A writer inspired by nature and human nature

Archive for the ‘Poetry’ Category

Aside

COMPASSION a poem by Bette A. Stevens


compassion-poem-bas-2017Compassion is…

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, I searched Google to find a definition. The synonyms fit perfectly into my preconceived notion for the poem because they not only included love and mercy, each synonym requires action (stirring) on our part to metamorphose the idea of compassion into the realty of compassion.

May compassion reign in our hearts and hands.

~ Bette A. Stevens

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.’

Compassion in life is a beautiful thing…

Compassion by Bette A. Stevens

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

[Explore Bette’s Blog]

Save

Save

Written

on 01/11/2017

Aside

May the Love, Joy and Peace of Christmas follow you through the New Year!


“For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.”
LUKE 2:11 (KJV) Bible

Christmas Eve Pondering

stars-shell-merry-christmas-bas-2016

A Poem by Bette A. Stevens

The last cookie baked, the final gift wrapped.

Christmas Eve is upon us…

It’s time to relax.

Christmas music is gently reminding us why

Lord Jesus, the Christ Child…

Came down from on high.

He came as a babe wrapped in swaddling clothes.

Lived among us on earth…

God’s gifts to bestow.

Loving God, loving others —Christ bought with his life

He epitomized love…

Not anger or strife.

God’s love is a precious gift we’re to share

Not with just those we know…

But with folks everywhere.

 

Wishing you Peace, Love & Joy—Gifts of The Christ Child—at Christmas and always… ~ Bette A. Stevens, Maine author

 


Christmas music in a 3 hours long playlist (tracklist below). Traditional Christmas songs & carols featuring piano, violin & orchestra – arranged and recorded by Peder B. Helland. Christmas songs in the mix: “O Holy Night”, “Silent Night”, “O Come All Ye Faithful”, “Angels We Have Heard On High,” “In The Bleak Midwinter” & “Fairest Lord Jesus.”

[Explore Bette’s Blog]

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Written

on 12/24/2016

Aside

Fresh Fallen Crystals —Poem by Bette A. Stevens


fresh-fallen-crystals-poem-bas-2016

A Season of Wonder

Early December at the Farmstead in Central Maine—finally have a covering of snow and temperatures cold enough to keep the white magic around for a while. Conifer branches adorned in winter’s white called out to this writer: “Capture a photo, we’re all spruced up in our new attire!” from near the barn’s entrance. I simply had to pen their remembrance in a poem—
Fresh Fallen Crystals.

Wishing you all a Season of Wonder!

~ Bette A. Stevens, Maine author

[Explore Bette’s Blog]

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Written

on 12/07/2016

Aside

1311. I still get wildly enthusiastic about little things… ~Leo Buscaglia


It’s the little things in life that mean so much. May your days be filled with wonders!  ~Bette A. Stevens, Maine author http://www.4writersandreaders.com

nataliescarberry's avatarSacred Touches

Perfect happiness is a beautiful sunset,
the giggle of a grandchild, the first snowfall.
(even if the snow is just on our WP blogs)
It’s the little things that make happy
moments, not the grand events.
Joy comes in sips, not gulps.
~Sharon Draper

Screen Shot 2016-11-30 at 9.04.31 PM.png

Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens
Bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens
Brown paper packages tied up with strings
These are a few of my favorite things

Cream colored ponies and crisp apple strudels
Door bells and sleigh bells and schnitzel with noodles
Wild geese that fly with the moon on their wings
These are a few of my favorite things

Girls in white dresses with blue satin sashes
Snowflakes that stay on my nose and eyelashes
Silver white winters that melt into Springs
These are a few of my favorite things

When the dog bites
When the bee stings
When I’m feeling sad

View original post 61 more words

Written

on 12/01/2016

Aside

Grandma’s Legacy: A Poem by Bette A. Stevens


 

grandmas-legacy-basGrandma’s Legacy is a poem that I wrote several years ago in honor of a truly great woman—Elizabeth A. Babcock, born January 1, 1898, died January 1, 1975. Grandma lives on in the hearts and memories of all whose lives she touched. The photo ( circa 1952) of me and Grandma was taken by my dear father, one of Grandma’s eight children.  ~ Bette A. Stevens

“A writer inspired by nature and human nature”

“Look    Inside” Bette’s books at http://viewauthor.at/BetteAStevens

 

 

[Explore Bette’s Blog]

