Poetry Friday, Week 1: Reflecting on Last Year, Poetry Swap Gifts, and an Invite

©Graphic by Amber Fleek

www.jonerushmacculloch.com/mixed-media-artMarcie at Marcie Flinchum Atkins has the round up this week.  Her post is inspiring with the goals for 2024. I love her idea to visit 24 independent bookstores!  And her word is perfect: GROW.

I was away last week, at the coast, so I missed.  
My word for 2023 was CURIOUS.  And is was a great year for that word.
Ways I was CURIOUS:

• took art lessons in watercolor, Gelli plate printing,  and mixed media
• took poetry classed
• read 113+ books.
• submitted 10+ poems to a variety of publications
• taught for Texas Women's University (and am teaching again this year more later in the post)
• found a new natural place, Wildwood Recreation Area to hang out
• tried my hand at selling pieces of art at the Oregon State Fair (and two sold, yay!)
• created a page for my art on this blog:  Mixed Media Art
• tried vegetarian sushi 

Next I will share my 2024 One Little Word. I'm going to a workshop Saturday to create a piece of art.
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I am always excited when Tabatha at The Opposite of Indifference puts the call out for the poetry swaps.

This year, I exchanged with Tracey at Tangles and Tails. When her package arrived, I was in the process of finishing her swap to mail . So I made myself wait until I mailed hers. 

What a delight! I should have photoed the wrapping which was so very precise and gorgeous (Wrapping gifts is not my jam). And this card! See the envelope? It's narrow. And then it opens up into this amazing piece of art. It's like the book, The Jolly Postman by Allan Ahlberg! ​Included were 2 books, fabulous chocolate from Connecticut, and Washi tape.  These treats were so special. Thank you Tracey so much for your generosity.

An Invitation

Last spring, I had an incredible opportunity to teach a poetry course for librarians getting their master's degree at Texas Women's University.  I had student create videos of poems from this Poetry Friday Community and beyond. Originally, I was teaching the class for just last spring. then this fall I was asked to teach again.  So I am in need of poems again.  I would love to have at least 30 for student choice. In April, I will post  here.  Look up April 2023 for examples. Please consider sharing a poem for student use:

• Poems should be PreK through high school
• And any topic that would be age appropriate.  There are some people who will be public librarians
• An original poem. If you have permissions on a published one and can provide the bibliographic information, published will work. Otherwise, unpublished.
• Include the date written
• Feel free to submit 2-3 poems
• Poems should be between 5-12 lines
• Need poems by January 15, 2024

​Please use the Google for to submit the poems.  It will help me stay organized.