Through Poetry Friday friend Ruth, I discovered the writings of Jan Richardson and her Women’s Christmas Retreat booklets. Last year I downloaded the one for 2015 (Illuminating the Threshold) and worked my way through part of it using its questions as writing prompts. She ended the third chapter “The Cave of the Heart” with these… Continue reading Vena Cava
Today (July 1st) is Canada Day! A Happy 149th Birthday to Canada, the country I love. As you can imagine, the birthday celebrations this year will be eclipsed by celebrations next year when Canada turns 150. (Our poetry society is planning to publish a book of poetry to commemorate the event. Our members are busy… Continue reading Vancouver Island
Welcome to Poetry Friday, hosted right here this week. In western Canada, we've had an extra early start to the forest fire season this year. Last week the entire town of Fort McMurray in north-east Albert had to evacuate (85,000+ people). A fire that had started just few days earlier was whipped into a frenzy… Continue reading Poetry Friday – fiery edition
Un-Hallmark Mother While I gifted icon carnations and Hallmark lines, “Mother” to me smelled of duty and mothball wisdom. She my root of conscience, scruple permission to pursue the chaotic then, like her, to sort and label. I lived for her sideways compliments overheard in conversations with her friends. Her widow-grief broke down walls: She… Continue reading Un-Hallmark Mother
No! lower the ceiling stop dreaming and get real distract the appetite . with cold water and celery wipe that smile off your face snuff out the candle of “what if…?” turn off the music leave the room . and don’t forget to close the door © 2016 by Violet Nesdoly (All rights reserved)… Continue reading No! (NPM ’16-Day 27)
Monday is washday Sunday night sees piles of clothes segregated in lights and darks reds and prints, huddled together dreading the morning. Machines go through their cycles pour, churn, whirl, whir. Monday air is sweet with dryer sheets damp with clothes-horse hangouts. A half hour in front of the TV pairing, folding, and—Voila! our closets… Continue reading Monday is washday (NPM ’16-Day 12)
All photos © 2016 by V. Nesdoly Tulip Festival A few tulips are beautiful acres of them stunning— bouclé strips of colour in the palette of Spring: red, peach, yellow, pink orange, variegated, white, wine, varieties named for memories and with imagination: Rhapsody, Lolyta Christmas Gift, Graya, Kelly, Charade. They are April wine, goblets capturing… Continue reading Tulip Festival (NPM ’16-Day 9)
Storm Chasers The sun shone from Mother’s eyes most days until the weariness of caring for many children sowed clouds into the furrows of her forehead and impatience brought easterlies, even squalls. “Can we go? Please!” Getting an answer from Dad was like moving a ship through the doldrums. We budged him to “We’ll see”… Continue reading Storm Chasers (NPM ’16-Day 3)
Poet Maureen Doallas tagged me this morning in a poetry-writing meme. Her poem, "Learning to Jump Rope," is based on Lisa Hesselgrave's painting Jump Rope Pink Room. I took my inspiration for the poem below from these lines in Maureen's poem: “your wrists will begin to ache / at a quarter to three…” As I… Continue reading Learning to Skate
When life hands you a lemon You are not holding a mistake reject, or serene yellow egg but a blonde grenade that explodes puckering sour all through your mouth acid that pales pear, apple and peach squeeze that brings to attention potato, souvlaki, calamari. Its zesty shrapnel trademarks loaf and pie, square, drop and tart.… Continue reading When life hands you a lemon
Violet Nesdoly 