Poetry… We hear the term bandied about all the time, and there isn’t a one of us that avoided writing some in our younger days. Whether that poetry was written by the dictate of our instructors in school, or driven by hormone fueled teenage angst, there was a portfolio of our work available to embarrass or edify us. But the question has to be asked, what is poetry really? There seems to be so many varieties of it, and in a world containing hundreds of countries and thousands of cultures, it’s the one thing that is nearly universal. So what is poetry, let’s take a look shall we?
THE HISTORY OF POETRY
At it’s most base description, Poetry is a form of writing that uses the aesthetic and rhythmic qualities of a language, combined with simile and metaphor, to bring out meanings deeper than the mere definition of the words. The history of poetry is lengthy, traceable in written form as far back as the Sumerian Epic of Gilgamesh, and has been used as a mimetic method of passing down stories and mythologies throughout cultures for countless ages before that. The question of “What is Poetry?” has been a question that has vexed philosophers for time out of mind, with Aristotle writing a book aptly named Poetics, trying to define it. However he was only able to address a small portion of what poetry is, and how it is used in rhetoric, song, drama, and comedy.
One of the greatest poets of all time heralded from England, along the Avon river in the aptly named Stratford-upon-Avon in south Warwickshire, England. This, of course, was the man who was to come to be known as ‘The Bard’, William Shakespeare. His body of work is the foundation for the study of poetry in college’s throughout the world, and is considered to be the absolute pinnacle of the art by many. Such was the love of ‘The Bard’s works, that during the time of the Victorian’s, the term ‘Bardolotry’ was used to describe their love of his works. Perhaps the most important lesson to take from the Bards rise to prominence in the world of Poetry and literature lay in the time it took for his works to become legend. It wasn’t until the 19th Century, hundreds of years after his death, that Shakespeare became the legend we know today.
CELEBRATING POET'S DAY
Poet’s Day is dedicated to the long history of poetry in the world, and most especially to those who fill our world with the passion and wonder that flows from the tip of their pens. Each form of poetry is unique to the author, as poetry is inevitably born from their feelings and personal experiences, and those experiences are not replicated even in another sharing them. If you’ve ever written poetry in your life, and we all know you have, on Poet’s Day it’s time to pick up that pen again and let your inner self spill upon the page like blood upon a dance floor.
Take up the pen, and write what’s in your heart today! Whether you are describing a sunny morning in a garden, the tumultuous rumble of people on a city street, or the final struggling moments of a dying robin in the lawn, bring the world through your eyes to the page. The best celebration of Poet’s Day is to compose works of poetic art, and compile them for submission to one of the hundreds of amateur poetry publication in the world today, who knows, a hundred years from now you may be considered one of the greats!
Maya Angelou
Word of the Day
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| Definition: | (noun) A medicated lozenge used to soothe the throat. | ||
| Synonyms: | troche, cough drop | ||
| Usage: | She believed that pastilles and lozenges were no better for a sore throat than regular hard candy. | ||
Emily Dickinson
History
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 | Turner, born into slavery and sold three times as a child, led a slave uprising in Virginia that resulted in the deaths of about 55 white people. A deeply religious man, he experienced visions he interpreted as divine in nature and which convinced him that his mission in life was to lead slaves out of bondage. He and many of his followers were caught and hanged, and many more blacks were killed in retaliation. | ||
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 | Basie was an American jazz pianist and composer who became one of the premier swing bandleaders of his time. After working in dance halls and vaudeville in New York City, Basie moved to Kansas City, a major jazz center, where he formed his own band. Under his leadership, they broadcast from the Reno Club in Kansas City, where a radio announcer dubbed him "Count." | ||
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 | This uniquely American event started in 1980 in Deming, New Mexico. Up to 80 live ducks race for cash prizes in an eight-lane chute. There are races that include politicians' heats and a media heat. Other features include a parade, dances, hot-air balloons, an arts and crafts exhibit, a pageant of people dressed like ducks, and a duck contest in which ducks are dressed like people. Race participants come from several states; spectators now number about 20,000, almost double the population of Deming. | ||
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| Researchers have used animal models, stem cells, and 3-D printing to solve some of science's greatest mysteries. But now, students and professors at North Carolina State University are using a custom-made barfing machine and artificial vomit to study norovirus - one of the biggest public health threats in the country. | |||
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1841 - A patent for venetian blinds was issued to John Hampton.
