A writer inspired by nature and human nature

Archive for the ‘My Poetry’ Category

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Write a 🎃 Halloween Haiku & Get the Kids Writing Too!


Make writing a Family Affair!

Find out how to write a Haiku poem & get the kids writing too…

Black Cat HALLOWEEN Haiku BAS 2019

 

Midnight—our fabulous, furry feline—inspired me to write BLACK CAT, a Halloween haiku (Haiku: a Japanese-inspired three-line: 5-7-5 syllable poetry form) and to design a poster to go with the poem. Kids love illustrating their poems. They enjoy listening to poetry and to reading it aloud too. 

Reading and writing poetry is a fantastic way to improve creativity and critical thinking skills for people of all ages. Plus, it’s an outstanding way to foster foundational learning and literacy for children. It’s so much fun to read and write poetry together! The kids will love it and I know you will too. Whether at home or in the classroom writing and sharing poetry is a perfect way to celebrate any season—for any reason! 

What’s inspiring you this autumn?
Brainstorm your list and get writing.
Have fun—don’t forget to get the kids writing too!

Here are some Writer’s Tricks (literary devices found in every writer’s toolbox) I used to create BLACK CAT. These tools can set a mood— they make writing and reading memorable and fun.  Check them out and see if you can discover where I used them in my poem.

Read on to find out more about these literary devices.

BLACK CAT

Black cat waits, watches…
Stalking tricksters in their webs.
Spiders are her treats!

Š Bette A. Stevens, Maine author

Three 🎃Tricks from the Writer’s Toolbox (Literary devices) used in writing poetry and prose

  • Assonance
    Assonance is the repetition of vowel sounds in nearby words.
  • Consonance
    Another literary device used by writers and poets is consonance—repetitive sounds produced by consonants within a sentence or phrase. This repetition often takes place in quick succession.
  • Alliteration
    You put your alliteration tool to work when words that start with the same sound are used close together in a phrase or sentence. The sound is usually a consonant and the words don’t have to always be right next to one another.

How to find “just the right words”
Abundant writing resources are available in print as well as online. Listed below are the two resources I had readily available in the classroom for my students (Grades 4-8). Paperbacks are inexpensive enough to have multiple copies on hand, and in my opinion they are indispensable.

  • The Scholastic Rhyming Dictionary by Sue Young
  • Webster’s Thesaurus for Students by Merriam-Webster

                        Happy Writing & Reading Poetry…

                                   🎃HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

                     ~ Bette A. Stevens, Maine author/illustrator

This post is shared in loving memory of our amazing kitty, Miss Midnight. ~Bette A. Stevens

[Explore Bette’s Blog]

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Written

on 10/17/2020

Welcome to the #RRBC “ROCKIN’ 2020 AWAY” BOOK, BLOG & TRAILER Block Party! @BetteAStevens #Giveaways


 

Hi, and welcome to the Rave Reviews Book Club’s 2020 BOOK, BLOG & TRAILER BLOCK PARTY at Watch Nonnie Write! 

Here’s What I’m Giving Away Today

Leave a comment & YOU COULD BE A WINNER!

  • One (1) $10 Amazon Gift Card
  • One (1) e-book copy of 🌲 MY MAINE, Haiku through the Seasons 🌲by Bette A. Stevens

# of Winners for this stop:  2 

Even with a world-wide pandemic raging, the blessings of 2020 abound…

It’s a Girl!

Thanks so much for stopping by my blog today. As a Maine writer and poet, I hope you enjoy taking a peek inside the state I know and love.  It’s a Girl! is a haiku poem about one of the many miracles—the bounty and beauty—that 2020 has brought to us at the farmstead this year. If you haven’t been to the U.S. state of Maine yet, I invite you to add a trip to The Pine Tree State to your wish list. No matter the date or the season, Maine’s miracles are sure to capture your heart and soul. In the meantime, I invite you to watch MY MAINE, Haiku through the Seasons book trailer later in this post to get a taste of what we Mainers are blessed with 365 days a year.  Maine, you’ll  see, is the way life should be!

As the new year began, I was sure it was going to be a year to remember—and it has proven to be just that.

