Ekphrastic Exaltation Coda
Ten more days of writing/poetic inspiration
My final installment of writing/poetic invitations inspired by Lexington Poetry Month which adds another level of sadness to the end of one of my favorite months of the year as well as a writing community that has only grown in importance to me. However, I know that the Rebel Cartographers and I enjoy revisiting this collection of poetry and one of my LexPoMo friends reminded me of the Cento so I expect to play with that form a lot in the near future using LexPoMo as my source text so I’m certainly not done LexPoMo just yet.
As I noted in the original Ekphrastic Exaltation (LexPoMo Day 1-10) I am a tremendous fan of ekphrasis (drawing inspiration from a work of “art” created by another). I hope that you too finding a sense of well-being, power, or (hopefully and) importance from my second collection of poetic invitations and possibly even great joy as well. As a writing teacher and writing evangelist as well as writer I know the importance of good writing prompts when the muse fails you.
And so I make this final offering to lift a line, an image, or an idea from the poems (you will need to click the link to explore the poems) or simply begin to write in answer to one of these questions or invitations:
June 21: Six poems inspiring thoughts about the flocks that surround us, feathered or not, and the reflections and wishes they inspire.
June 22: Six poems and these invitations: What people, places, and memories do you keep count of and perhaps should not? Which have you forgotten to keep track of until it was too late?
June 23: Six poems exploring secrets and trespasses and the tools we need to tend them.
June 24: Six poems and this important contemplation: What unsung gifts have you given to the world – willingly or not? Worthy or not?
June 25: Six poems that led me to ask: What fires do you intend to start with your words? How do you fuel the fires of others?
June 26: Six poems and one question: What rituals are you crafting for tomorrow and beyond?
June 27: Six poems and two questions: What betrayals and beauty has life delivered? How do you know which gleanings to nurture and which to excise?
June 28: Six poems asking us the true measure of wealth and why do we so often seek after false gold.
June 29: Six poems and three questions: How often do you think about what you will leave in your wake? How do you want to impact the world? How do you want to survive it?
June 30: Six poems exploring the possibilities and offerings that await you. What is the perfect metaphor for your current season or moment?
If you missed them, please check out Ekphrastic Exaltation and Ekphrastic Exaltation Redux. Don’t forget to subscribe so you won’t miss the updates on my Reading the USA Challenge and a look back on six months of reading, watching, and writing in community as I embark on my new adventure: retirement! Let me know what brings you to this space and what you most want to read from me: book recommendations, writing invitations, or thoughts about what I’m watching?