A Monday Quote

March 13, 2017 by Sally

Poetry Friday: The Ray’s Reply

March 10, 2017 by Sally

Last Friday I shared this poem, written to the stingray I met on my morning walk:

I had some comments wondering what the ray might say back to me, so, of course, I had to sit down and figure out what it is Ray might say to me. And here it is:

Have a great Friday. Today’s Poetry Friday roundup is hosted by Michelle at Today’s Little Ditty. Head over there to see what other poetry goodness is on offer – and to read Michelle’s amazing account of the work of Lily Yeh.

Poetry Friday: Good Morning, Ray

March 3, 2017 by Sally

Last Friday, I posted about walking the dolphins. This week, I had planned to post on a completely different topic. But, this morning as i walked along the beach, I had an encounter with a different marine animal – a stingray, that swam into the shallows very close to me feet and which I then followed along for a while, chatting away to it about the beautiful day. So, of course, by the time I’d finished my walk, there was a poem in my head.

And, if you’d like to see more of Mr Ray, here’s a little video I took.

https://www.facebook.com/125397660050/videos/10158341635330051/

Today’s Poetry Friday round up is at My Juicy little Universe. Expect lots of Billy Collins goodness when you visit there.

Poetry Friday: I Did It

February 17, 2017 by Sally

Last Friday I posted about the Busselton Jetty and my plan to swim around it. It’s been such a hectic week that I haven’t come back to share how I went. So, given that it’s Poetry Friday, I thought I might tell you in verse:

The weather was grey

The ocean was choppy

It rolled and it swayed

But I’d planned for so long

For this one special day

When the starter said ‘go’

I was off and away.

AND
I did it I did it

I swam all the way

I did it I did it

So hip hip hooray!

So yes, I managed the 3.6km swim, in a time of 77 minutes and, as you might guess from the photo, I was left elated but also a wee bit exhausted. the water was rougher than expected – a storm front had come through in the days leading up to the swim, and apparently these were the worst conditions there’d been in the race’s history. But my training paid off and I stuck to my rhythm – the same rhythm I’ve tried to use in the poem. So, although I swallowed about half the ocean, I felt pretty good doing it. Good enough that I’ll be going back for another go next year.

Have a great Poetry Friday. The roundup today will be hosted by Check It Out, so if you want lots more poetry goodness, head over there to see what everyone else is posting.

Poetry Friday: The Jetty

February 10, 2017 by Sally

Back in September and October I took a couple of long walks. Actually, I take long walks regularly, but these two were particularly special, because they were out to sea – a mile and a bit out to sea, along the Busselton Jetty. This is a really magical walk, and well worth the time if you happen to be visiting my part of the world.

After the walks I sat down and wrote this poem, which I have finally got a round to editing, with the photos I took, into a video:

And here is the text version:

Jetty

A lovely feature of the jetty is that it has poetry displayed on it. Hoorah!

I’m a mile out to sea

But I’m not wet

The planks beneath my feet

Don’t rock and sway

with the waves

I’m a mile out to sea

And so is the gull

Perched on the railing

Watching me

Beady-eyed

I’m a mile out to sea

And down below

Dark water swirls

And swooshes

Singing ocean’s song

I’m a mile out to sea

And around me

Salty breeze

whispers the secrets

of places far beyond

I’m a mile out to sea

But in a moment

I’ll turn

And start the long walk

Back to land smiling all the way.

(Poem copyright Sally Murphy)

The reason I’ve chosen to share this poem today is because, after I did that walk, I made a decision. I was going to get training and swim around the jetty. Every year, there is annual jetty swim, and I’ve told myself for years that I would do it one day. So I registered, and started training. I joined my local Masters Swimming group and I trained some more. A lot more. At first I wasn’t sure I could get fit enough. Now I’m feeling reasonably confident. And, if I don’t make it, there are plenty of ladders. And I can try again next year.

Wish me luck. I’ll let you know how I go.

Have a great Poetry Friday. Please visit the roundup, hosted by Katie at The Logonauts, for lots more poetry goodness.

Poetry Friday: This is Just to Say

February 3, 2017 by Sally

Earlier this week, I posted about mentor text, and how can use them to inspire new poems of your own. Today, I wanted to share another effort. This one is based on what I suspect might be the most-used mentor-text poem ever, and a poem which changed my world.

First, the poem, by William Carlos Williams, which I hope you’ve come across before:

This is Just to Say

I have eaten

the plums

that were in

the icebox (read the rest of this copyright poem here)

This poem, written as a note of apology, was one of the first free verse poems I remember reading. It was my first year of high school, and our teacher gave us the poem to read, discuss and, yes, mimic in poems of our own. I remember being amazed that poems could be written that way. Years later, when I wrote my first verse novel, Pearl Verses the World, I gave that experience to Pearl:

One day Granny read me

A poem

About a man stealing a plum

Granny, I remember saying

Why are there no rhymes

In that poem?

Granny laughed.

Why, Pearl, didn’t you know

A poem does not have to rhyme?…

A poem, comes

When it is needed

And writes itself

In the way it needs

To get its point across.

Anyway, back to the use of a mentor text. Williams’ This is Just to Say ahs been used in classrooms and by writers as a mentor text many many times. There have even been books written based on the poem, my favourite of which is Joyce Sidman’s This is Just to Say: Poems of Apology and Forgiveness.

Here is my own attempt a ‘This is Just to Say’ poem. I stuck with the food theme, and also gave an extra nod to Williams’ poem with my mention of plums.

This is just to say

I have eaten

the cake

that was in

the pantry

and which

you were probably

saving

for visitors.

Forgive me.

We had

no peaches

and no icy plums.

Have you ever written a This is Just to Say Poem? Or do you have your own favourite mentor text? I’d love to hear about it.

This post is part of Poetry Friday, where bloggers around the world post about poetry every Friday. Later today, you’ll see a round up of all the Poetry Friday posts at Penny’s blog.