Monday, November 3, 2014

Open Link Monday

Welcome to the Imaginary Garden...

Source Bored Panda
Visit the site for more amazing pics of toadstools

Greetings to all visitors to our garden of poetry today, this first Monday of November. I want to share this quote from one of my favourite childhood novels:

“It was November--the month of crimson sunsets, parting birds, deep, sad hymns of the sea, passionate wind-songs in the pines. Anne roamed through the pineland alleys in the park and, as she said, let that great sweeping wind blow the fogs out of her soul.” 
― L.M. MontgomeryAnne of Green Gables

When I read back over a book I haven't opened in years, such as those I read before the age of 12, I marvel at the prose, the vocabulary and the style, realizing how impoverished the story-telling has become for young readers in the 21st Century. I was recently in conversation with a parent regarding his son's progress in English and he admitted to me that he could not encourage the boy to read. I told him that we are fighting a losing battle, reading is already a thing of the past for the majority, despite our best efforts to teach the value of it to the next generation. Reading and writing go hand-in-hand, and I find that kids lack originality and imagination but I am not ready to give up the fight yet. How about you?

Source as above

One of the many reasons I love to spend time in the Imaginary Garden is the wealth of original and creative writing I am exposed to on a weekly basis. I am continually blown away by the enormous talent to be found on the blogs, and I am always excited to discover a new writer. With that said, I invite all-comers to link up a poem of their choice. The object of OLM is to share, encourage and to be inspired at the start of a new week.

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

Rain finally arrived in southern California, wetting the kids on Halloween. It feels like Autumn, finally. Good week to all... ~

Susan said...

“And all the winds go sighing,
For sweet things dying”
― Christina Rossetti

Jim said...

Late tonight, Kerry. I just finished writing for Saturday's 55 so I am linking it to here also. Thank you.
I am liking your mushrooms. The pictures are pretty.
Your words of the week, "Dummy it Down" probably fit me. I went to a country school, eight grades in one room, generally about eight kids in school.

My word recognition is about 99 percentile but I don't think I've much of a grasp on long words. Country people don't use them much. :)
..

Marian said...

I am not giving up, Kerry. reading is fundamental in unlocking the imagination... not giving up. I'm with you!

Anonymous said...

Bertold Brecht's 'The Caucasian Chalk Circle' gets a PS in this poem!

Fireblossom said...

I tried to pass on my two big loves to my son; books and dogs. Well, he loves dogs! For myself, i cannot imagine life without books. What a loss it will be if they go the way of the horse and carriage.

Anjum Wasim Dar said...

creativity can be taught but imagination is god gifted-reading intensively is one way to good writing with other stories for listening...

Gail said...

One of my favorite books that I read every few years. It has never grown old.

Your pictures are fantastic.

My attempt at poetry is posted.

Thank you for providing these prompts. I do enjoy them so.

Margaret said...

Linking up my 55 as I am running behind. Will be back to visit and comment late Tuesday night!

Grandmother Mary said...

Life without books? Unimaginable.

Grandmother Mary said...

I'm in the caboose with Margaret- it takes me awhile!

Anonymous said...

Hey Kerry--I'm still not working on my novel and feeling rather down about various things--this is a lovely post though--I wish reading were more in people's lives! Mine especially! Though I've been reading a lot lately - but rather lowgrade sorts of stuff! k.