One of the things I love about doing Every Day Poems is the way it brings various parts of my life together.
This morning, Claire Burge wrote to thank me for running her photo with today’s poem, and I wrote back, “Thank YOU for letting me use it.”
Claire is our photo editor for The High Calling, but she was first a friend. And now I feel like we are creative collaborators, simply by virtue of her willingness to let me say, “I’ve got this poem. I wonder, have you got a photo?”
Since Claire is originally from South Africa, and I had a poem set there, of course I had to ask, “Claire, do you happen to…” She did. I had a hard time choosing from the selections she sent. Somehow this one seemed perfect for a poem called “The Looking.” Don’t you think?
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Post by L.L. Barkat. Visit L.L. at Seedlings in Stone, for more on writing, poetry, art and life.
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The trip I made to South Africa in 1997 remains one of most memorable. I found beauty everywhere, along with much that also broke my heart. From the safari to the top of Table Mountain. . . I’ll never forget it.
Wonderful sestina in EDP today. It’s contemporary and romantic, and seems so effortlessly written.
Maureen, thank you for sharing that about South Africa. Got any poems from the experience?
Maybe first love is always effortless to write…
Claire’s photo, Linda’s sestina. This was one of my favorite editions of Every Day Poems.
Echoing Charity’s comment…beautiful match leaving a heart rending impression.
Charity and Connie, thanks so much. It is such a joy to do this kind of work, and to have it be a joy to others.
So much contained in those beautiful words: “but she was first a friend.”
And now, because of that, I feel a poem coming on…