The Merry Month of May

The Merry Month of May

The name of the  month of May is derived from the Roman goddess of fertility—Maia. It has always been a happy month for me: the end of the school year, the blossoming of flowers, and the beautiful soft days of spring—sometimes punctuated by a deep wet snowfall. It was also the occasion of my late husband’s birthday so we always had a party on Memorial Day. Of course, my town celebrates the annual Bolder Boulder, founded in 1979, on Memorial Day which has been named “America’s All-Time Best 10 K. Around fifty thousand individuals of all ages descend on our town to compete, some against other runners, but many who just try to beat their own best time. I watch the race on television.

For me personally, May is when I plant my flower gardens once the danger of frost is past. This year, our area has been suffering from a drought but we just had a solid rainstorm which turned into snow and dumped a foot of snow on the garden. Colorado really needed this moisture as 97% of the state is currently defined as being under draught conditions.

My Writing Goals for 2026

Continue to develop my poetry and connections with other poets: I read and edited an introduction to a poetry book for a friend whose book is being published.

BWA Poetry Circle: In April, the BWA Poetry Circle presented Crisostos Apache who was appointed as the new Colorado Poet Laureate by Governor Polis on January 28, 2026. Crisosto Apache is from Mescalero, New Mexico, on the Mescalero Apache reservation and is Mescalero Apache, Chiricahua Apache, and Diné (Navajo). Apache’s clanships are the Salt Clan, born for the Towering House Clan. Apache attended and earned an MFA at the Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA) and is an Associate Professor of English and Creative Writing. Crisosto is editor-at-large for The Offering magazine. Crisosto Apache’s books include GENESIS and Ghostword. Apache is a part-time multimedia artist and two-time Pushcart Prize nominee who also continues to be an advocate for the Two-spirit/Indigiqueer community. Participants enjoyed Crisosto’s delightful presentation, and discussion. We all felt that we had just made a new friend.

Cannon Mine Poets Group: In April, I did not attend a session with this group.

Colorado Poetry Center: The CPC presents monthly poetry events at the Boulder Bookstore. In late, April, I attended a presentation with Wendy Videlock and Art Goodtimes, who each presented their own work. Interestingly, the work they presented was complementary. The following day, Wendy presented a workshop on writing poetry and producing artwork which I attended and enjoyed.

Continue to make progress on my draft novels: 

I have had no energy to work on my novel drafts lately. I will get back to them when I have healed up.

Continue to develop a network of kindred spirits in the world of writing and publishing: 

Columbine Poets: Jordana Pilmanis presented a workshop for our Columbine Poets group on April 19. She discussed Tess Gallagher’s elegiac poetry from her book Moon Crossing Bridge (1992). She interspersed her presentation with individual writing time and we each drafted a total of three poems. At the second in-person meeting this month, Julie Cummings presented a session on Maggie Smith. I also attended an online critique session and received feedback on a draft that I was working on.

Document my writing progress through my blog and post it on the seventh day of each month, one blog per month in 2026:

Today is May 7, 2026. I am posting my fifth blog for the year 2026. This year, I have been focusing on a specific poetic form for each month. In April, I studied the ode and practiced writing one.

An ode is a formal, ceremonious lyric poem that celebrates or praises a person, place, thing, or idea. Odes originated in ancient Greece as musical performances to celebrate victories. Subsequently, the Pindaric, Horatian, or Irregular ode forms evolved into a structured verse form focused on intense emotion or reflection. An ode celebrates, glorifies, or contemplates a subject and may be written from a formal or amusing point of view. Topics covered may be profound as in “Ode to a Nightingale,” address everyday subjects, such as Pablo Neruda’s “Ode to a Large Tuna in the Market;” or be humorous as in Ellen Bass’s “Ode to Fat.” A classic ode has a tripartite structure: a strophe (movement) is followed by an antistrophe (countermovement), and the poem ends with an epode (standstill). The word “epode” is derived from the Greek epōidos which means “sung after,” so the epode is an “after-song.”

My first attempt at writing an ode follows.

Ode to the Yampa Valley

Oh, rounded, blue-toned mountains cradling an impressive valley,

You delight me.

Oh, groves of quaking aspens with your rattling leaves,

Your sounds enthrall me.

Oh, thickets of Gambel oak which sport vibrant oranges in the fall,

Your colors beguile me.

Oh, subalpine firs mingled with pine trees,

Your rich depth enchants me.

Oh, rare wild river passing through green fields,

Your cool flow entrances me.

Oh, natural springs draining sulfur-tinted water into the current,

Your aroma tickles my nose.

Oh, mineral laden bubbles floating over moss-covered stones,

Your lightness thrills me.

Oh, trout, chubs, and suckers swimming below the waves,

Your fluidity mesmerizes me.

Oh, ranches spaced out in luxuriant meadows,

You beckon me home.

Oh, sapphire blue skies extending into infinity,

You remind me of my fallibility.

Oh, Yampa Valley, at present when I close my eyes;

I recall a childhood resplendent with beauty.