Poetry Contest!

Today

First thoughts:

it isn’t even light

it was fun

sleeping

I haven’t counted everybody

First Prayer:

show me, God

this day

On my first walk:

after coffee

in new sunlight

bluebirds

First chores:

make bed

feed dogs

wash dishes

sweep floors

feed chickens

three brown eggs

Laura Paine Carr

February, 2010

Quill Ink Productions, created a poetry contest this year, to celebrate and support our  Healdsburg Literary Laureate.  I believe it was the "first annual" writing contest, and by the response, excitement generated, and the remarkable work submitted, the suspense, and... omigoodness, I made it into the "Winner's Circle!" the gathering of friends, family members, and a whole bunch of literary folks... the announcements were made at our monthly "Literary Cafe" which meets the second Tuesday evening every single month, with open mic and a featured reader.  The MC's worked their way through "The Winner's Circle" replete with two second place winners, and it was right about here, that I thought, "Uh-oh.  They have not called me up as "honorary mention,"  I'm not tied for second,  oh no."  I became completely nerved-out.  Had to enlist deep breathing technique.  Had to get centered.  Then the Judge spoke generously about my poem, introduced me using my whole name, and then, with a delicious laugh said, "Honest!!!  I didn't know it was yours!!!"  (Truth telling here:  I love that she loved my poem, because she is an awesome poet/teacher/mentor-to-many).

So, this is my first winner-of-a-poem!  The moral to the story is:  submit your writing!  Submit to journals, magazines, everything you can think of... just, for heaven's sake, do it.

This beautiful young lady was a joy to watch yesterday.  Her energy and focus delighted me.  My granddaughter was all done with her testing, and we were enjoying the next class up, which included grown-ups as well.  I just loved watching her.

Lucky us.  We live in the way of the migrating Hummers.  They are known, on our front porch, as the Hummingpiggies.  They swill a quart of sugar-water a day, sometimes more.  Sometimes there are 8 on the feeder with another 6-8 in a squabbling holding pattern.  They crack me up every evening.

And the soft, pink Camellia is blooming.  The color almost makes a symphonic sound, it is so luscious.  The little cricket surprised me, and I think that he represents the idea of "Life is good."  Imagine living for a month in a petal pink palace.

xoxoLC