This month's Spiritual Journey Thursday theme is Closing Doors Opening Doors | arjeha. And Carol at Beyond LiteracyLink who's invited us to share love. Both these themes are needed in the world at this moment. Bob offered this quote from Alexander Graham Bell: “When one door closes another door opens; but we so often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door, that we do not see the ones which open for us.” Most likely you have heard a shorten version of the quote. It seems that doors are closing for many and other doors people are waiting, uncertain that their door might close. This is what I have heard from friends this week, Some of their adult children with government jobs or ones that depend on federal funding are living, waiting for the shoe to drop. For me, it's hard to see that the door might close and another one will open for them. Carol shares this quote from a 1912 postcard: Love in all its complexity, is the ethereal beauty that resides within the human soul. I am feeling the heaviness of this week. My faith is being challenged. This is a little rambling that needs work, A found poem within the two quotes. Love wonders about the closing of doors because of your beliefs, your ethnicity, your job Love wonders what if we do not see the open doors because it took so long for them to reopen Love wonders when the human soul will take action and re-open the doors. ©jone rush macculloch Save the Date![]() We need more community! Join me on Saturday, April 5, 11 AM-1PM EST (feel free to come for all or part) to kick off National Poetry Month. Details soon!
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![]() Jan at bookseedstudio is hosting all the poetry goodness. I don't know about you but I am so glad for this poetry community. I had quite the day yesterday (Wednesday, 29th) and I didn't post a Wordless Wednesday. I had intended and it didn't happen/ so I will combine the two. birthday dawn
branching out this year dreams exist ©jone rush macculloch, 2025 ![]() Happy Poetry Friday! Tabatha at The Opposite of Indifference is hosting Poetry Friday. She has all sorts of goodness, especially the unveiling of her Brave Zine which you can read it online here. I feel lucky to have three poems in it. It's been a week, hasn't it? My weekend was a poetry filled one. Starting on Friday with a Zoom meeting with Kim Stafford to kick out the #StaffordChallenge. Then Saturday morning, I hosted a "Poetry for Persistence" for creatives. We had a chance to talk and write and share. It was wonderful to be in community with others. And I continued Saturday with another poetry project. Sunday was my third class with Joan Kwon Glass, an amazing poet who creates space for writing to fall out of you onto the page. Monday to avoid the television and to be in a sacred space, we drove to Wildwood. morning drive wildwood recreation we follow green glowy lichen paths, reach the river skip stones- we’ll persist ©jone rush macculloch, 7/365 SAVE THE DATEWe need more community! Join me on Saturday, April 5, 11 AM-1PM EST (feel free to come for all or part) to kick off National Poetry Month. Details soon!
![]() Welcome to Poetry Friday. Tricia at The Miss Rumphius Effect has hosting duties this Friday. Two weeks ago, I shared my 2025 OLW: Dream. Yesterday, at book club, I had a DOVE chocolate. It had a message: "Be the dream." I've been working diligently and with focus to get my WIP finished this year. My goal to finish had been for last year. Sometimes you have to adjust goals. But I am feeling good about 2025. I am participating in the #365picturetoday. Today is "journey". Perfect. Last call for January 18, 2025 What: "Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter." - Martin Luther King Jr. Let's create or write poems for persistence, for presence during the Martin Luther King, Jr. weekend. Let's share our work in community. If you are a writer, a poet, a slow stitcher, or artist, join us for a couple hours of creative community. 11-1 EST If you can only join us for an hour, great. Join us. Join here: Creating for Persistence. Do You Have a Poem to Share?I am looking for poems from poets to donate for use in my Texas Women's University Mid-Term Poetry Video project. Poems should be long enough for about a 1 minute video.
Please share your poem at 2025 TWU POEMS. ![]()
Kat at Kats Whiskers has the Poetry Friday hosting duties and shares a poem about cats and dogs.
I returned to Mrs. Martin’s fourth graders I had the opportunity to teach winter poems and we created snowman art. I absolutely love how the snowman turned out. Their expressions! I modeled that they could tear the circle out instead of using scissors and they did. They used the remaining whit paper to create the snow. ![]()
I used four poems from The Dirigible Balloon:
Winter Word Warning by Lisa Roullard The Day After the Snow Day by Theresa Gaughan Winter Fairies by Moe Phillips (We also listened to this one) Wintertime Fair by Mary Cronin Students had copies of the poems and we underlined wintry words that we would like to see in our poems. I then challenged them to use at least one of their underlined words. I put them into the PADLET. They are in Section 2. So scroll past Section I. By using the teacher and adding sections, I can maximize the allowed number of free Padlets. Saturday, January 18, 2025
What: "Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter." - Martin Luther King Jr.
Let's create or write poems for persistence, for presence during the Martin Luther King, Jr. weekend. Let's share our work in community. If you are a writer, a poet, a slow stitcher, or artist, join us for a couple hours of creative community. 10-12 EST If you can only join us for an hour, great. Join us. Join here: Creating for Persistence.
