Welcome to our eighth week of Open Link Night, though everything still feels like opening night for me. The enthusiasm and the fun of getting together at the pub, reading old friends and meeting new poets is just as exciting as week one. This is hedgewitch (Joy Ann Jones) and tonight I’m the hostess behind the bar, ready to serve up everyone’s poetic beverage of choice.
For our friends scattered around the world, this weekend marked the last federal holiday of the summer in the U.S, Labor Day. It has a rather interesting and mostly ignored history in the bloody Labor Union struggles of the turn of the 20th century. It began in 1882 with a day informally celebrating organized labor by the Central Labor Union of New York. I’ll quote wikipedia on how it became a national holiday : “It became a federal holiday in 1894, when, following the deaths of a number of workers at the hands of the U.S. military and U.S. Marshals during the Pullman Strike, President Grover Cleveland reconciled with the labor movement. Fearing further conflict, legislation making Labor Day a national holiday was rushed through Congress unanimously and signed into law a mere six days after the end of the strike …”
Hard to imagine any legislation being “rushed through Congress unanimously” any more!
Typically, we Americans celebrate this day originating in coflict and turmoil and dedicated to the blood, sweat and tears of our workers by being as lazy and kicked back as possible. I hope all here in the US have had a great holiday, barbecuing and picnicking, getting together with friends and family, taking a short trip or just lazing around. But today marked the return to work and school for most, and some relaxtion at the pub and a few rounds of poetry with friends is just what the doctor ordered to lift the post-holiday blues.
So it’s time to bring out your best to be read and enjoyed by one of the finest poetry communities online. There are no rules or prompts or subjects for what you submit; this is a chance for you the writer to share with readers, and to encourage and enjoy the writing of others.
Here’s the drill:
- Post a poem to your blog,
- Link in the poem you’d like to share (1 per blog, please) by clicking on the Mr.Linky button just below.
- This opens a new screen where you’ll enter your information, and where you also choose links to read. Once you have pasted your poem’s blog url and entered your name, simply click submit.
- Don’t forget to let your readers know where you’re linking up and encourage them to participate by including a link to dVerse in your blog post.
- Visit as many other poems as you like, commenting as you see fit.
- Spread the word on the poems you enjoy if you’d like. Feel free to tweet and share on the social media of your choice.
- Finally, enjoy! Remember, we are here for each other. Engage your fellow poets, talk, chat, comment, let them know their work is being read, and enjoy the input you also will receive. This is all about community.
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brian miller said:
welcome to OpenLinkNight everyone! Have a wonderful time…looking forward to your verse and will be around to check you out. Hopefully the storm does not knock our power out any more. stay dry!
hedgewitch said:
Thanks for getting my back, Brian. I’m ten minutes late and the place is already packed to the gills. Hopefully the fire marshalls aren’t around
And that new wide screen tv looks great above the bar, tuned to the poetry channel.
brian said:
hey no sweat hedge….the poetry channel…sounds like fun to me…did just get Def Poetry Jam box set for my birthday…so sounds like fun to me…
Brendan said:
H, you’re one busy witchy! Thanks for handling the duties today here at Dee Verse. And a belated Happy Labor Day, you working fool! – Brendan
hedgewitch said:
Indeed. No rest for the wickered. ;_)
Daydreamertoo said:
Oh wow…. missed being first by one!…haha That makes a change for me, I’m usually a day late or so. Look forward to taking part in this each week and had a lovely surprise this morning. Was thinking because it was my teens 1st day back at school that it was Monday so, it was a nice surprise to see it advertised as later today on Twitter. Thanks to all who host and organise.
claudia said:
thanks hedge for opening the doors, for tending the bar, for being such a wonderful host…thanks also for the background info on labor day…esp. valuable information for the german section in the pub…smiles
hedgewitch said:
You’re welcome, Claudia. I’m a history freak, it’s true. Looking forward to reading the work of all the poets making their own history here tonight.