My perspective has changed on so many things. Hubby Dan and I have been self-isolating since March 12. We order groceries online once a month then put on protective masks and gloves as we head out to pick packages up curbside in a town eight miles north. We only go out in public when we must—for things like medical appointments, and banking. This month we’ll pick up our absentee ballots at the town hall and return them in person to vote in the 2020 Presidential Election.

Here in Maine, our 37-acre farmstead has always been a haven. We grow and preserve a lot of our own food (vegetables and fruit), clean up fallen trees to use as supplemental heat in the wintertime, and spend a lot of time outdoors working, exploring and enjoying the beauty and bounty that the land has to offer.

 

Miracles abound… Discovering a fawn in the back field was just one of them.

Rolls (I’m making all my own breads and desserts these days) were baking in the oven when Dan burst through the back door and hollered, “Grab your camera and get out here!” He wouldn’t tell me what was up until we gingerly approached a stand of birches in the back field and he pointed down. There in the tall grass (which he had planned to mow that afternoon) lay a newborn fawn. She was beautiful. The moment I was back at the house, I discovered as much as I could about whitetail deer online. I read everything I could find and prepared to watch and wait for the little one to appear with her mom.

Did I say she? You bet!

I found out that the sex of a fawn can be discovered by the shape of the crown of its head. Round for girl, flat for boy. I expected her to be out and about with mama in early July and I walked the field and trails each day to discover as much as I could first hand. By early July, we discovered that she had a twin—they came out each day romping, stomping and entertaining us while mama cautiously watched them from a distance. It’s been a summer of laughter and fun with our two whitetails on the loose.  If it hadn’t been for self-isolating during the 2020 pandemic, I would have missed it all!

It’s been a great summer of discovery. Check out these  16 Things to Know about Whitetail Fawns https://www.outdoorlife.com/blogs/big-buck-zone/2013/05/fawn-facts/

 

CLICK Book Trailer  below TO TAKE A PEEK INSIDE...

 

Grab a copy of MY MAINE today! 

 

More of Bette’s Maine

Books by Bette A. Stevens, Maine authorThanks so much for stopping by to read about It’s a Girl and take a peek at MY MAINE, Haiku through the Seasons today! I would love to hear what you think. Your comment could make you one of today’s two Giveaway Winners!

~Bette A. Stevens

Category:

#IndieBooksBeSeen, gardening, Haiku through the Seasons by Bette A. Stevens, Maine, Maine Author, Maine Bicentennial, MY MAINE, MY MAINE: Haiku through the Seasons by Bette A. Stevens, My Poetry, Nature, Photography, Poetry, Rave Reviews Book Club, RWISA Author, Video, Writing, YouTube Video

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Get away from it all without leaving home—MY MAINE, Haiku through the Seasons by Bette A. Stevens


MY MAINE, Haiku through the Seasons (Poetry & Photography Collection) by Bette A. Stevens. 150 haiku poems, 49 of the author’s original photographs + interesting facts and symbols from The Pine Tree State. 

My Maine…

Staycation in “Vacationland” (One of The Pine Tree State’s nicknames). No need to leave your comfy lounge chair. No matter the season, MY MAINE is a collection of poems and photographs to soothe the soul. Put up your feet, sit back and relax. Let MY MAINE take you away…

Did you know?

In the early 20th century, lumber, textiles and other industries began to leave the state, and the government doubled down on stimulating tourism. In the 1960s, the state adopted a new nickname on its license plates and highway signs: “Vacationland.”

Every year, thousands of visitors from all over the world flock to the Pine Tree State to enjoy scenic vistas, outdoor activities and the unhurried pace of life. But a visit to Maine is more than just lobsters and lighthouses. USA Today

MY MAINE

“A nature-filled land that enlivens the senses and soothes the soul—to me, Maine is poetry!”

