 Michelle at MoreArt4All is hosting Poetry Friday today. She has a rich post reflecting on the Yoko Ono exhibit she recently saw. Her golden shovel based on All we are saying is give peace a chance is a hopeful and soothing balm.  Sunday is winter solstice. The photo is from December 21, 2023. Last year, I wasn't lucky to have a spectacular sunrise. I'm not sure if I will this year as we are having rain and atmospheric rivers one by one. Today, I woke thinking about a solstice elfchen. winter shortest day time for rest until the light returns solstice Jone Rush MacCulloch, 2025  Sign Up to Receive a 2026 New Year Postcard
poetry postcards brings tiny new year wishes amid the bills © Jone Rush MacCulloch It's 14 days until 2026 begins! This means time to sign up for the poetry postcards. Also, as far as I can tell, this may be the TENTH year of hosting. Woohoo! Send five, send ten or send to all? In Japan, it’s called Nengajo, a Japanese custom of ushering in the new year. How It Works:
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 © Graphic by Amber Fleek
Welcome to Poetry Friday! Linda at A Word Edgewise has hosting duties and is having fun her annual Christmas Mash-ups..
Last Thursday and Friday, I worked in a fourth grade room and taught the elfchen form. Using the poetry of Moe Phillips and Mary Cronin, we build a word bank. Below are their poems. I discovered that when you talk snow and winter in December, it's hard to not bring Christmas along in the mix. They also created art with a moon, trees, snow, and shadows plus a few snowmen that are now on display with their other art.
My goal for 2026 is to send out a monthly newsletter on my Substack, Deowriter: Musings to Spark the Spirit. I plan to talk about my upcoming middle grade novel that I am planning to publish independently in the spring of 2026. So if you haven't signed up, please consider doing so.
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brings tiny new year wishes amid the bills © Jone Rush MacCulloch It's 21 days until 2026 begins! This means time to sign up for the poetry postcards. Also, as far as I can tell, this may be the TENTH year of hosting. Woohoo! Send five, send ten or send to all? In Japan, it’s called Nengajo, a Japanese custom of ushering in the new year. How It Works:
 © Graphic by Amber Fleek If you celebrated yesterday either with family , friends or new adventures, I hope it was a wonderful day, Buffy at Buffy Silverman: Children’s Author has a wonderful interview with Suzy Levison today. She has a new book out. I had an opportunity to share poems from Thanku: Poems of Gratitude by Marlena Myles in a fourth grade class on Wednesday. Then they created a gratitude heart ala Georgia Heard and used it to write poems. The class was sparse as it was a district make up day for days lost at the beginning of the year. And a few students forgot to give me their poems.  What I Heard Poem The Poetry Sisters’ challenge for November was to compose an ‘Eavesdropped & Overheard’ poem in tribute to our pal at the long-running Chicken Spaghetti blog, Susan Thomsen. I got the part about finding lines I overheard. I'm not sure I wrote in the style of Thomsen's poem. The photo shows the list I created. But I think I have lines that could be poetry fodder later. These came from having lunch in a little hole in the wall place near my home. I wrote a shadorma. From the line: "I've seen what a branch off a tree can do..." Branches crack-- splinter off the maple I watched it transform-- a magical fort We hide, escaping the world. © Jone Rush MacCulloch, 2025 (draft) An Invitation: Please Join Us for the 2026 Poetry Postcards poetry postcards brings tiny new year wishes amid the bills © Jone Rush MacCulloch It's 34 days until 2026 begins! This means time to sign up for the poetry postcards. Also, as far as I can tell, this may be the TENTH year of hosting. Woohoo! Send five, send ten or send to all? In Japan, it’s called Nengajo, a Japanese custom of ushering in the new year. How It Works:
© Graphic by Amber Fleek Janice at Salt City Verse is hosting us this week. She shares a mentor text, Your One and Only Heart Dr. Rajani LaRocca. To those at NCTE, enjoy. I'm there in spirit. Last Saturday, I hosted a Poetry Pop-up Salon, an hour of writing and poetry talk. I love having these community writes. And Tuesday, several poets met up on Zoom to talk more about poetry and where we are on our poetry journeys. If you are interested in joining us, please let me know. Please Join Us for the 2026 Poetry Postcards poetry postcards
brings tiny new year wishes amid the bills © Jone Rush MacCulloch It's 39 days until 2026 begins! This means time to sign up for the poetry postcards. Also, as far as I can tell, this may be the TENTH year of hosting. Woohoo! Send five, send ten or send to all? In Japan, it’s called Nengajo, a Japanese custom of ushering in the new year. How It Works:
Welcome poetry friends! Normally I have this posted the night before. Yesterday I helped my former school out and sub late minute. I came home with a sinus headache (old HVAC system) and climbed into bed early.
