Update: I was so pleased that Maureen & NaPoWriMo selected “Yellow Celosia of Hope” as the featured poem of the day! Thank you, Maureen! It was an honor!
So close to the end of this challenge, we need hope, so hope is the topic of my poem today. And here is the prompt from Napowrimo, day 27: “Today, begin by reading Bernadette Mayer’s poem “The Lobelias of Fear.” Now write your own poem titled “The ________ of ________,” where the first blank is a very particular kind of plant or animal, and the second blank is an abstract noun. The poem should contain at least one simile that plays on double meanings or otherwise doesn’t quite make “sense,” and describe things or beings from very different times or places as co-existing in the same space.”
Yellow Celosia of Hope
I lose hope when the world
loses compassion.
I lose hope when I lose myself or
a belief in the invisible.
I lose hope when I don’t see
love, a solution, or an end.
When I lose hope,
I listen for my heartbeat.
I listen for the wren
announcing dawn.
I look for pinpoints of light
sparkling on the river,
galaxies in the dark sky.
When I lose hope,
I listen to music—loud.
I read the poets, I eat, I drink,
I pace, I cry, I imagine
hope returning.
I cook rice.
I bake biscuits.
I sweep the floor.
I plant Yellow Celosias,
golden feathers of hope,
waving from my garden.
Jacquelyn Markham (4/27/2023)
Poet Voice 
We count on hope. Let’s find a way to keep hope alive. I like the reference to feathers of the yellow flowers waving going well will Emily’s “hope is that thing with feathers— waving” glorious. Thanks. Xo
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Thank you so much, Selma. Yes, we must keep hope alive! Plant yellow Celosias or a tree! Glad you liked the little wave to Emily!
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[…] featured participant is Jacquelyn Markham, who brings us a bouquet of yellow celosias in response to Day 27’s “Blank of […]
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I love this. And the listening for the wren. Beautiful.
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Awww…so appreciative of your comment and compliment!
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this poem is a sparkle in a river…
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What a nice compliment, Barbara! Thank you.
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🙏
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Congrats on the feature, and for keeping the faith in hope being found in the everyday beauty 😉
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Oh, yes, that’s the only way, Montaffera! Thank you for your kudos and visiting my site!
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[…] featured participant is Jacquelyn Markham, who brings us a bouquet of yellow celosias in response to Day 27’s “Blank of Blank” […]
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Jump in, Nina!
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This poem left me filled with hope. I liked the contrast between the despair and hope (and also have to mention how glorious this site is… love the background). Congratulations on being the Featured Poem.
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No greater compliment, Nina, than to say my poem filled you with hope! Thank you so much for your kind words. I am just learning the WordPress, so your comments about the site make me happy! Best to you with your writing!
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This one is really wonderful, Jackie. I’m just catching up on all the great stuff you did in the last sixth of the month.
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Thank you, Frances! It was a whirlwind, but so inspiring–as always.
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