~ Bette A. Stevens

 

Summer Songs

Excerpts from MY MAINE Haiku through the Seasons (Summer Songs) by Bette A. Stevens

Pristine forest lands
Rockbound footpaths appealing
Seek your solace here

Lady slippers chant
Madrigalian ballads
Timeless tales reborn

Moose shielding twin calves
Wades tranquil mountain waters
Head raised, ears twitching

Swallows consuming
Millions of swarming creatures
Ouch, ouch—they missed some

Loons at lakeshore wail
Campers bewitched by the sound
Sacred summer songs

Waves play taps on shore
Tall pines salute by moonlight
Waking stars stand guard

Lighthouses stand tall
Regaling stories of ghosts
From a bygone age

Books by Bette A. Stevens, Maine author

Hubby and I are enjoying a great “Staycation” right here at the farmstead. Confined by the 2020 pandemic restrictions, we’re playing it close to home and enjoying the magic of Maine moment by moment. Wishing everyone a blessed and beautiful end of summer and hope you’ve enjoyed a bit of a virtual Maine summer respite with us. ~Bette A. Stevens

[Visit Bette’s Blog]

Written

on 08/10/2020

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The Splendor of Diversity—discover it in the garden (poem by Bette A. Stevens)


Much of my poetry is inspired by the gardens, fields and woods here at the farmstead in central Maine as well as by the natural beauty and by the people of The Pine Tree State.

A peek inside Bette’s first poetry & photography collection:  MY MAINE, Haiku through the Seasons available in paperback and eBook. 

The Pine Tree State

Maine pines and people
Survivors, resilient souls
Standing tall and proud

Pragmatic figures
Independence their calling
Rugged yet limber

Growing where they choose
While rising ever higher
Strong limbs branching out

Tempering spirits
Amidst the boundless medley
Solid, steady, proud

Diversity (A preview into one of Stevens’s poems to be included in her second—”Heaven and Nature Sing”—collection) was inspired by the early June blooms (photograph), a soothing balm after those long, cold Maine winters. One that never fails to enthrall us each spring. The natural world has much to teach us about life and living…

Diversity

by Bette A. Stevens

Splendor of countless pigments
In gardens they combine
Echoing grandiose harmony
Serenity you’ll find

And so it is with people
Of every thought and hue
Diversity’s resplendency
Reflecting me and you

[Explore Bette’s Blog]

If you enjoyed this post, I invite you to share it on your social media sites. Thank you! 

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Written

on 06/13/2020

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Book Reviews: My Maine: Haiku through the Seasons by Bette Stevens and A Soldier’s Children by Jan Sikes


Thanks so much for a lovely review of “My Maine.” Honored and delighted to be featured along with with my talented author friend, Jan Sikes. Readers, I invite you to check out the full reviews on Miriam Hurdle’s blog. Miriam is a talented poet in her own right! ~ Bette A. Stevens htttps://www.4writersandreaders.com

The Showers of Blessings

My Two book reviews –  My Maine: Haiku through the Seasons by Stevens and A Soldier’s Children by Jan Sikes.

reading-logoMy MaineA Soldier's Children

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

My Maine: Haiku through the Seasons by [Stevens, Bette]My Review

In her poetry book My Maine: Haiku through the Seasons, Stevens showed the nature she experienced in the Pine State of Maine. The presentation of the book reminded me of attending a concert to watch the performance of the Italian composer Antonio Vivaldi’s violin concerti “The Four Seasons.” In each season, Stevens opened the curtain and presented the sights and sounds in the nature. For the taste, a lobster dinner was in order. The performance of each season retreated toward the end and invited the next season to come in; and the audience gave a standing ovation.

“Spring Awakening” began with the ice slowly melted, rivers and streams sang, to the birds, animals blossoms awakened, and ended with:

Standing ovation
Awaiting next performance

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Written

on 03/17/2020

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Happy Birthday, Maine! + #WritingChallenge


Celebrating #Maine’s Bicentennial through Poetry

Maine officially celebrates its 200th Birthday on March 15, 2020! Find out more about “The Pine Tree State” and help us celebrate all year long with a haiku of your own. #WritingChallenge

Did you know?

Maine (nicknamed The Pine Tree State) remained a province of the Massachusetts Bay Colony when America declared its independence from Britain on July 4, 1776. At that time Maine was not one of America’s original thirteen colonies because it had never been granted a royal charter from Great Britain. It would be decades after the American Revolution and the signing of The Declaration of Independence (summarizing the colonists’ motivation for seeking independence) before Maine gained official statehood.

