Poetry Blog of the Week - And Now Poems (31 Jan 2011)

At poets united we are all about our community so please take the time support your fellow poets by visiting our blog of the week.

This week our bog of the week selected by Mary Kling is:

Victoria Hendricks @ And Now Poems

We Suggest the following poems for your reading pleasure:

Home (29 October 2010)

Prayer of Resolve (21 December 2010)

Time Machine (19 January 2011)

Every week at Poets United we try to introduce our members and readers to a poet and poetry blog found here in our community. Poets United is about reading, writing and enjoying one another’s poetry and this just one more way to show our support for one another.We would love to hear your comments on this poet’s blog and poetry so please come back after visiting the blog of the week and let us know your thoughts.

We hope you enjoy visiting the highlighted blogs. Thank you for supporting your fellow poets and I am sure we will soon see your blog highlighted here.

Poets United

(This blog was selected by Mary Kling.  She is currently one of our contributors and poets found here at Poets United.  Her hard work and help with Poets United can be found in nearly every corner of this site and for this we are grateful. If you would like to learn more about Mary or read some of her own poetry you can visit her blog "In the Corner of My Eye" or keep an eye out for more of her posts.) 

The Poetry Pantry Is Now Open! - #27

Please let us know what you think of or color scheme compromise.  We value your opinion and we think its better for all.

We recently removed all Blogs that were inactive for 4 months or more.  If your blog was one of those blogs please let us know once you are active again and we gladly add you back to our blog roll and member list.  We just want to ensure that we have a very active site that is not bogged down by innactive or dead links.

The Poetry Pantry

2nd Chance Poems or 1st time shares

Anything goes!! All Poems, all Poets, All Week!!

Do you have a poem you would like to share? Something that you just felt inspired to write and want others to read. Perhaps it’s a poem that didn’t get as much exposure on your blog as you would have liked. Maybe it’s a poem that you wrote a long time ago that you would like people to revisit. That’s what this section of Poets United is for.

Classic Poetry - (Ozymandias by Percy Bysshe Shelley)

We are back on track folks and happily bring this weeks classic Poem!

Percy Bysshe Shelley

Ozymandias


I met a traveller from an antique land
Who said: "Two vast and trunkless legs of stone
Stand in the desert. Near them on the sand,
Half sunk, a shattered visage lies, whose frown
And wrinkled lip and sneer of cold command
Tell that its sculptor well those passions read
Which yet survive, stamped on these lifeless things,
The hand that mocked them and the heart that fed.
And on the pedestal these words appear:
`My name is Ozymandias, King of Kings:
Look on my works, ye mighty, and despair!'
Nothing beside remains. Round the decay
Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare,
The lone and level sands stretch far away".

~ Percy Bysshe Shelley


Percy Bysshe Shelley (4 August 1972 - 8 July 1822)
He is Linked above to Wikepedia if you wish to know about this poet.

Poets United posts a classic poem once weekly. We want to do this to introduce classic poets and their poems to our members. It is also a way to display different styles, genres and approaches to poetry. Our intent is to further expand the world of poetry while educating ourselves.

If you have a classic poem or set of prose you are fond of please let us know by emailing it to us at poetsunited@ymail.com

From Spicey to Nice, Please Welcome Our Latest Members!

Poets United has had an interesting array of folks that have joined us in the recent weeks so you should be sure to check out their blogs. We have some new traditional poets and we have some slightly eccentric ones and of course everyone else who falls in between.

We have now caught up!! Below you will find a few links to the most recent members who have joined our community here at Poets United. Please give them a warm welcome by stopping by their poetry blogs and reading some of there creative offerings.  All blogs are linked and will instantly open in a new window for your viewing and reading pleasure. 

Adam Wacker @ Hazards Mind

tOuCh @ tOuCh

lkv @ Twisted Meanderings

Simon Grady @ Sticks & Stones

Sam @ Ostensible Truth

Liliana Negoi @ Endless Journey

Mark @ AGGASPLETCH

Kenia Cris @ Poesia Torta

Tanith Blinn @ Sultry Thoughts & Dirty Words

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Victoria Ferrer @ Tapes In Drag

We Currently have

181 Members

in 46 Poetry Groups

The Thursday Think Tank - #33 Fire

Man is the only creature that dares to light a fire and live with it. The reason? Because he alone has learned to put it out. ~Henry Jackson Vandyke, Jr.

