poetic journeys: C O L O R A D O

“COLORFUL COLORADO,” says the state’s welcome sign, promising a chameleon landscape of high plains, snow-topped peaks, mesas, and sand dunes. Thus enticed,

Overcurious young pioneers load their earthly belongings, all akimbo, into rickety vehicles and

Light out to the land of Ponderosa pines, aspens and continental divides. They can readily find “Rocky Mountain highs” in

Omnipresent cannabis dispensaries with names like Tokin’ Tipi, Tumbleweed, Still Smokin’, the Green Joint, and NuVue. These

Restless folks might long to pitch their tents on sprawling ranches named Bojack or Saddleback. Possibly they’d be content to settle into

Adobe solar-powered homes, Chinook Cabins, Retro Inns, Motel Tomahawks, or even yurts. Perhaps their

Desires are for freedom, or adventures in zip-lining, white-water rafting, bicycling, hiking, or snow skiing.

Or they might hold faith in the handwritten road sign, lit in the alpenglow of the Sangre de Cristos, that “This is the Cosmic Highway.”

mesa of Colorado National Monument

Buttes in Grand Valley

Aspens along the San Juan Million Dollar Highway

San Juan Million Dollar Highway

Retro Inn in Cortez, CO

Mancos Valley Overlook at Mesa Verde

Bojack Ranch near Pagosa Springs, CO

Great Sand Dunes National Park and the Sangre de Cristo Mountains

Great Sand Dunes

yurt in Crestone, CO

Alpenglow over the Sangre de Cristos

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“POETRY” Invitation:  I invite you to write a poem of any poetic form on your own blog about a particular travel destination.  Or you can write about travel in general. Concentrate on any intention you set for your poetry. In this case, I wrote an acrostic poem about COLORADO.

“The basic acrostic is a poem in which the first letters of the lines, read downwards, form a word, phrase, or sentence. Some acrostics have the vertical word at the end of the line, or in the middle.  The double acrostic has two such vertical arrangements (either first and middle letters or first and last letters), while a triple acrostic has all three (first letters, middle, and last)” (from The Teachers & Writers Handbook of Poetic Forms).

Some examples of acrostics can be found in Seasonal Sonnets (Acrostic) by Mark A. Doherty.

You can either set your own poetic intentions, or use one of the prompts I’ve listed on this page: writing prompts: poetry.  (This page is a work in process).  You can also include photos, of course.

While I’m in Spain walking the Camino de Santiago from August 31 – October 25, and then in Portugal from October 26 – November 6, I kindly request that if you write a poetic piece, please simply link it to the appropriate post, this one or my next one as soon as it publishes.  I will try my best to read your posts while I’m on my journey, but I won’t have a computer or the time or ability to add links to my posts.

This will be an ongoing invitation, on the first Friday of each month. Feel free to jump in at any time. 🙂

I hope you’ll join in our community. I look forward to reading your posts!

the ~ wander.essence ~ community

I invite you all to settle in and read posts from our wandering community. I promise, you’ll be inspired!

• Jude, of Travel Words, wrote a wonderful poem about the “tat” that people sell at a flea market in Plainpalais.
  • Plainpalais Flea Market
• Pam, of Roughtwighting, wrote a villanelle that captured the rhythm of the waves on the beach.
  • The Moon, The Sun, The Surf

Thanks to all of you who wrote poetic posts. 🙂