This poem was taken from headlines from the Herald-Leader of Lexington, Kentucky on March 2, 2019 and March 6, 2019.
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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.
One of my intentions for my trip to Kentucky in 2019 was as follows:
Write two Headline Poems. Write two poems taken from headlines of the city papers in Louisville and Lexington.
To write a Headline Poem, cut out 50+ words and phrases from a city newspaper. The words should most often be individual words cut from larger headlines.
Spread the words on a large table or the floor and move them around; play with them.
Read aloud the word combinations you make.
Glue them to a piece of paper when you decide what form your poem should take. Give it a title.
At the bottom of the poem, put where the words came from and the date. (from Getting the Knack: 20 Poetry Writing Exercises)
I already composed one Headline poem each for Illinois and Louisville, which I also visited on my Midwestern Triangle Road Trip:
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.
Include the link in the comments below by Thursday, November 5 at 1:00 p.m. EST. When I write my post in response to this challenge on Friday, November 6, I’ll include your links in that post.
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!
It was a Mardi Gras kind of day when we drove to the Horse Capital of the World in Lexington, Kentucky. We rolled over frost-bitten hills lined with wooden fences under corsages of clouds. Long shadows of fences and bare-branched trees lay etched on the snow, and horses grazed in the fields. When we got out of our warm car at Claiborne Farm near Paris, Kentucky, it was 19ºF, a biting cold that pierced through our hats and jackets right through to our bones.
First Christian Church, Paris, KY
On the one-hour guided tour, Joe, the Claiborne Farm stallion manager, explained risqué details on the breeding process as we stood outside the breeding shed; in this no-frills place, stallions and brood mares have produced over 80 champion racehorses. The top rated stallion in the world, War Front, has roughly 80 dalliances per year during breeding season (January-May). War Front’s stud fee is $250,000 per shot, with a guaranteed foal. It’s estimated that the horse is worth about $80 million.
We walked the shed rows of iconic stallion barns, currently home to War Front, Blame, Runhappy, Unbridled, Easy Goer, Pulpit, Round Table, Orb, and others. We visited the cemetery of 20 champions, including the thoroughbred racehorse Secretariat. In 1973, Secretariat (1970 – 1989) became the first Triple Crown winner in 25 years. His record-breaking victory in the Belmont Stakes, which he won by 31 lengths, is widely regarded as one of the greatest races of all time.
Claiborne Farm is a 3,000 acre operation which has been owned by four generations of the Hancock family. Arthur “Bull” Hancock, Jr. died in 1972; his death was discussed in the 2010 movie, Secretariat. Seth, his son, took over, syndicating Secretariat for breeding purposes; the horse stood at stud at Claiborne Farm from the conclusion of his racing career at the end of 1973 until his death in 1989.
We fed peppermints to some of the stallions, including Orb, who was “cribbing,” or gnawing on the fence. After being defeated in his first three starts, Orb won five consecutive races, culminating with a victory in the Kentucky Derby on May 4, 2013. He was retired at the end of the year to stand at stud at Claiborne Farm.
Claiborne Farm
Claiborne Farm
Hall of Fame for horses
the breeding barn
the breeding barn
barn at Claiborne Farm
famous bridles
Orb
Orb
Claiborne Farm
Claiborne Farm
Orb
barns of stallions
Mike & me at Secretariat’s grave
graveyard of great horses
Claiborne Farm
We met the wildly valuable, famous and friendly War Front.
War Front
Trying to thaw out after our hour-long tour, we ate Kentucky-style lunch at Lil’s Coffee Shop — steaming chicken noodle soup for me and chili for Mike, accompanied by sandwiches of egg salad and chicken salad — in the midst of antique & used furniture at J.J. Newberry Company.
La Jarocha in Paris, KY
Lil’s Diner
The Robneel
J.J. Newberry Co.
First Christian Church in Paris, KY
It was a day of layers, frozen fingers and toes, fuzzy hats, scarves, gloves and hand warmers. A day of landscape dusted by snow, not about to melt even in the sun. It was a day of immersion in a crystallized landscape, with Amish quilts on the sides of barns, cattle huddled in small groups, and horses grazing in sprawling pastures. A day where a sign at Transylvania University reminded us we were in Amish country: God is able to make greatness out of our great mess.
