Our #OpenWrite Host
Denise Krebs has been writing poetry with students for decades. However, last April was the first time she joined other teachers in a poetry-writing community, the first time she embraced the practice herself. Denise holds a master’s degree in elementary education with a concentration in teaching reading. She teaches English to Arabic-speaking fifth graders in the first modern school in Bahrain, which started in 1899. Her one word for 2020 was TIME. Little did she know the Coronavirus would give her more time to just be. Besides enjoying the solitude and relaxing after too many years of so much doing, she also keeps busy reading, telling Bible stories, cooking and baking. Follow her on Twitter at @mrsdkrebs.
Inspiration
The Magic-9 Poetry form is a “9-line poem that doesn’t have any rules as far as meter or subject matter–just a rhyme scheme: abacadaba,” a play on the magic word “abracadabra.” I read about it at Writer’s Digest where the editor said he couldn’t find where this newish poetry form had first originated. Read more about it here: https://www.writersdigest.com/write-better-poetry/magic-9-poetic-forms
Process
Think of a quote that is meaningful and nurturing for you at this time–some magic words for you. Let them inspire you in a sort of found poem. Post your magic-word quote along with your Magic-9 poem. Of course, as always, you can write a Magic-9 poem with the rhyme scheme ABACADABA on any topic of your choice. Or be inspired by the “magic word” quote you picked to write any poem of your choosing.
Denise’s Poem
When the going is hard and slow
The work of patience we’re creating
Warriors in waiting here below
Powerful warriors of patience
Too much wait time will show
Who has the stamina to resist
Laziness and fight to grow
The sweet time spent activating
Time and patience aglow
Denise’s Magic Word Quote:
“Patience is waiting. Not passively waiting. That is laziness. But to keep going when the going is hard and slow – that is patience. The two most powerful warriors are patience and time.” Leo Tolstoy
Your Turn
Your Turn
Now, scroll to the comment section below to write your own poem. (This is a public space, so you may use only your first name or initials depending on your privacy preferences.) Not ready? That’s okay. Read the poems already posted for more inspiration. Ponder your own throughout the day. Return later. And, if the prompt does not work for you, that is fine. All writing is welcome. Just write something. Also, please be sure to respond to at least three writers. Oh, and a note about drafting: Since we are writing in short bursts, we all understand (and even welcome) the typos and partial poems that remind us we are human and that writing is always becoming. If you’d like to invite other teachers to write with us, tell them to subscribe.
An Oral History: COVID-19 Teacher-Poets Writing to Bridge the Distance
Did you write poetry during the first days of COVID-19 school closings? Would you like to be interview for our oral history project? Click here to learn more.
Steps
By: Emily Yamasaki
You learned to walk in one day, my son
A teetering little body wobble wibble
Centering your body with that belly, so fun
We locked eyes just before you let go
From the edge of the couch – run, run, run
You laughed with self realization
A new skill you have won
That your new independence is able
To take you new places – no bounds, none
Oh, Emily, what a celebration of your son’s first steps. What a joy it has been these months to “watch him grow” through a few of your poems. This is perfectly executed. I love “wobble wibble” (It sounds just like a baby’s first steps) and then the “run, run, run” My favorite, though, is your last two lines because I am quite sure that is how he will be raised–with no bounds! This is a treasure for his baby book or beyond.
Tossing the Magic 9 Ball into Poem
We’re never quite happy with the word,
this slow rolling spontaneity of motion
that makes it so hard for us to be heard
out here in the noise of electronic ether,
digital space where every post is hummingbird,
and letters, treasures lost from thought,
so that meaning becomes strange and absurd
as like stragglers returning starfish to ocean,
we poets release these poems, obscured
This is the first reading of my day. How appropriate! I chuckled at several lines in here, funny but also ironic. I like the image of the Magic 8 Ball (9 here, of course) captured in the “slow rolling spontaneity of motion” – I just envisioned this, your words, all of our words, roiling around like that cube inside the bubbly blue liquid. “Where every post is hummingbird” = YES. Flitting, Buzzing. Gone. Was it there? And the starfish analogy – it matters to this one. But, does it – ? That answer ends with “obscured” from the speakers voice. I’ll be mulling this one all day. Thank you! (It mattered to me!)
Kevin,
You are a master, to be sure. You are another one of my favorite poets–I’ve admired your work for a long time. You as a teacher-writer that I never thought I was. I like a hummingbird flitting around digital space, occasionally seeing one of your oh-so-regular verses, and thinking your students were lucky. So many wonderful images here for us to enjoy. Poems like the starfish returned. “It made a difference to that one.” Thank you for making a difference in my life as a teacher.
Don’t grow weary in doing good, for you will reap a harvest if you don’t give up.
Don’t grow weary in doing good
You must push through the pain
Also, you’ll reap whatever you should
Giving up will be a waste
For all that you’ve done and all that you could
Someone will feel your joy
To cultivate growth when no one else would
Shows hope and peace and love
Never grow tired of doing good
Jolie,
You’ve chosen a wonderful inspiration quote, and your poem reinforces its message. I embrace the line “giving up will be a waste.”
Jolie, I love Scripture and God’s Word. You truly did this Scripture justice. Thank you for sharing. We both used the same rhyming words, btw.
Jolie, what a great verse to choose. I like the way you stated that third line, “…you’ll reap whatever you should.” What goes around comes around, I guess. (Is that biblical?) Sticking with it will reap a harvest, and the never tiring of doing good “shows hope and peace and love.” Beautiful poem. Thanks!
Neon supermarket glow
White picket fences and skyscraper elms
Potholes that feel more like a plateau
Ankles cowering, eyes avoiding
Perfect stillness that could even enthrall Thoreau
Head devoid of negative, passive, uncertain thoughts
Stench of cow manure and fertilizer is the only woe
Each street has a life of its own, multiple different realms
Walking in this town never leaves me feeling low
You had me at “supermarket glow.” I appreciate your imagery drawing me into the next line. I like the juxtaposition of the skyscrapers to describe a pastoral elm. Nicely done!
Lauryl,
Your poem is a wonderful celebration of small town wonders. I miss the Midwest this time of year. That line about cow manure smells reminds me “Nothing tips like a cow.” I’m sure you’re familiar w/ that line.
Lauryl, you had me at “White picket fences and skyscraper elms” – I wanted to read more about this town. An immediate image came of the trees. What a peaceful, magical poem about your town, or the one you are calling home for now, perhaps. I chuckled at the woe of the stench. I’ve been in my share of those towns, where the wind direction determined what was on the olfactory menu for the day. Lovely job!
toward justice
the arc of the moral universe is long but it bends toward justice.
many steps leaving Egypt
no time for bread to rise
forty acres and a mule reflected
promises with short memories
leaving in jeeps of allies
after months in death camps
an American exodus boarding trains from Dixie
shape the urban north
the arc of the moral universe is long
Jamie,
This is a wonderful reflection on the great migration. I love your inspiration quote and considered using it for my poem.
