Last week, Tracie Lyn shared the prompt of "utopia." It is a word full of possibility. I look forward to reading your responses to this prompt or whatever else you decide to share this week. Just go ahead and leave a comment on this post with your link.
Please note that this will be the last organized edition of the Thursday "Traveling Poetry Show." A big thank you to Delia, Carolee, Jillypoet, and Tracie Lyn who hosted Thursday posts these last few weeks.
At this time, a new project will not be taking its place.
My plan is to keep sharing posts about poems I enjoy, posts about poetry collections I am reading, my own poetry, and so on here. Probably on Thursdays. And, I hope you will do the same on your own blog. In fact, I am probably just going to keep calling this day of the week Poetry Thursday as that is what it has become over the last year and a half.
If doing your own thing on Thursdays isn't quite enough for you, there are several other projects out there to prompt your creativity as well (Carolee has a great list in her sidebar). Also, check out Susan Wooldridge's book Poemcrazy if you are looking for some poetry and writing prompts to get yourself going (you won't regret checking out this book).
*****
A couple of weeks ago, a good friend said to me that I hold my cards close to my chest here in blog world. I guess I hadn't thought about this until she mentioned it because it feels like I spill and spill here on my blog. And, I do share a lot. But I don't always share details I guess.
The truth is that some things have happened in my life lately that lead me to know that, just as I knew a few weeks ago when Poetry Thursday ended, this is not the time for me to begin a new project in blog world. I need to move on from a few things in my life, and this is one of those things. And, even though that is all I am going to share right now, I deeply appreciate your kind understanding.
Thank you for everything really.
One thing I do know is that life it too short not to listen to the whispers of your heart. And, right now, I am in a time of sitting in the quiet listening to those whispers. I am also spending quite a bit of time with the books of poetry that live in my home, because it is always the poets who remind me I am not alone.
I hope that, for you, today and every day is a day full of adventures and truth in the world of poetry…
29 comments:
Thanks, Liz Elayne, for the love of poetry you have shared here, with us, with me.
I wish you the very best and will continue to visit your lovely site for inspiration. Be well.
My post is here, If Shangri-la had a Constitution
, which is broadly "on topic".
My endeavor for the day: An Ideal Place
"(though I have this secret dream that the traveling project will just keep going and going all by itself)" I hope so as well, and if the traveling show is in need of a host for a week here or there, I'd gladly do that if it's kept alive.
well said, and you have my understanding, always. you should stand back and be very, very proud of what you've done with poetry thursday. you birthed this idea, nurtured it, shared it, and brought it and poetry into the daily lives of people who may have otherwise looked the other way. good for you! and i will see you in 48 hours which is good for me!
You have re-introduced poetry back into my life!
hey pretty woman! I've been thinking about you-- I AM going to Artfest this year and so we'll get to see each other again (and with any luck you won't have to hold my hand while I cry on the beach . . ha!)
Bisous, bluepoppy
isn't it funny how this is
kind of how it all started...
with just a name
and united interested
of people
who chose to follow your
inspiring lead
and leave a poem
on their blog
every thursday...
you do what you have to do
and that is what matters....
hugs
:)
hi all... i am painfully behind on my reading,,, and i have to work today too... but i will be around asap i am off friday and sat... happy thursday!!!
heres mine....
"utopia"
i , too, offer any one of my blogs as a home for poetry thurdsay if there is a blank spot in the calendar....
you may want to leave the url instead of the hyperlink, as this comment page is a popup window and i for one cannot view properly in a comment window....
http://theinkpot.why-paisley.com/?p=183
Hi all,
Thank you Liz for your dedication to Poetry Thursday/Traveling Poetry Show. I for one am very grateful for the effect it had on my writing life. I will definitely miss it!
Here's my offering for the week -- Topos
I applaud your intention to listen to your heart. So much of this world has forgotten how to do that, and it would be a better (dare I say more peaceful?) place if we took the time and effort to hear those whispers. Thank you for leading the way to a more quite, contemplative, authentic life.
We have all been enriched by Poetry Thursday, each in our own way. It is a child that will continue to grow and live on in our hearts and homes.
Blessings to you, dear Liz, for your honesty, transparency (with boundaries - that's healthy!), and tremendous creativity. You are loved and appreciated.
Hugs,
Lisa
This is more Nirvana then Utopia, but, oh well.
