What better month to celebrate poetry in than April, long associated with flowers and showers and romance and spring? Thanks to the efforts of groups like The American Academy of Poets, The Poetry Foundation and The Haiku Foundation, the spotlight on poets and poems shines all month long through a variety of programs, workshops, and readings. (Click on the links to these groups for suggestions on how to add a bit more poetry to your life this spring.)
Poetry bloggers are getting into the act as well, and I’m happy to kick off my month of post exchanges with poetry and prose writer Stella Pierides. (Visit Stella’s blog for my “coupled” counterpoint post.) Stella grew up in Athens, Greece, and divides her time between London and Bavaria. Her haiku have been featured in many outstanding publications, including Contemporary Haibun Online, Issa’s Untidy Hut and Tiny Words. She kindly offered to post three of her favorites here, along with the following remarks:
“National Poetry Month is an exciting month. All this poetry, daffodils, lilacs, and rain! So I too, excited as I am, will be writing and posting as often as I can this month. But before I do, a bit of stock-taking, lingering, and reflecting. I bring to Margaret, my host for today, three of my haiku that I believe share this quality. Here they are . . .”
starry night—
growing old
together
2nd place, Sketchbook Kukai, July/August 2011
fish kites –
the quiet certitude
of old love
Hon. Mention, 15th Annual Mainichi Contest
one year older
I learn to notice blades
of grass
“A bit of quiet in the beginning of a busy, changeable, and capricious month. Happy National Poetry Month, everyone! And a big thank you to Margaret for having me here.”
–Stella Pierides
[Sponsored by Couplets–the brainchild of Joanne Merriam of Upper Rubber Boot Books–this exchange is just one of many going on during this month-long celebration. I’ll be hosting several haiku/tanka poets, in addition to Stella, here.]
Haiku-doodle 
Great way to kick things off, Margaret! 🙂
Stella – I love ‘one year older’
Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for joining the party, Kirsten!
Thank you, Margaret. I learned of Stella’s work through The Haiku Foundation, visited her blog, and now her three good haiku here, all new for me.
Happy Poetry Month!
Thank you, Ellen. I’m so glad you enjoyed the post. I’m excited to be sharing posts with Stella as a kick-off to Ntl. Poetry Month, and, like you, think this is a great way to learn about other poets!
All best . . .
Hi Margaret, You are welcome. I visited Stella’s blog and enjoyed your poems. Love seeing the universe and tree frogs in the same poem. All best to you too!
PS I may have learned of your blog from Melissa Allen awhile ago. Wonderful, all the connections.
Thank you, Ellen, for your kind words . . . Yes, the world wide web and especially the “haiku” world wide web opens up this universe. Nice!
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What a wonderful undertaking, mi hermana! Greatly admiring your expanding reach and commitment to poetry and poets. I love that you’ve featured Stella to open this celebrated month!
Stella, I’ve long admired your fine and often delicate lines. All three haiku here, for me, are treasures!
Thank you, hermana! It’s great fun to be able to showcase a few other people here . . . I’ll be featuring your wonderful work next week!
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Hi Margaret, It has taken me 16 days to find my way to the comments here! Thank you for featuring my work. And many thanks to Kirsten, Ellen, Alee for reading and liking it.
I have been reading the poetry those 16 days though – and loving it! I think this way of celebrating National Poetry Month is wonderful! Let’s do it again next year…
Hi,Stella. I’m glad to have featured you . . . and to have been featured on your blog. Thanks so much for helping me kick off the month–which has been great fun! Especially travelling around to other people’s sites to read the work of new and familiar poets. I agree we should do it again! Best, M.