Tag Archives: poetry

Sunday Morning

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The Ekphrastic Review: writing and art on art and writing, has published my poem, “Sunday Morning.”

Let me give you a brief “back story” on this poem. Many years ago, I stopped writing completely for around twenty-five years. Total silence in my life. I don’t know why it happened, but it did. After what can only be be termed a spiritual experience on a trip to the Fijordland in New Zealand, poetry somehow magically entered my life again. I can’t explain this. It just happened, and I know it happened for a reason. This poem was the first complete poem I wrote when my poetic “voice” returned, and it’s only been read by one other person until today. It’s taken me about fifteen years to gather courage to submit it anywhere. My deepest thanks to editor, Lorette C. Luzajic, for publishing this piece.

Here is the link to the journal: http://www.ekphrastic.net/ekphrastic/april-21st-2016

 

Rijksmuseum out the window

Rijksmuseum, Out the Window (c) 2013 Mary Kendall

 

Sunday Morning

 

Hymns unsung, prayers unsaid,
I sat by the window and prayed
for forgiveness one more time;
one more time I begged.

 

Holding the cup of coffee in my hand,
I hoped the warmth would fill me
where your words had left me cold,
but I knew nothing could do that—
fire can burn for hours and be unfelt.

 

Hymns unsung, prayers unsaid,
I lay down on the empty bed, pulling
the blanket across my cheek, turning
from the window, from the sky
and the sun, praying for some rest.

 

 

 

Note: The window in the photo is not, of course, the window of the poem. I love taking pictures of windows when I travel, especially indside looking out. This photo was taken in June 2013 when my husband and I were in Amsterdam, visiting the beautiful Rijksmuseum.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Silk Strands, a New Haiga

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Fall's Footprints

This haiga appeared on Daily Haiga on March 23, 2016.  I would like to thank my dear friend, Sheppy Vann, for allowing me to use her beautiful photograph for this piece.

Here is the link to the original:  http://www.dailyhaiga.org/haiga-archives/1805/-fall-s-footrpints-by-mary-kendall-usa

 

 

silk thread**

Haiku…in Brass Bell

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Another joy and honor this week–my first time having haiku appear in Brass Bell, a publication that is edited by the incomparable Zee Zehava. This issue was done with International Women’s Day (on March 8) in mind. In the editor’s own words:

 

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I urge you to visit Brass Bell (also here on WordPress) and subscribe to it. Be sure to read the back issues for some excellent poetry.

My three haiku in this issue are below:

 

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If you have a favorite, please do let me know. I’m always curious what readers think or respond to.

 

CallaGold

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Another Love Poem…

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tuileries chairs

Photograph (c) 2010 by Patti Chronert

 

Another Love Poem…

If you’d like to hear me read this poem, please click on the link below. Wait a few seconds for it to load. I hope you enjoy both listening and reading this love poem.

 

 Another Love Poem…

~ To my husband and partner of forty years ~

 

We walked along in the Tuileries
alone among the chestnut trees,

morning sky of crisp pale gold
so many paths we have strolled,

and still we wander, just us two,
my heart never very far from you.

We stop to sit and watch the birds
green park chairs, unspoken words,

plain sparrows chirp, so unadorned
no beauty lost, no beauty mourned.

Simple thoughts are often most true—
no man was ever loved more than you.

 

 

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Heart Stone by Mary Kendall

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A New Page! All My Recent Publications on One Page

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fountain pen 1

 

I’ve added a new page to this blog: POEMS RECENTLY PUBLISHED

It is part of the main menu of my blog. I will update it as I publish poems. Here is a link as well:

http://wp.me/P4PYsb-A7

but the simplest thing is to go right to the top of the blog and click on the new page!

I hope this will let readers find what they are looking for. A number of people have privately asked me what and where I’ve been publishing work. This new page answers the question. One note: if a main entry to a piece isn’t in the main part of my blog, I will always add the poem on this separate page.

Questions? Just ask!

 

The Eagles Have Landed…

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800px-bald_eagle_fish

THE DECORAH EAGLES…JOIN THE FAN CLUB!

The eagles landed some time ago and have carefully rebuilt and replenished their nest. I am referring to the now famous Deborah Eagles out in Iowa. For several years now, I’ve been one of their fans watching the live camera feed. The first egg has been laid, and the camera is showing mom sitting on it as the wild winds blow past here high up in a cottonwood tree.

eggshell2

The first egg was laid a day ago. It will hatch in 35-39 days if all goes well.

eagles together close up of egg

Watch it, if you dare. You just might get hooked on this fascinating bit of eavesdropping.

Raptor Resource Project Decorah Eagle Cam, Decorah, IA

***LIVE CAMERA LINK:  http://www.raptorresource.org/falcon_cams/decorah_eagle_xcel.html

The following information comes from a main site, The Deborah Eagles:       http://www.thedecoraheagles.com:

Bob Anderson, the founder and director of Raptor Resource Project, operates the organization from the town of Decorah.

For more information about the Decorah Eagles, browse to their UStream live camera link, and scroll down below the camera feed. You will find many links, with lots to read about them there.

http://www.ustream.tv/decoraheagles

Raptor Resource Project Information    

There is no better place to go for information about the Decorah Eagles, or eagles in general, than the forums of the Raptor Resource Project. Chat and Forum Moderators, who volunteer for RRP, have put together an excellent collection of information. Here is the link to that page: 
http://www.raptorresource.org/forum/index.php/board,31.0.htmlThis next link is to the blog of the Raptor Resource Project. On this blog they post recent information, as well as useful and interesting facts:
http://raptorresource.blogspot.com/

The Raptor Resource Project also maintains a Facebook page and posts most information and updates there as well. That page can be viewed without a Facebook account. Follow this link: 
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Raptor-Resource-Project/103786266324668

[All citations from: http://www.thedecoraheagles.com]
 

I first watched them in 2011 and was fascinated by the eagles but also by the avid eagle watchers. I learned more about eagles and raptors than I thought I would. For instance, this first egg that was just laid will hatch in 35-39 days. These particular nesting eagles have been very successful, very attentive parents. If you have children or grandchildren, nieces or nephews or if you teach, I can’t recommend this more highly. Technology gives us a beautiful glimpse into the world of these powerful, beautiful birds.
 
And, since this is my poetry blog, here’s my poem that I wrote for the first eagles I watched learning to fly. Hard to imagine that they need to “learn” but they do indeed. My poem is dedicated to the eagles.
 
out of the nest

And Then It Flew

Older by only days, the first-born eagle
Was the first to branch, the first to fly~

Young eyes studying the world beyond the tree,
It now stood on a limb, lifting its wings over

And over, learning how to battle erratic gusts,
Learning how to channel the waiting wind,

Understanding now what it would be like to fly.
Again and again, those powerful wings fluttered,

Starting and stopping, gaining strength and nerve,
Gathering courage for that first awkward jump

Until one morning it lifted off the branch and flew,
Joining its parents in capturing the wind, trusting

That once it had made that leap, it too would fly.

His first flight.

His first flight.