April brings even more reasons to celebrate the wonder that is poetry, one of which is participating in Irene Latham‘s annual Progressive Poem the chance to create a poem, writer by writer and line by line, over the course of the month. Matt challenged us to use only found lines, and started our journey with ones from two iconic summer songs, which led to straight to my most favorite summer song of all time: Joni Mitchell’s “Chelsea Morning”.
The backstory here is that my parents live in Chelsea (the London one), and for all the summers when my children were children (i.e. not the Brooklyn living adults they are today), we would spend three weeks where we woke up to yet another memorable Chelsea morning, and a whole day of summer adventure ahead.
Here is The Progressive Poem thus far…
Endless summer; I can see for miles…
Fun, fun, fun – and the whole world smiles
No time for school- just time to play
we swim the laughin’ sea each and every day
You had only to rise, lean from your window,
the curtain opens on a portrait of today
Found Lines:
L1 The Who, ‘I Can See for Miles’ / The Beach Boys, ‘Endles Summer’
L2 The Beach Boys, ‘Fun, Fun, Fun’ / Dean Martin, ‘When You’re Smiling’
L3 The Jamies, ‘Summertime, Summertime’
L4 The Doors ‘Summer’s Almost Gone’/ Led Zeppelin ‘Good Times, Bad Times’
L5 Ray Bradbury, Dandelion Wine “You had only to rise, lean from your window,”
L6 Joni Mitchell, “Chelsea Morning”
For our next line, visit Ruth @ thereisnosuchthingasagodforsakentown
Going to Walden.z 
I have such a lovely image of pulling the curtains of my slider open in a few minutes and revealing the portrait of the day this morning. Fabulous, Tara! — Christie
LikeLiked by 1 person
So many possibilities behind that curtain! Great line choice, Tara!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh, the imagination soars, Tara. Terrific line, and perhaps now, outside!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh Tara, what a perfect line to wrap up that stanza! The promise, potential, and possibility that lies behind the curtain is endless. Love it!
LikeLike
Oooh, the curtain opening is wonderful! What will we see next?? Thank you Tara. xo
LikeLike
Perfect next line!
LikeLike
Quite an unexpected challenge! I’m used to writing my own lines! but I’m game.
LikeLike
What will be shown? The suspense mounts. Great introduction to a new thought, Tara.
LikeLike
I just realized I didn’t leave a comment before I went straight to work on my line for tomorrow! Thanks for a great line! Ruth, thereisnosuchthingasagodforsakentown.blogspot.com
LikeLike
Love it! Can’t wait to learn more about the portrait.
LikeLike
How mysterious, wonder what will appear…
LikeLike
Wow – a seamless flow from Linda’s line, with a special hidden backstory for your family as well! LOVE.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I know this song, of course, Tara, but today is the first time I watched Joni–what a towering, touchable talent!–perform it. Poetry indeed, and a line that encourages us to “live in present tenses.” I hope we can keep it there.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I am so happy to see Joni Mitchell referenced here, and it is perfect. Have you read Reckless Daighter yet?
LikeLike
I’m behind and reading entries bit by bit to catch up with the Progressive Poem. Love your curtains opening on today! Who know what lies beyond the curtain. I’m reading on!
LikeLike
Hello Tara,
Appreciations for bringing this line on board.
So much love for the genius of Joni.
And here in the lesser-known woodsy North Florida, this perfect line invites me to open our French doors onto the cedar & oak tree fringed patio. I am lifted by Joni Mitchell’s framing of the day. This line is a call for adventure.
(Chelsea – your kids must have watched the bees buzzing amidst the flowers at Chelsea
Physic Garden? It is my elixir in that city of the Thames. Hope you have a trip planned.
Because of a big adventure upcoming in Bulgaria, we will stay over one day in London. I told my family that Garden is where I am headed – they can do other groovy sites..)
Happy 2019 April Poetry Month & Happy 2019 Progressive Poem
LikeLike
I’m stopping by very late to catch up on the progressive poem, Tara. What a fun challenge to use found lines and it works so well in this poem! Your children share my experience. When I was growing up, we often spent summers in my mother’s native Nottingham village, visiting our grandparents.
LikeLike