wrote about my poem being entered in the Poetry for the End of the World contest, and being a finalist. I wanted to share the link to the video showing the balloon launch on Saturday, Jan. 21. If you scroll down the page you will also see the winning poem by Ian Ferrier.

http://www.versefest.ca/about/poetry-for-the-end-of-the-world/

Day 23

randomness of weather
today rain turns winter’s
clean white to grimy gray,
pools of water over the slick
of ice, waiting for someone
to slip-slide into wet.

Day 24

to focus large on life is to realize
that more of it has passed
than is to come.

to focus small on life I realize
I have each day: a glass
to fill with wonder
or to empty, untasted.

Carol

 

January challenges: small stones and comfort zones

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Carol A. Stephen

Day 22

sounds for a Sunday morning

clock tick and fridge hum
the rhythmic shush of shovel on snow
muted by a closed window
the slosh of slush against car wheels
the quiet when everything pauses to breathe

 

I had a successful result this week with my week One effort, the submitting of two poems to a contest, Poetry for the End of the World.  I was among the six finalists. I attended the fundraiser for VERSeFest, Ottawa’s new Poetry Festival, and read my poem, The Walking-Off Place in the End-Time, along with the other finalists. Although mine didn’t win, all six of the finalists’ poems were placed into a tube and then into a weather balloon and at 10 p.m. E.S.T. last night, the balloon was released. Off it sailed up into the sky. Destination the End of the World, or…? Doesn’t matter, really. What fun!

As for this week’s challenge, I am still working on lightening up and trying to find some balance rather than obsessing about things.  I have had some weight gain over the holidays, so this week I have been making a good effort to avoid chocolate and cookies (and cakes, and pies, and fudge and….!)  I have done reasonably well at that, other than a small treat last night while having dinner out with a friend. But I watched my portions, so I am not counting that as bad.