Jamie, this is a beautiful history lesson, thorns and all. It is short and so powerful. I love the title and the last line. Toward justice–the arc of the moral universe is long.
There are times when we hit snags and forget the justice part. Thank you for sharing this today.
Man, the arc is long, isn’t it?
And I feel as if our perspective limits us to see only a straight line. I had to sit in this poem for a while and walk away and then return to it. You capture these historic moments in such neat and compact couplets….I am amazed by your economy of words and images…short but bitter and beautiful and painful and (ultimately) sweet. Thank you for sharing your poem with us!
COVID-19 has given me permission to wipe a lot of non-essential commitments off my slate. Tonight I looked for a “less is more” quote and found this:
“Do only what is necessary and required. Efficiency is elegant. Less is more.”
― Scott Perry
I don’t know who S. Perry is, but I used his words as my jumping off point.
Denise, I love pushing thoughts against rhyme patterns! This was fun!
Do only what is necessary
Breathe in, breathe out
Each moment only temporary
Do not weigh it down with shoulds
Time is not your adversary
Hold it gently, let it go
Everything is voluntary
Less is more, without a doubt
A pause is revolutionary
So true, Allison. Less is definitely more these days. My poem is about breathing today, too. I find I need that reminder now more than ever. My favorite line is, “Everything is voluntary.”
Haha! I just left a note beneath your poem noting the similarity in our themes!
Allison, your wider inspiration found from the pandemic are so touching. It is hard to keep to keep that mentality of “Less is more” in such a chaotic time in our world, and I appreciate you for helping me put that into perspective. “A pause is revolutionary” – I repeated this out loud while reflecting on how I have felt throughout my day today, and how a simple pause and deep breath would have made a world of difference. It is hard to remember that it is OK to slow down. Thank you for such a beautiful reminder 🙂
What a perfect message! The end is absolutely superb! I loved your line”Hold it gently, let it go!” There is such a feeling of tenderness throughout this poem. Loved it!
Wow! I’m taking this to sleep with me tonight…
Because if I don’t take the pauses I need, I will crumble.
Bless you for this poem!
Allison,
Stellar rhymes here. I think people have spent time reflecting on what’s most important during the pandemic. I’m a less is more person when it. Ones to taking on tasks.
Allison, as usual, I loved reading your poem. Wow, you found some powerful-sounding and meaningful words for that A rhyme, and you wielded them with authority. My favorite lines today:
“Water Your Roses”
I let the roots within me shrink
Shriveled up in neglect
So I spent the summer seeing my shrink
Digging in the dry earth of my soul
When on earth did these overalls shrink
Where did all my roses go?
My tears were the water caught by my shrink
That we used to rescue the garden I wrecked
Sometimes the growth comes from the shrink
What a fun challenge! My inspiration comes from an illustration called “Water Your Roses” by Amanda Oleander. I have followed Amanda for years on social media after falling in love with the vulnerability present in her illustrations of every day life. This piece is significant to me, because I have deemed this past summer my “summer of growth.” I returned to the psychologist that I began seeing in 2014 when I was a junior in high school. It had been two years since I had seen her, and if you have ever stopped treatment, you know it can be hard to accept that you need that guidance again. I spent the entire summer digging in the trenches of my soul to discover, process, and find healing. I will never forget to water my roses again.
If you would like to view my inspiration piece or view Amanda Oleander’s other works, copy and paste this link : https://www.amandaoleander.com/drawingcollection/wateryourrosess?rq=water%20your%20roses
Gracie, this poem breathes life into me. I have to confess, my first thought without any doubt was that you were a middle-aged woman, dealing with crap again, deciding to go back to therapy where you’ll be able to water your roses again. I want you to know that I was pleasantly surprised at your age, your wisdom, and your beautiful brilliance! I’m glad you know the value of self-care whether it be from therapy, from self, or from outside readings, it’s a blessing. Thank you for sharing a special piece of you with us.
My daughter needs to do some digging but she doesn’t even see the soil yet. ☹️
Wow! Thanks for sharing. You are so creative. I love the continuous repetition of the word “shrink,” taking on different meanings. I especially liked the contrast of “growth” and “shrink.” Awesome.
Gracie, I’m so glad you had a summer of growth. I love the lesson you learned, “I will never forget to water my roses again.” So beautiful. That image of the roots and roses shrinking is palpable. Then the image of the psychologist catching the tears to water and save the garden is such a powerful and beautiful thought. I just want to sit with that for a while today. Thank you for sharing your poem.
Thank you for the inspiration and the model poem! I definitely needed some “magic words” today! I was invigorated by the process of taking quotes and verses that fulfill or nurture me and then transforming them into a poem of my own.
“I want/ to think again of dangerous and/ noble things./ I want to be light and frolicsome./
I want to be improbable beautiful/ and afraid of nothing,/ as though I had wings.”
—Mary Oliver from “Starlings in Winter”
“One of the most eloquent ways the soul speaks to us is through longing.”
—Sue Monk Kidd from Brené Brown’s podcast “Unlocking Us”
As though I had wings,
I dream of future days,
of dangerous and noble things.
Do I dare disturb the universe?
Can I be afraid of nothing?
Am I improbable beautiful?
My soul speaks through longing…
I long to take my own breath away,
to be light and frolicsome, as though I had wings.
Betsy,
I really like how you took the quote and asked questions in your own poem in response to it. Sometimes when we read inspiring quotes it is easy to internalize and question the reality of their advice! Thank you for sharing.
Wow, Betsy, I like how you used the two quotes so nicely blended. The longing and “as though I had wings” really go well together and stand out to me today. I like the questions you ask and your soul longing to be that. I’m so glad you were inspired today. Well done.
I am printing this one and taping it to my computer where I can see this each day! Love both Oliver and Kidd – great, powerful beings. The strength of their thoughts woven so well together and intertwined with your own in a new way. What a successful response to the prompt. I love this line: “I long to take my own breath away” – I never would have put the self in the role of actor and object in that idiom. Niiiiice.
“My mother told me to be a lady. And for her, that meant be your own person, be independent.” – Ruth Bader Ginsburg
Dearest Honorable RBG,
Thank you for
Inspiring me
To speak my truth
And always be
A lady,
Even when I disagree.
And now your spirit may it soar.
Yours truly, yours sincerely
I FEEL your final line: yours truly, yours sincerely. Thank you, also, for sharing a RBG quote I did not know.
Katrina, what a beautiful inspiration. The passing of such a remarkable defender of all deserves gorgeous pieces like this to be inspired by her words. Thank you for taking the time to celebrate what she has taught you and us all – I feel as though a large portion of people have jumped ahead to the “What now?” stage instead of taking the time to really appreciate what she did for us all, even in the little things she taught us from her own words. Thank you for sharing your piece 🙂
Katrina,
I really love the last line. It has such a beautiful and peaceful ring to it. Thank you for sharing this poem about a great lady!
