Poetry Friday, Week 15: Thankful for Poetry

Welcome to Poetry Friday.  I am so glad you are visiting and leaving your links today.

It's National Poetry Month! There's so many writing opportunities and celebrations for poetry.

The Inklings have offered up the challenge of writing an ars poetica poem, “A poem that explains the ‘art of poetry,’ or a meditation on poetry using the form and techniques of a poem.  I wrote the following years ago. I think it counts as an  art poetic. Today seemed like a great day to share (or maybe reshare).

How to Write a Poem​

Rise before dawn gathering words
those juicy, succulent images.
The aromatic ones which crinkle your nose
returning you to the shadow places.
 
Those juicy, succulent images
found in the crevices of remembering,
returning you to the shadow places.
Throwing the words into a lavender-blue sky.
 
Found in the crevices of remembering
an unexpected arrangement for early morning.
Throwing the words into a lavender-blue sky,
watching them flitter-flutter, landing on prayer flags.

An unexpected arrangement for early morning.
Waking before sunrise, scattering words,
watching them flitter-flutter, landing on prayer flags
as the night watchers slip away.
 
Waking before sunrise, scattering words,
the aromatic ones which crinkle your nose.
As the night watchers slip away,
rise before dawn, gathering words.

~ ©Jone Rush MacCulloch

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2026 Kidlit Progressive Poem

Tabatha Yeats started us off not only with a first line, but also with a beautiful map. Donna added place names to the map.

April 1 Tabatha Yeatts at The Opposite of Indifference
April 2 Cathy Stenquist at A Little Bit of This and That
April 3 Patricia Franz at Reverie
April 4 Donna Smith at Mainely Write
April 5 Janice Scully at Salt City Verse
April 6 Denise Krebs at Dare to Care
April 7 Ruth Hersey at There is no such thing as a God-forsaken town
April 8 Rose Cappelli at Imagine the Possibilities
April 9 Margaret Simon at Reflections on the Teche
April 10 Janet Clare Fagel at Reflections on the Teche
April 11 Diane Davis at Starting Again in Poetry
April 12 Linda Baie at Teacher Dance
April 13 Linda Mitchell at Another Word Edgewise
April 14 Jone MacCulloch at Jone Rush MacCulloch
April 15 Joyce Uglow at Storied Ink
April 16 Carol Varsalona at Beyond Literacy Link
April 17 Robyn Hood Black at Life on the Deckle Edge
April 18 Michele Kogan at More Art for All
April 19 Kim Johnson at Common Threads
April 20 Buffy Silverman
April 21 Irene Latham at Live Your Poem
April 22 Karen Edmisten
April 23 Heidi Mordhorst at my juicy little universe
April 24 Mary Lee Hahn at A(nother) Year of Reading
April 25 Tanita Davis at Fiction, instead of Lies
April 26 Sharon Roy at Pedaling Poet
​April 27 Tracey Kiff-Judson at Tangles and Tails

Also, there are still 3 days left to participate. If we  don’t fill those last three days, we will end the poem on April 27th. 
The Land of Poetry
On my first trip to the Land of Poetry,
I saw anthologies of every color, tall as buildings.
A world of words, wonder on wings, waiting just for me!
Birding for words shimmering, flecked in golden gilding.
Binoculars ready, I toured boulevards and side streets
exploring vibrant verses, verses so honest and tender,
feathery lyrics, bright flitting avian athletes
soaring ‘cross pages in rhythmic splendor.
In the Land of Poetry, I am the conductor.

Visit  Reflections on the Teche for Janet Clare Fagel's line, Friday, April 10.

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2026 Midterm Videos from Texas Women's University

The midterms from my TWU students are finished and I'll be sharing them over the next few weeks. The poems are made available from Heidi Bee Roemer and STEAM Powered Poetry Contest.  I highly encourage the students to submit to the contest. 

My Shadow video by Carrie Brown
Welcome to the Science Lab video by Jennifer Davman
Wash You Hands video by Danette Diaz

Tomorrow, Saturday, April 11, 2026 @
​11 AM EST, 10 AM CST, 9 MST, and 8 PST

Saturday, April 11, I'll be hosting my quarterly Poetry Pop-up at 11 AM EST.  Are you curious about this gathering?  
What happens at a Pop-Up Poetry Salon?

It’s a time to gather with other poets and write for about an hour. I typically plan a couple of prompts or invitations to spark ideas for writing. We write for about 20-ish minutes. Then we have the opportunity to share and give positive feedback.
​Frequency of the Salons
I like to hold pop-ups about once a season. 
Why I Hold the Pop-ups
I feel more than ever we are needing community and time to write. For me, writing is art. I want a safe space to try out ideas. There’s a creative spark when we gather, write, and share. It's great to have something to come back to later or say that’s enough for now.
​If you'd like the link, please let me know in the comments or shoot me an email. (macrush53 (at) yahoo (dot) com.

Two Weeks Until My Book Launch

I'll be launching my book baby at my favorite local tea place, Cup of Tea.  The owner is so supportive and had made it her mission to foster community.  It's going to be the perfect place.

I'm in the process of getting the files loaded.  Found a last minute spelling error that needed correcting. 

“Tilt by Jone Rush MacCulloch deals with tough subject matter in an appropriate, child-centered way. Darrah’s journey through change and loss ultimately ends in joyful reconnection and acceptance. Poems from a tree’s perspective ground the lyricism in this intentional, thoughtful, vivid novel in verse.” 
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I love this quote from Cordelia Jensen, author of Lilac and the Switchback.  She is also a book coach.  I hired her to work with me last year.
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