The Eastern white pine tree helped fuel the region’s economy in an era when shipbuilding and lumbering reigned supreme. The value of those pines actually provided a spark for the American Revolution. Massachusetts didn’t want to lose any of those pine profits it gained after the war, while Mainers struggled for political and economic independence. Maine officially celebrates its Bicentennial on March 15, 2020.

“A nature-filled land that enlivens the senses and soothes the soul—to me, Maine is poetry.”
–Bette A. Stevens

The Power of Poetry

How Readers & Writers of All Ages Benefit from Poetry

  • Improves Verbal Skills & Memory
  • Enhances Cognitive Function
  • Develops Empathy & Insight
  • Encourages Creativity

Why Haiku…

Inspired by the beauty and bounty of my home state, I write poetry in many forms; but I chose haiku for My Maine to offer readers a collection of story poems and photo snapshots of the unique land I know and love.

I invite you to join me as I celebrate #Maine2020 by submitting one of your favorite photos taken in “The Pine Tree State” and writing a haiku too! I’ll be publishing submissions here on my blog throughout 2020. Simply email me at bettestevens@tds.net SUBJECT: “Maine Bicentennial Haiku.”

How to Write Haiku…

 

 

A Peek Inside the Collection

~Excerpts from “Spring Awakenings”~

 

March shakes the remnants
Of sleep from wintery boughs
White confetti swirls

Granite boulders rise
Above the winter mantle
Midway the meltdown

Dark mask shrouds the land
Soaking downpour foreshadows
Season’s renewal

Rivers spill over
While ice jams—slowly melting
Weep upon their beds

Pot holes irk drivers
As roadways turn to washboards
Kids giggle in back

Hills and vales exult
Rivers and streams sing arias
Mud season arrives

Verdant shimmering
Emerald fields bursting forth
Souls rise from slumber

Sunbeams composing
Springtime melodies, humming
Tapping to the tunes

About the Author

Inspired by nature and human nature, author Bette A. Stevens is a retired elementary and middle school teacher, a wife, mother of two and grandmother of eight. Stevens lives in central Maine with her husband on their 37-acre farmstead where she enjoys reading, writing, gardening, walking and reveling in the beauty of nature. She advocates for children and families, for childhood literacy and for the conservation of monarch butterflies (milkweed is the only plant that monarch caterpillars will eat). Stevens has written articles for ECHOES, The Northern Maine Journal of Rural Culture. As of July 2019,  Stevens has self-published five books and has a second poetry collection on the drawing board. Find out more about the author and her books at https://www.amazon.com/author/betteastevens

 

Contact the author at DBS Publishing to order author-signed copies of her books or to schedule a Poetry Event tailored to meet the needs and interests of your school, community group, company or organization, or simply to find out more.

Thanks so much for stopping by today. I look forward to hearing from you. (Comment Section Below)

“Happy reading & writing poetry!” 

[Explore Bette’s Blog]

Written

on 03/05/2020

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Celebrating #Maine2020 through Poetry with Author John W. Howell


More Maine—Arts & Culture

  • Maine officially celebrates its  Bicentennial (200th birthday as an independent US state) on March 15, 2020.
  • The Pine Tree State (Maine’s official nickname)—provides a sanctuary for arts and culture—check out these famous Maine people (Arts & Literature) at Maine.gov.
  • Maine has been inspiring artists and art lovers for more than two centuries and continues to provide a cultural haven for residents and visitors alike. You’ll find a treasure chest of museums and galleries spattered throughout the state. Be sure to check out these “10 Must-See Maine Art Museums.”
  • Maine is known as Vacationland.  From pristine wilderness to pine forest mountain ranges to crystal clear waterways and majestic shorelines, Maine is a perfect place to spend your vacation.

Maine Watercolor by John Cable JOHN HOWELL

 

I’m delighted that John W. Howell stopped by to help celebrate Maine’s Bicentennial with a fine piece of Maine art that inspired his My Maine haiku poems! John is one of my Rave Review Book Club #RRBC author friends. I invite you to check out his bio and books— His specialty is thriller fiction novels, but John also writes poetry and short stories. Howell’s John Cannon series rank among my favorite mystery thrillers. ~Bette A. Stevens, Maine author

John Howell: “This is a watercolor by Maine artist John Gable. I bought it when I was on vacation at Kennebunkport, Maine. I had the pleasure to meet the artist and discuss some of his art while there. This painting has been with me since I bought it in 1981. If you would like more information on the artist here is a link to his website—John Gable Fine Art.”