The word fire is simple, four letters that can mean so many different things. Fire can destroy or be a symbol of rebirth. For every good version there is a bad one and for each of either there is most likely a story. What story will the word or image of fire inspire you to write?

We anxiously await a chance to read your smoldering poetic tales of woe and wonder.

So fire the desktop up and get to work! Cheesy pun intended?

The Life of a Poet - Elizabeth Crawford

Written by Sherry Blue Sky

Well, kids, get comfy and pour yourself a cuppa, because you are in for a very interesting read. After clinging to the sides of your blogs like a bat, I zoomed down, right in the middle of Christmas week, and asked Elizabeth Crawford, of Soul’s Music, if she would grant us an interview. And, right in the middle of a million things to do, Elizabeth graciously agreed. I have long admired her writing. And now that I know more about her, I find her even more interesting. I just know you’ll enjoy what she has shared with us here. Pretty amazing stuff!

Blogroll Concerns and more.

Almost There!

We posted our blogroll issues on our Facebook page yesterday but forgot that not everyone has a Facebook account or follows us on Facebook. We don’t think you have to either, it was my oversight.

In changing our themes up and moving our blog around a bit we were forced to redo our blogroll (ok ok Robb accidentally deleted it). If your blog is not currently on the Poets United Blogroll do not be alarmed we hope to have everyone reloaded by Friday. I am roughly adding 30 or so per day. If you fall in group 10 thru 30 you still have not been added. It will happen soon I promise.

We most likely will be sticking with the colors and layout you now see on our blog or some similar version of it (unless of course there is a giant collective yuck). If we are missing any other favorites or staples of Poets United please do not hesitate to let us know. There are still a few things to be added so please do not be alarmed.

There is only so much that we can do with a free platform like blogger, thank you for your patience while going through this messy change.

Poem of the Week - Body Electric Zumba

This poem can be found at:

Countin' Blessings

Body Electric Zumba

Fifty or so sweaty women
simultaneously
shaking booties.
What a gift,
what a gift,
what a gift,
to unabashedly
follow the serene instructor’s
busting out moves
in a sequential, tornadic frenzy.
Latin,
African,
and
Middle Eastern beats
toning,
toning,
toning,
every muscle.
Women of all sizes,
shapes and ages,
beautiful
sweaty
women
dancing.
Caution gets
thrown to the wind,
no intimidation,
no self-consciousness,
no judgement,
only
only
only
safe and secure
self love
and
celebration of our
sensual,
powerful
bodies
that feel the ancient rhythms
and glisten
with
joy,
freedom,
passion,
and
love.
Thank you Zumba class.
We truly are all one
hot tamale.

~ Suzan Draves

We hope you have enjoyed reading this week’s selection. Each week we select a poem from one of our members which we feel is a wonderful read. It is the poetry penned by our members and their willingness to share that is the core of our community. If you enjoyed reading this poem we can guarantee there will be many more like it so be sure to stop by next week and read what poem has been selected for your reading pleasure.

Poetry Blog of the Week - Keeping Secrets (24 Jan 2011)

At poets united we are all about our community so please take the time support your fellow poets by visiting our blog of the week.

This week our bog of the week is:

Keeping Secrets by Karen

We Suggest the following poems for your reading pleasure:

Hero Song (3 March 2009)

Who Said that Red is Angry (16 May 2010)

Leaving Dreams (10 September 2010)

Every week at Poets United we try to introduce our members and readers to a poet and poetry blog found here in our community. Poets United is about reading, writing and enjoying one another’s poetry and this just one more way to show our support for one another.We would love to hear your comments on this poet’s blog and poetry so please come back after visiting the blog of the week and let us know your thoughts.