Wow, Katrina, I’m loving all the different ways to write this form of poem. Your sweet short lines are perfect. Then Morgan, right after yours has written a poem of longer lines. So many options. I’m learning a lot about this form today!
Your poem is a warm and precious tribute–diminutive like RBG, but immense like her, as well. I love the “inspiring me to speak my truth…even when I disagree.” Thanks for writing it and sharing today.
Stressing to determine what it is I should do
And yet I don’t have to for each battle is already won
“My child” God whispers, “I have a plan for you.”
My shoulders relax and my breathing starts to steady.
Everything that happens has purpose; this I know is true.
And yet, in each new situation I begin to worry
But I’m reminded of that which I already knew
That God loved me even before my life had begun
And with every obstacle and blessing I feel His love anew.
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” ( Jeremiah 29:11)
Morgan, I was immediately drawn to your poem from your first line: “Stressing to determine what it is I should do” because this is essentially the same theme I wrote about tonight: How to determine/manage/know what we should do. It may be life’s central question. I always appreciate how people ask (and answer) this question in their lives.
Morgan, what a gorgeous piece from your inspiration! You crafted a story beyond this well-loved verse. The sensory feelings you include, “My shoulders relax and my breathing starts to steady” had me relaxing and taking in a moment of peace right along with your words. Thank you for sharing your work 🙂
Awesome! I found peace in the relaxing shoulders and steady breathing, trusting HE’s got a plan. Thanks for sharing.
Morgan, what a lovely and hopeful poem you wove today. How many times I have to be reminded, like you in this line: “But I’m reminded of that which I already knew.” It’s a good thing God doesn’t give up reminding us through our circumstances, people around us, and God’s word. Thank you for this.
This was so fun, Denise! Thanks for a great prompt.
Just Breathe
Close your eyes! Calm down! Respire!
Stop worrying and letting your temper seethe
Remember that you were born to inspire
These times are unprecedented, yes indeed,
Waiting for madness and mayhem to expire
A conspiracy of dunces leading the charge
An intelligent woman would surely perspire
Inhale. Exhale. You got this—just breathe!
You are strong enough to handle all that will transpire
Mo, I love the encouragement in this poem to breathe…there is a lot going on, and I think sometimes it can be hard to catch your breath. And a deep inhale and exhale is sometimes all that is needed to regroup. Thank you for sharing this.
Your rhyming was superb! It supported your message beautifully. And we all need to breathe—again and again and again…
Mo, I swear I did NOT read your poem before writing mine tonight, but I’m moved by the similarities in our word/message choices. Either we are grabbing for the cliche “Breathe,” or we are, honestly, working to calm ourselves in this overwhelming, disorienting time. I think it’s the latter! Hugs to you, friend.
Mo,
One line in particular jumps off the virtual page:
It’s hard to breathe through this truth.
Mo, you did a great job! I love this. It keeps hope alive during these unprecedented times. I love the alliteration in “madness and mayhem.” Your choice for the A rhyme is perfect for the topic–with each time I read one, I let all my breath out, and then purposefully filled my lungs for the next line. Thank you for this mental cleansing.
She believed she could,
so she did.
She wondered if she should;
the critics can be relentless.
As she tried, some misunderstood,
“Who do you think you are?”
She then doubted she would;
not confident she had what it takes.
But she did, and it turned out better than good.
Donnetta, your lovely tribute put a smile on my face.
Mo, for all the Shes that believed they could!
Donetta, I am so glad you’ve joined this writing community! I always look forward to your take on the prompts. Your last line is a gem.
Donnetta,
Wow! I really enjoyed reading this. I have heard that quote so much throughout my life, but you brought a new energy and spunk to it. Great job. Thank you for sharing.
Thank you, Donnetta, for all the women. We all have our own fears and weaknesses? Should I? Could I? Would I dare? She persisted! “And it turned out better than good.” Awesome.
I have two. The first I wrote without having access to a quote and just used the common phrase “What will be, will be.”
What will be, will be.
Five words to soothe the storm.
I repeat the phrase as I breathe:
I cannot control the world or people,
I can only take charge of me.
Somedays are harder than others
to remember to be or to see
beyond the chaos and darkness lies the morn.
“Que Sera, Sera,” I sing with glee.
The second, I took the time to find a quote “A good laugh is sunshine in the house,” William Thackeray. But I’m not quite as happy with the poem I wrote, plus it took me more work to write — but I really did enjoy this form of poetry and wanted to share my efforts never the less:
Double, double chortle and chuckle
your laughter dances across the room
alighting and popping like a bubble.
The darkness is driven away
here there will be no more trouble,
here there will be no more tears.
The sun shines bright, yellow honeysuckle,
carving through our conjured gloom,
because of the doubled pleasure of your precious chuckle.
Erica, the first poem resonates with me so much because in these crazy times we almost have to accept what will be will be in order to not go crazy ourselves.
Erica, I too, wrote about breathing. It just felt good. I admire your ambition in writing two poems today. I really enjoyed this form and hope to intoduce it to my students. I love the yellow images in the last stanza of the second poem.
Erica,
In your first poem, I love these lines:
They are a good reminder for me today. Yes, in the chaos and darkness, morning is coming.
I’m glad you shared both your attempts. I like your laughter poem a lot. The first line is a lovely opposite twist on Shakespeare, that drew me in right away. Fun! Then the dancing laughter, the yellow honeysuckle sunshine driving away the darkness was so beautiful. Finally giving all that respect to the person in your poem–the one able to make all that magic with their precious chuckle. What a sweet poem you wrote.
Quote: President Barack Obama, Speech to the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce 2009
“It’s the founding promise of our nation: that we can make of our lives what we will; that all things are possible for all people; and that here in America, our best days lie ahead.”
In a perfect world, neighbors smile and wave,
leaders model respect and humility.
In a perfect world, one’s sins we forgave,
And learned how to forge bonds of peace.
In a perfect world, communities gave
their time and energy to build a stronger union.
In a perfect world, a road to democracy we will pave,
and reunite humanity.
In a perfect world, the educated will save!
Sean, thanks for the confidence you show in us who are educating so that more will be educated. Most of us still are learning and yearning for that perfect world!
Sean—I hope you are right!!
I’m always a sucker for good repetition — so I love that this poem incorporates both the rhyme and the repeated phrase “In a perfect world.” It’s so hopeful and in stark contrast with our reality (unfortunately).
Shaun, I have to agree with the other commenters…stark contrast to reality; you are showing confidence in the educated (we need more to get educated), and I surely hope you are right.
Oh, Shaun, that last line says so much. We have to keep fighting. I’ve long said our republic will be saved as our students learn to think and read critically. May it be so. That inspiring line from President Obama’s speech is a great one to remember. We’re not going back for the great, but forging ahead into a more perfect future. Thank you for this inspiration.
I was going to use this quote from Clarissa Pinkola Estes, “Questions are the keys that cause the secret doors of the psyche to swing open,” but I started going to a dark place, so I changed my quote to “Quiet the mind, and the soul will speak” by Ma Jaya Sati Bhagavati. (I have no idea who that is, but I liked the quote.) Even though I changed my quote, I was apparently still focused on asking questions.
