giveaway winner and a poem

Thanks to everyone who voted for their favorite haiku. It really meant a lot to me to hear which haiku you each liked and why. I had thought about taking a break from that Friday ritual, but it's a good exercise for a poet who rarely writes poetry anymore, so I'll probably keep at it.

I have been reading poetry lately, especially revisiting old poems I love. This poem of Mark Oliver's speaks to me these days.

Wild Geese
by Mary Oliver

You do not have to be good.
You do not have to walk on your knees
for a hundred miles through the desert, repenting.
You only have to let the soft animal of your body
love what it loves.
Tell me about despair, yours, and I will tell you mine.
Meanwhile the world goes on.
Meanwhile the sun and the clear pebbles of the rain
are moving across the landscapes,
over the prairies and the deep trees,
the mountains and the rivers.
Meanwhile the wild geese, high in the clean blue air,
are heading home again.
Whoever you are, no matter how lonely,
the world offers itself to your imagination,
calls to you like the wild geese, harsh and exciting—
over and over announcing your place
in the family of things.

::

And now for the giveaway winner... I used the random number generator and the lucky winner is Kristen, who'll be getting a handmade reversible bag, Good Poems (a great collection that includes the poem above), an upcycled coffee clutch and, thanks to my friend Tracy, a Starbucks gift card! Congratulations, Kristen. Email me!

the best of 2011, a chance to vote and a little giveaway

A few days ago, while searching for a recipe on my blog, I got caught up reading through my posts this past year. I found myself thinking, "That was the best new recipe," "That was the best vacation," "That was the best moment with Elliott," and so on. But I couldn't pick a haiku. I like too many of them. And that gave me an idea. I would love to hear which haiku was/is your favorite.

So, to entice you to choose one, I am offering a little gift to one of my readers who does. Here's how you could win: Simply read through the Friday Haikus from 2011 by clicking here, and pick your favorite. Then, in the comments of this post, let me know which haiku you like best (by sharing the date). Next Sunday, January 8, I will randomly pick a winner from all the commenters. The lucky reader will receive one of my handmade reversible tote bags and a couple books of my favorite poetry. I'll probably throw in an upcycled coffee cozy and a Starbucks card for good measure. So be sure to comment!

In the meantime, here are a few of my favorites from the blog in 2011. Happy reading, or rereading, as it were.

:: Best new recipe. I consider this our detox cookie, or at least one to feel good about.

:: Best handmade item. I don't wear it much, but whipping it up was a very happy thing.

:: Best lesson learned. Standing by as your child undergoes frightening and painful experiences is horrible, but sometimes the best you can do.

:: Best vacation. Two days with family, rejuvenating and redeeming.

:: Best letter from my son. It wasn't sent to me directly, but I loved it just the same.

:: Best parenting moment. Or at least the best one to write about.

:: Best three words. My favorite developmental milestone so far.

Now onto 2012! Look forward to hearing your haiku favorites.