Poetry Thursday - B.L.O.G.S.

Poetry Thursday is on a bit of a break! But we are all still posting. Click on their Thursday Post to see who is writing!

I was commenting on Damien Riley's blog recently, Riley Central, on this post about Industrial Strength Blogging, where he speaks about just being ourselves as bloggers (something I strongly believe in, you may want to read that post!) This popped out of my head and into his comment section -- as an Acrostic of BLOGS, though I did not write it in Acrostic format. As an acrostic poem it would be written as:

Beseeching
life
overtures of
good
souls —

I instantly saved it, knowing it meant something! Today, it clicked. I could write it more like a Haiku:

Beseeching life,
overtures of good souls

Whichever way it is written it spells out BLOGS. Isn't that what many bloggers do, beseech life overtures?

Blogathon 2007 is around the corner, all 24 hours on July 28th! I wish I were able to stay awake all night to blog, we all know I love to write and spout poem drafts nearly non-stop. . . but those in my more immediate and physical world would be attacking me, 'cause I get mean with no sleep! And I whine, and I pout, and shout, and cry, and make mountains out of molehills, and -- well, you don't want to know anymore than that! But others, hundreds of bloggers are writing for charities, either teaming up or just biting the bullet and staying up all by themselves, unless we visit them.

They are making it easy for you to donate with links. All the charities are good, they all affect someone somewhere. For a list of all participating, head for the main site.

This, however, is a plea for those that regularly give to other charities to consider two that may be overlooked: Music and Reading.

Karen and the gang at Write Stuff are tag teaming to blog for First Book, a wonderful organization that gives children from low-income families the opportunity to read and own their first new books! I was shy growing up and so grateful my parents could afford to buy me Nancy Drew and The Hardy Boys, they kept me sane!

Can you imagine never having a book to look at? Leon and I still have a "romantic thing" about Hands, Hands, Fingers, Thumb by Dr. Seuss. (Don't ask.)

Jessica the Rock Chick is writing at Life is Rantastic for the VH1 Save the Music Foundation, an organization dedicated to restoring instrumental music education in our public schools, something more important to a person's education and well-being than many realize. Jessica will be up all night handling it for the most part herself, but with guest blog posts!

Now, remember, I promise not to sing if you at least visit their sites and see what it is all about! And believe me, you do NOT want to hear me sing - and I do have podcast capabilities!

And I won't draw your portrait if once you run by their sites you go the the main Blogathon site and check out who else is participating and for what charities - all the pledges are posted -- it is an amazing sight (and site)! There really is no right or wrong charity to support --

and as people who enjoy BLOGS - I know your heart is there.

Make A Difference the EASY WAY

Stop! Are you thinking that to help Shelly get 6720 squares to have put together as afghans for the kids that attend Camp Sanguinity means you and your friends have to crochet or knit tons of squares, causing your fingers to go numb because of carpal tunnel, your children to be unfed, your husband to be ignored (more than you MEANT to? Guess what! It really doesn’t.

I think many of us - when we mention it to others or in our self conversations - come across as if we want LOTS of squares from them. We are so used to being asked to give all. Even I was thinking that way, losing sight of her REAL quest: to have each afghan show the love of FORTY different people. (Well actually make that minimum of 41 because someone has to crochet them all together).

So, what that means is as few as one or two per person and you have helped! Of course, you could do more, in case not enough people participated or in case they DID and she can start donating them to other camps. So, what is needed is LOTS of people doing VERY LITTLE!

With that thought in mind, if you can do lots, great! Others have and more will have the time, but many don’t have the time, why they are wasting it reading this - or are they? I may have an idea that will work for you or someone you know!

It is you out there that is willing to do just one or two or three that REALLY will make this project be as she envisioned it.

So, let’s rethink how we approach people, remind them that this is SHARE a SQUARE, not give us everything you have. Maybe then more people will have time to participate. All they have to do is make one SIX inch square, then make a little tag with name and location (or just use your business card) and tie it on and stuff it in an envelope.

Now, that doesn’t mean you can’t have that twinkle in your eye, that hint of suggestion in your voice, that smile on your face that says, “but I really really want to see you do a bunch!”

I know if you told me just one I would be more apt to do it than if you told me twenty, although I have managed to get eight done.