My Maine

by John W. Howell Š2020

Before the parade,
A treasured water color. . .
Created in Maine.

Is a physical,
Reminder of such good times. . .
Which are forever.

The air and seashore,
Are still pondered in the heart. . .
Someday to return.

 

About John W. Howell

John W. Howell, author of suspense thrillers, short stories and poetry.

John began his writing as a full-time occupation after an extensive business career. His specialty is thriller fiction novels, but John also writes poetry and short stories. Howell’s first book, My GRL, introduces the exciting adventures of the book’s central character, John J. Cannon. The second Cannon novel, His Revenge, continues the adventure, while the final book in the trilogy, Our Justice, launched in September 2016. The fourth, Circumstances of Childhood a family life story published (2017). The fifth book, The Contract is written with Gwen Plano (2018).

John is currently finishing his sixth novel Eternal Road – The Final Stop, to be published in June 2020. All books are on Amazon in paperback and Kindle editions. The paperback versions are available in the Indie Lector store

John lives in Lakeway, Texas with his wife and their spoiled rescue pets.

Follow the author and find his books on Amazon.

The Power of Poetry

How Readers & Writers of All Ages Benefit from Poetry

  • Improves Verbal Skills & Memory
  • Enhances Cognitive Function
  • Develops Empathy & Insight
  • Encourages Creativity

Bette A. Stevens is celebrating Maine’s 200th birthday as an independent US state on her blog all year long through her new release,  My Maine, Haiku through the Seasons (Poetry & Photography Collection). She’s inviting friends and readers to join in the celebration with their own photo and haiku creations highlighting The Pine Tree State.

Whether you’re a Mainer or from away, I invite you to join me as I celebrate #Maine2020 by submitting one of your favorite photos taken in “The Pine Tree State” and writing a haiku too! I’ll be publishing submissions here on my blog throughout 2020. Simply email me at bettestevens@tds.net  SUBJECT: “Maine Bicentennial Haiku.”

“A nature-filled land that enlivens the senses and soothes the soul
—to me, Maine is poetry.”
~ Bette A. Stevens

 

 

“See Maine through the eye of a poet…”

Grab a copy of My Maine, Haiku through the Seasons today! 

[Explore Bette’s Blog]

Written

on 02/23/2020

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Compassion is a Beautiful Thing… (poem) by Bette A. Stevens


Compassion is a Beautiful Thing…

 

Compassion in life
Is a beautiful thing
Sharing its beauty
Gives others their wings

Stirring love into each
Little thing that we do
Is sure to help their dreams
And our dreams come true

Š Bette A. Stevens, Maine author

 

Compassion in life is a beautiful thing. But exactly what is compassion? I’ve always thought of compassion as “love in action.” After writing the poem Compassion is a Beautiful Thing…, I searched Google for a definition to share. The synonyms fit perfectly into my preconceived notion for the poem because they not only include love and mercy, each synonym requires action—stirring—on our part to metamorphose the idea of compassion into the reality of compassion.

 

Google Search:

noun: compassion; plural noun: compassions

sympathetic pity and concern for the sufferings or misfortunes of others.

“The victims should be treated with compassion.”

synonyms: pity, sympathy, empathy, fellow feeling, care, concern, solicitude, sensitivity, warmth, love, tenderness, mercy, leniency, tolerance, kindness, humanity, charity

“Have you no compassion for a fellow human being?”
antonyms: indifference, cruelty

Origin Middle English: via Old French from ecclesiastical Latin compassio(n-), from compati ‘suffer with.’

 

May compassion reign in our hearts and hands each day. ~ Bette A. Stevens

Enjoy more of Bette’s poetry in her new collection—MY MAINE, Haiku through the Seasons.