Wings over waters said:
Thanks for hosting Hedgewitch…looking forward to some great reading! 🙂
hedgewitch said:
You’re very welcome, and I know the reading will be great tonight–I’ve already found some great stuff.
Uneven Stephen said:
Yay Tuesdays! Thanks for hosting, hedgewitch. Not really working on anything brand new at the moment, so I posted something from last week.
hedgewitch said:
I can’t believe anything newer would necessarily be better than what you posted, Stephen, though I’m sure nothing you wrote would surprise me after this one–an excellent excellent poem.
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Sheila Moore said:
thanks for the bit of history on Labor Day, Joy. Looking forward to tonight and having the hostess with the mostess behind the bar 😉
hedgewitch said:
My pleasure, always.
Becky said:
So excited to have something to share!
Can’t wait to read some lovely things later tonight!
Anna Montgomery said:
Puppy in the house, will try to avoid knocking over drinks in my enthusiasm. Great to be here, thanks to Joy for being the gracious host, thanks to all the poets who make this community great, and thanks to dVerse for being such wonderful advocates for poetry. We need a union.
hedgewitch said:
I don’t think anyone will notice a knocked over drink in the current pandemonium. Maybe not a knocked over table! So glad to have you posting with us tonight, Anna.
C Rose said:
Thanks for hosting kind Hedgewitch, look forward to taking it all in! ~ Rose
hedgewitch said:
You’re welcome, CRose. I’m looking forward to a fun 24 hours of sheer poetry from all our amazing contributors. Believe me it’s my pleasure to swipe that bar-rag down the long mahogany bar and pull a pint or two, or get the espresso machine wailing and cranking. Let the games begin!
Gwen Dubeau said:
Hello everyone, happy to be here for another “open link night!” I am excited to read some wonderful poems.. Enjoy your evening!
Joseph Hesch said:
Great job and thanks for hosting, Joy. Not only do you tend bar spectacularly, but you set it pretty darn high for the guy standing in your Crocs next week.
As I noted on the blog, I did not intend to write, post or link the poem you see today. Just didn’t feel right. But circumstances compelled me to write it. I think it’s pretty important that people around the US and even around the world know that the “Whew, near-miss, everything’s fine,” we heard from NYC-based news organizations following Hurricane Irene was not the case here in Upstate New York and in dreadfully under-reported Vermont.
Can’t wait to see the exciting work of you and so many of our friends, new and old, this week.
hedgewitch said:
Thanks for writing and posting this one, Joe. My husband’s family is from Vermont and while they are coping, the loss and damage is frightening. It’s sad that a story like this slips from the news in a matter of hours, yet affects peoples’ lives for years.
bajanpoet said:
I totally enjoy Open Link Night … I came for the Critique posts (which I’m still mourning the lost of) but I stay because of this feature 🙂 I’m sitting at the bar, getting ready for a pitcher of pulsating poetry that I can guzzle or sip at my leisure 🙂
I enjoy this site! On to the poems!
siubhan said:
Nice to see everyone here. Ten minutes in and already over 30 poets signed up to share their stuff. Thanks to Joy and to everyone at dVerse for making this such an awesome community.
oceangirl said:
Hello Hedgewitch, thank you for hosting. And thank you for the history of Labour Day in the US. Ours is 1st May. Happy Autumn.
claudia said:
ours is on first of may as well…
hedgewitch said:
And I hear it’s quite an occasion in Europe. I’ve seen photos of huge crowds and labor-inspired parades. Here we just appreciate the day off and chill.
david waters said:
another day hanging at the pub…awesome 🙂
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Kavita said:
A bit late after a long lazy weekend in the Keys… but here I am…poeming and reading!! 😀
xoxoox
hedgewitch said:
You’re welcome, everyone, and glad to see you all. Look forward to reading and thanks so much for joining us here today.
