Welcome to where I am, where my kitchen's always messy, a pot's (or a poet) always about to boil over, a dog is always begging to be fed. Drafts of poems on the counter. Windows filled with leaves. Wind. Clouds moving over the mountains. If you like poetry, books, and music--especially dog howls when a siren unwinds down the hill-- you'll like it here.


MY NEW AUTHOR'S SITE, KATHRYNSTRIPLINGBYER.COM, THAT I MYSELF SET UP THROUGH WEEBLY.COM, IS NOW UP. I HAD FUN CREATING THIS SITE AND WOULD RECOMMEND WEEBLY.COM TO ANYONE INTERESTED IN SETTING UP A WEBSITE. I INVITE YOU TO VISIT MY NEW SITE TO KEEP UP WITH EVENTS RELATED TO MY NEW BOOK.


MY NC POET LAUREATE BLOG, MY LAUREATE'S LASSO, WILL REMAIN UP AS AN ARCHIVE OF NC POETS, GRADES K-INFINITY! I INVITE YOU TO VISIT WHEN YOU FEEL THE NEED TO READ SOME GOOD POEMS.

VISIT MY NEW BLOG, MOUNTAIN WOMAN, WHERE YOU WILL FIND UPDATES ON WHAT'S HAPPENING IN MY KITCHEN, IN THE ENVIRONMENT, IN MY IMAGINATION, IN MY GARDEN, AND AMONG MY MOUNTAIN WOMEN FRIENDS.




Thursday, April 1, 2010

POET OF THE DAY: TESS KINCAID

(TESS KINCAID, AKA "WILLOW" OF LIFE AT WILLOW MANOR.)
Today we celebrate being April Fools for Poetry with a poem by Tess Kincaid. Tess is a Renaissance Woman, par excellence. Gourmet cook, blogger, poet, photographer-- well, the list could go on. I'm happy to begin my Poet/Poem of the Day feature for National Poetry Month with one of the poems from her blog, Life at Willow Manor. She has a sheaf of them only a click away on her site, so hurry on over and read them, after you enjoy the poem below. Then click on her recipes. Then read her blog posts..and then, and then, go to her Magpie Tales blog and write some of your own poems in response to her prompts. It's fun. I've become addicted.
Don't forget: every poem is like a message in a bottle, bobbing up to the surface, waiting, hoping, yearning to be read. We need them, as Tess says, to keep us on track.
Memos


I need messages in bottles.
Random fortune cookies.
Those subtle signs
from heaven.
Memorandums
stating all is
as it should be.
.
Not Moses
parting my Red Sea.
Just a burning weed.
A small bit of shrubbery.
A simple note
stating he supposes
his toeses are roses.
.
A little everyday
omnipotent ditty.
Showing
his sense of humor
is still intact.
That I'm on the right track..

.

willow, 2010
(IMAGE FROM WWW.willowmanor.blogspot.com)

26 comments:

Brian Miller said...

wonderful profile of the brilliant willow...remember reading this one on her site. happy poetry month and april fools!

amy said...

Lovely to enjoy this poem again! Happy Poetry Month and THANK YOU, ladies, for your inspiration and setting the bar so high.

Unknown said...

This is definitely one of your best--like Brian & Amy I recall seeing it first go round on Willow Manor. Congrats!

Kathryn Stripling Byer said...

Yes, Brian, Amy, and John, what a pleasure to have Willow's poem up again for the world to enjoy!

Tess Kincaid said...

Oh, gosh I'm blushing! Thank you so much for your kind words, Kathryn. This is such an honor! xx

The Bug said...

Love this one - and the one of yours that Willow put on her blog. I remember all those uncomfortable Sunday clothes and daydreaming. When I got older the daydreams turned into fantasies of throwing my hymnal at the pastor - oops!

steviewren said...

Here's a toast for all poets today:

May rhythm and rhyme never fail ye, may words flow from your pen to paper and phrases fall from your tongue in a sweet melody.

Happy April Fools for Poetry day and congrats to Willow!

Nancy said...

I love this one. I found the best essay years ago on the poets.org site about poems as messages in a bottle, and I used to have my students choose a poem that seemed to speak directly to them or one that seemed to represent their message to the world. We found pretty bottles, printed and rolled the poems so they could be read through the glass. I kept then on the window sill in my classroom.

Thanks for sharing. Happy NPM!

Kathryn Stripling Byer said...

Hey, The Bug, oh yes, the hymnal! I too had fantasies....so glad you liked the poem on Willow's site.
On-target poem/song for the day, steviewren. I may steal it, but I'll give ye credit for it.
And Nancy, that's a splendid assignment--I wish I'd thought of that while I was still teaching regularly. Maybe I can use it in a workshop one of these days. Wonderful! I like the new photo, too.

ds said...

Was grand to have been introduced to you and your poetry at Willow Manor, and equally grand to read your profile of her--and her lovely poem-- here. Thank you.

Martin said...

Yes, willow's blog is one of my regular places to visit. Never disappoints.

Unknown said...

Hello Kathryn,

Despite being a longtime follower of 'Willow', I continue to marvel at her accomplishments. I shall look forward to reading some of your poetry during the month.

Catalyst said...

Hey, you've profiled one of my favorite people . . . and revealed her real name! Tess Kincaid sounds like someone Bogie would have found interesting! But I suspect she'd prefer Johnny Depp!

Anonymous said...

Willow is a treasure and her poetry is phenomenal. It is so nice to see her work featured here.
I will be back often to visit, now that I have found your blog.

Vicki Lane said...

A lovely beginning to poetry month, Kay and Willow! Now that would be a Deity after my own heart,

Lyn said...

What a neat circle this has turned out to be..everything is indeed connected to and from the heart of the poet!Thank you for the big reveal..Tess..still Willow to me!

Kathryn Stripling Byer said...

Willow will always be willow, no doubt about that! Just back from errands and grocery shopping. It's hot here in the mountains. After the winter we had, I'm wondering, is this an April Fool's joke?
Surely Mother Nature would trick us with a snowstorm tomorrow!
More later.....

Catalyst said...

I couldn't help it. Your post got me writing and fantasizing again on my blog. Thanks for the impetus.

By the way, Kathryn, I love your poem...and Willow's.

Tess Kincaid said...

Bloggy Friends, you are the best! Thanks so much for your generous encouragement. It means more than you will ever know. xx (and a hug)

Jessie Carty said...

wow I am late coming in with comments but that was such a fun read!

Suz said...

two fabulous poets
Happy poetry month
Wonderful profile of our Willow
she is one of a kind
and a true poet

Carol Murdock said...

Hey kay, hope MN doesn't trick you either! Ha! That gave me a belly chuckle~
Great start for Poetry month, you and Madame Willow!! It don't get NO better in my book! :) XOXO

Anonymous said...

Kathryn,
You do beat all. You couldn't have chosen a more genuine lady of many talents to open poetry month. Willow is clever and very thought provoking. She has introduced you to me. I must return frequently here. :) The Bach

Kathleen said...

To Willow's poem, I say "Amen." To your post, I say "Bravo!"

Rallentanda said...

Yes this is a lovely poem of willow's which I remember a while ago.Yours with the plastic fruit, beehives and hat pins is very good as well. Loved it.

Yoli said...

She is amazing! I am so happy she was your first featured artist!