Drive through horse country
Drive through horse country
Drive through horse country
barn with quilt block
cows in horse country
We drove to the Colville Covered Bridge, built in 1877, spanning Hinkston Creek. As of 1976, it was the last surviving covered bridge in Bourbon County and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974.
Colville Covered Bridge
Drive through horse country
At the University of Kentucky library we stopped to see the Wade Hall Quilt Collection, but the small Amish quilts hung high on a tall wall in the midst of students chattering at study tables. The venue was disappointing.
mural at University of Kentucky
library at University of Kentucky
Wade Hall Quilt Collection at University of Kentucky
At Town Branch Bourbon and Alltech Lexington Brewing Co., we went on a half-hour tour of the brewery and a half-hour tour of the distillery. At the brewing company, we tasted Kentucky Ale, Kentucky Kolsch and other beers. At the distillery, we tasted bourbons. The explanation of processes were too scientifically complicated for my little brain, and the tasting did nothing for me as I’m not a fan of bourbon. Obviously, many people are fans, however, as it is a lucrative business for Kentucky. Bourbon has been featured in the Kentucky Derby’s traditional drink, the Mint Julep, for over a century. Each year, almost 120,000 Mint Juleps are served over the two-day period of Kentucky Oaks and Kentucky Derby weekend at Churchill Downs Racetrack.
Town Branch Bourbon
Town Branch
beer tasting
Town Branch
painted barrel at Town Branch
painted barrel at Town Branch
barrels at Town Branch
We ate an early dinner at Ramsey’s, where Mardi Gras purples and greens glittered on balloons and beads; waitresses wore festive masks. Instead of bread, we were served saltine crackers with butter. I loved my chicken and dumplings, sauteed spinach, and corn, tomatoes and okra with cornbread. Mike had mac & cheese, green beans, fried green tomatoes and corn oyster. Half his meal was frighteningly deep-fried. Mine was good comfort food, warming me up after the frigid day outside.
Ramsey’s at Mardi Gras
chicken & dumplings, sauteed spinach, corn, tomatoes and okra with corn bread
Four vegetables plate: Mac and Cheese, green beans, fried green tomatoes and corn oyster
Steps: 7,089. Miles 3.0.
*Tuesday, March 5, 2019 – Mardi Gras*
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“PROSE” INVITATION: I invite you to write up to a post on your own blog about a recently visited particular destination (not journeys in general). Concentrate on any intention you set for your prose. One of my intentions was to pick a theme for the day. I knew we’d be in Lexington, so I picked “horses” as my theme.
It doesn’t matter whether you write fiction or non-fiction for this invitation. You can either set your own writing intentions, or use one of the prompts I’ve listed on this page: writing prompts: prose. (This page is a work in process.) You can also include photos, of course.
Include the link in the comments below by Monday, September 23 at 1:00 p.m. EST. When I write my post in response to this invitation on Tuesday, September 24, I’ll include your links in that post.
This will be an ongoing invitation. 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 a few posts from our wandering community. I promise, you’ll be inspired. 🙂
Thanks to all of you who wrote prosaic posts following intentions you set for yourself. 🙂
I am traveling from September 1 to October 4. If I cannot respond to or add your links due to wi-fi problems or time constraints, please feel free to add your links in both this post and my next scheduled post. If I can’t read them when you post them, I will get to them as soon as I can. Thanks for your understanding! 🙂
In Illinois, I: Visited my sister at her new home in Murphysboro and explored local eateries in Carbondale. Drove to the Garden of the Gods in the Shawnee National Forest on a springlike day, and took a walk amidst whimsically-shaped rocks. Felt inspired by my sister’s artwork and her various collections, including artistic cigarette cards and early editions of classic books. Got caught up watching Michael Cohen’s testimony before the House Oversight and Reform Committee. Got hooked on the TV series Happy Valley. Drove in icy rain from Murphysboro to Louisville, where I had to keep getting out of the car and scraping ice off the windshield.
Carbondale, Illinois
Garden of the Gods in Illinois
my sister’s cigarette cards
In Kentucky, I: Took a tour of Churchill Downs Racetrack and felt inspired to attend the Kentucky Derby sometime in the future. Learned about bourbon and the Lewis and Clark expedition at the Frazier History Museum. Felt grateful for the controversial boxer’s fight against racism at the Muhammad Ali Center in Louisville. Marveled over stained glass and amazing mosaics at St. Mary’s Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption in Covington. Learned more than I ever wanted to know about the breeding of stallions at Claiborne Farm in Lexington. Tasted bourbon several times, both at the Evan Williams Bourbon Experience in Louisville and again at Town Branch in Lexington.
