TODAY I CELEBRATE

Today I celebrate with open arms.

I celebrate choice in behavior and in response.

I celebrate the irritations—the rubbings against.

I celebrate the busyness that comes with a full life.

I celebrate being able to create a space of stillness while in the busyness.

I celebrate the stress and exhilaration of deadlines converging and choices toward simplicity.

I celebrate my humanness—my flaws and my perfections all packaged in this creation of me.

I celebrate planning and creating and preparing for a life event.

I celebrate love in its newness, fresh and full and

I celebrate love that is sculpted in the day-to-day and the bends of the journey.

I celebrate thoughts that flow from pen to page.

I celebrate poetry.

I celebrate this holy season and my faith.

I celebrate this slow-to-become spring that allows the earth to long for newness.

I celebrate the ambiguities and the not-so-easily solved.

I celebrate with arms open.

PROGRESSIVE POEM FOR NATIONAL POETRY MONTH

So, it’s now my turn to take part in Irene Latham's 2014 Progressive Poem! Each day a different poet adds a line to thIs poem and by the end of April we’ll have a complete poem written by 30 different people. I was talking to my son about this venture this morning.  Each poet contributes 1/30^th of the poem and until the day before your post, where the poem might go is anyone’s guess.  I tried a few times to venture a line before my turn and each time the poem went in a totally different and delightful direction.

As the days came closer to my turn, I have had a bit of anxst, wondering what I would offer and what might be offered to me.  Janet gave the poem to me in a great place, allowing me to continue Irene’s words of wisdom.  Thank you, Janet!   Yesterday she began to give Irene her words of wisdom and today I chose to continue her words to us.  What does Irene tell our poem character to do?  What words are offered to her?   Read my line below and find out.

Following the Progressive Poem this month has been such fun.  It has been a wonderful addition to my celebration of National Poetry Month.  Thank you, Irene, for including me in this venture.

Here’s the poem, so far, with my line added at the end:

Sitting on a rock, airing out my feelings to the universe
Acting like a peacock, only making matters that much worse;
Should I trumpet like an elephant emoting to the moon,
Or just ignore the warnings written in the rune?
Those stars can’t seal my future; it’s not inscribed in stone.
The possibilities are endless! Who could have known?
Gathering courage, spiral like an eagle after prey
Then gird my wings for whirlwind gales in realms far, far away.

But, hold it! Let's get practical! What's needed before I go?
Time to be tactical— I'll ask my friends what I should stow.
And in one breath, a honeyed word whispered low— dreams — 

Whose voice? I turned to see. I was shocked. Irene's

“Each voyage starts with tattered maps; your dreams dance on this page.

Determine these dreams—then breathe them!  Engage your inner sage.”

Tomorrow you can visit Tamara at The Writer's Whimsy to follow the journey of our character.   I am handing the poem off to you, Tamara.  Enjoy!