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April 10th: NaPo ’24 and PT4 Book Blog Tour

Day Ten on APRIL 10, 2024

Congratulations, all — we’ve made it one-third of the way through National/Global Poetry Writing Month!
Today’s featured participant is the sea close by, which brings us both a Spanish and an English version of
a lovely and sensuous response to Day 9’s Neruda-inspired ode prompt.
Our resource for the day is the YouTube channel of Canada’s Griffin Poetry Prize, where you’ll find videos
of past prize nominees as well as discussions of the art of translation.
And now for our optional prompt! Ezra Pound famously said that “poetry is news that stays news.” While
we don’t know about that, the news can have a certain poetry to it. Today, we’d like to challenge you to
write a poem based on one of the curious headlines, cartoons, and other journalistic tidbits featured at
Yesterday’s Print, where old new stays amusing, curious, and sometimes downright confusing.
Happy writing!


journalistic tidbits featured at Yesterday’s Print, where old news stays

Senryu: Punxsutawney Phil

Groundhog Day lent no
afterglow, Punxsutawney
Phil saw no shadows

*

regardless of any
afterglow, the groundhog was
blind as a bat

© selma


I reserved this space for the promotion of Poetry Treasures 4 which, I promise you, will materialize soon.
As I share this post, the link doesn’t work, but it will when the post goes live. I will be asleep when that happens.

Please, wait up for Wed. April 10th blog tour stop at – Book Places – Interview w/ Emily Gmitter
&
Reading by Selma Martin
to lend support to the book tour.
THANKS, DEARLY.

Here’s the link:
 https://bookplaces.blog/poetry-treasures-4-in-touch-with-nature-word-crafters-book-blog-tour/
[link inactive until it goes live]

In the meantime, and if you want, take a look at the YouTube reading
of The Bridge Home:

YouTube Reading of The Bridge Home
https://youtu.be/hfwh1dulW6g?si=I1n2jeNRame3jZNP

Good night, my lovelies. Thanks for reading my Day 10 and listening to the reading.
We’ll chat again in the morning.

Selma Martin
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This Post Has 25 Comments

  1. Kathryn LeRoy

    Lovely poem read by an equally lovely poet. So nice to see and hear you. I’m inspired!

    1. Selma Martin

      Lovely Kathryn, Thank you 🙇🏽‍♀️
      Let me borrow Clarissa’s words to show my appreciation more.
      “I hope you will go out and let stories happen to you, and that you will work them, and water them with your blood and tears and laughter till they bloom, till you yourself burst into bloom.”
      ~ Clarissa Pinkola Estés

      Book Places Website was down. But it’s back up now. 👏🏽 Please, and if you want, click the link to read the inspiring interview. Thanks so much beforehand. 😚 🤗

    1. Selma Martin

      Thanks Heather. Blessings.

      About the website link…And gratitude 🙇
      Let me borrow Clarissa’s words to show my appreciation more.
      “I hope you will go out and let stories happen to you, and that you will work them, and water them with your blood and tears and laughter till they bloom, till you yourself burst into bloom.”
      ~ Clarissa Pinkola Estés

      Book Places Website was down. But it’s back up now. 👏🏽 Please, and if you want, click the link to read the inspiring interview. Thanks so much beforehand. I bless you, Heather.

  2. Belladonna

    Yes he’s definitely blind as a bat! LOL

    1. Selma Martin

      Funny tradition. Waking poor Phil up like that…
      Hey by the way, Bella, and since today I’m also promoting this, the blog tour website is back up now. If you click the book places link you’ll be pleasantly entertained with the stellar interview. Bless you.

    1. Selma Martin

      My absolute pleasure, Maggie. I made it a short one for today. 🙇🏽‍♀️

      BTW, borrowing Clarissa’s words to show my appreciation more.
      “I hope you will go out and let stories happen to you, and that you will work them, and water them with your blood and tears and laughter till they bloom, till you yourself burst into bloom.”
      ~ Clarissa Pinkola Estés

      Book Places Website was down. But it’s back up now. 👏🏽 Please, and if you want, click the link to read the inspiring interview. Thanks so much beforehand.

      1. Ephemeral Encounters

        Those are inspiring words Selma 🙏❣️🙏
        I will go and check out the website when I go on my PC 😉

    1. Selma Martin

      Thanks dearly Kitty.
      BTW, and if you want, Book Places Website was down. But it’s back up now. 👏🏽 Please, and if you want 🙇🏽‍♀️, click the link to read the inspiring interview. Thanks so much beforehand.
      Thanks for visiting me here. 🤗

  3. Patricia Furstenberg

    Dear Selma, there appears to be a problem with the bookplaces blog, so I’ll share my thoughts about your beautiful poem and reading here.
    “The Bridge Home” by Selma Martin (whose accent, setting and reading I adored) was a treat. “The Bridge Home” is a heartfelt and deeply moving poem that conveys the essence of love, loss, and longing. The color purple is commonly associated with spirituality, transformation, and royalty. In this context, I believe the “purple path” denotes a sacred or transcendent
    journey imbued with deeper meaning beyond the physical realm. The path’s
    description as “like a ribbon fallen from the sky” suggests divine guidance
    or intervention. It implies, I believe, that the path is more than just a physical route, but a spiritual conduit that leads the old man to his destination. I adored this. The use of color and imagery emphasizes the deep bond between the old man and the person he wishes to return home to. Sadly.
    It implies that their connection transcends earthly boundaries and continues to exist after death. (goosebumps!) Such a spiritual journey of love remembrance, and reunion is depicted in Selma’s poem.
    Thank you, Selma!

    1. Selma Martin

      Thanks for this lovely show of support, dear Patricia. Here, there and everywhere. So sweet. 🥹
      As you know, Book Places Website was down. But it’s back up now. 👏🏽 what an inspiring interview! Thanks and glad to be rubbing shoulders with you. Blessings.

  4. rajkkhoja

    Love of poem . Very nice video. So nice to see and hear you. I’m inspired!,Selma my friend!

    1. Selma Martin

      Thanks so much my friend. The interview link probably didn’t work: Book Places Website was down. But it’s back up now. 👏🏽 Please, and if you want, click the link to read the inspiring (long) interview. Thanks so much beforehand. Bless you 🙇🏽‍♀️

      1. rajkkhoja

        Most welcome my dear friend. Thanks lot.

  5. LuAnne Holder

    Fun take on that odd tradition (that I love so much!).

    1. Selma Martin

      Went for a short poem today. Glad you liked it LuAnne.

      BTW, Book Places Website was down. But it’s back up now. 👏🏽 Please, and if you want, click the link to read the inspiring interview. Thanks so much beforehand.

      Happy writing.

  6. beth

    funny poem and perfect for Phil! absolutely beautiful reading your your poem

    1. Selma Martin

      Funny. But probably not to Phil…

      BTW, Beth, no pressure: Book Places Website was down. But it’s back up now. 👏🏽 Please, and if you want, click the link to read the inspiring Wowser interview. Thanks so much beforehand.
      Thanks for checking out my reading xoxo

      1. beth

        thank you for letting me know

  7. Sadje

    What a fun poem Selma. Loved it

      1. Sadje

        You’re most welcome dear friend

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