Churchill Downs, Louisville, KY
Frazier History Museum, Louisville
Muhammad Ali Center, Louisville
Saint Mary’s Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption in Covington, KY
War Front on Claiborne Farm in Lexington
Colville Covered Bridge in Kentucky
dinner at Ramsey’s in Lexington
In Cincinnati, Ohio, I: Enjoyed mural arts and a blast from the past at Cincinnati’s American Sign Museum. Learned all about the history of slavery and enslaved people all over the world at the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center. Took a long walk through downtown Cincinnati, along and across the Ohio River on the Roebling Suspension Bridge, to Covington, KY. Tried to stay warm at Krohn Conservatory, Cincinnati Art Museum, and Findley Market in cold, rainy weather. Ate decadent foods like Cincinnati chili, biscuits & gravy, and chicken & dumplings too many times to count.
American Sign Museum in Cincinnati
Cincinnati along the Ohio River
John A. Roebling Suspension Bridge in Cincinnati
Krohn Conservatory in Cincinnati
Paris 1900 in the Cincinnati Art Museum
Fading ads in Cincinnati
mural in Cincinnati
Cincinnati Chili
I have often imagined American cities and especially the American Midwest as being boring and even a bit backwards. I have generally thought of these states as drive-through states, states you drive through to get to more interesting places. Most of the states I visited, with the exception of Illinois, are red states, meaning they’re conservative and voted for Trump in 2016. Before I embarked on the road trip, I read Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisisby J.D. Vance. The book is a memoir of growing up in an economically depressed town, Middletown, in Ohio, and gives some insights as to why people are so desperate that they resort to falling for the promises of a charlatan.
My general impressions were that Indiana and southern Illinois would never be places I’d like to live as there was not much of interest going on there. Louisville, Kentucky seemed down on its luck and a bit derelict, with its main draw being the Kentucky Derby, a one day event in May. It did have the Frazier History Museum and the Muhammad Ali Center, which were fascinating museums. Covington, Kentucky benefited from its proximity to Cincinnati (it’s just across the Ohio River) and was a delight. I loved the rolling hills and horse farms outside of Lexington, but I never developed a taste for bourbon and probably never will.
On the other hand, I found Cincinnati to be a charming town with its ArtWorks Cincinnati program — transforming city walls one at a time. It also was home to a good market, Findlay Market, a creative food scene, some fine museums (most notably the American Sign Museum and the Cincinnati Art Museum) and Krohn Conservatory, and a general feel-good vibe. I enjoyed it and hope I can return one day in better weather to explore further.
Visiting some of the more depressed areas, especially Louisville, parts of Ohio outside of Cincinnati, and areas in Indiana, I could see why people might vote for someone who promised jobs and economic renewal, despite enacting many policies that actually hurt them, such as limited access to healthcare. Kentucky was also part of the Confederacy in the Civil War and wanted to keep the institution of slavery. Mitch McConnell is Kentucky’s senior U.S. Senator and the Senate Majority Leader, a staunch Trump supporter and someone I loathe. I knew all of this going in, and it may have colored my view of Kentucky. It wasn’t of my favorite states, and I don’t think I’ll be visiting again except possibly to attend the Kentucky Derby one of these days.
As you can see from the polarsteps map below, my trip turned out to be more of a Midwestern triangle Δ and rectangle than just a Δ.
Midwestern Triangle road trip from Virginia
Midwestern Triangle Road trip: Kentucky, Ohio, Indiana and Illinois
As a follow-up to my trip, I wrote a number of posts based on intentions I set before embarking:
I still have several poems to write: 1) a found poem from any book I read about Cincinnati or Ohio; 2) and two headline poems for Louisville and Lexington.
I was also supposed to do a sketch each day. I didn’t do one every day, but I did a couple, most very elementary and one simply awful (I’m too embarrassed to show it here)! I really need to remember to do sketches in pencil before committing them to ink.
I’m still not good at capturing a place using all five senses in my writing. It is still my goal to improve on that count.