1888 - The adding machine was patented by William Burroughs.
1912 - Arthur R. Eldred became the first American boy to become an Eagle Scout. It is the highest rank in the Boy Scouts of America.
1965 - The Lovin' Spoonful's "Do You Believe In Magic" was released.
1984 - Victoria Roche, a reserve outfielder, became the first girl to ever compete in a Little League World Series game.
1984 - Clint Eastwood was given a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
DAILY SQU-EEK
If You Were Born Today, August 21
You have a strong desire to make a difference in life - to carve your own identity and style and to be recognized for these things. You seem to know a little about everything, and your assessment of any given situation is quick and usually accurate. Your mind is sharp, and you are an independent and highly creative thinker. Although different, your ideas are accepted by others overall, as people sense your sincerity. Somewhat rebellious, you don't readily accept labels or restrictions by authority. One of your most valuable traits is your versatility. You bounce back from setbacks, and you learn from them. You may be attracted to people who have an aura of mystery around them, and who tend to have problems to solve. You seek a powerful and even dramatic connection to a partner. Famous people born today: Kenny Rogers, Wilt Chamberlain, Kim Cattrall, Alicia Witt, Hayden Panettiere, Carrie-Anne Moss, Patty McCormack.
| Picture of the day | |
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A first-issue 10¢ ($0.10) note of U.S. fractional currency, depicting George Washington on the obverse. Released between 21 August 1862 and and 27 May 1863 in response to a coin shortage caused by the American Civil War, this first issue was based on Treasurer Francis E. Spinner's handmade examples of a currency based on postage stamps and included four denominations. Though not legal tender, postage currency could be exchanged for United States Notes in $5 lots and was receivable in payment of all dues to the United States, up to $5. Four additional issues followed before fractional currency was discontinued in 1876.
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Elusive Summit
Photograph by Cory Richards
Blocked by tooth-like spires, author and adventurer Mark Jenkins turns back from the ridge leading to the snowy summit of Hkakabo Razi in Myanmar (Burma), part of the largely unexplored Dandalika Range. Thought to be the tallest mountain in Southeast Asia, Hkakabo remains unmeasured by GPS—a task taken on by a mountaineering team that included Jenkins, photographer Cory Richards, and climber Emily Harrington. For Jenkins, it was a windy and emotional retreat after 41 days of effort and two previous attempts. To go on, the team would’ve had to spend a night without food, a tent, or sleeping bags. “We’d have lost digits, if not our lives,” says Richards.
Edgar Allan Poe
knit
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Bath Mitt
This makes the perfect shower gift. You can hold the baby and wash them at the same time. No more searching for the disappearing washcloth! It also has a ...
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Pocket Book Slippers
Size No. 7 Needles 4 Ply worsted yarn Cast on 5 sts. Knit 6 rows. Next Row: Increase in 2nd stitch of each row until you have 22 stitches on the needle. Ne...
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Robert Frost
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Rainbow sleeve pattern by Kirsten from Haak maar Raak!
This rainbow sleeve will most definitely cheer up your day. The bobble stitch is a perfect stitch to make sure your items are secure. The pattern includes dire...
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Colourful granny square blanket pattern by Kirsten from ...
both the Dutch and English pattern are on the website -
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William Shakespeare
RECIPE
Apple Crumble
Pablo Neruda
CROCKPOT RECIPE
stephanie o'dea
CrockPot Layered Dinner--Steak, Potatoes, Corn on the Cob
I had been meaning to try a layered dinner in the crock for a few months, now, but kind of forgot. I am so glad that Julie emailed me! She made steak and sweet potatoes that way last week, with great success. The Ingredients.