Woke this morning fresh and ready for all the activities the season offers. AND to write today's post inviting all of you to leave yours! Today there are cloudy skies and I am not sure that sunrise will be the spectacular of last year's solstice sunrise and tomorrow will be solid rain. So I'll share one from last year and some poems that I've been writing to celebrate with Advent Photo-of-the-Day. Last Call for New Year Post Cards
It's 11 days until the new year! Time to start thinking of sending New Year Post Cards! I've have also been thinking that this is an excellent way to incorporate the small poems that some have been writing thanks to Mary Lee Hahn and the hashtag #haikuforhealing2024 and mine #haikuforresilience2024 and for 2025: #poetryforpersistence
Send five, send ten or send to all? In Japan, it’s called Nengajo, a Japanese custom of ushering in the new year. How It Works:
Click here to join us: 2025 New Year Post Card Exchange Next week, I'll have the details about the Poetry for Persistence Event on Saturday, January 18, 2025, Estimated time frame: 11 AM-2 PM EST, 8 AM-11 AM PST, I will have a Zoom Writing and Creating Salon as a place to write for #haikuforpersistence2025 and #poetryforpersistence2025. I will be honest, I am a teeny bit scared about hosting this salon. I am hoping to share some mentor poems (DM me if you have one that would be good), having writing time, and share in community if you feel moved. Also, I think I want to have a co-host to help me monitoring the Zoom room and tech (DM me if interested) I am also suggesting that you make a donation to a charity of your choice. I am seriously considering donating to Planned Parenthood. Details and sign up some. You know, in some ways this is my2024 OLW (Expand) in action. If you're planning on attending, will this time frame: 11 AM-2 PM EST, 8 AM-11 AM PST work? Is two hours long enough(I originally thought three but wonder if shorter is better. Or if 10-1 EST 7-10 PST is better. Input is appreciated. Linda at A Word Edgewise is sharing poetry play by mashing up two poems together, cento poem. It's fun to peek at her writing journal. We lost a giant in the poetry world this week, Nikki Giovanni. Poet, professor, activist, her poems resonated in so many ways. I found on Nikki Grimes's FB page. The image of the snowflake is swoony. My former co-worker shared Ego Tripping by Nikki Giovanni with his fourth graders. Winter Poem once a snowflake fell on my brow and i loved it so much and i kissed it and it was happy and called its cousins and brothers and a web of snow engulfed me then i reached to love them all and i squeezed them and they became a spring rain and i stood perfectly still and was a flower Nikki Giovanni, “Winter Poem” from The Collected Poetry of Nikki Giovanni. Copyright © 1996 by Nikki Giovanni. Courtesy of HarperCollins Publisher. I am looking forward to her last collection which will be published fall 2025 2025 Poetry Postcards 2024 New Year Post Card It's 20 days until the new year! Time to start thinking of sending New Year Post Cards! I've have also been thinking that this is an excellent way to incorporate the small poems that some have been writing thanks to Mary Lee Hahn and the hashtag #haikuforhealing2024 and mine #haikuforresilience2024 and for 2025: #poetryforpersistence Send five, send ten or send to all? In Japan, it’s called Nengajo, a Japanese custom of ushering in the new year. How It Works:
Click here to join us: 2025 New Year Post Card Exchange Announcement:#haikuforpersistence2025 #poetryforpersistence2025As we begin 2025, there will be changes and challenges for us. Many of us were hoping for a different outcome last November. On Saturday, January 18, 2025, 10AM-3 PM EST , 7 AM-12PM PST, I will have a Zoom Writing and Creating Salon as a place to write for #haikuforpersistence2025 and #poetryforpersistence2025.
