Poetry Friday: I'm hosting!

Your Poetry Friday hostess feels a great deal more like listening today than prattling on (my usual wont) so I will simply share with you this beautiful poem by Richard Wilbur. Then I will retreat and listen.

Mr. Linky awaits your contribution (scroll to the end of the post.)


The Beautiful Changes
by Richard Wilbur

One wading a Fall meadow finds on all sides
The Queen Anne’s Lace lying like lilies
On water; it glides
So from the walker, it turns
Dry grass to a lake, as the slightest shade of you
Valleys my mind in fabulous blue Lucernes.

The beautiful changes as a forest is changed
By a chameleon’s tuning his skin to it;
As a mantis, arranged
On a green leaf, grows
Into it, makes the leaf leafier, and proves
Any greenness is deeper than anyone knows.

(read the rest here, at the Poetry Foundation.)

And, check back later for summaries and current linkage.

Update: The current linkage begins!

Shannon, at The Cole Mine, was the first in with Eve Merriam's cute "Catch a Little Rhyme."

Suzanne, of Adventures in Daily Living, shares her latest adventure with Luci Shaw.

At The Book Mine Set, John Mutford lets us in on an original poem in progress.

Langston Hughes is wished a happy birthday by Cloudscome at A Wrung Sponge. And, as a bonus, we get a beautiful, original roundel.

Stacey, at Two Writing Teachers is green today, with I Am a Tree.

Marvel with Countee Cullen and Mary Lee at A Year of Reading.

Tricia, at The Miss Rumphius Effect, has the Secret to the Universe.

And, don't forget to take a look at Tricia's roundel challenge, part of her regular Poetry Stretch.

Look to Look Books with Felicity for a powerful poem by Langston Hughes.

Sara Lewis-Holmes, of Read Write Believe, is in with a diabolical little poem that will make every writer laugh.

Andrea offers a sneaky introduction to fractions in verse at Just One More Book!!

TadMack, from Finding Wonderland, captures the essence of a bitter winter, with help from Shakespeare.

Laura Salas took Tricia's roundel challenge and has her famous 15 Words or Less here.

Elaine has a colorful and tasty review of Yum! MmMm! Que Rico! at Wild Rose Reader.

And at Blue Rose Girls, Elaine reflects on a windowless world.

Dive into Jama Rattigan's Alphabet Soup for a jam-packed post about the connections between poetry and painting.

Sylvia Vardel commemorates the birthday of Langston Hughes with a poem by Walter Dean Myers at Poetry for Children.

Writer2b includes among her Findings a lovely piece by Wendell Berry. And, be sure to pay attention to that gorgeous Winslow Homer in her banner.

Ruth, who knows There's No Such Thing as a God-forsaken Town, offers us Philip Larkin's Days, as she spends a day with an eye on the spectrum of life and death.

Christine's children write simple and extraordinary stuff over at The Simple and the Ordinary. Enjoy a sneak peek at summer on this frigid February day, courtesy of Christine's daughter, KRM.

Shelf Elf gets right to the point, with February, by Margaret Atwood.

Kelly Fineman is Writing and Ruminating on the poetry of Sting (or, perhaps through Kelly's eyes: the poetry that is Sting?)

Anastasia Suen detects a mystery in rhyme at Picture Book a Day.

My own Atticus (why don't you have a blog, honey?) offers Spring and All by William Carlos Williams. And, ummm, Atticus ... This is Just to Say ... that Sam Adams that was in the fridge ....? Just kidding.

Liz in Ink looks at practice, process and perspective, in piano lessons and in life.

Sheila mercifully points out that February is temporary over at The Greenridge Chronicles.

At Knocking from Inside, Tiel Aisha Ansari gives us a sad and lovely original poem.

Becky offers a full review of Henry's Freedom Box and pairs it with a poem.

MsMac shares the joy of revision through the eyes of a 2nd grader.

Jill has us sighing over Yeats at The Well-Read Child.

And Mother Reader is kicking off Black History Month with the powerful and poetic words of Martin Luther King, Jr.

Have you had enough of alphabet books? Of course you haven't. No one possibly could. So, go take a look at another one, at Susan's Chicken Spaghetti, that is a clever mix of rhyme and riddle.

Donna Lupe proves that food and poetry can be the same thing.

AmoXcalli is speaking French after a long hiatus.

At Charlotte's Library, there's a collection of great stuff from Doug Florian, guaranteed to recharge a 7-year old.

AnaMaria at Books Together picks up where Susan's quilt theme left off with a "quilted fairy tale."

Speaking of fairy tales, Alyssa at The Shady Glade has one, too, by Anne Sexton.

In Marcie's World of Words, Jane Yolen is shaping the rhyme today, with a terrific nature/poetry book.

Elizabeth at Frabjous Days is most anxious to share a Victor Hugo poem. Click over and you'll see why.

At Farm School, Becky has one of my favorites, W.H. Davies.

And, rounding up a few more from the comments section:

Miss Erin is in, and Lisa C. has a post about animal adoption (I'm dedicating that one to my sister, who will soon adopt two new puppies!) And, finally, Sarah from The Reading Zone reminds us that the kids are watching us. Always.

Whoosh!

That's it! You're rounded up and I'm linked out. No, wait! Stop the Publish button! This just in: Sarah Miller was so busy today Reading, Writing, Musing ... that we just now got her entry. But, Emily Dickinson is always worth the wait.

Hey, Kim ... we need a new button:

I survived Poetry Friday.

Thanks, everyone!