By Jay Wright – Foothills Writers Guild
Let’s celebrate National Poetry Month by enjoying three of poetry’s many forms by enjoying original work by three local poets with different amounts of time studying the craft. Each poet is a current member of the Foothills Writers Guild in Anderson.
In “The Queen”, Pat Wood uses creative form and several advanced literary devices to craft her unique perspective of April. Pat is celebrating her tenth year as a guild member.
The Queen – by Patricia Jones Wood
April is the queen of months,
wearing in her hair the hot pink
bloom of the Japanese Magnolia.
She dances in a dress embroidered at its hem
with peonies in ombré shades of pink,
running all the way to red.
Dark purple violets adorn her ears.
Her ballet slippers are made of
soft green moss, and she
carries a wicker basket of blue irises.
She sings the song of the bees,
a happy buzzing tune.
She bathes in spring rain,
and puts on a new gown, whose
neckline sports yellow daffodils.
The skirt is made of cherry blossoms,
and she smells heavenly.
April does not visit long,
but the days she is here
are among my favorites
and are most delightful.
Our current guild president, Angela Lowe, has been a member for almost six years. In “Season of Hope” she uses an American Sonnet form then mixes classic rhythm with a contemporary rhyme scheme. She ends the piece with the title to add dramatic effect for its reader.
Season of Hope – by Angela Mason Lowe
Sunshine, give warmth as the earth’s turning ‘round.
Let gusty March winds blow away the blues.
Leave seeds of hope clinging to barren ground.
Oh, spring, resurrect in colorful hues.
Blooms, lend your sweetness to the buzzing bees.
Clouds, sprinkle water across fertile plains.
Like songbirds, sing praises among the trees.
Garden, give thanks for the soaking spring rains.
Each year four distinct seasons help us see:
Dark storms don’t last, they are only a test.
In life, change is constant and holds the key.
When flowered fields awake from winter’s rest.
Springtime renews as nature comes alive.
Season of hope, God’s creations revive.
The final poem is a tribute to the rebirth April brings. Adair Seemuller, a freshman at TL Hanna High School, has been a guild member for one month. Her tightly written “Spring Showers” uses vivid imagery, active voice, movement, and several subtle devices to show the power in a short poem.
Spring Showers – by Adair Seemuller
rain falls
thunder cracks
and lightning strikes
then wind blew
tulips bloomed
and the world’s anew