Category: Poetry Friday

Poetry Friday, Week 3: Remember MLK, Jr.

1/16/2026

©graphic by Amber Fleek

Jan at bookseedstudio is hosting Poetry Friday today. Her remembrance of MLK, Jr. with lyrics from a famous song adds to my poetry offerings today.
I'm writing a Daily Haiku and yesterday I wrote one about King, I think about visiting his monument and the powerful humbling experience. When I was looking at photos to include with the haiku, I found another haiku I wrote in 2018 when I first visited. The use of the word "good" gave me a tingle in wake of the recent tragedy in MN. I am reposting that haiku as well as my one from yesterday.

Written eight years ago. The meaning of the words stand and yet take on a new meeting with the murder of Renee Good.

Have we learned anything? I keep wondering what people like him would say if living today?

Some good news...

Last Saturday, I wrote with about five other poets. We spent about twenty minutes writing to the invitation of: REST. It's always amazing to see the interpretations. I will be hosting another event during April.
Thank you to Sylvia Vardell for including TILT, my soon-to-be-published novel in verse on her Sneak Peek List. It's her last one and she's hoping someone will take up the torch. If interested, contact her. She's kept lists for 16 years and they have been the best resource!

1 Comment

Poetry Friday, Week 1: Greeting the New Year

1/2/2026

12 Comments

Catherine at Reading to the Core and she has a great prompt for this month's challenge. Write a poem after Mary Lee’s “December” poem. Catherine's January poem makes me want to scurry and write one.
This has been a week of emotions. On Monday, I woke to Facebook news about a former parent and friend who passed away on vacation. Shocking!
I've had some interactions with the world that just makes me be happy to be a human and know that there are good and kind people in the world.
I finished with responding to copy edits on my book. I didn't get my OLW ready (next week).
I took a mini break in not writing a daily haiku. But here are the three I wrote.

Winter Poetry Pop-Up Salon: January 10, 2026 11AM-12 PM EST.
Come and let's write together in community on Saturday, January 10. Sign up HERE.

12 Comments

Poetry Friday, Week 52: Reflecting on 2025 OLW and Invitation

12/26/2025

8 Comments

Welcome to the last Poetry Friday of 2025.
Tricia at The Miss Rumphius Effect. She's sharing a poetry sister's challenge of writing on the theme of peace, light, or hope. To read the poem inspired by thinking of her mom, head there.

In December for my Daily Haiku practice, I tried to incorporate those themes.

Dec. 3
day begins
in the bird's song-- quiet hope
all aglow
Jone Rush MacCulloch, 2025

Dec. 9
atmospheric river
rainy sheets
inside— fire, books, peace
Jone Rush MacCulloch, 2025

Dec. 14
sandy hook
never forgotten
lives cut short
light a candle
write a poem
Jone Rush MacCulloch, 2025

My 2025 OLW was DREAM. It served me well. I dreamt about possibilities and acted on them. One significant action was to abandon pursuing a Highlights Foundation Scholarship to instead, hire, Cordelia Jensen to coach and provide feedback on my almost ready to publish novel in verse. I had taken classes from her via Highlights in the past. Her feedback enabled me to get to the stage I'm at currently; working through copy edits.

Dream had me pursuing contests and submissions along with showing my photography and art in two places this year.
It's been a fabulous word. Next week, I will reveal my 2026 OLW which honestly started tagging along with DREAM about five months ago.

Winter Poetry Pop-Up Salon: January 10, 2026 11AM-12 PM EST

Come and let's write together in community on Saturday, January 10. Sign up HERE.

8 Comments

Poetry Friday, Week 51: Solstice Elchen

12/18/2025

13 Comments

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:

Choose to send five or ten postcards.
Create a postcard: you can buy a postcard and write a poem on the other side or you can create one postcard to send to everyone (I use Walgreens or Snapfish)
Once you get the names, send by February 17, 2026 (start of the Chinese New Years and someone's bday. wonder who?)
If you choose, you can work in the Chinese animal for 2026: The year of the Fire Horse. It is not required.

Please sign up by December 20 on HERE.

13 Comments

Poetry Friday, Week 50: Student Elfchens, Book News, and New Year Postcards

12/11/2025

9 Comments

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.