Sestina Inspired by Rumi
Here's another thought for everyone: If the Traveling Poetry Show is to go on, it really needs to have a central spot where people can go to find out who's hosting this week and what the prompt (if any) is. This could be done through a blog carnival registration service like http://blogcarnival.com/bc/submit_424.html or someone could volunteer to post a link to the host blog every week, or someone could create a new blog/webpage where the week's host and prompt would be announced.
It doesn't have to require nearly the amount of work Liz and Dana have been putting into Poetry Thursday. But someone needs to make at least a little effort. I'm willing to be the someone-- if you're interested, leave me a comment or email me at tielansari AT gmail DOT com.
Thanks for all you've done! I hope we meet again (and again). I'd be happy to help with a page but I'd need help!
My Utopia for this Thursday:
http://firsttumblewords.blogspot.com/2007/10/utopia.html
Thank you so much for all you have done to bring poetry into so many of our lives! I am enjoying the travelling poetry show - it's a lovely way to visit a different new blog each week - and also hope it continues. And I too would be happy to host sometime.
My offering for this week is posted on my blog at http://thisgirlremembers.wordpress.com/2007/10/04/on-perfection/
your words are always like a deep breath. whether they are happy or sad or whatever your emotions might be, you always speak from the direct center of your heart.
much love to you, liz. and thank you also for the the supportive comments you've been leaving on my blog.
you are truly a wonderful spirit.
I want you to be well, where ever you are. /you have given me such a gift.
I have two poems" up..one today..one yesterday.
Thank you is not even close to enough.
I will continue to watch you blaze your trail, as I continue to blaze mine.
here's mine for the week
http://virtualrambling.blogspot.com/2007/10/utopia.html
I'm happy to host it at Big Window www.bigwindow.org. And if there's an issue ownership with the name, we could change it to Poetry Friday! Or Open Window, so there's no connection at all.
Here's a poem by an 8 year old, Ode To My Dogs:
http://witsblog.org/2007/10/04/ode-to-my-dogs/
My poem is here: the bubbling place.
But more important is the addendum:
"This saddens me greatly. I hope that someone with the energy and skills will step forward, and that Liz Elayne will pass the site and the responsibility on. The site -- and the passion -- that she generated is too important to allow to fade -- and it has, inevitably, faded these past few weeks, in the absence of a place and a person to shepherd us."
hi all! thanks so much for your kind words.
i think it is wonderful that there is such enthusiasm for continuing to share poetry...
and i wish anyone who wants to start a new project the best of luck. as i mention in this post, there are already a few out there you should consider exploring (there is actually a poetry friday in existence as well).
however, i hate to sound like a scrooge, but i just want to repeat what i said in an earlier post last month in case you missed it: Please do not use the Poetry Thursday name, logo/button, or banner in a new or "reconstructed" project. A few people have mentioned in comments, emails, or blog posts their desire to do so. Poetry Thursday was a partnership between Dana and me. It actually began as a small project here on my personal blog in early 2006 before this partnership was formed. Please honor these things.
Thank you.
i don't have a poem today. somehow i knew this was coming and i wanted to be a part of the last one but it didn't work out.
i hope everyone honors dana and liz and lets PT rest. a place where we began, but a place no more.
i know that other sites have always been out there and that others have already sprung up. there's something that's not the same yet. no magic, for me, anyway, even though i have fun participating in so many of the forums.
as you know, jill and i are working on something. fertile ground poetry project is out there and we're building it. we haven't started with our weekly projects yet (for which most of the posting/community will gather over the weekends), but we do have a challenge for poets to set a publishing goal and also have gathered a bunch of very cool poetry resources. keep us on your radar?
dear liz: thank you for all the work that you've done. but most of all, thank you for your honesty and for listening to your heart.
and to everyone: i don't have a poem today but i want to share these inspiring words by Lawrence Ferlinghetti's "Rough Draft of an ARS POETICA":
What is Poetry?
I completely agree that there are times when you do need to move forward and really live in the moment(s) that you are feel are right for you. And so, I applaud you for making this decision and doing what feels right...it is the only way.
Isn't it interesting how we can share so much, yet conceal so much all at the same time? I do the exact same thing...speak very randomly about emotions, even though I know exactly what they attached to and I know that I can not speak specifically of those things. I understand you here too...perfectly.
We take one day at a time and do the best that we can do.
love to you.xoxoxo
I appreciate you honouring poetry in the truest way that honours your spirit & where you're at right now. Sending you love dear friend. Peace, xx, JP/deb
you gave birth to poetry thursday and i know it touched a lot of bloggers' lives...including my own...thank you for always sharing your life...and your love of poetry...
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