Quaz said:
Thanks for the Breakdown on Labor Day. I never knew that. About to grab some coffee and Jump into some poems. Enjoy.
Julie Carter (@jflamingo2) said:
I’ve been lurking for a while now while enjoying the opportunity to read your poems. So many of you captivate me with your words! I thought I would share a poem with you today.
hedgewitch said:
So glad you decided to link in, Julie. Looking forward to reading it.
tashtoo said:
Okay guys…I have to admit I spent the first half of the day thinking it Monday…oh my! It’s been pouring buckets all day, I have to show a house this evening, so thank you, thank you, thank you for allowing me this poetic break. Joy, loved the lesson….so appreciate the history! Here’s to OpenLinkNight!:)
hedgewitch said:
I will definitely drink to that. Hope the rain lets up and your showing goes well, Tash. Meanwhile, I plan to attend the showing of your poetry.
California Ink in Motion said:
Thank you Hedgewitch for hosting the dVerse pub tonight. I am excited to read poetry from some incredible poets that frequent this hall. I will be spending the afternoon soaking in one incredible poem after the other.
Thank you everyone for making this place such a warm spot to cuddle up and read.
Art & Soul, Ink (@soulwrites) said:
This is my first time here, nice to meet everyone 🙂
hedgewitch said:
Welcome to the pub. Hope it’s the first of many visits.
tashtoo said:
Yay! Welcome! So good to get to know folks beyond the twitterverse 🙂
Gay said:
Welcome. Great job for your first linked poem. I urge you again to keep writing and linking and reading others here. You’ve got chops and we’ve got jazz on hand. Just ask Claudia…she’ll give you a tour as will any of our other hosts / hostesses. Have fun.
mrsmediocrity said:
oops, forgot to comment! tuesday afternoon at three has become my poetry hour, so litlte time in this crazy life to enjoy these things, but love this chance to read fresh words
joshuA (@expoetics) said:
Happy Labor Day from the poolside at the Luxor in the Holy City of Las Vegas!
hedgewitch said:
And it doesn’t get more decadently American than that.
joshuA (@expoetics) said:
It’s true. This entire valley is an unsustainable obscenity. (A microcosm of the world today if you ask me.) I feel like Petronius Arbiter Elegantiae taking notes on an empire in decline.
hedgewitch said:
I think we may have skipped the Decline and gone directly to the Fall.
Laurie Kolp said:
Enjoying the relaxing day.
Gay said:
Just got back from the oncologists. So I’m ready to drink to a hopeful prognosis for my friend, Ron. The tumor has shrunk to the diameter of an American nickel (5¢) and the lymph nodes back to normal size. There is still a danger of succumbing to starvation and the effects of malnutrition however. So prayers are still welcome that his esophagus will heal and he’ll be able to eat and drink normally again. Still good news really. No new chemo treatment at least for now. Thanks for all your good wishes considering you don’t know him at all.
I have up a funny little poem today called Fade To White. I wrote it first and researched it after and found out I’d plugged into a myth by some residual memory or whatever. Hope you enjoy it. Thanks all for having my back during these last few trying months!
claudia said:
ah that’s good news gay..hugs and prayers your way
hedgewitch said:
Glad to hear finally some good news for your friend, Gay. Thinking of you.
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Poetry Pastiche said:
I wish I had something great to link to at the moment. But I’ve reached one of those points when I’ve realized everything I’ve written is stupid. I linked up anyway, just in case any of you are fans of stupidity and silliness. : )
claudia said:
hey shawna, great to see you at the pub and your writing is not at all stupid…just saying…
Shawna said:
Thanks, C. : ) … I’m just in a funky mood I guess.
claudia said:
whew…getting full in here…fetching my apron and going to help you behind the bar hedge…
hedgewitch said:
Thanks, Claudia. It’s three deep in here right now!
claudia said:
pssshh…it’s glynn’s birthday today…so you may wanna jump over to bring him some birthday love…
http://faithfictionfriends.blogspot.com/2011/09/light-rain-that-is-life.html
rob kistner said:
I’ve posted a poem “noir” piece, with a link to two additional works if you like your verse “dark”…
hedgewitch said:
I like my verse like my coffee, as the old saying sort of goes, so noir is always good with me.