This is what I used. You can use whatever meat or vegetables you have in the house. The trick is to not use too much liquid when cooking the meat, so the potatoes and the corn (or whatever you're using) isn't floating in juice.
--1 1/1 lbs rib eye steak
--1 T of your favorite seasoning rub
--1 T dried onion flakes (a fresh onion would be fine. I wasn't in a chopping mood.)
--2 T Worcestershire sauce
--1/4 cup tequila (or broth, apple juice, etc.)
--2-4 potatoes
--2-4 ears of fresh corn
--aluminum foil
In my 6 quart Smart Pot, I used 2 whole brown potatoes, and 4 ears of corn. I could have fit another potato in, probably.
The Directions.
Put meat in the bottom of the crockpot. Rub with seasoning and onion, and flip over to get the other side. Add tequila and Worcestershire sauce.
Wash potatoes and cover with foil. Add to the pot. Shuck the corn, and wrap each ear in foil. Add to the crockpot.It doesn't seem to matter if the potatoes are closer to the meat, or the corn. The new crockpots heat from the sides as well as from the bottom, so everything will cook through regardless of location.
Cover and cook on high for 5-7 hours, or on low for about 8. I cooked our dinner for 6 hours on high. My crockpot was quite full.
The Verdict.
This was a great dinner. I plan on doing more layered crockpot cooking---it's so nice to have everything plopped in and the kitchen clean by noon.
Edward Estlin (E E) Cummings
CRAFTS
CARE FOR LOCAL WILDLIFE WITH
THESE HOMEMADE BIRD FEEDERS
free people
Bird Food Garland
What you need:
Twine
Assorted nuts (peanuts in the shell work great)
Assorted dried fruit
Fresh fruit (optional)
Toothpicks
Wild birds love to snack on fresh and dried fruits as well as raw nuts. For this simple garland, I chose to use apricots, raisins, peanuts, and a fresh apple. Simply use a toothpick to poke a hole through the center of one fruit or nut one at a time, and then string the twine all the way through. Repeat and alternate the different kinds of bird food until you’ve made a garland as long as you’d like.
Orange Rind Bird Feeder
What you need:
1 orange
Twine
Wild bird seed
Spoon
Knife
Toothpicks
Take a large fresh orange and cut it in half. Then cut along the inside rim, separating the rind from the pulp and being careful not to cut all the way through the fruit. Take a spoon to scoop out all of the pulp from the orange.
Once you have the shell of the orange, poke four holes equidistant from each other around the rind. String two pieces of equal-length twine across the inside of the orange shell, making an X in the middle. Tie all four ends of twine together at the top with a large knot.
Fill the shell of the orange with wild bird seed. Make sure that the seeds are appropriate for your local species, because tropical birds or pets need different kinds of nutrients. Adjust the twine so the orange hangs evenly. Transport the bird feeder and garland outside to hang from any plant or tree in your backyard!
Langston Hughes
PUZZLE
Walt Whitman
PUZZLE
Robert Burns
QUOTE
Thomas Hardy
NOW YOU’RE COOKING WITH LAVA: THE HOTTEST BBQ YET
Summer is really heating up. What happens when you put a geologist, an artist, and a chef together?
They end up cooking with molten rock!
They end up cooking with molten rock!
“When you cook on a barbecue, you get a lot of smoke. Because lava is pure heat, the meat sealed very quickly and with an even char… it was the best steak I’ve ever had in my life.” –Sam Bompas, the chef1
Using their man-made basalt volcano, the rock inside reaches a blistering 3000° F , turning the stone inside into a thick soup. The 10oz rib-eyes and corn took only a few minutes to cook.
Rudyard Kipling
"Good Morning" in Ukrainian (Ukraine) Dobri ranok Valencian 
Oscar Wilde
CLEVER
John Keats
EYE OPENER
thanks, heide
LIFE
Today, I was jogging along the beach when a woman I had just passed began screaming for help. I turned around to see that her husband had fallen to the ground and appeared unconscious. I ran over and checked his pulse. He had one, but he wasn’t breathing. The woman called 911 on her mobile phone while I performed CPR on her husband. Somehow, miraculously, I got him breathing again before the ambulance arrived. And although I have no idea how this couple’s story will end, I’m hopeful based on positive remarks from one of the paramedics who said the husband seemed to be in stable condition.