Save

Save

Save

Written

on 11/22/2016

Aside

Autumn Canvas: Haiku by Bette A. Stevens


AUTUMN CANVAS

autumn-canvas-haiku-bas-2016Three cheers for autumn! The season never ceases to amaze me and this year’s foliage has been spectacular. Today (Twelve days after taking the photo for Autumn Canvas) storm clouds are brewing and snow may be on its way, but I’ve captured enough spectacular photographs to inspire me for many a day.  Hope you enjoy the view from Central Maine that inspired me to write this haiku. ~ Bette A. Stevens, Maine author

[Explore Bette’s Blog]

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Written

on 10/27/2016

Aside

Have Fun Writing Haiku & Get the Kids Writing Too!


Write a Halloween Haiku & Get the Kids Writing Too!

black-cat-halloween-haiku-bas-2016Midnight—my 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 design a poster to go with the poem. Kids love illustrating their poetry.

What’s inspiring you this Halloween?
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 waits, watches…
Stalking tricksters in their web.
Spiders are her treats!

Three Writer’s Tricks (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. It is the repetition of the final consonant sounds, usually in the more important words or in the accented syllables.

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.

Finding “just the right words”
Abundant resources are available in print as well as through online searches. 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 available, and in my opinion, they are indispensable.

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

                        Happy Writing and Reading Haiku

                                    & Happy Halloween!

                     ~ Bette A. Stevens, Maine author/illustrator

[Explore Bette’s Blog]

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Written

on 10/19/2016

Aside

Write an Autumn Haiku!


Autumnal Ensigns (a haiku by Bette A. Stevens)

Photo and Haiku by Bette A. Stevens Autumn’s vibrant display of colors never fails to inspire and writing Haiku (a Japanese-inspired three-line: 5-7-5 syllable poetry form) is one of my favorite ways to capture nature’s stories. Haikus are usually written about nature. Here’s what I came up with this week. What’s inspiring you this autumn? ~ Bette A. Stevens, Maine author/illustrator

Happy Haiku Writing!

  • Find out more about how to write haiku and other poetry at Reference.Com

[Visit Bette’s Blog]

Save

Save

Save

Written

on 10/10/2016

1267. The air is different today; the wind sings with a new tone sighing of changes coming as barbarous summer dies… ~Edited and adapted line by Rhawk


Our amazing Monarchs are migrating to Mexico. Only spotted four here at The Farmstead in Central Maine this July and August. October’s calling, “Collect those milkweed pods. Save the seeds to plant and feed next year’s amazing Monarchs.” ~ Bette A. Stevens, Maine author http://www.4writersandreaders.com

nataliescarberry's avatarSacred Touches

“I grow old, I grow old,”
the garden says.
It’s nearly October.
~Robert Finch

Screen Shot 2016-09-30 at 8.32.29 PM.png

The gentian’s bluest fringes
Are curling in the sun;
In dusty pods the milkweed
Its hidden silk has spun.

The sedges flaunt their harvest,
In every meadow nook;
And asters by the brook-side
Make asters in the brook,

From dewy lanes at morning
The grapes’ sweet odors rise;
At noon the roads all flutter
With yellow butterflies.

By all these lovely tokens
September days were here…
~Adapted part of a poem
by Helen Hunt Jackson

All things must come to an end and I can’t say I’m sorry to see summer finally go! We’ve had some lovely cool mornings of late and warm, honeyed afternoons, not hot but warm, and that is such a relief! I pray that as we welcome October tomorrow, this is the way we’ll continue be blessed in the coming days. And…

View original post 60 more words

Category:

butterfly metamorphosis, Butterfly migration, Monarch butterflies, Monarch butterfly conservation, Nature, Poetry, Quotes, Scripture

Tagged with:

Aside

Cricket Choir, A Seasonal Poem by Bette A. Stevens


Wildflowers & cricket poem 4 blog BAS 2016Happy September!

Another Labor Day Weekend and the crickets here at The Farmstead in Central Maine are singing about it. I snapped this photo on the day their chorus began (three weeks ago). As Grandma would say, “Only six more weeks ’til frost.” And that was three weeks ago.

Needless to say, nature inspired me to pen a poem for the occasion.

~ Bette A. Stevens, Maine author/illustrator

[Explore Bette’s Blog]

 

Save

Save

Save

Written

on 09/03/2016

Tag Cloud