Poetry Friday: The Dress

Let me begin by expressing my outrage and sorrow at the recent events in Uvalde, TX. My thoughts, prayers, and tears are with the families in that community and teachers everywhere. May you find the strength to carry on.

Tomorrow is my 45^th wedding anniversary. This week I unboxed the wedding dress I wore that day, the one I created and embroidered. I examined the stitching, wondering how I managed that accomplishment, while acknowledging that I must have always had a creative side, just expressed it differently. While once I created with sewing and handwork, now I create with words.

Yesterday I met with a friend who will use pieces of the dress to make a table runner for my daughter. Appropriately, it will lay atop the table my husband made for her when she bought her house.

The Dress

I finger the silky fabric,
remembering
a young girl
with daisies in her hair
waltzing in the dress she designed,
stitched,
embroidered.
Remembering
the dress
billowing in the breeze,
then tucked away.

Tucked away but never completely forgotten
through a life she designed,
stitched,
embroidered
with love and learning,
joys and sorrows.

I finger the silky fabric one last time
before the dress is just a memory—
transformed
but never completely forgotten.
Draft, 2022Rose Cappelli

Linda has the round up today at A Word Edgewise with a beautiful tribute to students and teachers. Please visit to find lots of poetry goodness.

Poetry Friday: Inspiration

The Poetry Friday roundup is here! I am so grateful to this community of supportive poets. At first, I was an infrequent participant, although I stopped by often to read and respond. I learned a lot, and eventually jumped in with my own poems. Thank you all! Today marks my first try at hosting.

I’ve been playing around with using book titles as inspiration for poems. Last week I reread Lee Bennett Hopkins’ anthology Night Wishes illustrated by Jen Corace (Eerdmans, 2020).

Night Wishes is a delightful collection of wishes whispered from objects in a child’s bedroom at night. As an added plus, it features many Poetry Friday regulars —Matt Forest Esenwine, Irene Latham, Renee LaTulippe, along with favorites Rebecca Kai Dotlich, Eileen Spinelli, Joyce Sidman, Nikki Grimes, and more. I offer this post as a tribute to the many poets I’ve learned from through the years.

What Does the Night Wish For?

a star filled sky,
the moon hovering high,
a whistle of wind through the trees

a peaceful refrain
from the whippoorwill’s call,
a kiss from the sun in the morning
Draft, 2022 Rose Cappelli

Looking forward to reading everyone’s poems! Please add your link here:

Poetry Friday: Workshop Wonders

This week I attended “The Craft and Heart of Writing Poetry for Children” at The Highlights Foundation with Georgia Heard, Rebecca Kai Dotlich, and fifteen new friends. My cabin (the Floyd Cooper Cottage), was in the back facing the trail into the woods. One morning I woke early and lifted the shade of my window to see what the weather might have in store. It had rained through the night, and now mist enveloped the trail in a shroud of mystery—spooky, inviting, beautiful.

Misty Morning

Mist floats among trees
Hugs the path in mystery
Will you walk with me?
Draft, 2022 Rose Cappelli

It was an incredible four days full of learning and inspiration. Before breakfast on the last morning I grabbed a cup of coffee, walked into the Word Garden, and let these words come to me:

The Goodbye Morning

On this goodbye morning
I wrap my hands around a warm mug
I wrap my heart around you
Draft, 2022 Rose Cappelli

If you ever have the opportunity to visit The Highlights Foundation either for a workshop or a personal retreat, I highly recommend it.

Jama has the poetry roundup today at Jama’s Alphabet Soup. Be sure to stop by for lots of Mother’s Day goodness.

Poetry Friday: Yarrow and Zinnias

I completed the Flowers A-Z project this week! For my last two I decided to do something a little different – a bio poem for Yarrow and a Fibonacci (Fib) poem for Zinnia.

Yarrow
Mustard-yellow, red, pink
Companion to lavender and thyme
Lover of ladybugs, butterflies, bees
Who wishes for summer sun
Who dreams of open grasslands
Who fears fire, fierce wind, drought
Who nourishes the soul and the soil
Garden ally
Draft, 2022 Rose Cappelli

Old Farmer’s Almanac

Zinnia

In
my
garden, 
zinnias,
butterflies, and bees
dance in a rainbow of blossoms.
Draft, 2022 Rose Cappelli

Good Housekeeping

Jone has the round up today here. Be sure to stop by on this last Poetry Friday in April.

Poetry Friday: Flowers Continued

Posting late today. I just returned from a trip to New York to babysit my grandkids. Although I was kept very busy with reading, coloring, swinging, and building, I did manage to keep up with my flower poem project. Here are two from this past week.

Queen Anne’s Lace

Some call it a weed,
an invader, a pest
banished from the garden.
But that delicate cluster of blooms
reminds me of lace,
and doesn’t a queen know best?

So I’ll let it grow wild
by the back yard fence
as long as I am able.
Then cut and arrange it
in a cobalt vase
for gracing my dining room table.
Draft, 2022 Rose Cappelli

Garden Know How

In Spring

tulip
bulbs buried deep
poke through winter white
stitch a patchwork quilt of color
in spring
Draft, 2022 Rose Cappelli

Margaret has the round up today at Reflections on the Teche.