I always enjoy a challenge and last week fellow poet, Linda Mitchell issued a list of 'Clunker Exchange lines' and invited everyone to take up a line from the list and see where that might lead. we were also invited to exchange a clunker line of our own.  Upon making my choice, I immediately saw potential in the words on offer. I took them and played with the possibilities in my notebook. I gently surrounded them with new words, assisting my chosen line to nestle comfortably in to this new poetic location.  The resulting poem is in the form of Ars Poetica  which I have featured previously.   The Mud And The Flowers Words trip and stumble onto the page Leaving the pen unsettled Leaving the writer pondering the next hesitant action The fate of the very next line.   Those words, There, on the paper No doubt appear as A weedy patch of writing -should never see the light of day But they are there nonetheless Resting uncomfortably Awaiting possible erasure, A pen stroke, Revision, A

Last week attention returned to docupoetry in some of my discussion with fellow poets. That prompted me to return to the poetry vault and unearth this docupoem paying tribute to the brave and fearless, Amelia Earhart.  Docupoetry puts a bit of twist on information text. It contains a dose of fact and wraps it in a protective layer of supportive words. I read recently that marine explorers may have located the crash site of Amelia fatal flight. It currently remains as an enduring mystery. Let's take flight with the brave and daring Amelia as she ventures out to cross the Atlantic ocean, solo.   Amelia’s Aeronautical Achievement In a flight filled with danger wild, icy weather And a broken altimeter Amelia took off early one morning From Newfoundland In her Lockheed Vega -a frantic Atlantic flight unfolded. A copy of a local newspaper tucked under her arm Confirming her departure date And sharing local news far and wide. -No fake news for Amelia.   Along the

  This week I delved into my extensive poetry vault of unassigned pieces of verse and plucked out a pair of poems connected to the central theme of music. Sometimes it is about poetic form and sometimes it is about topics and themes. This time it is about both.  The first poem is an etheree poem and the second poem is an example of docupoetry. The unifying theme is music. Music is a life long thread in my life, so it is understandable that it should emerge in my poetry. I have a notebook dedicated to the musical memories that have constantly arisen in the course of my life. Music is so entwined in my history. Consider your links to music, your musical history and the influences on your listening tastes. It might surprise you...  Here are two of my music related poems.  Upon Hearing A Song For The First Time   First A note Softly calls Drawing me near Melody unfolds Captivating my heart Each verse a warm, sweet embrace Beguiled by tonal beauty Entranced by the sound of rising notes A ne