Here is the very first of Colleen Chesebro’s 24 Seasons Syllabic Poetry Challenge, No. 1 Tanka Tuesday.
We are to write poetry using the current season words. A list was provided. I decided to use “harvest moon,” and this is a tanka 5/7/5/7/7.
parched forest’s rapture
beneath autumn’s harvest moon
nimbus clouds emerge
sparkling stars disappear
Mother Nature’s magic trick
Embrace your inner child with poetry. D. L. Finn
Yay! It’s almost here—RELEASE DAY! Tonight “Deep in the Forest Where the Poetry Blooms” will make its way into your Kindle if you preordered or be available for those who have Kindle umlimited. Plus, the print copy is ready to go. I am planning on adding a hardback soon. The new video is at the end of this post and some information about winning a gift card.
Deep in the Forest Where the Poetry Blooms is poetry that spans over a few years after my other book Just Her Poetry was published in 2019. This current collection encompasses many different types of poetry which I put into seasons, magic, paradise, my emotions, and the back of the Harley. Plus, there’s poetry stories told through haibun style. I have become fond of telling stories in limited words like In the Tree’s Shadows. I continued those shorter stories in this book, but with a poetic twist.
Putting this poetry collection together was overwhelming at first with three hundred pages of poetry to pour through. What to use and how to arrange it was a struggle until I made it more like the first book. After making some deep cuts, I enlisted Colleen Chesebro from Unicorn Cat Publishing to edit. I knew she’d be honest, and she was. She nudged me out of auto-pilot to fly with my words again. That was all I needed to make the cuts and changes. I know I’ve said this before, but never pass by the editing stage, even with poetry.
There are still two hundred pages of poetry that didn’t fit this book but may show up later in other projects.
Next, I worked on the cover. There were several at first, but his one captured my heart. Then came the video which is below. That all went smoothly.
Formatting was the last step. Having never done formatting on a poetry book before, it took some learning. Eventually, I figured it all out. It was one of those hard learning curves that my stubborn side insisted on conquering.
I wanted to get Deep in the Forest Where the Poetry Blooms out before the Harbor Pointe Inn Series released, so that added to my final push.
This poetry represents my current journey, but I left many of those COVID-19 year references. I’d rather focus on nature, magic, healing and exploring stories. Some of these poems were used in different challenges, including Colleen Chesebro’s Tanka Tuesday or the missed Suzanne Burke’s ‘Fiction In A Flash Challenge’ so you may recongnize them.
I was going to share my favorite poem, but in the end, I couldn’t choose. Instead, here’s the video.
I didn’t do a formal blog tour this time around. But there will be a couple posts out there to watch for! I will keep you posted.
In celebration of my latest release, two $5 Amazon gift cards will be randomly given to two people who leave a comment here today.
Next week will be a Finn’s Forest Post.
Hi!
I’m excited to announce my poetry book Deep in the Forest Where the Poetry Blooms: Just Her Poetry Book Two is available for pre-order!
Blurb
Embark on a captivating journey with D. L. Finn as she guides you through the intricate landscapes of free verse and symbolic poetry. Hike with her through the magical forest, feel the wind on your face riding on the back of a Harley, or bask on the warm Hawaiian shores. Her search for life’s magic invites the reader to traverse through the four seasons in part one. Emotions, observations, and stories weave through part two’s texture. Whether the words explore a sunset, healing, or magic, each poem flows through moments where poetry blooms.
Excerpts
From Forest Magic/Fairies
FAIRY
Shimmering forest fairy
Silhouetted by dawn’s blush
Agility accentuates rainbow wings.
She darts to an ancient pillar.
Owls, rabbits, deer, and foxes gather
To witness her royal coronation.
Ancient pines and Douglas firs stand tall,
Like protective parents hovering over their baby.
This little fairy born with tree wisdom,
Is evidence magic still exists.
From Flowing From the Heart
BEYOND
Swirls within a pearl,
Etched into a pattern.
Trees careful locations…
Rocks knowing expressions…
Petals velvet jewels.
Alternating slants and shades,
Within our ordinary moments.
A smile appears in orange lichen…
A mountain appears to be a sleeping woman…
A craggy cliffs appears to be watching.
Nature’s mysterious images, a reminder
To look beyond dull expectations,
Where seeds of imagination and truth grow.
