Poetry Friday September 15, 2023
My Nevermores poetry buddy, Rose, is hosting Poetry Friday today. Hop on over there for the roundup.
Haiku of the Week
skipper weaves legs
through prickly buttonbush—
anything for sweets
Haiku & Photo © 2023 Marcie Flinchum Atkins
Photo Taken: July 10, 2023 at Green Spring Gardens
Haiku Written: August 16, 2023
What I’m Reading
by Jacqueline Jules, illustrated by Eszter Anna Rácz
I live just a few miles from the Pentagon, and on 9/11, my husband was working near the Capitol Building, so he saw the smoke from the Pentagon. I’ve been hoping for a book about 9/11 that focused on what happened there. This collection of poems really focuses on the children who were affected that day in our area.
What I’m Noticing
I have found one of the chrysalises from the caterpillars I spotted last week. Now I’m on a daily monarch watch. It’s tucked under my deck.
28 Comments
Irene Latham
Anything for sweets. I can relate! So much going on in that gorgeous photo. Love! xo
Marcie Flinchum Atkins
Me too! What I wouldn’t do for some sugar! 🙂
Tracey Kiff-Judson
Marcie, what a wonderful haiku, as always! I can identify with that skipper. “Smoke at the Pentagon” sounds like an amazing and powerful book. I will look for it.
Marcie Flinchum Atkins
Thank you, Tracey!
Rose Cappelli
Lovely haiku, Marcie! Smoke at the Pentagon looks like a collection I want to read.
Marcie Flinchum Atkins
Definitely worth a read!
Alan j Wright
Marcie, the final line of your haiku is a winner! It not only fits the poem, but provokes furher thought. What more can a poet wish for…
Marcie Flinchum Atkins
Thank you so much!
Robyn Hood Black
AMAZing photo! And there’s a bonus insect in there, too!
Thanks for also sharing the 9/11 book. Must be so poignant for you all every year.
Cheering on your monarchs… symbols of hope in this difficult world.
Marcie Flinchum Atkins
Yes, to the bonus insect. 🙂 9/11 brings back a lot of emotions every year and we didn’t lose anyone. My heart goes out to many people I know who did.
Linda Baie
Thanks for the book about the Pentagon, Marcie. I recently read The Only Plane in the Sky & learned more than I had known before about what happened there along with in NYC & Pennsylvania. It must have been so frightening for you all & each year brings the tough memories. I had to look up button bush, new to me & I love “anything for sweets”. From caterpillar to butterfly seems always a miracle to me. I hope you share what happens!
Marcie Flinchum Atkins
That’s a great book! I listened to it a few years ago. It was a scary day for me to be in the classroom with only bits of knowledge and no way to contact my husband (cell lines were down).
Mary Lee
Skippers and button bushes and monarch chrysalises, Oh My! What a glorious collection of natural treasures!!
Marcie Flinchum Atkins
Yes! It’s been an exciting few days of watching and waiting.
Carol Varsalona
Marcie, what a gorgeous photo and your haiku is just right. Sweet treats are always a bonus. Each year, I remember the tragedy of 911. I was in an elementary school when my AP stopped by to tell me what happened. It was unbelievable. He asked that my reading specialist team alert the teachers not to turn on any TVs until we decided how to present the issue to a 1-4 the grade parents and students. There was much chaos plus staff whose family were in NYC. My husband happened to be working in NJ and actually saw the 2nd plane hit while on the bridge going to work. My town in Long Island was hit the hardest. 45 people died including the mother of one of my daughter’s friends. I have so many stories that have only be told verbally. Good luck with your book on the tragedy.
Marcie Flinchum Atkins
I can only imagine being that close to NYC was hard. I was in the classroom too. I had no access to information except what little our front office was getting by radio. I don’t have any plans to write a book about 9/11. I’m glad this book does fill a bit of a hole in the stories for kids. We needed a book about the Pentagon.
Denise Krebs
Marcie,
There is always so much sweetness on your posts. I love the simple headings you share today–what your reading and noticing and your ubequitous and always delightful haiku of the week. Your photo has captured those woven legs of the skipper in that delicate buttonbush. So beautiful.
Marcie Flinchum Atkins
Thank you so much, Denise!
Anastasia Suen
What an amazing photo! We grew milkweek all summer, but didn’t have any chrysalises afterwards. Maybe next year.
Marcie Flinchum Atkins
This was my first success with milkweed (and monarchs)!
Laura Purdie Salas
Great image and haiku. Who ever know I’d relate so well to a moth (I think)?
Marcie Flinchum Atkins
Right? Me too.
Molly Hogan
I love how you’re so present in your world, Marcie, and then share it all with us. What a gorgeous photo and haiku!
Marcie Flinchum Atkins
Thank you! My word of the year is NOTICE! And I’m trying. 🙂
Carol J. Labuzzetta
Marcie,
Your haiku is lovely, as always. I love the plant photo you used. I raised monarchs from 2002-2021. So much watching and waiting! It took quite a long time to get my timing right and be able to “catch” the eclosure of the monarch as it happened! Mine always seemed to take ten days. Sometimes, it’s a little more depending on environmental conditions like temperature. You’ll know when the time gets close – you’ll be able to see wing pigments through the chrysalis. I love to watch the metamorphosis! Good luck with all of it! And, there should be a book (or more) on the tradegy of 9/11 – so much to process for us all, especially for children who need to know and understand what an emotional toll it took on all of us. Thank you!
Marcie Flinchum Atkins
It’s so fun! I used to teach 2nd grade and we did all things monarchs (and life cycles). It’s been lovely to watch it all in the wild.
PATRICIA J FRANZ
Wow! Those monarchs tuck into all sorts of spots! Can’t wait to see your upclose photos!
Marcie Flinchum Atkins
More to come!