Welcome to Day 1 of the October Open Write. If you have written with us before, welcome back. If you are joining us for the first time, you are in the kind, capable hands of today’s host, so just read the prompt below and then, when you are ready, write in the comment section below. We do ask that if you write, in the spirit of reciprocity, you respond to three or more writers. To learn more about the Open Write, click here.
Anna J. Small Roseboro, a longtime member of our Open Write Group, is a National Board-Certified Teacher with over four decades of experience teaching in public and private schools, mentoring early career educators, and facilitating leadership institutes. She was awarded Distinguished Service Awards by the California Association of Teachers of English (2009), the National Council of Teachers of English (2016), and the Michigan Council of Teachers of English (2021). It is clear from recently printed books that Anna has used her time in sequestration to write and publish. Her poems appeared in RHYME and RHYTHM: Poems for Student Athletes, an anthology featuring our Open Write poets, and in manuscripts she has self-published, including RAINBOW REMINDERS: What the Colors Tell Us (2022) (with Nancy White, one of Open Write poets who also is an artist); CINDY AND SANDY Learn About Elephants (2022) and her recent novel, TWO, ONE…NOW THREE: How Can That Be? (2022)
Inspiration
According to the website MIND TOOLS, “Affirmations are positive statements that can help you to challenge and overcome self-sabotaging and negative thoughts. When you repeat them often and believe in them, you can start to make positive changes.”
Today, consider locating motivational statements linked with the numbers of your birthdays and write poems inspired by one or more of them. Start with your birthday numbers, but feel free to choose any three numbered motivational statements that speak to you. I did not go this route.
Check out 100 Motivational Quotes that Will Inspire You to Succeed. Select three quotations. Use one or more to inspire your writing today. Free free to model one of the more concise styles our friends have taught us, like the
Process
PANTOUM POEM – In which you summarize in four lines thoughts evoked by the quotations you read. Then using those four lines as a guide, write twelve more lines following this pattern. Rhyming is encouraged but not required. A pantoum works by repeating lines in a particular order. Have fun.
- Stanza One: 1, 2, 3, 4
- Stanza Two: Lines 2, 5, 4, 6.
- Stanza Three: Lines 5, 7, 6, 8.
- The final stanza repeats lines in this order:7, 3,8 and 1.
Or any of the SHORT POEM forms at this link.
Anna’s Poem
In All in the Mind
Attitude determines altitude or the height of our flight.
“The only person you are destined to become is the person you decide to be.”
“Whether you think you can or you think you can’t, you’re right.”
So, it’s up to me. Maybe I should just try.
“The only person you are destined to become is the person you decide to be.”
What must I do and who must I ask?
So, it’s up to me. Maybe I should just try.
Maybe I’ll need help with each and every task.
What must I do and who must I ask?
Admitting I need help is the way to start.
Maybe I’ll need help with each and every task.
So, I’ll join a group and be a part.
What must I do and who must I ask?
So, I’ll join a group and be a part.
“Whether you think you can or you think you can’t, you’re right.”
Attitude determines the altitude or the height of our flight.
Your Turn
Now, scroll to the comment section below to write your own poem. (This is a public space, so you may choose to 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.
Indigo sky pulls me
Toward the four-gabled farmhouse
1880’s peeling white
home of my husband’s mother, 93.
With a sigh
I exhale the Donkey,
pink Venus and her fist,
the rainbow flag.
I set down my
deconstructed faith, non-faith
soft breath
of Chardonnay.
I am now thin enough
to slip through the
tight crack:
leaving
my life to visit hers.
WHOOPS! POSTED ON the wrong day!
“The secret of getting ahead is getting started.” (Twain)
Easy for you to say, Sam!
As Procrastinator General, I’ll forgo the starting, thank you very much!
In fact, I’m going to contemplate, not start, a few more projects out of spite!
Easy for you to say, Sam!
Maybe getting ahead isn’t all there is to life. Did you ever think of that?
In fact, I’m going to contemplate, not start, a few more projects out of spite!
Sure, I will need more caffeine. Sure, I’ll skip a meal here and there.
Maybe getting ahead isn’t all there is to life. Did you ever think of that?
Sometimes you just need to curl up with Netflix and binge-watch some Columbian science fiction.
Sure, I will need more caffeine. Sure, I’ll skip a meal here and there.