Spiritual Journey Thursday: 2025 One Little Word For the last thirteen years, I have chosen a One Little Word. My 2024 word was "Expand-take a Risk." It served me so well. From sharing art in the community to going to Japan, my world expanded. So in thinking for the word this, several came to mind. I've chosen DREAM for 2025. Langston Hughes' "Hold fast to dreams /For if dreams die/ Life is a broken-winged bird/That cannot fly. " has always resonated with me. Finding quotes that make me want to copy them down has been trickier. I found two that I used for golden shovels. A golden shovel, riffing on wilde. A dreamer is one who can only find his way by moonlight, and his punishment is that he sees the dawn before the rest of the world. ~Oscar Wilde I disagree with Wilde...it's never a punishment to see the sunrise. And this quote by Anaïs Nin: Dreams are necessary to life. ~Anaïs Nin Dreamers find their way by moonlight Consort with the dreamers the ones who find the tchotchkes and trinkets left on their deck by crows. The ones who know the way to the sea by their whimsy and moonlight ©jone rush macculloch, 2025 (draft) Dreams are necessary to life Anais Nin In my dreams the ravens are at the feeder. They’ve returned the necessary keys and word, I lost last decade to the divine chaos of life. ©jone rush macculloch, 2025 (draft) Invitation for Saturday, January 18, 2025What: "Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter." - Martin Luther King Jr. Let's create or write poems for persistence, for presence during the Martin Luther King, Jr. weekend. Let's share our work in community. If you are a writer, a poet, a slow stitcher, or artist, join us for a couple hours of creative community. 10-12 EST If you can only join us for an hour, great. Join us. Join here: Creating for Persistence. ![]() WINTER POETRY SWAP JOY I'm always excited when Tabatha Yeatts puts out the call for poetry swaps. I love out poetry community, our connected collective. This year, Tanita Davis and l swapped. Her poetry rock will be on display with my other rock words, She's nudged me with some slow stitching with a little felt embroidery project and given me words for future poems. Thank you, Tanita. ![]() Michelle at More Art 4 All is hosting Poetry Friday. The last one for 2024! How can that be? The Poetry Sisters December Challenge to write a Haibun. The Poetry Sisters, Tanita, Laura, Mary Lee, Liz, Sara, Tricia, and Kelly have haibuns for your reading enjoyment. ![]() The universe gained another star this week. I love glimmering stars but honestly, I think there have been enough people to reach the stars this year. I don’t remember if it was the Highlights Foundation or Georgia Heard’s workshop during Covid in which I met Beth Brody. Something connected with us and I had the good fortune to talk poetry, take more workshops, and share poetry for feedback with her over the last five to six years. This past year a quartet of us had met via Zoom to talk poetry about every six weeks. It was apparent that Beth was struggling with an undetermined health issue. This fall, the diagnosis of lymphoma was given and Beth was on her way with chemotherapy treatments. In my text over the weekend, we talked about a David Baker class that she’d signed for and the importance of not overdoing. So it was a shock to hear from her dear husband, Bob, that she had passed away on Monday. I will miss her. She was the queen of poetry punctuation and line breaks. I learned so much from her. She was so encouraging and funny. When she shared the diagnosis and treatment, she wrote she would emerge with the daffodils. I will be waiting for my daffodils to emerge this year. I plan on holding a poetry gathering via Zoom to honor her. You’re invited. Obituary Beth Brody, Writer ![]() I love the haibun form. This year I had two accepted into the Portland Haiku Society chapter's anthology. Crossing Bridges is a new haibun anthology by The Portland Haiku Group, edited by Shelley Baker-Gard and Shasta Hatter. Our anthology features haibun by ALXSw, Ellen Ankenbrock, Steve Bahr, Shelley Baker-Gard, Chandra Bales, John Budan, Terry Ann Carter, Maggie Chula, Lisa Gerlits, Shasta Hatter, Jone Rush MacCulloch, Cathy Merritt, James Rodriguez, David H. Rosen, Ce Rosenow, Diana Saltoon, Jacob D. Salzer, Marilyn Stablein, John Stevenson, Carolyn Winkler, and Johnny Baranski. Crossing Bridges was published by Lulu Press, Inc. in 2024, and also features artwork by Carolyn Winkler. Crossing Bridges is available to purchase on lulu.com for $15 USD. The following haibun is one that I've been working on about a place from my childhood. The Knolls Late summer after fifth grade, my family moved. Dad accepted a teaching position and we were having a house built. Grandma called our new location, “the god-forsaken valley.” We had a six month wait as our house was built. Scouring the real estate ads in the newspaper, my parents found a cabin-like house. It was nestled among scrub oak, California lilac, and sumac, a change from manicured lawns. We moved in. Definitely not built to code. I adored the house’s quirky ways. My bedroom closet was lined in cedar. I could walk in it and inhale its woodsiness. It was the enchanted forest I dreamt of many nights. Everyday, the bus would drop me off at the bottom of our dirt road driveway. It was the best adventure. Mom felt otherwise. My brother and I tracked in dirt, leaves, and sometimes mud from playing outside. At night, coyotes howled. Often, my night emergency room nurse mother was greeted in the morning by our neighbor, a wizened tattooed lady, offering her a beer. two months later moving truck brand new apartment © jone rush macculloch ![]()
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![]() 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. |
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. Categories
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