Goodyear Arts & Culture Poetry Illuminated Collection 2021

One drop. Then another. Water rushes down wash and river.

Clouds break. A rainbow.

Children slosh through gutters chasing boats – twigs tied with twine.

Orange, gold, purple wildflowers open running riot over the desert.

Paula Ashley *55+ honorable mention

Life Brings New paths to follow Roads to travel Profound great mysteries To unravel.

Things before you Ever new How they’re handled Is up to you To find the strength The heart, the will To climb ever higher Up life’s hill.

Linda Eddy Rings *55+ Category

Word Pictures Word pictures inviting adventurous souls to travel through space and time.

Written or read, spoken or heard.

Bordering on the benign or absurd.

Sung in a song or rehearsed in a verse.

Lives are enriched by colorful words.

Gene Gant *55+ Cagetfory

Tender Irrepressible Glow I fear that during our sunset calls, the winds shall shout that this spark is between two girls, and seek to smother any igniting flame.

Let them try, We'll keep glowing, Tenderly, tenuously, Favianna Tovar Blanchart *18 & Under Category Winner

Civilization Light, Hope, Resilience?

To city-scape or desert-scape, Shall I write of both?

The city has light, but where is hope.

The desert has hope, though dark at night.

Resilience is not sought through lens and screen, Two eyes that only feed delusion.

Keagan Wyatt *18-55 Category

Isn't It Funny Isn’t it funny How we assume dark times Are bad times?

Forgetting the beauty of the night Its crisp elegance Graceful shadows Quiet space for reflection and rest The darkness is Our misunderstood safe-haven Fueling tomorrow’s flickering dawn Natalie Cardenas *18-55 Category

First light, November 1 A sleepless night argues for change.

The blanching blue moon pillows my head, nimbus to the rising day.

Morning in our desert dawns this way as cool white snow-blinding light.

And I am summer weary and ready for winter.

El Rey *55+ Category Winner

Flavor of Life Life is like a jawbreaker, so when your boots feel stuck in those close-your-eyes pucker-up lemon puddles, remember that root-beer rain-days are near.

Aliyapadi Biruni Hariadi *18 & Under Category Winner

Night Time Stroll out in the quiet desert night and you see a sparkle of light right within your eyes And slowly rise No more TwIsTeD LiEs

Because you found your sunshine And all you do is dance with delight under moonlight Araceli Franco *18 & Under Category

That Pretty Little Light As I look out into the Sky I see Darkness But that little light inside of me says Open the blinds let that light shine through That pretty little light I see in you That light will shine through Natalia Franco *18 & Under Category

Meteor Storm The moon’s but a wink.

The ether unveiled.

We gaze at blackboard sky and wait.

Eyes search for that burst, glimmer, glide, and gone.

Each spark brighter for the dark.

We count, make wishes, clasp hands.

Betty Hufford *55+ Category Winner

Blurry Mirror Mirrors show your true self revealing beauty and happiness, but can’t they be tainted?

Because she is perfection reincarnated, Yet, to her, The mirror shows beauty flying away; Except, she is shining light!

I wish she’d look closer Amelia Lach *18 & Under Category

Flush It Flushed dreams Flushed goals There they go Around the bowl Going down Where I don’t know Maybe where goldfish go Never to be seen again Down they go But Oh no!

Get the plunger A. Lynn *18-55 Category

Rooted The saguaro watches the storm bruise the horizon.

She does not turn her face in fear. She digs in, holds on.

Remember, your heart is that saguaro—illuminated by strength within.

These words rise to meet your fierce, glowing eyes.

Michelle Salcido *18-55 Category Winner

Loving Art With my array of colors, I create a story From birds to lovers.

Nothing compares To the hidden shares Of sacred secrets Within the lacquer.

Patterned by the heart, Dreams come to life Through loving art Janice Ochoa *18 & Under Category

Nostalgia Rising like the morning glow, it wrapped me in an intimate cloak, merged the distance between then and now and filled my heart with memories.

Lisa Paulos *18-55 Category Winner

Desert Song Haikus Fluttering its wings While rushing to find nectar Hums the sweetest song.

Sunbathing serpents Play a percussive rhythm Warning of danger.

The bird of the night Sings a nocturnal ballad Asking who is there.

Jeanie Pierce *18-55 Category

Hope One step at a time Do not fret how long it takes Picture the grand scheme Veronica Hosking *18-55 Category

Light with Dew Budding Rose, light with dew, Pure and undefiled, Rolling hills, glistening plains, Only to see you smile.

Plans of nature, ways of love, Blending of the souls, The key to life that is sought, Is never made of gold.

AJ Breezy *18-55 Category

Grandson, 18 Months Your legs run quickly.

Tiny hands pick up stones, throw them toward the street.

I gather your wiggling torso, limbs, and giggles.

Dirty hands clutch my arms.

Against my breast hearts thump in song.

Cindi Reiss 55+ Category Winner

SPECIAL THANKS TO Rosemarie Dombrowski Bonnie Lewis Janice Ochoa Ethan Iniguez Nyssa Iniguez Sienna Brooks Russ Kazmierczak Alice Cooper Solid Rock Liberty Utilities APS PPG Paints Michaels & all of our poets

VIRTUAL PAINT PARTY APRIL EVENTS TUESDAY, APRIL 13, 2021 11:00 AM-12:30 PM

THURSDAY, APRIL 29, 2021 6:00 PM -7:00PM FOR REGISTRATION & EVENT INFORMATION VISIT,

goodyearaz.gov/arts

VIRTUAL HOT COFFEE LECTURE SPRING EVENTS APRIL 27, 2021 7:00-8:30 PM

BALLET ARIZONA GEORGE BALANCHINE- THE FATHER OF BALLET MAY 25, 2021 7:00-8:30 PM

PATTI GRAETZ WHAT DOES A CONDUCTOR REALLY DO? A LOOK BEHIND THE SCENES

Join Ballet AZ to learn about the impact George Balanchine had on Arizona's ballet community- With Guest Lecturer, Leona Aiken, Ph.D., President's Professor, Emerita at ASU and member of Ballet AZ’s Education & Community Engagement Committee.

Join ProMusica Arizona, Artist Director Patti Graetz for a behind-thescenes look at what being the Artistic Director/Principal Conductor of a 70-voice choir and a 45-piece orchestra entails. See first-hand what orchestral and choral scores look like and how to follow. Have you ever wanted to try your hand at conducting? Patti will teach you some basic conducting patterns. It will be a jam-packed evening of musical fun!

FOR REGISTRATION & EVENT INFORMATION VISIT goodyearaz.gov/arts