The secret of getting ahead is getting lost in your head!
Sometimes you just need to curl up with Netflix and binge-watch some Columbian science fiction.
As Procrastinator General, I’ll forgo the starting, thank you very much!
Sure, I will need more caffeine. Sure, I’ll skip a meal here and there.
“The secret of getting ahead is getting started.” (Twain)
Shaun, this is so great. The repetition of the pantoum is effective given your arguments with Samuel Clemens. It goes with the whole theme, Procrastinator General. Well done.
LOL @ “Procrastinator General”! “Sometimes you just need to curl up with Netflix and binge-watch some Columbian science fiction.” has to be one of my favorite lines ever!
Shaun,
I ACCIDENTALLY returned to this page and found your poem! So glad I did. Loved this line especially: I’m going to contemplate, not start, a few more projects out of spite!
Thank you, Anna. I like pantoums. Thank you for your inspiring one. What a great phrase: “Attitude determines altitude.” You gave us a fun and motivating prompt. My inspiration comes from Glenda, who wrote a comment on my blog recently, “We must never lose the audacity to hope,” which led me to chose the title of Obama’s book as my inspiration. The Audacity of Hope
The audacity of hope
Helps us cope
When all seems night
Hope holds us
Helps us cope
A smile, a shelter
Hope holds us
Safe in everlasting arms
A smile, a shelter
Unshakable and sure
Safe in everlasting arms
Wait and hope
Unshakable and sure
See the stars
Wait and hope
Sing boundless beauty
See the stars
When all seems night
Sing boundless beauty
The audacity of hope
Denise, wow! I love this! You make the pantoum seem so easy, however I know it is not easy. I love how every stanza is just a little different that the last one, but all are full of hope. Your poem makes me think of the braveness of the people in the Holocaust in WWII, and how they had the audacity to hope while living in ghettos, then being beaten, tortured, and killed in concentration camps; yet hope held them.
“The audacity of hope
Helps us cope
When all seems night
Hope holds us”
If you have never read the award-winning MG verse novel, Yellow Star by Jennifer Roy, then I highly recommend it to you. It is full of hope. It is a true story, about Jen’s aunt Syvia, who was one of the last twelve surviving children in the Lodz Ghetto. You will need a box of tissues with you. Jen is a former teacher and also a good friend of mine.
Yellow Star – Kindle edition by Roy, Jennifer. Children Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.
My favorite line is “A smile, a shelter” because it makes me see how a smile can be its own kind of shelter for the person making it – humor helps in many situations – as well as for those who see the person smiling. A smile is such a welcoming gesture. Thank you for such a “hopeful” message here, Denise!
The repetition is effective with these short lines. I feel the hope you speak of swell in me as I read it. “Sing boundless beauty.” Yes!
COMMENDATIONS to all who joined the conversation today as poets and/or commentators. I intentionally chose this topic for a Saturday when most of us would have time to reflect, research, and write. I admire your efforts, honesty, and persistence. We have generated a trove of thoughtful poems to consider as we begin the coming week. These could be seeds for an OPEN WRITE anthology! Hmmm.
“The only person you are destined to become is the person you decide to be.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
I am what iamb.
Four years ago
I decided to be a poet.
You are what you do.
Four years ago
A bud began to blossom.
You are what you do:
I poetry-ed.
A bud began to blossom.
Words and worlds unfurled:
I poetry-ed.
I bloomed.
Words and worlds unfurled when
I decided to be a poet
I bloomed:
Iamb what I am.
This is wonderful, Allison! Popeye and Shakespeare would both be honored, I’m sure!
Allison, wow. So gorgeous. “I poetry-ed / I bloomed” Yes, indeed. I can’t believe you’ve only been poetrying for four years! What? You are so good.
“Words and worlds unfurled” is a stellar line.
Wow, Allison! I love your poem. You make the pantoum poem seem so easy to write. I especially love your references relating to flowers “A bud began to blossom. Words and worlds unfurled: I bloomed” and I love your made-up word in this line “I poetry-ed.” Beautiful.
I love that the bud of poet began to bloom in you. You are who you are. Each line furls around the poet in you.
Allison, love the way your poem blossoms as it unfolds to the last perfect line “Iamb what I am”. Your poetry continues to amaze me. Congratulations on receiving the ICTE distinguished service award. I was so glad I was able to see you honored:)
Allison, you definitely are a poet! I love the line “Words and worlds unfurled when / I decided to be a poet.” So good!
