Things To Do — Poetry Project Poems for May, 2017

Oh, this month’s challenge felt lovely, light and fun to me. I could’ve kept writing and writing. It’s Friday today and the weekend feels spacious, so maybe I will! These are seasonal “Things To Do” poems — and there are lots more to read if you visit my Poetry Sisters’ sites too. (Do!)

Things To Do If You’re April
Masquerade
as summer one day
(all opulent green and
and purple, the exact scent
of grape punch) and then,
like a harlequin, become winter
again, wearing a quiet white mask

Things To Do If You’re Lantana
Grow like a weed

Things To Do If You’re a Squirrel
Taunt
Steal
Skitter
Leap
Hide
Chatter
Scurry, Scurry, Scurry
Prepare

Things To Do If You’re an Oak
Settle into who you’re meant to be
Take up all the space you need
Scatter acorns
Spread sticky pollen
Touch the tops of other people’s houses
Everything is under your influence

Things To Do If You’re May
Arrive
Beckon
Help us graduate
From this season to that
Help us begin something new

Tricia
Kelly
Sara
Tanita
Laura

And for more poems of all varieties, the wonderful Jama’s hosting Poetry Friday today!

14 Responses to “Things To Do — Poetry Project Poems for May, 2017”

  1. Brenda

    What joyful poems. They inspired me.

    Things to do if You’re a Poet

    Stay up late.
    Words won’t wait.
    Celebrate
    as ideas reverberate.
    Venerate
    and recreate.
    Never hate.
    Words deflate.
    Don’t abbreviate.
    Words rejuvenate.

    • liz

      Oh, I LOVE what you did here with the rhyme! Yay for inspiration!

  2. tanita

    Sometimes a form just takes you away, and you keep creating. These are so much fun! I think this is definitely a form worth revisiting; I ended up with three and finally fiddled them all down to one.

    I think my favorite is, I think, the oak — it’s so true. EVERYTHING is under their influence just now – and I’m sneezing.

  3. Michelle Kogan

    I love your squirrel poem, i’ve written and painted so many squirrel inspired pieces, for they never cease to:

    entertain
    egg-one-on
    agitate
    frustrate
    fool, and
    fascinate
    through out
    the year . . .

    The Oak is wonderful too!

    Thanks!

  4. Michelle Kogan

    I love your squirrel poem, I’ve written and painted so many squirrel inspired pieces, for they never cease to:

    entertain
    egg-one-on
    agitate
    frustrate
    fool, and
    fascinate
    through out
    the year . . .

    The Oak is wonderful too!

    Thanks!

  5. jama

    Love these! Such joy, such fun, I can tell you enjoyed writing them. They all made me smile and nod in agreement. I think you should do a book of list poems. YES! 🙂

  6. Kelly Ramsdell

    So many lovely little snippets, and all so different in tone. Lantana made me laugh – totally works as part of a collection!

  7. Christie Wyman

    I guess I need some lantana! I also need to write “Things to do if your a lost turkey,” as there is an oddball hanging out at my bird feeder without it’s flock!

  8. Kay Jernigan McGriff

    What fun poems! Our May is acting a lot like your April with a chance of frost over the weekend that follows the opening days of sunny and warm!

  9. Mary Lee Hahn

    Fun collection of snapshots (including the snapshots)! My favorite, too, is the oak. We just got estimates to have ours trimmed up and dangerous dead limbs removed. Our cars carry a thick layer of the pollen and flowers.

  10. Laura Purdie Salas

    Love these, Liz. I think Oak and May are my favorites. I love how pithy these are–you’ve really focused in on the essence…