We hope you enjoy visiting the highlighted blogs. Thank you for supporting your fellow poets and I am sure we will soon see your blog highlighted here.

Poets United

Please Welcome Our Newest Members

We Currently have
179 Members
in 45 Poetry Groups

I dont want to overwhelm you with the 20 plus members that have joined us recently so over the next few days I will slowly introduce you to our newest members.

Below you will find a few links to the most recent members who have joined our community here at Poets United. Please give them a warm welcome by stopping by their poetry blogs and reading some of there creative offerings.  All blogs are linked and will instantly open in a new window for your viewing and reading pleasure.

Celestial Dreamz @ Moonlight and Dreamz

Saadi @ Saadi Writing

Lillian Susan Thomas @ From the Heart's Garden

RJ Clarken @ Lightverse

Diane Belleville @ La Vita Boca

A fistful Of Moonbeams @ A Fistful Of Moonbeams

Sherry Irvine @ Creative Corner

The Poetry Pantry Is Now Open! - #26

The Poetry Pantry

We are still playing with the colors so please bear with us!!

 

2nd Chance Poems or 1st time shares

Anything goes!! All Poems, all Poets, All Week!!

Do you have a poem you would like to share? Something that you just felt inspired to write and want others to read. Perhaps it’s a poem that didn’t get as much exposure on your blog as you would have liked. Maybe it’s a poem that you wrote a long time ago that you would like people to revisit. That’s what this section of Poets United is for.

Color Scheming

If you are observant you may have noticed that our colors have changed. We are currently looking to find a better color to represent Poets United and our Community. We got tired of the Grey and Pink. Many folks said it hurt their eyes. So now we explore!!


What color do you think we should go with? What best represents us, poetry and doesn’t seem too childish?

Please feel free to suggest anything beyond the boring standard black and white.

Don’t mind the newest or latest color as it’s just an experimental state and may not stay.

Ok Teal didnt work and I do think the brown is a tad boring...back to work. lol Keep the comments coming.

Please Welcome Our Newest Members

We Currently have
179 Members
in 45 Poetry Groups

I dont want to overwhelm you with the 20 plus members that have joined us recently so over the next few days I will slowly introduce you to our newest members.

Below you will find a few links to the most recent members who have joined our community here at Poets United. Please give them a warm welcome by stopping by their poetry blogs and reading some of there creative offerings.  All blogs are linked and will instantly open in a new window for your viewing and reading pleasure.

Graceful Glider @ Wanjiku

J. Tabithia @ The Color of Her Dreams

ljm (Amias) @ Truth Is Another Useless Thought

Kim Nelson @ Kim Nelson Writes

Suzan Draves @ Countin' Blessings

Korea @ Soul Spyll

Mario Cerroni @ Photodiction

The Thursday Think Tank - #32 As Time Goes By

Suggested by signed... bkm

Don’t you just love Humphrey, Ingrid and the Silver Screen?  Sam could play it again and again for me and I would never grow tired of it.  By the way did you know the phrase “Play it again Sam” was never uttered?  It is one of the top ten misquotes in history.  If you don’t believe me look it up!  Ok maybe it’s just me and bkm that are infatuated with the silver screen and classic Hollywood but this week we wanted to share this passion of ours with everyone here at Poets United.

This will be the beginning of a continued theme on The Thursday Think Tank.  Every third Thursday we intend to bring you a musical or movie inspired theme.  We have done one or two before, the most recent one I recall was Leonard Cohen suggested by Mary Kling, but bkm thinks it should be a common occurrence and I couldn’t agree more. 

Find a quiet moment and listen to “As Time Goes By”.  If you need further inspiration watch the montage that runs alongside the song on the YouTube video.  Let it take you somewhere you may have never been before and let it inspire your inner poet.  Please share what came to life for you through your pen.  We look forward to reading all your wonderful words.

Poem of the Week - Darkness Falls

Selected by Mary Kling
This poem can be found at:

Keeping Secrets

Darkness Falls

Darkness falls like Autumn leaves,
Upon the brown and barren hills
And in my heart, I come to grieve

As winds blow cold across the eaves
And branches scratch the windowsill.
While darkness falls like Autumn leaves,

Small creatures seek their burrows deep,
Heralds of the coming chill,
And in my heart, I come to grieve,

For winter moves in like the thieves
That steal the light and sap the will
While darkness falls like Autumn leaves.