Soulspeak
If I quiet my mind
what will my Soul say?
What treasures will I find
in her darkest caves?
What mysteries are enshrined
in the depths of my Soul?
My purpose defined
My magic on display
Love, beauty, and courage entwined.
My purpose defined. My magic on display. Love beauty and courage entwined… wow. If only…
Oh how we try most of the time to quiet the mind! Your poem reminds me that the soul does contain hidden treasures and magic. I don’t think have to ask questions all the time but just listen to the soul.
Beautify Soul, Sharon. I love the way you use these words in your poem…Love, beauty, and courage entwined…love it.
Sharon, Your turn of phrase, “If I quiet my mind/what will my soul say?’ is so striking and poignant. The treasures in the cave provide a beautiful image. Thank you!
I love the title of your poem, Sharon. As Susan’s poem did, it reminds me of usan, this reminds me of this week’s prompt for The Isolation Journals by Suleika Jaouad. I wonder if it would be okay if I link to to poem in my blog post about it.
I love all the questions asked in the quiet of your mind. This is important work right there. Purpose defined, to be sure.
Hi Denise, there’s a typo in your sentence (I wonder if it would be OK if…), so I don’t understand. In any case, I loved this prompt!
As Susan’s poem did, your poem reminds me of this week’s prompt for The Isolation Journals by Suleika Jaouad. I will write a blog post about getting quiet and listening. I wonder if it would be okay if I add a link from your poem to my blog post.
I hope that makes more sense. So many typos today. I think the hour might be a little better for me now, so I hope that makes sense. Thanks!
Hi Denise, sure, link away! Thank you for asking. I googled The Isolation Journals, and it looks really interesting.
Thanks, Sharon!
Sorry for all those typos…
“I wondered if that was how forgiveness budded; not with the fanfare of epiphany, but with pain gathering its things, packing up, and slipping away unannounced in the middle of the night.”
—Khaled Hosseini, The Kite Runner
I heard Pain sorting through her clothes.
Will she pack garb of mourning or of joy?
What will she leave me, when she goes,
after so much time together?
There is nothing left to say. We know
how it will end. Slip away, pain.
Leave me. In your place, let forgiveness grow.
G.J. Sands Sept. 21, 2020
Denise—this was a challenge, with many false starts. I was determined to stick to the plan! Thanks for this—I appreciated the brain exercise!
Ohhh how I love the opening!
You have crafted a beauty today, and I’m so grateful you stuck with it.
“Let the forgiveness grow…” ahhhhh
Gayle, this is beautiful! Being better, not bitter – letting forgiveness grow. I enjoyed the personification of pain! What a gripping book you drew your quote from, too!
Very beautiful and emotional. Pain does create a space for forgiveness, hopefully. I can really feel the sadness in this poem and the longing. “Nothing left to say…slip away.”
I love this opening/first line! It’s great use of personification and I love how it address that pain directly in the end. It reminded me a little of Dickinson…just without all the dashes.
Gayle, thank you for sticking with it. Your quote makes me want to read the book, and your poem has taken the quote and fleshed it out. You put us there as the speaker gains strength and grows.
giving life to pain . . . such a powerful way to articulate this story; the final line leaves space for hope
Oh, Gayle, I’m so glad you stuck with it through the false starts. The extended personification of pain packing up and leaving is so poignant and beautiful and powerful. My goodness. The feel and read of your poem is smooth. I love this line: “Slip away, pain.” I find significance in the fact that this pain is not capitalized as the first one is. I like that.
Denise, Thank you so much for today’s prompt and new poetry format. I always struggle with rhyme, but I did my best. I enjoyed your poem’s message about patience…..something I wish I had more of.
You With Me Always
You with me always
A fingerprint pendant
Etched with this phrase
Hope you know, I hold you close
Every single day
Cherishing the precious memories
That will never fade or drift away
It’s a guaranteed tenet
As I wait for my heavenly day
Barb Edler
22 September 2020
Barb-there is such sorrow in this poem. “Hope you know, I hold you close.” I am in tears.
Oh Barb. I wear a fingerprint pendant, too.
“Hope you know I hold you close/every single day”
Yes! We long for our loved one to know that. And I also feel they hold us. ??
Barb, those memories are sweet and strengthening. That pain of loss is deep, but the memories and the fingerprints never leave us. My heart feels your pain today, but my heart knows your promise of Heaven also – a day with no more sorrow! Blessings.
The word “etched” really stuck out to me. It seems the perfect way to describe holding someone’s memory. Your poem brought to mind those special people whose memories never leave me. Thank you for such a beautiful way to express these feelings.
The fingerprint is such a powerful tactile image. It evokes the eternity you long for with that special person.
Barb, you did a great job. “You with me always” in your heart and represented on the pendant. It is a beautiful poem of love and sorrow, of hope and longing. Thank you for your beauty today.
Denise,
Thank you so much for sharing this poem form with us this morning. I love things that allow for unlimited options. I like your twist . . . taking a quote and using it as your inspiration. I could see this having wide application in the classroom.
On the Inside Looking Out
A So many do-gooders doing so much good
B Wanting to turn all the wrongs into right
A Giving themselves around the neighborhood
C When their home seems to need them the most.
A Spreading themselves thinner than they should
D Helping others surely can’t be wrong And wanting so much to lift others
A While those at home probably would
B Want more of their love and insight.
A Home begins the path to sainthood.
Inspired by: “If you want to change the word, go home and love your family.” ~ Mother Teresa
Susan, I really enjoyed the quote that inspired this poem. I like how you craft your poem to end with the final message! Beautiful!
Susan, I love how you have added the bold element to this poetic form. It is really a heartbreaking poem, the last three lines put so much into perspective and remind us the value of home. Thank you for sharing.
My D line has an extra line that I intended to delete (I was teetering between two options). I thought I knew how to edit a post, but I can’t find it, so . . .
The title is poignant and respects the person in the home longing for more of their loved one from empathy or experience. It is a good message for all the do-gooders. Thank you, Susan, for this good reminder.
Yes! Our lives the daily news will interrupt!
,But we must not just answer with, “Can’t!”
When we see folks who are corrupt,
How can we show victims we care?
Our own lives we may have to interrupt.
We must reach out and search to find where
And Who can we we join or invite and induct
.Who will help us disrupt, overturn, and then plant
Seeds of tenderness that we we share and care and watch erupt?
Anna, I absolutely adore this poem and message. I would love to see “seeds of tenderness…erupt”! I thought your question: “How can we show victims we care?” is so on-spot…and so timely! Wonderful!
Hello Anna, thank you for sharing this today. Your last two lines and the imagery of “planting seeds of tenderness” for change is rich and wraps up your Magic 9 perfectly.