Sign Up to Receive a 2026 New Year Postcard

poetry postcards
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:

Choose to send five or ten postcards.
Create a postcard: you can buy a postcard and write a poem on the other side or you can create one postcard to send to everyone (I use Walgreens or Snapfish)
Once you get the names, send by February 17, 2026 (start of the Chinese New Years and someone's bday. wonder who?)
If you choose, you can work in the Chinese animal for 2026: The year of the Fire Horse. It is not required.

Please sign up by December 20 on HERE.

9 Comments

Spiritual Journey Thursday and Poetry Friday, Week 49: Light, Darkness, Silence, and Hope

12/3/2025

15 Comments

Welcome to Spiritual Journey Thursday. I am hosting this month. I've included this for Poetry Friday as well. I’m subbing both Thursday and Friday this week so I have this written early.

December is typically seen as one of the three dark months: November-December-January. It’s considered the darkest with the Winter Solstice on the 21st. I remember a time when I wasn’t a fan of these shortened days but now I embrace them.
In preparing for this post, I found this haiku on the Holy Disorder of Dancing Monks on Facebook:

The darkness will pass
The Sacred light will find us...
Will we be awake?

by Pat Leyko Connelly

How will you be awake? I look for the good and kindness in the world everyday. Writing my daily haiku awakens me. Getting out to see the sunrise like I did today (which for transparency, I’m writing this on Wednesday). I feel through writing and creating my art I am leaving hints for the Sacred light to find me.
While on the Holy Disorder of Dancing Monks page, I found this quote from Thomas Merton:

"The world of men has forgotten the joys of silence, the peace of solitude, which is necessary, to some extent, for the fullness of human living."

Wow, I took a breath, it resonated. It feels like the perfect companion quote to go with the haiku.
Our world is so noisy currently. This is why being at the coast or going up to Wildwood is so necessary for my spiritual well being. I’m a little sad as this year it will not work to wake up to ocean sounds on New Year’s Day. I am looking for alternate places of solace, such as, The Japanese Garden, which will be only open to members on January 1.
As we move through Advent, each week holds a word. Hope-Peace-Joy-Love
This week I noticed Hope in the news that an anonymous donor is covering the cost for the last two terms of seniors in medical school at the University of Washington. It gives me hope in the generosity of others. Earlier this year, when a college friend of mine lost his home to fire, hope came though those who reached out to him in his time of need. Hope was this morning at sunrise.
In the coming weeks, my plan is to notice darkness and light, the moments of silence and find ways the Advent word for the week manifests itself.
How about you? Please leave your SJT link below. My entry for Poetry Friday is below.

Poetry Friday

Irene at Live Your Poem is hosting Poetry Friday this week.

This is my daily haiku for 12.03.25. It finds hope in the morning and connect with SJT.

day begins
in the bird's song quiet hope
all aglow

If you want information about the 2026 New Year Postcard Exchange, read HERE.

Please sign up by December 20 on HERE.

15 Comments

Poetry Friday, Week 48: Gratitude Poems, What I Heard Poem, and and Invitation

11/28/2025

11 Comments

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:

Choose to send five or ten postcards.
Create a postcard: you can buy a postcard and write a poem on the other side or you can create one postcard to send to everyone (I use Walgreens or Snapfish)
Once you get the names, send by February 17, 2026 (start of the Chinese New Years and someone's bday. wonder who?)
If you choose, you can work in the Chinese animal for 2026: The year of the Fire Horse. It is not required.

Please sign up by December 20 on HERE.

11 Comments

Poetry Friday, Week 47: New Year Poetry Card Invitation

11/22/2025

7 Comments

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:

Choose to send five or ten postcards.
Create a postcard: you can buy a postcard and write a poem on the other side or you can create one postcard to send to everyone (I use Walgreens or Snapfish)
Once you get the names, send by February 17, 2026 (start of the Chinese New Years and someone's bday. wonder who?)
If you choose, you can work in the Chinese animal for 2026: The year of the Fire Horse. It is not required.

Please sign up by December 20 on HERE.

7 Comments

Poetry Friday, Week 46: Music Week

11/14/2025

Carol at The Apples in My Orchard is hosting this week! She has a gorgeous photo of the Northern Lights and a poem. We had clouds this week so no chance to see the sky magic.

