My thanks to a rare books librarian who tweeted me her thoughts on walking Lakeview Cemetery in the lush and verdant green of early May.  Her tweets inspired this poem.

Streaming Time 

A field of polished stones

cushioned in spring grass;

a blanket of renewal pulled

up snug against eternity. 

These people are not mine.

But I am reminded of those

now gone; their fragile bones

lying quiet under Prairie corn

or under other stones - an age,

an ocean or a continent away. 

In this garden, lush with memory,

the river of the grassy blanket runs

between the stones.  These lives

have had their moment in the stream

of time —and now it’s ours.

Fertility Dance

Thanks to several who tweeted me their thoughts (including some very poetic tweets) on the glories of this amazing spring.  Here's the next poem, inspired by YOU.

Fertility Dance

The ruffled arms
of cherry and pear,
shimmy in the breeze
like Carmen Miranda’s sleeves.
They cast their net of scent
into the blue sea of May,
fishing for bees.


And a beautiful photo of a crabapple tree that accompanied a tweet.  "Crabapple" just didn't fit the rhythm or linguistic aesthetic  of the poem so I changed it to "cherry and pear."  Poetic license, don'tcha know!

Now how about some tweets about that hail storm?

Poetweet Project Launched: First Spring Tweets Poem for May

The Poetweet Project is on its way!  Thanks to all who joined me to launch

 

the project.  A small but enthusiastic crowd gathered at the foot of Daffodil Hill in beautiful Lakeview Cemetery this past Saturday morning (May 4) to help me get this fun project out of the ground and blooming. 

See some photos from the day below and here's the first poem inspired by tweets from those who attended the event.  Send your spring tweets - impressions of the season, your yard, what spring means to you, etc., to #htspoetweet.  I'll make poems so long as there are tweets to inspire me.

Persistence

All around the cemetery,

stone monuments to temporality.

And yet, fresh green and pink pop

from cherry, dogwood, Cleveland Pear.

Venerable magnolias bloom, impossibly again.

 

Chipmunks vault the marble markers

and woodpeckers churr the bugs

from old trees to feed new young. 

 

Kathleen Cerveny, Lakeview Cemetery

 

 

POP-UP POETRY

August 22, 2012           Nature Center at Shaker Lakes with poet Kathleen Cerveny

Creating poems and origami, Kathleen Cerveny was a hit as our last Pop-Up Poet of the summer at the Nature Center at Shaker Lakes.

Ladybug Haiku

July 18, 2012           Noble Road Library with poet Shelley Chernin

Shelley Chernin used ukelele, words cut from magazines and her own collection of books of poetry to attract library patrons to the PUP booth.  She sang (yes, in a library!) "Come write a poem with me..." an original song she wrote to engage people of all ages to create poetry.  Some people wanted to hear her read, others wanted to sit and write. It was an afternoon of words at their best!

Shelley singing for people to "Come write a poem with me..."

Shelley writing with a young man.

Words and music attract everyone!

July 14, 2012        Cain Park Arts Festival with poet Cindy Washabaugh

Poet Cindy Washabaugh was our PUP poet in front of the Alma Theater at the Cain Park Arts Festival on Saturday, July 14.  Cindy worked her poetic magic as people stopped to see what words they could create and form into poems using materials Cindy brought with her.  Cavana Faithwalker was also there to lend a lens and poetic hand. The poets are using the new "Poetree" portable booth,

constructed by Ted Ferringer, P.J. Doran and Jason Radcliffe. Many thanks to them for making our Pop-Up events more portable!

Cindy Washabaugh works with a young poet.

Three word prompt:  oboe, stone, jewel

June 23, 2012    Mac's Back's Books on Coventry with poet Dianne Borsenik

Dianne reading from her current chapbook

Dianne Borsenik regaled passers-by with her poems and invitations to read with her or just listen on Saturday night in front of Mac's Back's Books on Coventry Road. Current poet laureate, Cavana Faithwalker, was there to help distribute poems and give poetic support.  People paused, applauded and were sometimes persuaded to share their own poetry.  Thanks to Dianne for her generosity and creative, energetic spirit!

Dianne becomes a "beat" poet.

June 8, 2012   Pop-Up Poetry launch with poet Cavana Faithwalker

Cavana Faithwalker launches Pop-Up Poetry outside of the Heights Arts gallery on Lee Road. Cavana set up in the mini-park near the gallery which was having an opening of their show, Materiality. Many people stopped to sit awhile with Cav and co-write a personal poem which he finished and e-mailed to them afterward.

Cavana shares a word or two with a potential poet.

Word-smithing on the sidewalk.

POP-UP POETRY (PUP)

POP-UP-POETRY! Expect the Unexpected

The Poet is IN! Heights Arts presented Pop-Up Poetry June-August 2012.  Pop-Up Poetry was a project designed by 2011-12 Cleveland Heights Poet Laureate Cavana Faithwalker to bring some of the region's most interesting poets to the streets.  The centerpiece of Pop-Up Poetry was a portable booth created by architect Theodore Ferringer and furniture designer Patrick Doran.  A radical update of Lucy's "Psychiatric Help 5 cents," the booth sets up, unfolds like an umbrella, and the poet is in business!