Imagine the Possibilities

It’s Poetry Friday!

Tabatha has the round-up today at The Opposite of Indifference. Be sure to stop by for a beautiful poem by Denise Levertov, “Concurrence.” I encourage you also to explore the meditations for this poem in the link Tabatha offers.

Here in the northeast we are preparing for the biggest winter storm we’ve had in a few years. When cold weather hits, I often think about the birds staying sheltered and warm. Turns out they are much like us.

Ready for Winter

I’m toasty in layers of sweaters and jackets;
my bird friends are fluffing fine feathers of down.

When fingers are freezing we put them in pockets
like bird beaks and feet tucked tight in a crouch.

A bunch of us crowd into forts made of snow;
birds huddle and cuddle on evergreen boughs.

I know the best places for sledding and skating;
birds recall spaces that house a seed stash.

We’re ready for winter, my bird friends and I –
the snowsqualls, the deep freeze, the thrill of the chill.
Draft, 2026RoseCappelli

I am especially thinking today of my poetry friends in the Minneapolis area. May you find shelter in the storm. Be safe.

It’s Poetry Friday! Jan has the roundup at Bookseedstudio where she shares a lovely tribute honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Be sure to stop by for lots of poetry goodness.

When you live in a home for almost 48 years, you’re bound to collect some things. Well, maybe a lot of things. Every so often, my husband and I do some clearing of the many boxes that live in our basement and attic. This week yielded several crates of my daughter’s dolls. In the midst of a flood of memories, this one especially caught my attention:

Me and Kate

My doll Kate is cuddly soft,
made of cloth and sewn with love.

She wears a face that’s framed in curls
spilling from a bright pink bow.

She sees the world through painted eyes
above her rosy freckled cheeks.

But missing is a nose and mouth
to let me know just how she feels.

Is she happy, sad, or mad?
Does she have a worried thought?

I search my heart to find the clue
because my feelings are hers, too.
Draft, 2026RoseCappelli

Thanks for reading. Be safe and take good care.

Welcome to Poetry Friday!

I love to look at the sky on a clear winter night. It’s a playground for noticing planets and stars. Without the veil of leaves from the trees the sky seems so much larger. I recently read an article about stargazing with the advice to wait and let your eyes adjust before trying to identify what you see. It reminded me of the advice I always heard as a teacher – to allow wait time for a response since students might process information at different rates. Waiting gives everyone a chance. You might say the same thing about stars. With thanks to the Nevermores for revision suggestions.

Star Students  

Search the sky
for stars
on a clear dark night.

At first, only the brightest,
vying for attention,
will catch your eye.

Pause,
and the quiet ones
will find their light.

Pause again,
and even the shyest
will shine.
Draft, RoseCappelli2026

Photo by Leo Chane on Unsplash

Ruth has the roundup today on her blog where she shares a poem about the ability of birds to brighten the dark days of winter. Be sure to stop by for lots of poetry goodness.

…it’s time to start thinking about things related to the new year. For me, that’s setting some intentions, choosing my OLW, and recording my first bird of the year. So, Happy Poetry Friday and Happy New Year!

I started thinking about my one little word a few weeks ago. I pondered a few possibilities and had almost settled on “perseverance,” but it didn’t feel exactly right. For some reason, “discover” kept showing up. I thought maybe “discover” was too similar to my 2024 word “explore.” But I decided that discover is different enough and takes explore to a different level. So, while I’m choosing “discover” as my OLW for 2026, I know that explore and perseverance might hang around, too.

discover
something new
in everyday life
expand the heart with
wonder

When I looked out at the bird feeder this morning, I noticed a small brown bird fly in. But before I could grab my binoculars to identify it, a beautiful male cardinal perched on the top of the hook. He stayed longer than I expected he would. I believe he wanted to be my first bird of the year. I’ll be doing some research on cardinals, but for now I’m looking at this bird as a sign of grace, integrity, and hope.

The last prompt in Georgia Heard’s December calendar of writing invitations was to “write a blessing for the year ahead, one you’d give to yourself or others.” I’ll end today with this:

May we discover new ideas, new connections, new delights while deepening the old.

Catherine has the round up today at Reading to the Core where she shares a poem for January. Be sure to stop by for lots of poetry goodness.

Welcome to Poetry Friday. Michelle has the roundup today here where she gives us a peek at the Yoko Ono exhibit in Chicago. Be sure to stop by for some much-needed peace and calm and lots of poetry goodness.

My poem for today was inspired by “Skating After School” by Barbara Crooker. Here are her opening lines:

In the space between school and supper,
light flat as a china plate,
sky and ice a single seam
stitched by black trees,
we raced over the railroad tracks,
down an embankment to the frozen pond,
snow embroidering our flannel jeans…

Isn’t that lovely? When I was young, my friends and I would anticipate the first day we could safely ice skate on the lake in the public gardens near where we lived. That memory came to mind after reading Barbara Crooker’s poem. So, when one of this week’s prompts on Georgia Heard’s Writing Invitations was to write about a winter memory from childhood, I returned to that lake with my childhood friends, if only in my mind.

Lake Skating

At the end of the school day
we walk in silence, single file,
Sister standing guard,
to the end of the block…
then run as fast as we can
across the street to Christina’s house
to make the call.

Is the lake safe for skating?
we shout to no one in particular.
An affirmative automated response
sends us into squeals of delight.

We trek six blocks,
skates laced together
dangling around necks
muffled in wool.

On the lake
we glide like the summer swans
who nibble the crusts of our sandwiches,
practice circles and figure 8’s,
link hands as we cut scratches in the ice,
down to the bridge and back,
down to the bridge and back,
down to the bridge and back
until the sun begins to sink.

Only then do we make our way home
arm in arm,
hearts full.
Draft, RoseCappelli2025

Photo by freestocks on Unsplash

As the Winter Solstice approaches, may the return of the light bring peace and understanding to our world.