I forgot to include my quotation? I was inspired by Ruth Bader Ginsburg advice, “”Fight for the things that you care about, but do it in a way that will lead others to join you.”
Perfect! You really captured it. You are inspiring me this morning, Anna.
Yes, Anna! Like Barb I want to see those seeds erupt! What a powerful message. It brings me hope. We must not say can’t, even though we are tempted to.
Much better to:
Let’s do it!
“Get Your Foot Off Our Necks”
“But I ask no favors for my sex. I surrender not our claim to equality. All I ask of our brethren is, that they will take their feet from off our necks, and permit us to stand upright …”
—Sarah Grimké,
Our hearts must not waver,
Nor Our sisters’ work go unsung.
We embrace feminist labor
While vile men shackle our bodies.
Hypocritical utterances they savor
As feasting on the fattened calf.
Their forked tongues will quaver
When we climb each splintered, crooked rung,
Embracing our destiny, our own savior.
—Glenda
My inspiration quote is one often referenced by the Notorious RBG. I see the GOP as the lost Israelites who built an idol when Moses went up to Mt. Sinai. I also found inspiration from the poem “Mother to Son.”
Glenda,
The rhyme here really cultivates the mood of a conjuring or some fairy tale chant. The imagery of prison with ‘shack” and gluttony with “As feasting on the fattened calf” enrage me, stir me to climb those splintered rungs and lick my wounds like chocolate (not sure where that came from). So good!
Sarah
Fabulous “a” line rhymes: waver, labor, savor, quaver, savior – these alone convey that this poem is heartfelt and strong. This is really a protest poem, a call to revolution – I am stung, too, by these vile men and their hypocritical utterances. SICK OF THEM!
What Sarah said! Strength, a call to action. I am in such a place of worry and concern—I wish that I could absorb more of your fighting spirit…
Glenda, wow, the images in this poem are so visceral! I especially enjoyed “forked tongues will quaver/ When we climb each splintered, crooked rung” The religious allusions work so effectively especially when we feel like we are battling the devil. The feminist power expressed at the end is brilliant! Another outstanding poem! Kudos!
I am so angry these days (except when I’m sad and crying!), but reading these words helps me know I am not alone. This expresses my anger in a much better way than the words I use on a daily basis:
While vile men shackle our bodies.
Hypocritical utterances they savor
As feasting on the fattened calf.
Glenda, you’ve so eloquently tangled the biblical language into the feminist demands. I appreciate you honoring RBG in your poem too! <3
Yes, all days call for prophetic poetry, so I’m glad you didn’t get the “keep it lighter” memo, Glenda! Thank you for this. Great inspirations today. Yes, the juxtaposition of the shackled bodies and the feasting on the fattened calf are sickening and tell too much of our sorry history. No matter how splintered and crooked the rungs, let’s keep climbing, right behind our black sisters.
My “magic” inspiration came from a line in a meditation I read this morning, “We can’t know what it means to be lifted up until we know what it means to sink.”
Falling, drowning, sinking low
Pervasive sense of overwhelm
No way out, nowhere to go
Soaked and inundated
Justice swept by undertow
We must not give up
Integrity and truth must flow
Let’s be together at the helm
It’s time to shout, it’s time to row.
Wow, Maureen, the flowwwww! Brilliant choices in rhymes and visuals! I felt like I was moving with each line! Loved the end!
“It’s time to shout, it’s time to row.” Bravo!!!!
Maureen,
The water imagery “soaked” and “swept” make me feel at once weighed down and refreshed ready to take the helm!
Sarah
Maureen, the word choice throughout your poem is incredible. So much energy and all the water imagery flows so well to your final phrase: “it’s time to row” I couldn’t agree more!
I love it, Maureen! This offers so much inspiration, something I desperately need right now.
Maureen, your poem reminds me of my favorite song from HAMILTON, “In the Room Where it Happens”!
Let’s be together at the helm
It’s time to shout, it’s time to row.
What a great use of the rhyme scheme of the poem and I appreciate how it doesn’t end badly, but with a call to action. I especially appreciate your use of the phrase “soaked and inundated” because I really think it contributes to the imagery of being in a storm-tossed sea and having to row for survival — to not sink or drown.
I love the transition line in the middle. Justice is in danger, and so the switch. Integrity and truth, staying together. Yes, let’s do this.
My inspiration came from the quote “A journey begins with a single step” and Mary Oliver’s poem “The Journey.”
The Journey
You know what to do.
Begin with a single step.
The only thing you could do
through sheets of clouds,
A road to get through
full of sticks and stones.
Slowly begin with something new,
yet recognize your own way.
All along, the way you knew.
Oh, I love the imagery of walking “through sheets of clouds” – beautiful! It is powerful that the conclusion is “All along, the way you knew.” Follow your instincts and keep on!
Margaret,
I love a poem that talks directly to me. At first, I look over my shoulder to see if it is for me, but then I find myself — here– ready to take that step with the confidence of knowing all along.
Sarah
All the way, you knew. Perfection. Thank you!
Beautiful, Margaret! I especially love the last three lines. Begin slowly and follow your true path. Lovely!
Margaret, there is no inspiration quite like Mary! She brought such wisdom and insight. I like the ending – all along, the way you knew – we are equipped for our tasks!
Margaret, I appreciate your advice to begin slow, but also to value what we already know!
Slowly begin with something new,
yet recognize your own way.
All along, the way you knew.
Margaret, what inspiration and hope you give your reader. From beginning to end, we know what to do. That is a beautiful and rich image to step through the sheets of clouds–the only thing we could do. Wow. Thank you for this message today.
Chasing perfection is like
chasing your runaway dog on skates.
You might as well take a hike!
Clear your mind among towering trees,
trace the path of the hovering kite,
inhale the piney whiffs deep into your lungs.
In order to progress, you must strike
the notion that what you create
will be flawless, and just write.
Magical words: “Perfectionism is the voice of the oppressor, the enemy of the people. It will keep you cramped and insane your whole life, and it is the main obstacle between you and a shitty first draft.” (Anne Lamott)
Laura — Oh, how fun is this. We were on a similar trajectory this morning! And I LOVE Anne Lomott…her “shitty first draft” chapter is one of my all-time favorites! I’ve used it for years with students and when working with ELA teachers. The opening two words are my faves: “Chasing perfection.” So real a thing! And love the “dog on skates”…made me giggle. This poem is excellent advice top to bottom! Thanks, Susie
Fantastic! Perfect antidote to writer’s block. Funny image “chasing your runaway dog on skates” …and I love that this “B” line rhymes with the word “create” in the eighth line.
My daughter got me that book. Shitty first draft is where it is!! Just write. Isn’t that what this forum offers us? And aren’t we lucky to have this release? love the simile of the dog and you on skates!
“Chasing a runaway dog on skates” Oh, the visual I got with this started me out with a giggle. And your words ring true. How futile it is to work for perfection. The answer is to just clear your mind and just write (or draw.) Thanks for this quote. I am now off to my studio to draw or I will be insane my whole life.