The year grows short and I believe
It is with rue my days must fill,
And in my heart, I come to grieve

For all the failures to achieve
And all the hopes gone unfulfilled.
While darkness falls like Autumn leaves,
In my heart, I come to grieve.


~ Karen

Each week we select a poem from our members which we feel is a worth sharing.  If you enjoyed reading this poem be sure to stop by

(This poem was selected by Mary Kling.  She is currently one of our contributors and poets found here at Poets United.  Her hard work and help with Poets United can be found in nearly every corner of this site and for this we are grateful. If you would like to learn more about Mary or read some of her own poetry you can visit her blog "In the Corner of My Eye" or keep an eye out for more of her posts. 

Poetry Blog of the Week - Simply Poetry (17 Jan 2010)

At poets united we are all about our community so please take the time support your fellow poets by visiting our blog of the week.

This week our bog of the week is:
Selected by Eileen T O'Neill

Simply Poetry by 2wolvz

We Suggest the following poems for your reading pleasure:

Emerging from the Shadows

An Angel's Tears

Summer Search the Winter Dream

Every week at Poets United we try to introduce our members and readers to a poet and poetry blog found here in our community. Poets United is about reading, writing and enjoying one another’s poetry and this just one more way to show our support for one another.We would love to hear your comments on this poet’s blog and poetry so please come back after visiting the blog of the week and let us know your thoughts.

We hope you enjoy visiting the highlighted blogs. Thank you for supporting your fellow poets and I am sure we will soon see your blog highlighted here.

Poets United

The Poetry Pantry Is Now Open - #25

The Poetry Pantry

2nd Chance Poems or 1st time shares

Anything goes!! All Poems, all Poets, All Week!!

Do you have a poem you would like to share? Something that you just felt inspired to write and want others to read. Perhaps it’s a poem that didn’t get as much exposure on your blog as you would have liked. Maybe it’s a poem that you wrote a long time ago that you would like people to revisit. That’s what this section of Poets United is for.

Final Day for Submissions

Tomorrow, Saturday the 15th of January is our final day to accept submissions for upcoming Poets United Anthology!!  If you have not done so already please send up to 3 poems for consideration to poetsunited@ymail.com.  It is our intent to include at least one poem from each submission so if you only have one that is perfectly fine.

Remember that for our first printing you have to have been a member of Poets United on or before December 1st, 2011.  If you were not a member yet do not fret we will no doubt be doing another one in August of 2011.

For those of you who have submitted a poem or three to be considered for the anthology and have not heard back from us in regards to receiving your submissions please feel free to send us a reminder email and we will attempt to respond no later than next Tuesday. We do still have a few in our mail bag that we have not opened yet.

We are excited to begin the design phase of our book and it is our goal to have a finished product available on lulu no later than 15 February 2011.

Its your last chance to submit!! So dust the cobwebs from your old poems and send us something you will be proud to see in print!!

For more details or submission guidelines please click here.

The Life of a Poet - Mary Kling

Written by Robert lloyd

It’s been a little while since we offered up an interview in our series “The Life of a Poet”. Now that most of us have settled down a bit after a hectic holiday period that included the beginning of a new year, what better way to jump back into our community than by sitting down with a very important piece of that community? That person is none other the kind and ever committed Mary

If you are a regular part of Poets United then you have seen or interacted with Mary in one way or another. We are so very grateful to give our members a chance to look behind the screen and see what makes this wonderful woman tick. We hope you enjoy our interview as much as we did when putting together for you.

The Thursday Think Tank - #31 Random Deviation

Today’s prompt will take you on adventure!! At least we hope this is the case. No one poem will be alike and no one inspiration will be alike. We want you to step outside the normal pursuit of poetry and use a random piece of art found at deviantArt. deviantArt is an online community similar to ours except it's mainly about art. In order to do this you need to follow the instructions provided below.