Pat Hatt said:
Obviously the cat will chime in, even if he does comitt the odd sin..haha
tashtoo said:
The ODD sin…come on cat! With nine lives you can risk a few 😉
the poetry tree (@thepoetrytree) said:
hi hedgewitch, everyone… three songs of bereavement… pushing more than one kind envelope..
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Randy Behavior said:
Darn my three hour lunch made me late. Now I pay the price. Good thing I have a Pinot glow to dull the pain of being 80!
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hedgewitch said:
5 PM where I am and already 83 links! Breaking open the emergency stash of miscellaneous beverages and getting a clean apron, here. This is awesome.
Rick Dale said:
I was lazy today and recycled a poem for Open Link night.
kirstenshaw said:
Thanks for hosting another openlink night!
This week’s post is the 100th poem on my blog 🙂
Ainsley said:
Any spare bev’ridges – i sheem to have run out *hic* ♥
Charles Elliott aka Beautyseer said:
Always a pleasure to join you here. This week I recall other days at other watering holes in my posting. Cheers, all!
Jash Comstock said:
Wow, 3 hrs late, and I’m number 99
hedgewitch said:
Off for my dinner break, but hey–serve yourselves! Just leave your bills in that jar on the piano. Back shortly for round two.
hobgoblin2011 said:
Amazing how fast the pub has grown. Soon they’ll be a velvet rope…good thing I know those commandeering the lists- lol Really happy for all, how this open forum for creative expression has truly blossomed into such the gathering place for poet and lover of poetry alike. As usual, look forward to another wonderful week, some amazing verse and of course, a pint or two… Cheers
hedgewitch said:
Don’t give brian any ideas about the velvet ropes. ;_) Cheers back at ya.
Seasideauthor Sharon Rose © said:
A pint for me and my feet are up read I am willing.
Jo Bryant said:
I’ve been away from here for a few week – computer crashes and the likes – Grrrrrrr
Great to be posting here again – can’t wait to get about and check out some of the links 🙂
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chris said:
Left my link in a hurry. Will have to come back later this evening to start reading through everyone’s contributions this week. Looking forward to it!
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Mark Kerstetter said:
For some of us Labor Day is just another day of labor in a land with no labor unions. But tonight I got a brew ‘n some verse, so I’m good.
1emeraldcity said:
Ha! I’m stuck to you guys like glue…my favorite pub! Cheers!
Lovely Annie said:
Been suffering from a ragin’ bout of writer’s block…so nice to be here..to share this small poem (and a toast) …as my first step on the road to creative recovery
Thank you for the space to be!
Annie
Ann Grenier said:
Just coming off a week without power in RI, and missing my computer. Posting a litany on abandonment for Magpie Tales and D’verse.
Nice to see you hosting Joy and I like your short history of Labor Day. Thanks!
hedgewitch said:
You’re welcome, Ann. Sorry to hear about the power troubles. It’s been a bad week or two for the grid in many places. Glad it came back on, since I really enjoyed the chance to read your poem.
Karen Maeby said:
I have been busy the last couple weeks, so I haven’t been able to participate. Now I’m back! Yay!
manicddaily said:
The site is a lovely idea. I wish it were not only virtual! (Spilled drinks mixed with poetry sound pretty good.)
kaykuala said:
hedgewitch,
That was refreshing. A roll-back to history of how the Labor Day came about. Never knew how workers could have suffered in many such situations even to this day. Congrats on being hostess this time around.
Hank
hedgewitch said:
Thanks, Hank. It’s definitely food for thought. And hosting at the pub is way more fun than labor.