I'm keeping it short this week. It's been a music week in which my husband and I saw two music icons. Both played like they were absolutely having the best time and hadn't been on the road very long. Both had stunning visual backgrounds. With Albert, he leaned into a lot of footage of his early days on tv.
It's been great to respond via daily haiku. Apologies regarding the photo quality.

Nov. 10

music night
trumpet magic by
herb alpert

to be like
him at ninety
blown away

Jone Rush MacCulloch, 2025

different era
burnin' down the house
david byrne

standing, dancing joy
so lucky
one week, two icons

Jone Rush MacCulloch, 2025

Tomorrow: 11:00 AM EST. Poetry Pop-up Writing Salon

Email me macrush53 (at) gmail dot com or leave me a comment if you want the Zoom link.

Poetry Friday, Week 45: Poetry Comic and an Autumn Write Invite

11/7/2025

Laura at Laura Purdie Salas is hosting Poetry Friday today and while she's attending to family business in Florida, she's sharing the wonderfulness of her latest book, Flurry, Float, and Fly! Carol has a review of the book.

Today I subbed in a fourth grade for one of my teaching friends. We didn't quite get to poetry but I shared a snippet of the work of Gary Snider, author of Poetry Comics. Hopefully, we'll get to try some poetry comics when I return.
Meanwhile, here's a November haiku poetry comic I wrote today.

If you haven't discovered Grant Snider, I recommend his IG Account @grantdraws. Also, Georgia Heard and Grant Snider are hosting another workshop in the new year.

Join Me: November 15, 2025 for An Autumn Write

I'm hosting an hour long writing salon next Saturday. Come write for an hour next Saturday.
Saturday, November 15, 2025
11:00 AM EST
8:00 AM EST
Leave me a yes, I want the link in the comments or send me an email: macrush53 @ yahoo (dot) com.

<<Previous

Poetry Friday, Week 3: Remember MLK, Jr.

Poetry Friday, Week 1: Greeting the New Year

Winter Poetry Pop-Up Salon: January 10, 2026 11AM-12 PM EST.
Come and let's write together in community on Saturday, January 10. Sign up HERE.

Poetry Friday, Week 52: Reflecting on 2025 OLW and Invitation

Winter Poetry Pop-Up Salon: January 10, 2026 11AM-12 PM EST

Poetry Friday, Week 51: Solstice Elchen

Poetry Friday, Week 50: Student Elfchens, Book News, and New Year Postcards

Sign Up to Receive a 2026 New Year Postcard

Spiritual Journey Thursday and Poetry Friday, Week 49: Light, Darkness, Silence, and Hope

Poetry Friday

Poetry Friday, Week 48: Gratitude Poems, What I Heard Poem, and and Invitation

An Invitation: Please Join Us for the 2026 Poetry Postcards

Poetry Friday, Week 47: New Year Poetry Card Invitation

Please Join Us for the 2026 Poetry Postcards

Poetry Friday, Week 46: Music Week

Tomorrow: 11:00 AM EST. Poetry Pop-up Writing Salon

Poetry Friday, Week 45: Poetry Comic and an Autumn Write Invite

Join Me: November 15, 2025 for An Autumn Write

Author

Categories

Archives

Winter Poetry Pop-Up Salon: January 10, 2026 11AM-12 PM EST. ​Come and let's write together in community on Saturday, January 10. Sign up HERE.

Winter Poetry Pop-Up Salon: January 10, 2026 11AM-12 PM EST

Sign Up to Receive a 2026 New Year Postcard

Poetry Friday ​

An Invitation: ​Please Join Us for the 2026 Poetry Postcards

Please Join Us for the 2026 Poetry Postcards

Tomorrow: 11:00 AM EST. Poetry Pop-up Writing Salon

Join Me: November 15, 2025 for An Autumn Write

Author

Categories

Archives

Winter Poetry Pop-Up Salon: January 10, 2026 11AM-12 PM EST.
Come and let's write together in community on Saturday, January 10. Sign up HERE.

Poetry Friday

An Invitation: Please Join Us for the 2026 Poetry Postcards