1.  Go to deviant art.com (you can just click here and it will open in a new window for you)

2.  Navigate to the bottom of the page and look in the lower middle right column titled DeviantArt Loves You. Just below the images are three options. Select the middle one Random Deviation.

3.  This should automatically bring up a random image found on this site. Attempt to write a poem inspired by the photo or art work you are presented with. Try to use the first image you are presented with but do remember if it gives you something you are uncomfortable with then feel free to find another random one.

It would be great if you post the photo along with your inspired poem on your blog but be sure to give credit to the person responsible for the art.

This should be lots of fun!!

We look forward to reading and seeing where today’s adventure has taken you.

Poem of the Week - Because

Selected by Pamela Sayers
This poem can be found at:

The Trouble With Being Strong

Because


is a blackboard brush,
chalky from erasing veracity,

leaving only
apologetic rationalization
on display.

I will love you forever
because
your hat is swimming in the sewer.

You are safe with me
because
there’s a face in the washing machine.

I’m running off to Fiji
because
rats are fornicating in the refrigerator.

I must leave now
because
the cereal dish is crying in your briefcase.

You can’t go with me
because
last night my left big toe evaporated.

You feel devastated
because
tomorrow’s flowers are throwing their quills.
I am going to regret my decision
because
a rabid tree in Africa foams from the armpits.

I am glad we had a life together
because
the hyena has grapefruits for breasts.
Our demise was inevitable
because
the blackboard brush spoke so clearly.


~ Diane Truswell

(This poem was selected by Pamela Sayers.  She is currently one of our contributors and poets found here at Poets United.  Pamela aka Flaubert is a wonderful supporter of Poets United and is always willing to help or comment. If you would like to learn more about Pamela or read some of her poetry you can visit her blog "Poetry With Me" or just return to us to see more of her posts. 

Poetry Blog of the Week - Catnip (10 Jan 2010)

At poets united we are all about our community so please take the time support your fellow poets by visiting our blog of the week.

This week our bog of the week is:
Selected by Eric Alder

Catnip penned by Timoteo

We Suggest the following poems for your reading pleasure:

American Dream (30 Nov 2009)

Reality Check (11 June 2010)

Romance In All Its's Glory (10 December 2010)

Every week at Poets United we try to introduce our members and readers to a poet and poetry blog found here in our community. Poets United is about reading, writing and enjoying one another’s poetry and this just one more way to show our support for one another.We would love to hear your comments on this poet’s blog and poetry so please come back after visiting the blog of the week and let us know your thoughts.

We hope you enjoy visiting the highlighted blogs. Thank you for supporting your fellow poets and I am sure we will soon see your blog highlighted here.

Poets United

The Poetry Pantry Is Now Open! - #24

If you are a Member of Poets United on or before December 2nd don’t forget to submit a poem for consideration in our anthology due out in February.  The deadline is 15 Jan 2010.

The Poetry Pantry

2nd Chance Poems or 1st time shares

Anything goes!! All Poems, all Poets, All Week!!

Do you have a poem you would like to share? Something that you just felt inspired to write and want others to read. Perhaps it’s a poem that didn’t get as much exposure on your blog as you would have liked. Maybe it’s a poem that you wrote a long time ago that you would like people to revisit. That’s what this section of Poets United is for.

Classic Poetry - (The Darkling Thrush - Thomas Hardy)

Selected by Fyodor Lewis

The Darkling Thrush

I leant upon a coppice gate
When Frost was spectre-grey,
And Winter's dregs made desolate
The weakening eye of day.
The tangled bine-stems scored the sky
Like strings of broken lyres,
And all mankind that haunted nigh
Had sought their household fires.

The Thursday Think Tank - #30 Observation

Prompt and photo were provided to us by Larry Patterson

“A lot of my inspiration came from the kids. But then other things; like the news, everything is pretty inspiring these days.” 