I love the opening two lines! Made me smile – wonderful simile. Love the Anne Lamott quote you chose. And this is great advice: “In order to progress, you must strike/the notion that what you create/will be flawless, and just write.”
This is something I need to always remember!
Laura, you capture the elusive nature of perfection and make sense of the need to avoid its hold on us. It makes sense, judging from the quote you chose. Gotta love Anne Lammott
an amusing image followed by natural imagery a nice juxtaposition – just do it!
Ah, Laura, what a great poem for this community, where we are encouraged to post our shitty first drafts. Thank you for the reminder and your sweet way to say it in your magical poem. I love this Laura wisdom right here: “In order to progress, you must strike the notion that what you create will be flawless, and just write.”
[QUOTE: One of my most valued mentors used to say this when we talked about teaching writing, and it has guided me both in my writing classroom and in my life for about thirty years now. “If you focus on the weaknesses, the strengths will go away.” Dr. Linda Henke, Director, Santa Fe Center for Transformational School Leadership and former Superintendent of Maplewood-Richmond-Heights School District and my former Assistant Superintendent in The School District of Clayton in St. Louis, MO]
The Final Word
Sure, my verb tenses keep switching, all a mess,
and my commas don’t suit Oxford every time,
the metaphor, meh, may not impress;
my spelling, well, “ei” … “ie,” which shall it be,
I scrawl it down, give my best guess;
I’ve botched the wordcount once again,
my slipp’ry slope, that wordiness;
to hear you squawk, my rhyme’s a crime,
but it’s my obit, after all, I’m stressed a bit, I must confess.
by Susie Morice©
Susie, I loved reading this poem, your tone with the rhyme scheme reminds me of Shel Silverstein. I see myself in all of these mistakes and then circle back to your words of wisdom which I try to practice with students but also myself!
Oh Susie! I love this. I needed this reminder as we begin blogging with my students. I want to remember to see beyond the mistakes. The humor of it caught me by surprise. Of course, I should have read the title. Ha!
Love all the “a” rhymes so much: mess, impress, guess, wordiness, confess! LOL that last line…so fun.
A delight! The art of this! Comma mid-line; semicolons repeated; ellipses, quotes, apostrophes — oh, my. Every stroke is the stress that you are confessing. I am living in that missing “e” in “slipp’ry.”
Sarah
Susie, this is great fun! Like Margaret, I, too, was surprised by “obit” at the end (and that made me literally LOL). And this, of course, made me appreciate your first line even more: death is, indeed, a switch in verb tense! I also loved your guiding quote. Thank you for writing this, for sharing it, and for your kind words you’ve written about my poems, too!
Susie, I can really hear you in this poem! What fun….I loved “the metaphor, meh, may not impress;”….I’m still smiling! Loved it!
Susie,
I went in to a chorus class today to help middle school students write collaborative song lyrics, and they were amazed and dazzled when I told them that I think the best writers are poets because we can throw out the rule book and just write from the heart. I shared my poem and the use of y’all – and we talked about how that word keeps the Georgia in my poem. They were eager to write once they knew they could take creative license. Your poem speaks volumes about the joy of writing without the sweat.
I’m loving it. And I’m sorry about Watty Boy. My heart breaks for you.
You were blessed to love him, and so was he to love you.
Kim – Thank you so much for the kind words about Watty. I know he was old, working on 15, but I miss him sooooo much. The silence in his absence is such a canyon of empty echoes. Whoof. This is going to take awhile…he was my day and night.
I love that you were helping kids write lyrics!! That’s such fun! Way to go!! Sooze
What a wonderful quote from Dr. Henke. I’m going to remember that quote.
Your poem is funny throughout, and then the last line puts it in hilarious classic territory! This is so funny and so Susie. Thanks for the smiles today.
I love this new form, Denise. Thanks for introducing it to me. It is a “magical” break from the news writing from yesterday.
Behind Eyelids
Behind eyelids, looking for a muse
to guide me to see what is there
but hidden behind a false ruse.
Hidden because I am distracted
seeing what my open eye can choose
to hide the truths inside.
Shut them tight! No excuse!
Clearly see the shape of things
So often my brain will refuse.
”I shut my eyes in order to see”
Paul Gauguin
I love how you created 3-line stanzas for this! Lovely. GREAT quote!!! That second stanza is very deep:
To me, this says we often create our own truths, tell ourselves what we are seeing, without actually seeing. Loved this.
I love this quote and poem. We need to learn to shut our eyes more!
Susan,
Thank you for sharing. I agree with Maureen, that middle stanza holds a lot of meaning and interpretation. Great quote that guided you too!
Susan, this reminds me of this week’s prompt for The Isolation Journals by Suleika Jaouad. I wonder if it would be okay if I link to to poem in my blog post about it. The prompt is to sit quietly and see what you see. Of course, it’s been since Sunday, and I haven’t “shut my eyes in order to see.” I need to, and your poem is inspiring me today. I am so prone “to hid the truths inside.” Thank you for your challenge today.
Surely, Denise, you can link it. I am honored.
Susan
Thank you!
“Women belong in all places where decisions are being made. It shouldn’t be that women are the exception.” -RBG
Voices Unsilenced
By Nancy White
I was told to be quiet—I never had a say
A slap across my face if I got too “bold”
I learned to hold my tongue, never got my way
“You’ll grow up and get married—you don’t need to know!”
But, I had so many questions unanswered every day.
And the questions grew, they multiplied until I knew
I had to find those needles in the stacks of hay.
I searched and studied and finally found my voice
And all my female students learned they mattered every day.
Nancy, what a great quote you chose today. I might have to try another Magic-9 poem with an RBG quote. It was a masterful move to put that but, in the middle–“But, I had so many questions unanswered every day.” And there things changed and you have influenced the next generation in another way.
Oh, Nancy, this is beautiful. The lessons we cobble together from the harsh moments of our youth can be crummy or they can take you to the summit…you have, indeed, found “those needles in the stacks of hay” and “found my voice” … and here’s the payload: your students are reaping the lessons with your loving, knowing, gentle lead. Wonderful! Great title! Nine powerful lines! I hated that hushing of your young voice…just hated the whole idea of “you don’t need to know”… so so many of us got that message. I’m so grateful you had the “questions” that got you to the other side of that archaic thinking and early experience. Thank you! Susie
There is such strength in this poem, Nancy. Not only do you find your own strength, but you are strong enough and wise enough to share it with others.
Nancy, your poem, too, reverberates the HAMILTON song “In the Room Where It Happens”! Thanks for the reminder in such a poetic way. Glad you’ve found your voice and are sharing it with us!
What is truly amazing is that we survived and we thrive. That is all the proof we need of RBG’s profound words.
Denise,
Thank you for another fun prompt! I like the idea of a magic word quote so I pulled a little nugget from one of my favorite summer reads Love From The Vortex, by Yolanda Sealey-Ruiz. Your poem reminded me of the plans I’ve had to really try to grow during this “sweet time” of patience and waiting. I don’t know if I’m there yet, but I definitely have seen improved patience. Besides, I would look and sound really silly on Zoom losing my patience with 10 year olds. LOL.