Louisville sketches in my journal
*Sunday, February 24 to Wednesday, March 6, 2019*
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“ON RETURNING HOME” INVITATION: I invite you to write a post on your own blog about returning home from one particular destination or, alternately, from a long journey encompassing many stops. How do you linger over your wanderings and create something from them? How have you changed? Did the place live up to its hype, or was it disappointing? Feel free to address any aspect of your journey and how it influences you upon your return. If you don’t have a blog, I invite you to write in the comments.
For some ideas on this, you can check out the original post about this subject: on returning home.
Include the link in the comments below by Sunday, October 6 at 1:00 p.m. EST. When I write my post in response to this challenge on Monday, October 7, I’ll include your links in that post.
This will be an ongoing invitation on the first Monday of each month. Feel free to jump in at any time. 🙂
Kentucky is calling my name. Kentucky: land of Churchill Downs and the Kentucky Derby, of wide-brimmed fanciful hats, of thoroughbreds and saddlebreds, of rolling green horse farms, of horse racing and breeding. Land of covered bridges, weathered tobacco farms, Muhammad Ali and bluegrass music. Land of the Bourbon Trail, bourbon distilleries, microbreweries, and wineries. Land of Derby Pie and spoonbread, beer cheese, fried chicken and catfish, Kentucky Fried Chicken, pork chops and BBQ. Land of mint juleps, Kentucky Manhattans, Ale-8-Ones, and the Kentucky Derby’s Grey Goose Oaks Lily. Land of Millionaires Row and the Belle of Louisville. Land of quilt collections and shell grottos.
It’s a shame I won’t be there on the first Saturday in May, the day of the Kentucky Derby. Hopefully, I’ll be able to visit a horse farm, since I’ll be visiting in the off-off season. At least, for sure, I should be able to drive around in horse country.
The capital of Kentucky is Frankfort, but I won’t be stopping there. I’ll head for the largest city, Louisville. I’ll stop in Covington, south of Cincinnati, and then, finally, Lexington. Hopefully, I’ll encounter the state bird, the Kentucky cardinal, but it’s unlikely I’ll find the state flower, goldenrod, in bloom. The thoroughbred is, of course, the state horse. The state song is the 1853 “My Old Kentucky Home” by Stephen Collins Foster, and the state bluegrass song is “Blue Moon of Kentucky,” by Bill Monroe in 1947. Famous Kentuckians include writer Bobbie Ann Mason; actors Johnny Depp, Tom Cruise, Harry Dean Stanton and Lee Majors; country singers Crystal Gayle and Loretta Lynn; and boxer Muhammad Ali.
Of notorious fame was Kentuckian Kit Carson, who launched a full-scale assault on the Navajo population in January 1864, destroying everything and eradicating the way of life of the Navajo people. Hogans were burned to the ground, livestock was killed off, and irrigated fields were destroyed. He led the Long Walk of the Navajo, known as the 1864 deportation and attempted ethnic cleansing by the U.S. government, when Navajos were forced to walk from their land in what is now Arizona to eastern New Mexico.
Originally part of my own state of Virginia, Kentucky became the 15th state to join the Union in 1792. Today, it’s the 26th most populous state in the U.S. It is known as the “Bluegrass State,”a nickname based on the dark green/blue grass found in many pastures due to their fertile soil.
Lexington is horse country
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“THE CALL TO PLACE” INVITATION: I invite you to write a post on your own blog about what enticed you to choose a particular destination. If you don’t have a blog, I invite you to write in the comments. If your destination is a place you love and keep returning to, feel free to write about that. If you want to see the original post about the subject, you can check it out here: imaginings: the call to place.
Include the link in the comments below by Wednesday, March 27 at 1:00 p.m. EST.
My next “call to place” post is scheduled to post on Thursday, March 28. If you’d like, you can use the hashtag #wanderessence.
This will be an ongoing invitation, on the fourth Thursday 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!
My path less traveled. Rediscovering self after surviving the abuse that almost sunk me. Goal of strengthening and thriving on my adult legs. 👣🙏🏻 #recovery #forgiveness
This blog is for those who wish to be creative, authors, people in the healing professions, business people, freelancers, journalists, poets, and teachers. You will learn about how to write well, and about getting published. Both beginning and experienced writers will profit from this blog and gain new creative perspectives. Become inspired from global writers, and find healing through the written word.
Explore, discover and experience the world through Meery's Eye. Off the beat budget traveler. Explore places, cultural and heritage. Sustainable trotter.
shareable tales of Meery is Meeryable
~ wander.essence ~ 
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