CatGem said:
wow — this is so much easier to do on a computer than on my phone…
thank you for creating and caring for this site
Margaret said:
113 entries so far! Wow. I so want to find the time to participate in the other offerings during the week, but the kids being back in school has thrown me a bit… I’m want the “unstructure” of summer back! Thanks for hosting.
hedgewitch said:
Real life can be very annoying sometimes. ;_) My pleasure and good to see you here escaping from the back to school frenzy for awhile.
Skylover said:
Thanks for the opportunity to share… I’ll be back tomorrow to read 🙂
brian said:
holy mackeral, its packed like sardines in here…ha…what a great night in the pub! and some top notch poetry…every time i turn my back another 12 enter in…making my way around to mingle…
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Linda Kruschke said:
I linked to an older poem that I’d like some feedback on. I wrote it before I learned from Luke last week that starting all lines with capital letters isn’t the best way to write a poem. But I didn’t modify this one yet, and would love to hear what others think about how this one flows with all initial caps, or if it would work better with lowercase first letters.
Now off to read some other poems. Peace, Linda
Patricia said:
Well, hello there everyone! Got here late… but it looks like you’re still going strong! Cheers. Thanks for hosting Hedge =) Here’s to hoping I’m the last one,… so that anyone who wants to start at the end will read mine first. hehehehe.
Amy Miller said:
Good to see all you dVerse Poets again! And I look forward to reading some fine poems tonight. Cheers to all —
claudia said:
good morning everyone! looks like you had a busy night…thought some verse with my morning coffee would be nice before i’m heading to work…
Reflections said:
A bit late as usual… hope you all enjoy this one. Pulls at the heartstrings a bit for me, though it has been a week of several losses.
jinksy said:
I link today in the hope that people will enjoy a touch of laughter from the dregs of the poetry barrel. Thanks to the Toads! 🙂
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Mike said:
I thought I would share some haiku for this open night link.
There are some awesome poems on this link.
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dani said:
thanks for hosting, Joy. ♥ after 3:30am here, but i’ll swing by tomorrow to gobble up some goodies.
hedgewitch said:
We’ll be here. And I always look forward to seeing one of your multi-media offerings, dani.
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Belinda said:
Better late than never, right?
Good to see you all.
Thanks for the bottomless pints you all pour.
hedgewitch said:
Thanks for making it in, Belinda. Always good to see you (and your poetry) come in the door.
brian said:
good morning poets! coffee is on…and reading some poetry…
Jennie Fraine said:
Gosh, I wonder what it would take to be the first link! I can’t wait to read what’s been offered.
Rachel Hoyt said:
I’m a little late joining, but better late than never, right? 🙂
tashtoo said:
Morning all! Office has cleared out, and I’ve got a few minutes to sneak in some on the job reading! Shhh…don’t tell 🙂
hedgewitch said:
No one will ever notice Natasha, as long as you can keep your enthusiasm on the keyboard, and a tab up with the local listings to switch to. ;_) Your secret is safe with us.
hedgewitch said:
Alright. Done with morning chores and heading out to see what the night has brought us. For those just coming by, the link will be live till midnight tonight, so it’s not too late to share a poem with us. Looking forward to this next round—coffee and poetry is an excellent way to wake up, I find.
wordsandthoughtspjs said:
Hi everyone, I look forward to reading a bit later today.
Pamela
leslie said:
hello all, i got a bit mixed up on the days due to the holiday, so i’m posting a bit belatedly, but better late than never, right?
tashtoo said:
Amen! Happy to have you link up! 🙂
leah J. Lynn said:
I’m so sorry I miss this. I had nothing to do last evening and I didn’t know it was link night. I’am so sorry. Have a Blessed Thursday and Smile
brian said:
get busy leah…you still got an hour…smiles.
Randy Sturridge said:
A poem written on impulse but came into view as it was put down. Not at all to sure what compelled this write but am happy with the outcome