An "Autumn Moon" Is Rising in This Collaborative Videoetry!

Today, I introduce my second videoetry which I collaborated with someone to create.  Courtney Bowman, a fantastic photographer who is only a high school senior, shared this photograph with me to use for my "Autumn Moon" poem. 

Embracing the concept of the line "Removes the colors from our sight" from the Moody Blues song "Nights In White Satin", I had created a poem.   The videoetry required a cool shot of a moon in the fall and I happened to remember this photograph from Courtney's photo album on FaceBook.  It was taken in the fall of 2010. 

Not only does this photograph hold the requisite full moon, but it has one tree with full green leaves and yet another which is headed toward nakedness.  A perfect representation for this particular time of year.

Hope you enjoy "Autumn Moon" on Videoetry.  Many thanks to Courtney for her photo!

Ciao for now!
Mel

"Sunflowers"

Today, I feature my first collaboration with someone other than family. In this videoetry, beautiful sunflowers are celebrated in footage provided by LakeTahoeWeather's Sean Rutkowski. I was honored that Sean offered his video footage for me to use in videoetries. There is more of his lovely footage from the Lake Tahoe area he shared with me, and I hope you will check back to see what other videoetric delights we can come up with!

Add to the mix, a fantastic tune from DanoSongs.com.  There you can download free music to use in your videos.  I look forward to exploring more of Dano's tunes for future works.

 

I hope you enjoy "Sunflowers".

Ciao for now!

Mel

"Prayer for Texas"

My recent trip to Texas found me scootin' through the back country southwest of Dallas, meeting nice folks, and gaping at the expansiveness of everything.  People still smile there even though the ground is thirsty. 

Many said they were sad that I would see their land in a drought, but I still saw the tenacious beauty that is Texas.  I offer this prayerful videoetry in hope that rain will return soon.

Hope you enjoy "Prayer for Texas".

"Ode To Tahoe" and Labor Day Weekend

Happy Labor Day Weekend, Folks!

Today I reach back into my photo collection and use photos to create a videoetry about Lake Tahoe.  Wish like heck I was there!  Tahoe is currently in the throes of summer's last breath and will probably see the first snows soon.

fabulouslaketahoe made a comment on my "Shenandoah" videoetry on how beautiful it is up there in Virginia.  When I remarked to him that he lives in the most remarkable place, he commented that you have to work around stuff.  True, but that's true anywhere.  Even places like Yosemite have touristas everywhere getting in your photographing way.

I know I have eyed a huge bunch of these beautiful, yellow flowers at my kids' bus stop.  I keep fussing at myself for not bringing my cell phone to get a shot of those flowers in the early sunrise light.  They're at the end of our drive and next to ugly blacktop, but I bet I'll make them pretty!  If I do get some shots before they die, you'll be the first to know.

Finally, I dedicate this videoetry to two of my subscribers who a) live in fabulous Lake Tahoe and b) follow my videoetries.  I truly appreciate you laketahoeweather and fabulouslaketahoe!  Hope you enjoy
"Ode To Tahoe".

Ciao for now!
Mel

Quick Trip Yields Gorgeous Views and "Shenandoah"

Hi All!

Ahhh, a little trip to the Shenandoah River valley in western Virginia is just the cure for my little videoetry drought.  What amazing views from the valley, but to experience Skyline Drive that winds down the spine of the Appalachian Mountains?  Whoa!  I highly recommend it. 

Shenandoah National Park has a $15 per car fee, but it gets you to hiking trails, Skyline Drive (which is nearly 100 miles long), and a ton of overlooks.  We started at the top at Front Royal and drove to the bottom.  If you can't hang for 100 miles, there are many exits along the way you can use to leave the park.

I used the acrostic form of poetry to spell out "Shenandoah" (click to see video).  Hope you enjoy my latest videoetry.

Ciao for now!
Mel

"Blink"

This poem took two funeral processions to get written down.  It is a reflection on that very sad part of life - death, and the Southern way of honoring the dead as they move to their final resting place.  People in the rural South pull their cars over for the dead and their mourners - a tradition lost in urban areas and other parts of the US.

As I said, it was written in two parts - it first came to me on the long drive from the funeral home to our family cemetary where we buried my grandfather.  It revisited me two months later as I was driving in my husband's aunt's funeral procession.  I managed to jot it down without running over the car in front of me. 

Please click here to see "Blink"

Ciao for now...
Mel

"Five Flats In Cut Time"

Another poem inspired by a prompt at Poetic Asides http://blog.writersdigest.com/poeticasides/, "Five Flats and Cut Time" is about a moment for me when I was NOT paying attention.  If you know anything about music, time and key signatures are awfully important.  If you miss what they're telling you (as I did :) ), it can sound AWFUL!

You can also scroll through at http://www.virtualpoetryreading.com/ and find this poem read by me among others.  This neat site from poet, Buddah Moskowitz, allows one to exercise their vocal skills and read your poetry as if you're at a poetry slam.  Hey!  I miss Teen Poetry Happens @ The Bean during the summer.  I need something!

Hope you enjoy "Five Flats and Cut Time"

Ciao for now!
Mel