~ Andrea Gibson

Observations: Attention to Detail

How often do we look beyond the surface? There is so much we miss out on in life at a quick glance; so much that we tend to never see or we do see but pay little attention to it later. For this prompt, it is all about paying close attention to detail. Take something: an old poem, image (including the image presented before you) or just go for a walk being the observer for some time, and form your poem out of your observations.
We look forward to seeing what you see.

Poem of the Week - Deus Ex Machina

Selected by Susannah Bec

Shay's Word Garden

Deus Ex Machina

The Halloween suicide walks out along the flag pole

In resale shop black shoes.

There is a kitten named Giuseppe Verdi riding in the pocket of her smock,

And his big yellow eyes say,

"Please reconsider.

Think of all the tuna fish I would miss.

Think of Tanya,

Across town, serving lattes to strangers,

With your heart folded carefully and kept with her car keys and her fabulous accent."



But the Halloween suicide falls like the notes of an adagio,

Giving first one graceful foot to the empty air,

And then the other.

Her smock spreads out

Like bat wings

And she and Giuseppe Verdi float through the nippy October sky like two leaves connected at the stem.

"Tra-la," she sings,

As they arc this way, then that.

Clearly, they ride in the palm of a Divine Hand.



They come down softly on the patio of a chain coffee bar.

Inside, Tanya looks up from counting her tips and smiles.

No opera heroine ever looked more beautiful.

Later, petting both aviatrix and kitten, she says,

"Don't you know you can never leave as long as I own your heart?

I am your deus ex machina;

I will always cushion your fall and welcome you back to my arms."

The Halloween suicide begins to cry, big fat tears melting into Giuseppe Verdi's black fur.

"Why are you so good to me? I'm a mess," the flyer says, looking up. "What's in it for you, Magoo?"

Tanya laughs and kisses her.

"I love you for your magic,

For your ever-broken heart,

And because you need me, like Giuseppe Verdi needs you."

The kitten rumbles under her hand,

And she knows that it must be true.

~ Fireblossom

(This poem was selected by Susannah Bec.  She is currently one of our contributors and poets found here at Poets United.  If you would like to learn more Susannah about or read some of her own poetry you can  visit her blog "Out of my Ocean" or keep an eye out for more of her posts.  We would like to thank her for all of her hard work.)

Poetry Blog of the Week - (3 January 2011) Sometimes I Think About

Selected and written by Mary Kling

Some Things I Think About

Annell Livingston is a painter with brush as well as a painter with words who lives in New Mexico and writes from her heart as well as from her experiences. We hope you will pay a visit her blog, Some Things I Think About, where you will see some of her paintings alongside her poetry. We think you will enjoy both.

Annell is a very active poet who participates in many online poetry communities. As we looked through her poetry, we were strongly struck by the diversity of subjects she writes about. Nature seems to be a favorite, which is no surprise, as she lives in a most beautiful area. As an example, here is Annell's poem "Christmas Eve Taos Pueblo December 25, 2010" which really gives a picture of the Taos area in which she lives. Here is an excerpt:

The Poetry Pantry Is Now Open! - #23

If you are a Member of Poets United on or before December 2nd don’t forget to submit a poem for consideration in our anthology due out in February.  The deadline is 15 Jan 2010.

The Poetry Pantry

2nd Chance Poems or 1st time shares

Anything goes!! All Poems, all Poets, All Week!!

Do you have a poem you would like to share? Something that you just felt inspired to write and want others to read. Perhaps it’s a poem that didn’t get as much exposure on your blog as you would have liked. Maybe it’s a poem that you wrote a long time ago that you would like people to revisit. That’s what this section of Poets United is for.

Classic Poetry - (New Year on Dartmoor - Sylvia Plath)

New Year on Dartmoor

This is newness: every little tawdry

Obstacle glass-wrapped and peculiar,

Glinting and clinking in a saint's falsetto. Only you

Don't know what to make of the sudden slippiness,

The blind, white, awful, inaccessible slant.

There's no getting up it by the words you know.

No getting up by elephant or wheel or shoe.

We have only come to look. You are too new

To want the world in a glass hat.

~ Sylvia Plath

Sylvia Plath (October 27, 1932–February 11, 1963)