"Spring a la Binney & Smith"-Poems as Prayers #2

How many ways can you say "Spring"?

Welcome to Week 2 of Poems as Prayers! What a joy to see your comments (and shares—thank you!) of last week’s post. If you are just joining us, there’s a bit of background for this poetic endeavor in the footnotes.¹

In a nutshell this week:

• The week’s poem—Read & Respond

• Announcement/Update on Monthly Thinking Poetically Zoom Calls

• I’m slowly migrating content from my author website and recently added a “Featured” tab with other places my work (or I) have appeared—podcast interviews and such, as well as poetry & essays. The link is in the footnotes.²

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Spring a la Binney & Smith is a new poem published here for the first time, the second in a series for a Work in Progress I’m calling,“Poems as Prayers—52 Reflections for Response.” Each week will include:

• A POEM, of course

• BEHIND THE SCENES of writing and a reflection

• A QUESTION for you to ponder

• AN INVITATION to respond in your journal (or here in the community)

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Spring a la Binney & Smith

Spring is topaz, goldenrod,

Lemonyellow, buttercream.

Magenta luminescence,

Pearl, ocher and opal.

Ruby, mulberry, azure,

Dusty olive, chalky blue.

Spring is emerald seaweed,

Translucent lime, electrifying

Pink. Jazzed up purple, waving

Wands of orangeade, murmuring

Waves of violet red. Spring ever

And always astounds, Creator’s

Crayons crafting the world like

Solomon’s temple, gemstones made new.

• BEHIND THE SCENES & REFLECTION

This week’s poem is more of a what I see poem rather than a what I feel poem like last week’s. There is so much beauty currently just outside my kitchen window and out my back door; Creation is fairly bursting at the seams in the Pacific Northwest and as such it quite often makes its way into my poetry.³

About this poem: A recent visit with my 5 1/2 year old granddaughter and the show and tell of her schoolwork coincided with my Scripture reading in I Kings (not a book I’ve visited often, frankly). I was astonished as I read descriptions about the remarkable, multi-colored detail and glorious furnishings of Solomon’s temple.

Goodness. Remarkable is an inadequate adjective to describe the process of adorning God’s house… but I’m roundly convinced that God’s creation has colors and hues and shades and shimmers that far surpass anything made by man’s hands.

Some of what’s just below the surface almost-Springing: hellebores already blooming in a spectrum of deep rose to palest cream, the suggestion of the soon-to-burst green in the buds of my trees, the shock of minute pink asterisks at the end of the King Edward currant bush—an amazement, all of it. Pink feather duster trees…I could go on.

• A QUESTION for you to ponder

What colors do you see where you live, what harbingers of Spring are speaking through Creation? Can you describe them or would a box of crayons offer a suggestion? Or which words phrases or lines in the poem I’ve shared resonate with you?

• INVITATION to Respond

Write in your journal what comes to mind or share HERE in the Comments—I would be honored to read your words. And if you’re feeling adventurous, write your own Spring Colors poem. Whatever you choose, I would love to hear what resonated with you.
Until next week, I hope you’ll consider making poetry a part of your prayers.

-Jody

P.S. Thinking Poetically Zoom Call Update

Have you heard? As an added layer of ‘thank you’ for everyone who is a paid supporter, I will be offering exclusive access once a month for a “Thinking Poetically” Zoom call. This is not to talk about just poetry—but also other ‘made things.’ The word poem comes from the Greek ‘poiema’ and means just that—a thing that is made. So any creative work is a poem.

Not a Paid Subscriber? You’re also invited to simply ‘drop in’ if you’d like—a fee of $10 is all that’s required.

A TIME AND DAY HAS BEEN CHOSEN—Ta-Da! Meetings will be 9- 10 am ish PST one Saturday morning a month.

Thinking Poetically gatherings will provide connection, inspiration and encouragement for all participants.

• This is not me teaching but everyone sharing; I will simply facilitate and guide.

• You can bring a poem to share—one you’ve written or read

• Read a favorite passage from a current book you’re reading.

• Or bring your writing questions to brainstorm.

• We will see where the conversation takes us.

INTERESTED? Simply leave a note in the Comments or reply to this email and I’ll add you to the list for an official announcement. I’m still getting the payment part figured out behind the scenes, so stay tuned!

ARE YOU IN?

Can’t commit to monthly support? You can always buy me a coffee… Just click on the button below!

1. The idea behind Poems as Prayers is to offer a volume of poetry combined with reading and reflection for weekly quiet times. I’m especially interested to offer an invitation to readers who wouldn’t ordinarily consider poems as part of their regular reading. One poem a week means there will be 52 poems at year’s end and voila! I’ll have enough poems and reflections for a book. Maybe? We shall see.

2. Here’s the link to the Featured tab here on my Substack page. You’ll find a video interview with Alyson Shelton in my role as “Poetry Evangelist,” discussing my I am From poem.

3. God’s presence through Creation in the array of flora and fauna through the seasons have informed both of my books, Hearts on Pilgrimage and Mining the Bright Birds. Available on Amazon or via this link.