Stevens has released a poetry and photography collection inspired by Maine’s diverse landscape, natural beauty, rural communities, and independent people. The author’s 150 haiku poems, along with her photographs, reflect the Maine she knows and loves. My Maine, Haiku through the Seasons takes readers on a poetic journey through the state’s four distinct seasons. In addition to its poems and photographs, My Maine includes state symbols and interesting facts about The Pine Tree State.

[Explore Bette’s Blog]

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Written

on 02/18/2020

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Celebrating #Maine2020 through Poetry with author Mae Clair


Welcome to Vacationland

  • Maine is known as Vacationland.  From pristine wilderness to pine forest mountain ranges to crystal clear waterways and majestic shorelines, Maine is a perfect place to spend your vacation.
  • Maine (nicknamed The Pine Tree State), has 6,000 pristine lakes and ponds for residents and visitors to savor  and explore.
  • Maine officially celebrates its Bicentennial on March 15, 2020.

 

I’m delighted that Mae Clair stopped by to help celebrate Maine’s 200th birthday! Mae is one of my favorite authors. I invite you to check out her bio, website and books—you’ll find mystery and suspense at its best. ~Bette A. Stevens, Maine author

Mae took this glorious photo in late September 2019 during her first Maine vacation. (Note: postcard frame and text added by me.) I think you’ll agree that Mae’s haiku is exquisite.

Outdoor cathedral

Sun fire and water as one

Tranquility speaks

More from Mae…

In late September of 2019, I had the pleasure of visiting Maine for the first time. My husband and I stayed in a beautiful A-frame overlooking Flanders Pond in the small town of Sullivan. We drove to Bar Harbor twice and spent a day in Freeport, but I think I enjoyed our moments on the deck watching the sun set, the most.

The photo I’m sharing today doesn’t quite capture the magic and fire of the sun when it sinks behind Flanders Pond, but the moments were spectacular—just like everything else we discovered in Maine. Naturally, we’re already talking about returning in the future. ~ Mae Clair

Mae Clair, Author
Mystery and Suspense, Flavored with Folklore
Website | Blog | BookBub |

Newsletter Sign-Up | Twitter | Goodreads

 

The Power of Poetry

How Readers & Writers of All Ages Benefit from Poetry

  • Improves Verbal Skills & Memory
  • Enhances Cognitive Function
  • Develops Empathy & Insight
  • Encourages Creativity

Bette A. Stevens is celebrating Maine’s Bicentennial on her blog all year long through her new release,  My Maine, Haiku through the Seasons (Poetry & Photography Collection). She’s inviting friends and readers to join in the celebration with their own photo and haiku creations highlighting The Pine Tree State.

Whether you’re a Mainer or from away, I invite you to join me as I celebrate #Maine2020 by submitting one of your favorite photos taken in “The Pine Tree State” and writing a haiku too! I’ll be publishing submissions here on my blog throughout 2020. Simply email me at bettestevens@tds.net  SUBJECT: “Maine Bicentennial Haiku.”

“A nature-filled land that enlivens the senses and soothes the soul
—to me, Maine is poetry.”
~ Bette A. Stevens

 

 

“See Maine through the eye of a poet…”

Grab a copy of My Maine, Haiku through the Seasons today! 

[Explore Bette’s Blog]

Written

on 02/09/2020

Aside

From the Poetic to the Factual: Two Book Reviews


Lovely to find My Maine featured on author Annika Perry’s Writing Blog today along with a great review of A-Z of Dumfries by Mary Smith and Keith Kirk! ~ Bette A. Stevens 4writersandreaders

Annika Perry

After a lifetime of New Year’s resolutions … and often failing to keep them, these last years I’ve steered away from making any.

However, one aspect of blogging weighs heavily upon me, my failure to review as many books as I would like, particularly indie-published ones. If my TBR pile was a real heap of books they would fill a room, I fear; luckily many are kept safe on my Kindle, hidden from immediate sight but never forgotten. I’m determined to share these books with you on my blog, a couple every month and I am happy to start with the two below.

Ironically, these are paperbacks, one a poetry book kindly gifted to me by Bette A. Stevens. The other by Mary Smith caught my interest as an unusual factual book about her local town.

“My Maine: Haiku through the Seasons” by Bette A. Stevens

‘My Maine’ is a…

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Written

on 01/28/2020

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