Welcome to Poetry Friday, this week hosted by poet Linda Biae at TeacherDance. Thank you, Linda, for hosting this week of September 11th. It’s a day to remember those who were killed during the attack on the World Trade Center, and to honor the bravery of citizens and first responders, their loss of life, and their heroic efforts. We need to teach young people the accurate history of 9/11. Not foggy untruths.
I’m going to center this post around the phenomenon of fog. Like the California fog near Pacifica where my grandson lives. Fog also can signify lack of clarity in general, the feeling we have after we hear the daily news.
I wrote a poem inspired by the fog outside my grandson’s house in California. What’s under those blobs? Is something hiding?
I tried to capture the fog in a watercolor. The forms obscured by it, inspired a poem.
THE FOGGY TRUTH
Unusual visitors,
cloaked in early morning fog,
floated up from the canyon.
Just smooth grey humps,
some big, some small,
seemed innocent.
But ha!
I knew exactly what they were:
Ghosts in camouflage!
I stood my ground.
Gradually, the wind stirred.
The porch rattled.
The “humps” shook like jelly,
their misty cover blew away,
and they peeked out of the fog!
Ha! I chuckled again
When I saw
green pointy branches,
needles,
and brown bark,
an obvious attempt of
these mysterious lumps
to hide their identity
and to make me think
they were pine trees!
But no way!
I was not about to allow
a bunch of ghosts,
no matter how clever,
to masquerade as trees,
.©Janice Scully
Moving along: I’ve had some good news. A poem, entitled BESWITCHED, that I wrote many years ago as a picture book, was published in a much shorter version at Dirigible Balloon. It’s nice to find a home for a poem homeless for so long.
Thank you Linda for hosting on this important day for the U.S.
Dear Janice, I adore your watercolor and loved the poem/story you’ve shared. It brought a big smile as you “let the cat out of the bag”! “No way!” – love it! Congratulations for your poem to be published, & really, this poem feels so much like a story in a picture book!
Janice, Congratulations on “Beswitched!” I really enjoyed the chaos of letters switching around! I also loved the blue sweep in your watercolor, and your engaging poem, especially the repetition of “Ha!” So fun and I think kids and writers of all ages would love this as a mentor poem to share the times they thought one thing was something else!! Thank you!
Thank you,Mona! Hope all is well.
Dear Janice, YAY for your poem finding a home! And thank you for the fog. I’ve just been re-reading THE HOUSE OF SAND AND FOG, and there are so many lines in that novel about fog! We also get land fog here in the humid foothills of the Appalachians. I love taking a morning walk in it. xo
Thanks,Irene! I’d love to read that book, and have always meant to. Maybe now’s the time. Fog is always fascinating, like a moody character in the background of a novel.
Congratulations on finding a home for your poem, Janice! I love the humor in The Foggy Truth and your watercolor is just gorgeous!
Janice, your artwork and poem are quite interesting. I was trying to figure out what was under the watercolor, so I am glad you unveiled the mystery parts. Congratulations on your poem that has a home in a prestigious place.
What a delightful poem! “Ghosts in camouflage!” I love the childlike wonder of it all. Congrats on the published poem.
Making fog fun- ha! Thank you, Janice. We often get fog here in the foothills of the Appalachians; I always want to write poems about it. Have written a haiku or two! Now that Helene took out the stand of pines between ours and our neighbors’ property, we see mist on the little ridge across from us many mornings.
CONGRATS on the poem publication – “Beswitched” – such a great title and a fun alphabetical adventure! So great. :0)
Hooray for BESWITCHED! It IS nice when a poem finds a home. I love the voice in ‘The Foggy Truth.’ It’s curious and playful. Those ghosts don’t stand a chance against an observer such as this. Well done!
Congratulations on you publication news!
And thunderous applause for the way you captured fog in you watercolor! Plus, the playful way you brought a fog experience to life in your poem! Well played all around!
Jancie,
Thanks for sharing your fun poem and watercolor focused on fog this week. I enjoyed both! Fog is so mysterious, isn’t it? I bet your grandson will enjoy that poem/painting in the future. Congratulations on your publication successes lately. The Dirigible Balloon is a fun publication. I saw your name on the silly poem anthology too – Congrats!
Nothing foggy about this lovely post, Janice! I love your watercolor and the playfulness of your poem. And congrats on “Beswitched” finding a home!
Janice, I am not sure how my first comment flew away but it did so here I am again. Your artwork and poem make a great match. These lines, “humps” shook like jelly,/their misty cover blew away,” are clever and gives the read a better look into the poem. Congratulations on your poem being at the Dirgible Balloon.
Love the soft watercolor effects you captured in your painting and reveal of the camouflaged ghosts in your poem!
Many Congrats on your poem’s publication, BESWITCHED is delightful, and I agree with Linda B. it reads like a picture book!