I used this quote to inspire my poem today.
“I was set free
Because I let go.” -Yolanda Sealey-Ruiz
Set Free
© Stacey L. Joy
Grey skies and cold
Dawning of the day
Chirps and chatter on hold
Finding focus far beyond
Poles and wires too bold
Catching sun’s faint winks
On visions new and old
Taking suffering away
Good riddance, stronghold
Oh, Stacey, I like the use of stronghold in that last line. I really like how this poem sets the reader free. The whole ending is beautiful…
I can hear it and hear you letting go in your magical poem today.
Stacey — I admire that you tackle the difficult task of seeking to get past the grim of where we are….to envision “taking suffering away”… and the strength of “good riddance” right now. I want to be on this journey with you. Your poem helps me do that…little bits each day to help me “find focus.” I’m struggling with that right now. I want your strength to help me feel “set free.” Thank you, Susie
Susie, you brought me to tears. I’m with you. We are stronger together.
Stacey, your poem really uplifts me. I love “chirps and chatter on hold,” but my favorite line is “Catching sun’s faint winks.” It makes me feel hopeful, but yet I have to work for it. Which is a good thing! Thank you for this.
Denise, let me apologize now. I failed at this “challenge” completely. I have a habit, a problem really, of over writing. Believe it or not, I had every intention of following the guidelines of the prompt. I had even picked out my quote and everything. So, this “thing” turned into a prose poem of sorts (and full disclosure, I don’t really “know” how to write one of those either). I thought I’d just write out my thoughts (tweaking along the way, of course) and then “cut it up” when I needed to, finding the end rhyme in the mix, but I just couldn’t. Unless I turned the page layout to horizontal and changed the dimensions of the page, the line count requirement wasn’t going to happen. Lol. The quote and “influences” for the poem are listed after the piece.
You can lead a high school senior to poetry but you can’t make him drink. I want to sidestep (or sidepass, as the case may be) the problematic imagery of student as horse, but I can’t, because it’s at the root of the issue — there I go switching again — so it goes (shout out to Vonnegut Jr.), so yesterday, really, yesterday, as in the day before today, this aforementioned horse student (centaur?) says he didn’t like the poem we read, didn’t think “words of encouragement” were enough in the world, if you wanted to help someone you should give them a hand or, even better, give them money, not write some dumb poem. Wait, so, does this poor creature really think that Nikki Giovanni is talking about spiders? Or e.e. cummings and a mouse? Or Maxine Kumin and woodchucks? Or, perish the thought, but that Elizabeth Bishop just really liked to fish? Stafford’s poem is NOT about a (pregnant) dead doe on the side of the road. I mean, yes, of course it is, of course they are, but they are all about so much more. So much more. We’re talking about “imaginary gardens” with “real toads” in them here! And hat tip to WCW because we overlook that to our peril, and, I think, it was this, that my student didn’t understand, he is just scratching the surface, pawing his hoof on the ground to mimic the arithmetic of logic, but not digging deeper, not plumbing his inner depths, which is, ultimately, perhaps, what great poetry can do for us (to hold a “mirror up to nature” and show us the inmost part of ourselves), and I realize that amidst all the craziness and horror of this current moment — this is my job, this is what I signed on for, so I roll up my sleeves, mop my brow — what? thinking about the work is sometimes more exhausting than the work itself — grab for Seamus Heaney’s spade and start to dig.
“Books are quiet and interior experiences in a very loud world.” — John Green
Slaughter-House Five by Kurt Vonnegut Jr.
“Allowables” by Nikki Giovanni
“Me Up at Does” by e.e. cummings
“Woodchucks” by Maxine Kumin
“The Fish” by Elizabeth Bishop
“Traveling through the Dark” by William Stafford
“Poetry” by Marianne Moore
“Asphodel, That Greeny Flower” by William Carlos Williams
Hamlet by Shakespeare
“Digging” by Seamus Heaney
And the poem he didn’t “like”? “The Miracle of Morning” by Amanda Gorman
Way to not follow instructions!! Love this rant! Good start to my morning!
Man, I agree with Gayle, way to not write a Magic 9 poem. Instead you’ve written a magical treatise on poetry. I bet you didn’t think that would happen when you started! I am having so much fun figuring out all (read some because I’m sure I’m missing some) of your allusions. You’ve given me some poems to look up and dig into, and we have to keep digging to get inside ourselves, don’t we? You will help your student learn that, I’m quite sure. Thanks for this today.
Scott — Oh my gosh, this is brilliant… you are no ordinary writer, my friend. Your frustration carries a teacher’s voice through and through…the exasperation of ANY student rejecting Amanda Gorman’s glorious poem is enough to send a teacher into orbit. But your voice carries also the onus of being the teacher, the guide, the motivator, the psychiatrist, the magician of opening the eyes and heart of the student who confounds you to the core. Each of us has had that student, and each of us lowered our head in moments of defeat, but that you took a breath to pen this exquisite prose poem (or whatever label we want to slap on it) is a testament to your capacity to eventually find the pathway to that student’s, that frustrating student’s empathy and compassion. Yes, roll up your sleeves and mop your brow, because that student needs you and your wisdom. And we can never afford to let go of the ideal we know unfolds in the pages of beautiful literature and its metaphors that open us to shape the future. I’m so glad you wrote this morning. What a gift! Thank you, Susie
PS. Once again, I think this bears publication in English Journal! Seriously!
I agree with Susie! Wow, she gave you a wonderful response to your epic response and it should be published!
Denise! I love this because sometimes I need not only an idea but a form to stretch into. In your poem, I love the line “powerful warriors of patience” as I think all of us here fall into that category. I have never thought of myself as powerful, but I am warrior of patience in training.
“Fill your paper with the breathings of your life” (Wordsworth).
While you wait for the words to come
your lungs have warmed air,
filtered intrusions, expelled in hums
excesses, exchanged in effervescence–
dozens of sentences that left you numb.
Fill your paper with these breathings–
pull from the clouds balloons to become
words floating life for the page to wear
a breath’s song, matching your heart’s drum.
Sarah, I adore your poem and the POWER of all that is you! Your power comes through in every poem. Claim your power my friend!
This poem has a soft flow but a wave of strength takes over me as I read it. My heart grabbed the ending lines and doesn’t want to let go!
I crave to have your poetic power and patience. I’m a warrior who needs more training! ?
Sarah, I love this poem, from the soft and quiet subtleness of its rhyme to the exhaling of your “message” with the “expelled,” “excesses,” and “exchanged.” That’s what we’re trying to do, isn’t it? “Fill [our] paper[s] with these breathings.” Thank you for this! (And what a cool quote, too.)
Sarah, I’m glad you liked the double prompt–form and a magical quote. You did bring some magic words, and then made them more magical with your poem. You gave more life to Wordsworth. (Is that sacrilege?) What a beautiful metaphor for writing. Some of my favorite lines are those things inside that are waiting for words–
Beautiful!