From Poetry Stories and Some Truth: Told through haibuns
Magic Pages
The magical gift sits next to my bed. Dressed in black leather, it holds
the ideas of generations. I gently open the promise of endless entertainment in the two hundred and thirty pages. I can barely contain
my joy with so many words that offer knowledge, insight, thrills,
adventure, heartbreak, or laughter. It may take more than one lifetime
to explore. Yet, it’s never full and always welcomes new editions onto
its electronic shelves—even the bad ones. It is my paradise.
add to my Kindle
with the best of intentions…
to read every word
NOTE: I just enjoyed a weekend of camping, or my verison of it in a trailer, at our local lake. I will only be around for two days this week, before getting back to some time off. The monthly newsletter will be out! If you are subcribed check your email. I hope everyone has a fantastic week! Next week I’ll share an excerpt for my other upcoming release 🙂
Welcome! I’m so happy to welcome Balroop Singh here today to share her latest poetry collection: Fusion: Poems of Life!” I included my review 🙂
Blurb
Fusion is the elixir of life. We seek it in every aspect of the cosmos. The magic of fusion manifests itself in the colors of dawn and dusk, in the melodies of nature, in the singing of birds, in the miniscule moments of joy, inspiring us to live in harmony with each other despite the edges that threaten to swallow us.
The poems in this collection are an amalgamation of harmonies and edges that bind us firmly. We have to wade into murky waters to measure the depth. We have to risk the heights to know our worth. Slippery snow makes us learn how to create footholds. Some songs of life dilute in the hourglass of time to erase the shadows – dark or light, all the colors play an equal role to create a fusion.
Excerpt
This poem “talks about the journey of life in metaphors.”
Colors of Life…
They’re blue and lilac
With cuddles and caresses
Rocking like our cradle
Life sounds sublime initially.
Yellow and green mingle
To greet the first steps
Butterflies look charming,
Fairies step in to offer magic.
Pink and red flutter our hearts
Passion reigns supreme
Adventure holds our dreams,
Love gets a new connotation.
Darker shades set in
Black and gray dominate
Shadows hover to scare,
Ego refuses to bend.
Ashen and gray may jolt us
But life keeps its smile
If we let the clouds pass
And revel in starry delight.
© Balroop Singh
My Review
“Fusion: Poems of Life” takes the reader on a vivid journey through nature and life’s emotional aspects. I enjoyed the entire collection, but the nature-based poems really captivated me because I am so comfortable there. It was very hard to pick from the beautiful imagery, but here are a few of the many I highlighted. “The dream of my life was/To fly with the clouds/Drape their colors,/Adapt their shapes…”—Dreams, “Snow clad mountaintops/Kiss capricious clouds./Emerald lake watches,/As rosy hues of dawn smile…”—Ambrosial Love, “Stormy sea swallow/Stories of eons/Some shores speak…”—Changes, “Hold the first rays of sun/Softly in your hands or/Soak them gently in your eyes…”—Magic Moments, “The shimmer of violets allures me/A flower fairy sits smiling/Sprinkling her magic dust…”—Flower Fairy, and “The moment she wears her scarlet gown/She gets a call to cast her spell/Edgy enchantress grabs her crystal…”—The Scarlet Gown. A collection I read in one sitting, but one I will also revisit. I can highly recommend this to all poetry lovers.
Author Bio
Balroop Singh, an educator, a poet and an author always had a passion for writing. She would jot down her reflections on a piece of paper and forget about them till each drawer of her home started overflowing with poetic reminders, popping out at will! The world of her imagination has a queer connection with realism. She could envision the images of her own poetry while teaching the poems. Her dreams saw the light of the day when she published her first poetry book: ‘Sublime Shadows Of Life.’ She has always lived through her heart. She is a great nature lover; she loves to watch birds flying home. The sunsets allure her with their varied hues that they lend to the sky. She can spend endless hours listening to the rustling of leaves and the sound of waterfalls. She lives in California. You can visit her blog at http://balroop2013.wordpress.com
Embrace your inner child by reading some beautiful poetry! D. L. Finn
In this dazzling debut poetry collection of over 60 carefully selected poems, author Selma Martin points the way to the beauty in the everyday, the shadow of the rainbow, and the silver lining at the edge of every cloud.
Favouring lyrical forms, and revelling in rhymes and musical language, the individual poems in this collection harmonise together in symphonic splendour to form an enlightening and delightful whole.
My Review
“In The Shadow of Rainbows,” is Ms. Martin’s debut poetry book that I thoroughly enjoyed. There is a nice blend of nature with the emotional side of poems. The words flowed through the pages with vivid images and insights. I enjoyed them all but here are a few lines and poems that
caught my eye: “nurtured under the illimitable/distant sun, fulfilling stories/among the starlight…”—Give Back, “Light illuminates/all who wander/in darkness and delusion…”—Let Go. “When death comes/I want to be led into eternity/curious, full of joy…”—When Death Comes, “The green outside is winking at me/it arose merely moments ago,/like a well-rested
child rising from sleep,…”—Nature’s Tender Doings, and “I almost died of
exuberance/snorkeling around the unspoiled/coral reef/ when, in the dull hum of silence…”—I Almost Died. A wonderful collection to savor more than once that I can easily recommend for poetry lovers.
