This week the W3 poetry prompt was set by the Poet of the Week Selma Martin. She challenged us to write a prose poem with some very specific criteria: Format it like breaking news, give it a bold attractive title, write it with a beginning, middle, and end. Make it a Good News account of something that will benefit us all. Use strong, positive verbs and add enough detail to make it believable and relieve us of some stress. It shouldn’t be too short nor too long.
A tall order considering we are all much better at pointing out the negative than celebrating the positive. We have had a pretty mild winter so far (knock on wood) but we are supposed to get snow today. The best thing I can think of is for an early Spring – as in a Spring that started in earnest today!
……………………………………A Miracle Happens!……………………………………
Snow has vanished. Sudden and unexpected. Just when the cold had settled into bones, homes, frozen hearts like stones, there came a thaw. Trees budding, the sap rises. Birds have returned. Animals have awakened from hibernation. Spring rituals begin. New life on the way! The fruit growers are optimistic for a bumper crop – cherries, peaches, plums. Crop farmers are planting – corn, beans. Winter wheat has sprouted! People emerging from their homes greet this new world. Neighbors speak. Dogs bark. One week and green returned to the park. A vernal reawakening, a new beginning, a miracle!
A Different Perspective 
Amen 🙏🏼
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Thanks! ❤
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You’re welcome
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❤
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Whew! All of that excitement! (fans herself). 😀
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Hahaha! Dodi you are too funny! I’m guessing it was all that talk of “spring rituals”… 😀
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When orchids bloom after months of hibernation, that miracle makes me humble and grateful.
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Your orchids are always beautiful! I know you have a green thumb but I suspect every finder is also green! (and that is part of the miracle!!)
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Spring does sound like a miracle at this point! It must be somewhere around the corner…
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We are in a winter weather watch – more snow is on the way… of course it could (by a miracle) shift and avoid us… But that’s highly unlikely. Sparky is at the grocery getting dog food and milk!
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Gotta stock up on the necessities! I hope the storm avoids you. We’ve been dealt a nasty week of snow, slush, sleet, and rain over here. It’s looking very “blarrrrgh” outside; that’s how I’d best describe it. Lol,
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It is still coming down – very heavy and wet. They are predicting that it will continue most of the night. The pine trees look like umbrellas that have been closed… I’m hoping we don’t lose branches or have any power lines down!
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Nice description of the trees. Hopefully it’s let up by now!
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It was mostly melted by noon the next day – and no trees were injured and no power lines downed! We are however very soggy with all the rain and snow melt. I’m hoping the basement stays dry!!!
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I’m glad to hear that no trees or power lines were damaged. The soggy weather is no fun, though; we’re having quite a bit of that, too!
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It was a real concern but we dodged that bullet! I have a water watch for the basement…
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Ha – I’m not surprised you wished for this 🙂
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I’m predictable. My presentation tonight was almost cancelled but I went ahead and did it to a small audience of 10 people who braved the weather. The prediction is for 8″ of snow. So far we have about 4″ but it is heavy and wet. I hope none of the big trees in the back lose any branches!
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fingers crossed ❤
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We have power and the trees are fine so far… Sparky shovelled the driveway twice last night and again this morning! We are supposed to go out to eat at lunch but I’m doubting that will happen!
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I have a feeling this wish will come true! (K)
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I’m sure it will – eventually. But I’d love to wake up tomorrow and have the trees putting out leaves and the flowers poking up through the dirt and of course the birds and tree frogs singing…
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Yes, I can’t wait for those robins to wake me up. Crows are not the same.
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Hehe! I love the crows – but they don’t wake me in the morning but they do sing an evening lullabye!
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Nice job. You met all of the criteria but, I’m not ready! Give me a few more weeks of blessed So. Cal winter!
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Thanks Judy! Yeah – If you were in Northern Indiana you wouldn’t be asking for more winter… So. California winter is like Northern Indiana Spring!
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I think we may have found some good news here today — it was sunny, warmer, and the mountains are beautiful when they are covered with snow! Oops — for those who live in the mountains, 19 feet of snow has buried towns, food is running out, the hill roads are too dangerous to drive, and few are able to leave or to return home. To end with more good news, the grocery store trucks were able to bet to the mountain towns today, and are currently stocking grocery stores! It’s not yet spring, but warmer weather is near!
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Spring will slowly creep into Northern Indiana BUT I would like it to arrive instantaneously!!
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This was a very tricky prompt and i was initially struggling with it…and you on the other hand made it looked so easy…well done on this prompt Val
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Thanks tons Mich! The prose poem IS tricky. I’m tickled you think I made it look easy! Truth be told, the prose poem is a slippery form that has many definitions – a chameleon in the world of poetry… I’m tickled you like it!!
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Beautiful. I have been enjoying the tease of spring with long walks.
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That is just it! Spring has been teasing but I’m impatient!
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I am too.
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😀
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“A vernal reawakening, a new beginning, a miracle!” Oh yes, please! Spring and awakening and miracles are glorious things to wake up to. You warmed my heart with your news of these: a few of my favorite things. And the fruits and grain and creatures in the post are every bit beautiful. Loved this to pieces. Thanks for joining in the fun of imagining something so wonderful, because as you point out, “we are all much better at pointing out the negative than celebrating the positive.” It is time to balance the scales and inject good news into our lives. If we zoom in on that long enough, we will begin to see the world we want to live in. You rock. I wish you miracles.
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Thanks Selma for the wonderful comment. I’m thrilled you liked this one!
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Thanks for your most positive comment! I’ve heard it said that you have to be the change you want to see in the world. I try very hard to stay positive but there is one thing that sucks the positivity right out of me – subzero weather. And that’s one of the reasons I can’t wait for Spring!!
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I remember many a winter in the USA when I felt this way! ❤
~David
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David, winters here seem to be colder and longer than anywhere else!
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🥶
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Val, have the trees put out their leaves yet? If not they will soon. 🤞🏼
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No leaves – and many don’t have buds even…
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Oh! We are already experiencing a bit of summer!
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And now I’m a little jealous!
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Don’t be. It is around 90F during the day. I dread the actual summer! 😓
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hi, Val ❤
I just wanna let you know that this week's W3, hosted by l'il ol' me, is now live!
I hope you enjoy!
Sincerely,
David
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Ooh! I’ll have to go check it out!
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🤗
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you make it sound like wonderland! I can’t imagine such a transformation
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It goes from gray and bleak to bursting with color and life!!
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give me colour and life any day 🙂
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Amen!
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This could be one of those odd “up is down, in is out” years, when the Midwest enjoys Spring, while the Far West is still getting snow.
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I just want spring to arrive soon. I am so tired of cold and snow!
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