No real thoughts today except that I do think my artistic skills are improving lol. This rose, compared to the rose in verse 19, is far better. And the rose in verse 19 is better than the ones I drew in 100 Warm Days of Haiku. Most of them, anyway. Hopefully my art will improve along with my writing. We’ll see. That is always my ambition, at any rate. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve written the greatest poem ever only to read it a week later and think, god, what garbage…
I guess I did have a thought or two.
Poem and illustration copyright 2022 Michelle Garren-Flye
The other day I ran across a quote from Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. “‘Tis always morning somewhere, and above/The awakening continents, from shore to shore,/Somewhere the birds are singing evermore.”
I love poetry. (I might have mentioned that.) But mostly I love poetry that speaks to me at a certain time in my life. I think that’s because poetry is meant to reach inside you and pluck at your soul. I think that’s our job as poets. We aren’t lovers. We don’t play heartstrings. We play soulstrings. This particular quote spoke to me. I hope you find something today that speaks to you.
Poem and illustration copyright 2022 Michelle Garren-Flye
I think this is the fourth year in a row that I’ve done some sort of self-inflicted poetry challenge on here. Every year, I wonder why. Why do I want to add one more thing to my to-do list?
This year, my focus (that word again) has shifted a little internally. Why do I almost always only write poetry with illustrations now? This renga is a perfect example of how it might be easier to just write the poem. By the time I’ve moved on to the next verse, I’ve forgotten what was in the one before.
But this verse is an illustration of what I love about writing illustrated poetry. Poetry is everywhere. Even in a tiny blade of blooming grass.
Poem and illustration copyright 2022 Michelle Garren-Flye
Less than a week to go. It seems like just yesterday I was struggling to draw ice. lol. I mean, if I tried again, it would still be hard. But I did it once, so…
Once this is done, I’ll be putting together my poetry book. There are still a few illustrations to be done, possibly a few poems yet to be written, but I’m hoping to get that taken care of next month. Maybe I can even have the book out by the beginning of June. Mid June? I wonder how far my hypercreativity can carry me.
Poem and illustration copyright 2022 Michelle Garren-Flye
I’m better at capturing flora than fauna, so the little critter in this one caught me off guard. I didn’t even notice him until I started drawing. He seemed perfect for this spot in the renga, though. One of those “happy accidents” that happens sometimes.
Poem and illustration copyright 2022 Michelle Garren-Flye
I’m really loving my new keyword/motto “Focus”. I’m a mom all the time, a writer and poet constantly, and a business owner when I can lol. So focus can be a challenge but is important in every aspect of my life. I’m also an amateur photographer, so I know what happens when you take pictures that are out of focus. They suck.
Most of my illustrations for this renga come from photos I shot on my iPhone while walking my dog. Very few of them were actually in focus lol. Which makes this new word of mine all the more pertinent. When I turn the pictures into illustrations, it’s like I’m improving the focus. Like this one.
Illustration and poem copyright 2022 Michelle Garren-Flye
I’m so happy with the way this renga is working out! I have been flipping through the pictures and reading the verses and it’s hard to believe I’ve written it piecemeal and drawn whatever I wanted each day. (I mean, yeah…flowers mostly, but that’s where I find spring, so…)
Before I started this project, I had three very different projects burning on my mind stovetop lol. Now the other two are safely simmering on the backburner (not forgotten!) and I have a focus. It’s a reminder to me not to let my hypercreativity overwhelm me. Focus. Find it. Don’t force it. But when you find it, you can make wonderful things.
Poem and illustration copyright 2022 Michelle Garren-Flye
Hard to believe there are only eleven days left for National Poetry Month! I’m trying to get ready for a speech I give to the English Speaking Union at the end of the month, too, but I’m determined not to let this renga go. It’ll give me a huge jumpstart on Hypercreativity. Who needs sleep, right?? I know I haven’t gotten much recently…
But life is good. I love what I do. I want to do more of it, which might be why I’m not sleeping much recently. I get up every morning and think I get to go to work today. That’s gotta be a sign that something is right in my life, even if some things aren’t. Right?
This flower is actually only a third of the way done. I stayed up until 2 a.m. working on it three nights in a row and still only got that far. lol. But I made it work, I think. I knew what I wanted in this verse and this flower is actually perfect for it.
Poem and illustration copyright 2022 Michelle Garren-Flye
BREATHE: Michelle Garren-Flye 