“Be ready for Selma’s poetry to play with your thoughts, and to discover your heart hiding in the shadows!” — Lynn Wielenga, madhatterpoetry.com
“In The Shadow of Rainbows is a delightful and profoundly thoughtful collection of poems. Selma Martin’s inner light radiates from every sparkling page.” — Cheryl Batavia, Author, Life in Inspiring Places
“Beautiful, simply beautiful.”—DAP @ My2ndHeartBeat
“Selma Martin’s debut poetry collection transmutes misery into mesmerizing beauty. Not only is each poem masterful in form, it is lined with spiritual truth much like a golden-lined cloud shimmering in the brilliance of a rainbow after a storm.”— Barbara Harris Leonhard, editor, MasticadoresUSA
“I encourage you to enjoy In the Shadow of Rainbows as it weaves its lyrical prose and skillful imagery and invites you to search for your one poem within its pages time and time again.”— Layla Todd, Nin Chronicles
“A wonderful debut collection of Soul-felt poetry.”— Harmony Kent, Goodreads
“If you enjoy surrounding yourself with powerful imagery, glimpses of life and nature, and slices of everyday life, then do yourself a favor and grab a copy of this collection of poetry. It’s wonderful!” — Yvette M Calleiro
AUTHOR BIO:
Selma Martin is a retired English teacher with 20 years of teaching children ESL. She believes in people’s goodness and in finding balance in simple living. She lives in Japan with her husband. In 2017, after retiring from her ESL position, Selma enrolled in her first short story writing competition with The Write Practice (TWP), an welcoming online community of writers. She practiced earnestly there and had the honor of mingling with seasoned Writers and newcomers like herself.
I didn’t plan on extra posts during my blog tour, but I couldn’t pass this up. Here’s Colleen Chesebro’s Special Birthday Prompt #TankaTuesday Weekly #Poetry Challenge No. 316. The prompt was: Create a syllabic form with 65 syllables, or a combination of words that amount to 65.
I went with 65 syllables. I combined three senyru 5/7/5 poems with two repeat seven-syllable lines that connected them. I used a “birth” and “faerie” theme 🙂 Title not included in count.
CELEBRATION
dazzling sage eyes
captivating windswept smile
loving elation
forest faeries celebrate
magical moment
nestled amongst mighty redwoods
under the mushrooms
forest faeries celebrate
food, presents, balloons…
welcome the baby princess’
first enchanted breath
Here is this week’s Colleen Chesebro Tanka Tuesday Weekly Challenge No. 307. It is Synonyms Only and the words to work from are: change & grow.
the shift was subtle
as the world nurtured our years
sprouting our wisdom
This week’s Colleen Chesebro Tanka Tuesday Poetry Challenge # 306 is Colleen Chesebro Tanka Tuesday Poetry Challenge # 306—a photo prompt.
The blood-red petals
beguiled the barren landscape
beacon of beauty
pollinates life sorrows
Bringing forth love’s healing blooms
Hi!
I just posted a new poem over on Vocal for a challenge. Next week I’ll be posting a short story I’m working on, and will let you know when it goes live 🙂 I’d love for you to stop by and say hello.
I’m all caught up on my book reviews and thought I’d talk about something I’ve loved since I was old enough to grasp… rocks and crystals. Although this passion for collecting them hasn’t made it into my stories, I’m sure it will someday 🙂
I’m not sure when I picked up the first rock, but it was love at first sight. I kept them in my room tucked away in an old overnight case, and when I moved out, they came with me.
Since then, anytime I was out in nature, I would pick up a rock to remember my moment there. If lucky, I’d find a heart-shaped rock and add it to that collection.
One afternoon, I went through my original rocks, and thanks to the Rock Identifier on my cell phone, I learned what I had collected over the years. There were many types of jasper, rhyolite, quartz, limestone, agates, granite, chalcedony, petrified wood, and lepidolite. I was attracted to this as a child just by its beauty, but as an adult, I realized there might be some healing or protection properties that come along with them I might have needed and still do.
I display my heart collection at the front entry of the house, some rocks and crystals are by my plants and the rest is displayed in my bedroom. Some of these, I have found, others were bought or gifts, but in one why they have found their way to me. When I hold them, I feel a positive energy and love to wear jewelry that is rock/crystal adorned.
This last Christmas, I received a wonderful gift from my youngest daughter- and son-in-law, a rock tumbler. My husband added all the chemicals and did the rinsing for the required four steps. This meant going out into the snow to use an outside faucet. You don’t want any of that grit in your household pipes!
After listening to the loud tumbling in the garage for almost five weeks, the first batch that came with the machine was done! There are tiger eyes, amethyst, crystals, and many others that I will have to check and see what they are. I cleaned them up, and here they are:
The machine will get a small rest and then will start the process all over again. I can’t wait to see how some of my rocks will come out.
There are many possibilities for what to do with all these rocks I want to polish, but making jewelry and other creative projects come to mind—or simply enjoying them.
Rocks are a part of nature which has found its way into my house and became part of my life. Poetry is the easiest place to explore my love of nature which rocks and crystals are a powerful part.
blessed abundance
wrapped in minerals… crystals
nature’s healing gift