Blogs of the Week ~ Farewell to Mary and Sherry

Today is a bittersweet day, my friends, as Mary and I step away from behind the scenes at Poets United, after nine and a half wonderful years. But never fear: we won’t go too far. We are still poets who love poetry! And we love this community. So we will be around.

Mary 2011

Mary 2019

Sherry asked me to share a poem.  I have written hundreds of them, but I wanted to share one that I find personally meaningful. I wrote it in 2007 before I knew the blogosphere even existed.  It is the poem that inspired the title of my blog (6th line), and it is about my mother. (I think, no matter how old one is and how long one’s mother has been gone, one’s mother is always missed.)  I chose  a short poem, as personally I like short poems best (to read and to write), as they say what is important without rambling on and on.

Each spring I listen for you

Spring was always your season and you waited patiently 

for this time of rebirth so I know you are somewhere 

in my garden perhaps hiding behind the arbor vitae

overseeing and tending to the coming to life as you always did 

and sometimes when I stoop to tend plants in the greening earth

out of the corner of my eye I catch of glimpse of your smile 

between budding branches and hear your whisper in the warm breeze.

Sherry: What a moving and lovely poem. Thank you, Mary. Will you share your thoughts about this journey we have made at Poets United? When you look back, did you think, in 2010, we would still be doing this almost ten years later?  What were the joys, and the highlights. What stands out for you?

Mary: When we began participating in Poets United in 2010, I had no idea how it would evolve and how long I would be involved.  It was just a fun and exciting thing to do then — and the poetry blogosphere was still very young.   And I ‘met’ so many talented people through this medium, and somehow to me it became so very important and real. 

Sherry, you were there right alongside me from the very beginning, and from the time Robert Lloyd left up until this very day we were a great team - as were the other members of the Poets United staff who came on board.  We had a wonderful working relationship for all these years.

Sherry: Yes, we did. Such harmony! How has this community, this site, and the blogosphere impacted your work?

Mary: I had written poetry before Poets United & the poetry blogosphere in general, but after becoming involved with Poets United I was inspired to write much more poetry.  I looked forward to each new prompt, each new time to share one’s poetry (old or new), and also looked forward to reading what others had written.  I know I would not have written as many poems had I not been part of Poets United & other sites in the blogosphere.  Admittedly, Poets United always felt like ‘home’ to me.

  

Sherry: Me, too. What would you like to say to our members on this day of retirement?

Mary: Thanks to all of you who have participated in Poets United over the years.  (And a very special thanks to Sherry who ‘retires’ along with me!) I have enjoyed sharing poetry with you all. 

It boggles my mind sometimes when I think of knowing people through poetry from all over my country and also in so many countries of the world.  We all came together in one venue and shared.  What a wonderful time it was. 

And thanks, more specifically, to people who read and commented on my poems.  It is nice to be ‘heard,’ I think; and because of your comments I felt ‘heard.’  I am not sure if I am really retiring or not.  I will probably be around at one time or another, and when I do it will be nice to find you here!  I wish each of you well & much good writing ahead, as Poets United carries on without us.

Sherry 2010

Sherry 2019

DEAR POETS UNITED,

“Where can I find other poets?”
I asked Blogger Forum in 2010.

“Why don’t you try Poets United?”
Robb Lloyd replied.

This began one of the best journeys
of my life.

Here you all were.
How we loved words,
rushed to share,
received each poem
as a gift of love.

I may step away from my desk,
but never too far,
for I still love words,
and you.

And a day is not complete
until I have shared
my latest poem
with you.

Thank you, my friends,
for almost-ten of the best years
of my life.

They have brought me joy,
and three thousand poems
I would not have created
without you.

Together
we have watched
our worlds changing.
We have mourned,
we have cheered.
We have cared.

We have shared our joys
and some tears.
Thank you, my friends,
for all these
wonderful, poetic
and so fulfilling
years.

Sherry: Sigh. When I found Poets United, I was living in a town where my writing was drying up for lack of encouragement and inspiration. My friend encouraged me to create a blog, and I found Poets United with such delight! At first, I worried I wouldn’t be able to come up with new poetry, or keep up. But once the flame was lit, my pen took off.

I had written around a thousand poems during my life. But I have written three times that many thanks to Poets United and all of you. I had no idea, when Mary and I took it over, that we were embarking on an almost ten-year journey. Very soon, I began doing the Monday features: an interview a week for all these years, telling the stories of poets leading such amazing lives! How I have loved it.

I will be forever grateful to Poets United for what it did for my writing life. And for the wonderful friendships that have resulted with people from around the world. What a journey it has been!

So, yes, blogging has made all the difference in my writing life. Not many people read my poems before I came online. I have been so grateful that people visit my site, read the words of my heart, and leave me encouraging words. It is something that I never take for granted. And oh, my! The amazing poems I have read! There is such astonishing talent online. I often think more of our online poems are read than if they were in books waiting for someone to pick them up off a shelf somewhere.

I gave a lot of my time and energy for the love and support of poets and poetry, through these years. I gave  whole-heartedly, and loved every minute. But believe me when I say, I received so much more than I gave.

What do I want to say to you, on this, my last Monday feature? Just thank you: for being there, for being you, for sharing your words and your friendship, and for showing up every week to share our love of poetry. What an amazing journey we have made together. And more poems and journeying lie ahead. I am grateful for it all.

Thank you, Mary, for steering our ship so steadily through the years. Thank you, also, to the staff, who have worked alongside us with such dedication, even during times of challenge in your personal lives. And thank you to each of you, members past and present, who have shared your poems, your words, your lives and your hearts with us. Our lives have been made richer by every one of you. So, today, we say, not farewell, but “See you in the ‘sphere!”