28 Comments
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Susannah Cragwick's avatar

Poetry is truly this journey of describing what is within us and describing what is around us. I really like how you create this kind of scene and draw us in with each detail.

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26thAvenuePoet (Elizabeth)'s avatar

Thanks so much, Susannah -- glad to have you reading!

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Gala's avatar

this is so beautifully written elizabeth!!

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26thAvenuePoet (Elizabeth)'s avatar

Thanks so much for reading, Gala! I'm glad you enjoyed it.

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Linda Ruth's avatar

Two small and vivid word films.

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26thAvenuePoet (Elizabeth)'s avatar

One mouthful of popcorn each! Thanks so much for reading, Linda Ruth.

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Margaret Ann Silver's avatar

Lovely, clearly seen moments.

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26thAvenuePoet (Elizabeth)'s avatar

Thank you, Margaret Ann! 💛🌿

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A. Christine Myers's avatar

These are wonderful moments, Elizabeth, and told in a way to stay in the mind and heart. It's a lovely thing, really, to have both the brief glimpse and the longer account with context... which I also look forward to reading!

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26thAvenuePoet (Elizabeth)'s avatar

Something akin to the two poems you published yesterday, Christine -- the delicious full lyric, spare and elegant in its own way, and then the one-word-to-a-line poem that distilled the nightscape even further.

So glad we get to read each other's work!

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Petrina's avatar

Love the lavender moment, coupled with the lavender highlighting! That actually happened, amazing! Reminds me how sometimes I used to bring lavender in my pocket when I had to teach middle schoolers. Ha! Both poems, beautiful moments painted with your usual magic, inspiring us all to look around today! Thank you.

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26thAvenuePoet (Elizabeth)'s avatar

Oh, I hoped the lavender helped when you were dealing with those middle-schoolers! Thanks so much for reading, Petrina.

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LeeAnn Pickrell's avatar

I love these two moments—the student and then the old man, mother, and child. How many gifts can come from just paying attention to the world and people around us. I’ve been much too in my head lately and need to step back and look around.

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26thAvenuePoet (Elizabeth)'s avatar

It's always a challenge to balance attention between Inner and Outer, isn't it? Thanks so much for reading, LeeAnn, and thank you for the restack as well.

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Donna McArthur's avatar

It's amazing the moments we can bear witness to if we keep our eyes open.

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26thAvenuePoet (Elizabeth)'s avatar

Isn't it? 💛🌿 Thanks for being here, Donna.

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Rose Scarff's avatar

I love both of these. You imagery is wonderful! Thanks!

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26thAvenuePoet (Elizabeth)'s avatar

Thanks back, Rose! 💛🌿

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Kim Nelson's avatar

I really enjoy your character studies as they take me there, then.

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26thAvenuePoet (Elizabeth)'s avatar

So glad to hear that, Kim! Thank you for reading.

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shari young's avatar

You have the gift of capturing moments, and “unpacking” them. Thank you 🙏🏻🪻

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26thAvenuePoet (Elizabeth)'s avatar

Thank you, Shari!

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Jody L. Collins's avatar

Two things, Elizabeth. First of all, the lines from Hamilton, "look around, look around, how lucky we are to be alive right now..." have been running through my brain these days. And voila! here is your post.

Two: I penned a short verse in Notes this morning about just this idea of capturing a moment. I love the way you described it, "I don’t need to excavate my past in order to write them. I just need to keep my eyes open."

We just need to keep our eyes open and tell the world what we see.

Many best wishes for words to flow and revise themselves as you spent time with your 500 word poem story!

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26thAvenuePoet (Elizabeth)'s avatar

Thank you, Jody! And YES to the line from "Hamilton."

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Elizabeth Beggins's avatar

Precious moments captured here, Elizabeth. Just the sort of reminder we need when we feel crumpled ourselves. Beleaguered student, bedraggled mother. What I loved most of all today was the very last line of your post: "...I don’t need to excavate my past in order to write them. I just need to keep my eyes open."

Best wishes on finalizing the long narrative poem!

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26thAvenuePoet (Elizabeth)'s avatar

Thanks so much, Elizabeth!

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Kim's avatar

How lucky we are to be alive right now. Look around, look around, Eliza! Thank you for this sniff of lavender.

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26thAvenuePoet (Elizabeth)'s avatar

I knew you'd hear the song...! 💛🌿

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