Allison, you are a star poet in my book! I love what you wrote and how beautiful the image is of you blooming and blossoming as a poet.
❣️
Thank you Anna for the motivation today. I tried to get out of this, but as I read the prompt for today I was quite intrigued. I was motivated to be unmotivated in my poem. Yikes! But your line “Admitting I need help is the way to start.” resonated with me. I’m going through a little storm, but there’s a rainbow out there with my name on it! I actually chose one of the numbers in my birthdate because the quote the went along with it resonated the most with me.
“The starting point of all achievement is desire.” –Napoleon Hill
Where to Begin
If desire is the starting point,
why have I little success-
I can’t ask Napoleon Hill
why my thoughts arouse
discontentment.
Hey Jessica, I can’t totally relate to being unmotivated today. I’m glad we both made the effort. I hope your storm gets better.
When I see the email this morning I was like “Already?!” I’m hoping to begin writing again once I’m not so busy with life! Ironically it’s storming right now where I live. We’re in a drought so I’m glad about it! Thank you Mo! ?
Jessica, thank you for “I’m going through a little storm.” I am too. Your openness inspired me to be open as well. Sheesh. We contain multitudes.
Your Napoleon Hill allusion was spot on.
You rock.
I can totally relate, Jessica! (Also to the “Already?!” comment – whoosh – there went another month!). The connection I take from this is the idea that “desire” doesn’t always have to mean coming from some happy place. Desire sounds positive (and now I also have the U2 song playing in my head), like desiring yummy foods. But desire can also come from a place of deep longing, want, or desperate need. Any kind of unrest in our lives can make us “desire” a more peaceful stasis. So, indeed, desire could arouse thoughts of discontent, especially if the desire goes unfulfilled. What a lovely conundrum you’ve capture here!
Thank you, Anna, for this prompt! There were a few times I wanted to quit my poem today because it didn’t sound right, but I remembered your poem–to just give it a try! Thanks for the advice 🙂
Life cannot be filtered through a sieve:
the ugly is kneaded with the beauty,
the wonderful sifted into the hard-to-forgive.
This braided bread is both sour and fruity.
The ugly is kneaded with the beauty.
Because the flavors are complimentary,
this braided bread is both sour and fruity.
Ultimately, the process is rudimentary.
Because the flavors are complimentary,
You need opposites to emphasize the other.
Ultimately, the process is rudimentary,
But it does not hurt to smother it in butter.
You need opposites to emphasize the other:
the wonderful sifted into the hard-to-forgive.
It does not hurt to smother it in butter
Because life cannot be filtered through a sieve.
Rachelle,
I love the mixed imagery of baking bread and accepting the good, bad, sweet, and sour of life. Nicely done on the rhyming, too.
Rachelle, I’m a fan of The Great British Baking Show, so your poem’s imagery really spoke to me. This is great life advice in a beautiful form.
Rachelle, this was so what I kneaded (needed- pun intended) to hear! Your line “The ugly is kneaded with the beauty” resonates with me. Sometimes life equates beauty and ugly which in turn creates a masterpiece of mess. But it is so intertwined (braided) that the mold forms into something fresh and savory! Thank you!
Oh, Rachelle!
This is such a delight. I’m impressed by your rhyming. I had enough trouble trying to follow the line repetition/structure!
How about moving back to Iowa and sitting on my porch–smothering in butter the hard-to-forgive. <3
Love this idea ❤️ I’d love to watch the #IowaSky with you on your porch!
Rachelle, I am so glad you didn’t give up. You have so much about life packed into your poem and you rhyme! I resonate with many of your lines because it makes me think of my life when I was a child and how “hard-to-forgive” the ugly was. It has been difficult, but I have learned to knead the ugly memories with the beautiful ones, to forgive, and to braid my life with the sour and the fruity. Thank you for sharing your poem, which has made me think, process, and write about my life in a unique way. It is therapy.
Thank you Anna for this cool prompt. I love the pantoum form because the pome kinda has a way of writing itself. when one of the numbers in my birthday happened to be a Lincoln quote, I know I had to got with that because I’m currently teaching Frederick Douglass’ speech at the unveiling of the Freedmen’s Memorial to Abraham Lincoln.