Sarah, I love the juxtaposition between the first and second half of the poem. The first feels heavy with those delicious words (“filtered intrusions expelled in hum/excess, exchanged in effervescence”); the second is light and airy. I love the way you selected words to create and manipulate the weight the reader experiences.
Lovely, a patient beginning – wait for words to come, transferred to the page a breath’ song – so many places of breath – excesses, exchanged in effervescence
Yesterday’s prompt was so challenging, Denise. I appreciated how much others also shared about their apprehension to not even want to look at the news of the day. At the same time, it was cathartic reading those poems. I would almost much rather read news as poetry. Not that it makes it easier – but it feels more human. Your poem on patience is a good message for me. Today is a nice follow-up prompt, and I’m going totally light-hearted with this one. My quote: “Dogs might just be a small part of our lives, but to them, we are their whole lives.”
Dogs In Poetry and In Life
Dogs give way
to easy sentiment
whether they bark or bay
only a small part
of our lives each day
but on us they wholly depend
their loyalties do not sway
lives entwined in domestic firmament
don’t throw their love away
Denise,
I love this celebration and comparison of dogs — we can learn so much from them, right? I want to have “loyalties that do not sway.”
Sarah
Denise, thank you for writing and sharing this! I’m a big fan of the fur babies. That sounded weird, sorry. Lol. I really enjoy the turn this takes at the end. The dogs “don’t throw their love away,” but I also read it as a gentle reminder to the readers, hey, these animals love unconditionally and whole heartedly, so “don’t throw their love away.” Reminds me of the quote, “I aspire to be the person my dog thinks I am.”
I love that quote too, Scott! Thanks
Denise,
I agree we needed a breather today after yesterday’s poems. I’m so glad you had fun with the love of dogs today. “Domestic firmament” is an amazing phrase. Yes, like Scott mentioned, that last line has a double meaning. A fact that they don’t throw their love away, as well as an admonition to the human partners. Such a touching poem. Thanks!
Denise – I particularly appreciate this homage to the dog buddies in our lives. I lost my ol’ Watty Boy a week ago, and I’ve been struggling each day to deal with that absence. I know he did “wholly depend” on me, but I’m also keenly aware of how “wholly” and holy I depended on him. Alas. Dogs really are a delicious slice of poetry. Thank you, Susie
Susie, I’m so sorry.
Awww, sorry Susie. It is the most noble offering we can make to our furkids, to provide peaceful closure. It is also our greatest responsibility, one no loving being takes lightly. I feel the weight of that sadness. My heart goes out to you. Remember a life well lived.
Denise,
What perfect love is dog love! Their loyalties do not sway – what a heart softener! I just picked up my boys from the groomer today – leaving them is like trying to leave two howling twins at daycare.
Denise, this new form you introduce today is most exciting and fun! I have loved every thought of the wordplay spinning in my head. Thank you, friend, for your creative energy. I love your reminder of our waiting patiently below – I keep awaiting His return at any moment, but meanwhile …..here we are in 2020. But at least today is the first day of fall, and there’s magic in that for sure!
Magical Season
we welcome this first day of fall
its winds of change and brilliant leaves
its festive warmth our souls enthrall
pumpkin spice taste buds entice
perspectives change as we recall
lifelong memories of the season
sweater weather comes to call
fireside, a new heartsong weaves
let’s gather and sip cider, y’all!
Laughing out loud at the closing line! All the loves of fall are captured here – and indeed “lifelong memories of the season.” What is it about fall that seems to bring forth more of these memories? I guess exactly what you’ve captured – the sights the smells and tastes. While there’s no sound in this piece, there are sound words – “comes to call” and “heartsong.” Subtle. And now I want some cider!
Kim,
I also found this magic-9 to be a welcome frame for writing — and keeping it to 9 was an invitation for economy and rhythm. I went to the body for rhythm, and you went to the season. I love being in your season with spice and souls and warmth and song. I am learning to use “ya’ll” but still feel like I am appropriating. Love it.
Sarah
Kim, this is so much fun!!! I needed this today, you gave me a breath of fresh fall air! Such vivid images and enticing to my senses.
I’ve never been a pumpkin spice fan, but I already hear the excitement from others. Tis the season!
I can savor this:
its winds of change and brilliant leaves
its festive warmth our souls enthrall
I’m ready! Thank you for this lovely poem.
Happy Autumn, Kim! What a great topic for your poem today. I love the rhymes, especially the last line. Yes, I would love to gather and sip cider with y’all. Some of my favorite phrases are “new heartsong weaves,” “pumpkin spice taste buds entice,” “winds of change and brilliant leaves.” So many, really. I do love autumn. Your poem is a nice shoutout to this magical season!
As a fellow Southerner and Georgian, I do appreciate the use of “ya’ll”….specifically as it rounds out your poem and rhyme scheme!
You succinctly capture those first cool days of fall…those desires to wrap oneself in a sweater and sip on pumpkin- and cider-spiced drinks (I indulged in my first Pumpkin Spice Latte this past weekend). Thank you for sharing your poem and celebrating the season with us!
Denise, thank you for introducing us to this style this morning. I appreciate the possibility in your line “Powerful warriors of patience”–oh how hard that is.
It’s early and I responded to the first thing that popped into my mind to make sure I could find time to write today.
Let us dissent
Action, a swarm of adoration
Pouring of pain, hate, love–a torrent
We object, we refuse, we defy
Ignore the demeaning endorsement
We defy, we object, we refuse
Do not lay in state or relent
Build on humanity’s revolution
Let us dissent
Stefani, wonderful! A lovely shoutout to RBG and our future picking up the torch. Nice repetition of Line 4, reworked for Line 6.
This ending is giving me hope this morning:
Stefani,
I set my alarm clock for 5:30 to be sure I made time to write this morning as I gave every second away yesterday and did not leave anything in reserve for myself. I also found that line from Denise — warriors of patience — to resonate.
And now your poem is also a call to be a powerful warrior — I so appreciate the clever wording in “we object” to honor RBG in the courtrooms where she fought for human rights. And I hear your call for a collective “we” to continue her work. Thank you!
Peace,
Sarah
Stefani, thank you for sharing your poem with us today (Tuesday)…I read throughout the day but never returned for comments.
I am struck by your end rhyme, the repeated “-ent.” Those words/thoughts feel so definitive and the consonance adds a punch. I also like the repetition and reordering of “We object, we refuse , we defy” …the stressed/unstressed syllables and anaphora create a mantra or a march.
I dissent with you.
Denise—before I get distracted by writing—thank you for these prompts and your mentor poems. What a wonderful break from the news!!
Oh, Gayle, that is so true! I thought myself this morning that we were due for a little magic today! So much of our news is dismal, inflaming, numbing, calamitous…(Do I need to go on?) So today, some lighter magic words in our poems. Thank you!