Now I’m sitting here reflecting on the incident and, even more so, on the words the woman repeated over and over through her tears as I was attending to her husband: “It’s not his time. Oh please, it’s not his time.”
And in a backwards way, her words keep echoing in my mind, reminding me that life is fragile and fleeting, and that I need to start allocating my time properly again. Life has been busy lately, and certain things have fallen by the wayside, but it’s time to revive and resume the rituals that best serve my well-being and my relationships.
I hope you will join me in…
1. Taking better care of yourself.
You are like a building with stained-glass windows. You always shimmer and shine when the sun is out, but when darkness sets in your true magnificence is revealed only if there is light shining from within you. It’s your duty, and yours alone, to keep your inner light shining bright.
So learn to love yourself first, instead of loving the idea of other people loving you. Loving yourself doesn’t mean being selfish and narcissistic, or disregarding others. Rather, it means welcoming yourself as the most honored guest in your own heart and mind – a guest worthy of extra care and respect. Whatever you are doing, love yourself for doing it. Whatever you are feeling, love yourself for feeling it. That’s a great start.
2. Getting lost in playful exploration.
Sometimes we put too much weight into trying to control every tiny aspect of our lives. Switch gears, relax and ride the path that life takes you sometimes. Try something new, be a bit daring, and explore your curiosity. Letting go a little lets you experience the unexpected.
The greatest joys in life are often the unexpected surprises that you never intended to happen. If you want to get really good at something, let go of the notion of perfection and replace it with the notion of endless playful exploration. We don’t stop dreaming and exploring because we grow old; we grow old because we stop dreaming and exploring.
3. Initiating long, intimate conversations with loved ones.
Death is a real challenge of life. It tells us not to waste time. It tells us to make time right now to tell each other that we love each other. It tells us to stop texting and tweeting every second and actually open the floodgates to real, long, heartfelt conversations with the people we love.
Relationships flourish when two people are able to share their innermost feelings and thoughts about themselves and each other. To be fully heard by someone, in raw form, and be adored anyhow, is what true love is. Making time for these deep connections and conversations is worth it.
4. Enjoying peaceful downtime.
You deserve quiet moments away from the daily hustle, in which no problems are confronted, no solutions are explored, and no demands are being made of your time. Schedule time every day to not be busy. At least twice a day, withdraw yourself from the sources of stress that refuse to withdraw from you. Do so for a few minutes and simply be and breathe.
Don’t fool yourself; you’re not so busy that you can’t afford a few minutes of sanity.
5. Reading amazing books.
Books are truly the perfect entertainment: no advertisements, no batteries, hours of delight and education, and low relative cost. What you have to ask yourself is: Why not carry a good book around for those inevitable gaps of wasteful waiting time – five minutes here and ten minutes there? Bring that dead time back to life.
Remember, it’s what you read and learn when you don’t have to that determines what you will be capable of when you have no other choice.
And of course, if you're struggling with any of these points, know that you are not alone. Many of us are right there with you, working hard to feel better, think more clearly, and keep our lives on track by living a life free of unnecessary headaches and heartache.
some of the many terrific poets ever!
Elizabeth Barrett Browning
Billy Collins
William Blake
Sylvia Plath
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
William Wordsworth
Phillis Wheatley
Mark Twain
Louisa May Alcott
Ralph Waldo Emerson
William Butler Yeats
George (Lord) Byron
Lewis Carroll
Alfred Lord Tennyson
Alice Walker
and soooooo many more wonderful poets! HAPPY POET'S DAY
I still may be on the "Bad Poetry" myself, but Robert has moved on. The enigma of Robert Frost--worth a listen: https://thedianerehmshow.org/shows/2015-08-20/the-100th-anniversary-of-robert-frosts-poem-the-road-not-taken
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