Because King said “Wait” almost always meant “Never”
Things may come to those who wait, but only things left by those who hustle,
I wonder if Honest Abe uttered those words as Frederick Douglass walked out of the White House,
How prescient he see seemed some 100 years later,
When King penned his letter from a Birmingham Jail.
I wonder if honest Abe uttered those words as Frederick Douglass strode out of the White House doors,
Recognizing the urgency of the moment, not unlike the moment,
When King penned his letter from a Birmingham jail,
When “wait” has almost always meant “never”.
Recognizing the urgency of the moment,
Douglass moved Lincoln towards radical action,
When “wait” has almost always meant “never”,
Lincoln was moved to push us forward at jetlike speed.
Frederick Douglass moved Lincoln towards radical action,
How prescient he seemed some 100 years later,
And now as the stirring of our hearts spur us towards bending the arc of justice;
Things may come to those who wait, but only those things left by those who hustle.
What a really nice blend of history and poetry, Dave. Thank you for incorporating this into your writing today. I love the dichotomy it explores between getting-things-done and patience.
This is so beautifully done, Dave. For me your poem has a dreamlike quality that I want to come back to again and again. I really liked the bending arc of justice.
Dave, what a great message. Thank you for sharing your pantoum. I( agree, pantoums are fun and almost write themselves!) This line is heartbreaking, but true: “When “wait” has almost always meant ‘never’.” Hooray for Frederick Douglass and all the others who have hustled to help others take radical action.
I used my birthday numbers, but because of the quotes, rhyming wasn’t in the cards. This was fun! Thank you for the cool prompt–I may well borrow the prompt for my Creative Writing classes. 🙂
Every time I struggle, I tell myself I’ve got to get my head straight.
“I’ve failed over and over again in my life and that is why I succeed.”
When you succumb to failure, when you believe you’ll fail, you will.
“Most everything that you want is just outside your comfort zone.”
“I’ve failed over and over again in my life and that is why I succeed.”
Look for the cracks in routine, that is where you can find creativity.
“Most everything that you want is just outside your comfort zone.”
Challenging myself to be the best version of me for me is the goal.
Look for the cracks in routine, that is where you can find creativity.
“We become what we think about most of the time, and that’s the strangest secret.”
Challenging myself to be the best version of me for me is the goal.
I endeavor to be the me I want to be, not the me others think I should be.
“We become what we think about most of the time, and that’s the strangest secret.”
When you succumb to failure, when you believe you’ll fail, you will.
I endeavor to be the me I want to be, not the me others think I should be.
Every time I struggle, I tell myself I’ve got to get my head straight.
Cara, thank you for this! You’ve crafted a wealth of good advice in your poem. I’m pulled to the line, “Look for the cracks in routine, that is where you can find creativity.”
Cara, your stanzas work together well. The two quotes complement each other and are sandwiched perfectly with your choice of words and lines, to give them so much meaning. Very encouraging, thank you.
Cara, What’s been fun for me is seeing how much is on my mind when I see what others choose to write about! The lines from your poem that zoned in for me are a paradox when you think about it,
“We become what we think about most of the time, and that’s the strangest secret.”
Thanks for reminding us of this “secret” truth.
There’s so much continuity between your sentiments and lines. When I read it, the internal rhyme holds each uniquely in place. The first person perspective helps me with some self-talk that I need to incorporate during my own struggles (failing, although I know it’s good for learning, is difficult for me). Thanks for exploring this divide (or lack there of) between failure and success.
Hi Anna. Thanks for the link to the shorter poems. I fear I don’t have much brain capacity today! Thanks for introducing me to the Soji. Here’s my attempt:
Fall Soji
by Mo Daley 10/15/22
I eagerly await October, changing leaves bring fall bird
migration, sweater weather, hot chocolate, and yet I forget
the annual sinus infection that knocks me out for weeks
I’m sorry about that sinus infection, Mo – those fall allergies can be debilitating. I love the new poetry form…and I am captivated by the break in the first two lines, bird to migration; I am reminded of the movement of birds themselves. I love to watch birds this time of year, their formations in the sky.
Mo, the Sijo poetry form seems interesting, one I will try too. Your list for October is comprehensive and I hope you feel much better this month.
Mo, I love the clever rhymes throughout: “eagerly…leaves,” “sweater weather,” and “yet…forget.” Fall is almost worth the sinus infections. Almost. (Hope you’re feeling better!)