I will be honest, I am a teeny bit scared about hosting this salon. I am hoping to share some mentor poems (DM me if you have one that would be good), having writing time, and share in community if you feel moved. Also, I think I want to have a co-host to help me monitoring the Zoom room and tech (DM me if interested) I am also suggesting that you make a donation to a charity of your choice. I am seriously considering donating to Planned Parenthood. Details and sign up some. You know, in some ways this is my OLW (Expand) in action.  Kim Johnson hosted Spiritual Journey Thursday with the topic of 'Wintering". She recently finished reading Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times by Katherine May. It is a TBR book on my imaginary pile for a while. The fabulous Carol at The Apples in My Orchard is hosting Poetry Friday. She's reflecting on caring for her father and the seasonal transitions. I researched quotes by Katherine May and found several that rang true to me: When it’s really cold, the snow makes a lovely noise underfoot, and it’s like the air is full of stars.” — Katherine May “That is wintering. It is the active acceptance of sadness. It is the practice of allowing ourselves to feel it as a need. It is the courage to stare down the worst parts of our experience and to commit to healing them the best we can.” — Katherine May “We have seasons when we flourish and seasons when the leaves fall from us, revealing our bare bones. Given time, they grow again.”— Katherine May  I also follow Christine Valters Paintner. I subscribe to daily messages. This recent one tied in so beautifully with the topic of wintering, I love all the seasons. The season I am in is my favorite. They each bring a unique rhythm. The invitation of winter invites me to begin the day by having tea and the gas fire lit. I watch as sunrise shows up. This year as part of wintering and the Christmas season, I have be participating in the "Advent Photo-of-the-Day". I am enjoying the challenge to photo something for the word of the day and creating a tiny poem for #haikuforhealing24 and #haikuforpersistence24. Below are some of the recent haiku for wintering and being in the season.
It's 28 days until the new year! Time to start thinking of sending New Year Post Cards! I've have also been thinking that this is an excellent way to incorporate the small poems that some have been writing thanks to Mary Lee Hahn and the hashtag #haikuforhealing2024 and mine #haikuforresilience2024. Send five, send ten or send to all? In Japan, it’s called Nengajo, a Japanese custom of ushering in the new year. How It Works:
Click here to join us: 2025 New Year Post Card Exchange Announcement: #haikuforpersistence2025 #poetryforpersistence2025As we begin 2025, there will be changes and challenges for us. Many of us were hoping for a different outcome last November. On Saturday, January 18, 2025, 10AM-3 PM EST , 7 AM-12PM PST, I will have a Zoom Writing and Creating Salon as a place to write for #haikuforpersistence2025 and #poetryforpersistence2025.
I will be honest, I am a teeny bit scared about hosting this salon. I am hoping to share some mentor poems (DM me if you have one that would be good), having writing time, and share in community if you feel moved. Also, I think I want to have a c0-host to help me monitoring the Zoom room and tech (DM me if interested) I am also suggesting that you make a donation to a charity of your choice. I am seriously considering donating to Planned Parenthood. Details and sign up some. You know, in some ways this is my OLW (Expand) in action.
I hope all those who celebrate had a wonderful Thanksgiving, Over the years, it's become a day to reflect on those I have in my life and give thanks.