I give you, Ways to get more people to do it with you:

- The easiest way: simply ask, it actually worked for me, I was floored!

- Challenge your friends, coworkers, neighbors!

- Challenge the men to put out! (You know what I mean!)

- Invite them over for a desert and coffee and a knit just one square night/afternoon.

- Invite couples over and let the men (unless they do needlework) just do the guy thing and hang out by the pool or over the pool table or in front of the TV while you all knit or crochet a square. They will love the opportunity to spend just a few hours with the guys and you will get to chat without them rolling their eyes or saying, “yeah, right!”

- Bribe those that knit or crochet that have tons of kids and really need to relax - offer to watch the kids for a few hours so they can knit or crochet a square! (OK, I may be pushing my luck now with that idea!)

- If you can knit or crochet, offer to show your neighbors or friends how easy it is (OK, so I haven’t learned to crochet yet, I can knit though.)

- Teach your school age or teenage daughter and her friends. Once they have learned enough to pull off a decent square, let her have her friends over for a girls night, get them a movie for later, snacks, whatever teenagers are in to now. Then show them an easy pattern for a scarf or hat.

- Get the whole family involved on family night! The little ones can stamp or color tags, the one who knits or crochets can do his or her thing, finishing touches or making more, the others can write out tags or further embellish them, someone can punch the hole, tie it on, address the envelope, put the stamp(s) on, and the littlest can put it in the envelope. See how easy it is! Then have a fun desert or play a game the kids have been begging you to play, heck just do Ring around the Rosy or I spy. Make it fun. Count your blessings!

- Write a letter to a relative or friend you have practically ignored for years, tell them you just need ONE little square made, send them the yarn, send them a beautiful photo, a peppermint candy, a cute card. Here is your EXCUSE to write that note you have been meaning to. Send the website url if they use computers.

- Have your children write a letter or allow them to type their first email!

- Do it for yourself if for no other reason, just get lost in the meditative qualities of knitting or crocheting, that quiet rhythm that slows your breathing and quiets your brain. . . and that quietness will envelope a child in love. You will have made a difference to one child by one square, a few minutes (hours?) of your time, even if scattered here and there over several days will affect more lives than just yours — obviously the child receiving the afghan will have the warmth and cuddle factor, the people around the child, especially, will appreciate the time involved and the love behind the time, as they probably have little to give others, and - you will have shown others it can be done, the children around you, especially will have seen that it can be fit in.

You may not be able to fix the world, but you can fix one tiny corner of someone’s heart and expectations of what can be. And that, y’all is one heck of a long term investment in someone’s life that will be passed on down the generations!

NOTE! This is one post you can copy, take pieces of, rephrase, whatever. You don’t need to give me credit or link back here, run with it. . . This does not just apply to Shelly’s Share A Square Project - but to any project. Brainstorming is my favorite thing to do other than tumble words out of my head onto a keyboard. I probably could have come up with more, but I have squares to tag and box up - and I have goofed off long enough! And yes, I am putting this on all my blogs, even their old versions still on Blogspot. Duplicate content, but, hopefully worth your time to read ONCE.

Share a Square, then take on the rest of the world!

And for you poets out there - a cute little haiku or poem would be a great addition to your card, write it on the back if need be!

To Whom It May Concern

To Whom It May Concern


Confined
within his square box of life
he may go forward
only far enough
to go backward.

If he marches
two steps forward
he must drag
only one back
if he falls
two steps back
he must plod one forward. . .

to remain within
life's square box
and
prevent it
from
stretching
into
a
rectangular
wooden
box
forever.

But cannot he also
dance side to side?
skip around the edges?
circle within?
cross one bridge after another?
march parallel ?
turn to saunter perpendicular. . .
for a while?
push diagonally?
fly horizontally?
climb vertically?

He may go only
two steps forward
and one back
but life requires
two steps back
and only one forward
at times. . .

to remain within
its confines
and
prevent
life's square box
from
stretching
into
a
rectangular
wooden
box
before
it
is
time.

MeeAugraphie
04/29/07


Don't even think about lifting these words, they were written from my heart, one person prompted them, but another immediately came to mind, then realization dawned that many would be there, are there, will be there, at some point. Written in the universal he of old.