Tanita at {fiction, instead of lies} is on hosting duties this week. I read the November challenge: Here’s the scoop: We’re taking a line or theme plucked from Jane Hirschfield’s TWO VERSIONS, a poem that appears in her collection The Asking: New and Selected Poems (scroll to the second page to see the poem). Here is where you can find the #PoetryPals poems: Tanita, Laura, Mary Lee, Liz, Sara, Tricia, and Kelly I thought cool beans, I'm in. SOMEHOW, I missed the scrolling to the second page to see the poem. Somehow, I looked up "Two Versions" by Jane Hirschfield and was led to "Poem With Two Endings". The universe is mysterious. The universe knew I needed this poem so it's the one I took a line from to participate the challenge (now for me a Jane Hirschfield challenge, not a "Two Versions" challenge Poem With Two Endings by Jane Hirschfield Say ‘death’ and the whole room freezes – even the couches stop moving, even the lamps. Like a squirrel suddenly aware it is being looked at. (click on the title for the whole poem)  Karen is third from left with walking sticks.
You see, last week, I went to the celebration of life for my co-worker of twenty plus years. She was my media assistant. She was a quiet force that saw to everyone's needs. It was fitting that her last name was Starr. It's been a sad month (on so many levels). Her service was filled with those who loved her. I've written three poems about my grief, all of them golden shovels and one from the Hirschfield poem.
It was a gift to be with my friend, Karen in her final days. We reminisced and I caught her up my life. I will miss her so much. I am so thankful that last July, we were able to get to the Norwegian Troll in SW Portland. There are several of them in the PNW. She'd only seen the one in Ballard, WA.
Here's the most recent golden shovel from Hirschfeld's "Poem with Two Endings"
Say “death” and the whole room freezes– —from “Poem with Two Endings" by Jane Hirschfield That day you called to say you were diagnosed with a brain tumor, death was not part of your vocabulary. And if I am being honest, you made the word your challenge. You strategized living whole: travel, reading, and staying strong for us. Now the room is filled with those who loved you. The air freezes– –a candle is lit, remembering you this first Thanksgiving ©jone rush macculloch, draft 2024 
An Invitation
It's 34 days until the new year! Time to start thinking of sending New Year Post Cards! I've have also been thinking that this is an excellent way to incorporate the small poems that some have been writing thanks to Mary Lee Hahn and the hashtag #haikuforhealing2024 and mine #haikuforresilience2024 (I suspect we'll need to change to 2025)
Send five, send ten or send to all? In Japan, it’s called Nengajo, a Japanese custom of ushering in the new year. How It Works:
Ruth at There is no such thing as a God-forsaken town. She has a beautiful poem for the the them of "My world, your world, our world." It was suggested by Linda Mitchell for our Spiritual Thursday Journey theme for this month.
About this time of year, I reflect on my One Little Word and start thinking about the word for the new year. I like to incorporate something about the word. This year my word has been 'expand' and it includes risk. It has been an excellent word for me. This is the postcard I sent out last year.
It's 39 days until the new year! Time to start thinking of sending New Year Post Cards! I've have also been thinking that this is an excellent way to incorporate the small poems that some have been writing thanks to Mary Lee Hahn and the hashtag #haikuforhealing2024 and mine #haikuforresilience2024 (I suspect we'll need to change to 2025) Send five, send ten or send to all? In Japan, it’s called Nengajo, a Japanese custom of ushering in the new year. How It Works:
Another possible idea for January 2025. I have been thinking a bunch about the marches through out the US on Saturday, January, 18, 2025 as well as the need for a distraction on Sunday, January 19, 2025.
I would like to offer a Zoom meeting as a safe space to write or create art . I am inclined to set it up for whatever day is better. I am thinking of 11:00 AM Eastern Standard Time (which will be 8:00 AM on the west coast and will give me time to grab a coffee). Please indicate in the comments if that is something that interests you. Art invites us to know beauty and to solicit it, summon it, from even the most tragic of circumstances. ~Toni Morrison © Graphic Design by Amber Fleek
Tabatha at The Opposite of Indifference is sharing all the poetry goodness today.
I am keeping it short. I want to share a video of our 2024 Poetry Postcards. |
AuthorAll photos and poems in these blog posts are copyrighted to Jone Rush MacCulloch 2006- Present. Please do not copy, reprint or reproduce without written permission from me. 
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