Mo, you honor us all by writing when you don’t really feel well. You know you have our prayers for full recovery so you can enjoy the beauty of the season and the fun of writing when you feel like it.
Mo, the last line had me nodding my head in agreement. Autumn always sounds so perfect and pleasant until I get struck with a cold. How do I forget about it every year?? Thank you for the relatable poem today.
Okay Mo, way to go! I didn’t examine that style, but I like this! I felt your pain regarding the annual sinus infection because that used to be me years ago, but I haven’t had one in a couple of years (knock on wood). I hope that doesn’t happen this year! (Crossing fingers!) I enjoy fall weather, but here in Arkansas when fall comes, it’s mid-morning. By noon, it’s summer again, lol. Thank you for participating today!
Mo, I’m glad you made it, in spite of your sinus infection. Praying for a finish to this long saga of sickness. Nice reminders of all the yumminess of fall, “and yet…” is a great turning point in your sijo.
Mo, I hope you feel better soon! Your poem makes me want to try a Soji! I adore the fall images that delight all of my senses!
Hugs!
Anna, the pantoum is a great showcase for your skillful rhyming, I think! This prompt was like a mindfulness exercise for me; as I worked with the pantoum’s rhyming pattern and focused on my inspirational thought, I found myself becoming calmer and calmer.
find my feet
where are my feet, I ask
when I feel anxious and fearful
let the present become my task
be still and find the cheerful
when I feel anxious and fearful
my mind races with thoughts
when I am still, I find the cheerful
in the most ordinary of spots
that’s my cure for racing thoughts
slow down get fascinated and see
in the most ordinary of spots
laundry folds or flowering tree
slow down get fascinated and see
let the present become my task
laundry folds or flowering tree
where are my feet, I ask
Maureen,
you weave this pantoum beautifully and the way you add in rhyme, too, is simply impressive. Most of all, I love how you capture the actions of anxious people. Perfection.
I love how these two lines work:
Maureen,
I really like how grounding your poem is! The lines flow really well into a rhythmic meditation.
I so agree with Cara. This may be my new mantra- where are my feet?
OMGosh, Maureen! This is a wonderful meditation poem. I am so impressed with the rhymes which add to the calming flow of this as it progresses. It is very much like the grounding practices of focusing on the small things, feeling the weight of the body on the earth. “slow down get fascinated and see” these gentle action commands remind me of the “stop, drop, and roll” – only for a different kind of lifesaving. Wonderfully rendered here.
Maureen, wow, I love the everyday beauty you focus on here to find your feet. I can relate to the emotions, the anxiety, and the desire to slow down. To appreciate the “flowering tree” and the “laundry folds”. Powerful and gorgeous poem!
Thank you, Anna! The pantoum is such a fun form to experiment with. Thanks to Emily too for the inspiration!
Lullaby for Emily
Sleep is the thing with feathers.
It perches elsewhere.
It sings the lullaby so sweet,
Somewhere, but not here.
It perches elsewhere
In yon tree down the road,
Somewhere, but not here.
It eludes my quaint abode.
In yon tree down the road,
In the yard of those who sleep,
It eludes my quaint abode.
Housy sounds replace its peep.
In the yard of those who sleep
It sings the lullaby so sweet.
Housy sounds replace its peep.
Sleep is the thing with feathers.
This has so many layers of fun and beauty, Katrina. Emily would love this!! The title is precious; the idea of sleep “perching” ‘in yon tree down the road” is such a great allusion to insomnia. I love thinking of sleep as birdlike. Thank you for this!
Katrina,
I really like how you personify (animate?) sleep eluding you. It does indeed feel like a chase or search when sleep decides to play hide and seek. I love your poem.
I felt like I was walking through a kind of fairy tale in reading this, Katrina. Like those children’s books, I was imagining these lines illustrated in that kind of soft-edged, deep saturated colors. “Housy sounds” – ohhh, so fun! And the final line – hugging it back around to the beginning, cuddling the whole poem to sleep. This is a keeper!
Anna, I love the Pantoum form. Thank you for this fun prompt. It got me moving.
Morning Start
When I awake it’s hard to make a start.
I am rested and cozy in my morning bed.
“Don’t wait, life goes faster than you think!”
The words go twirling inside my head.
I am rested and cozy in my morning bed.
No desire to get moving from its safety
yet the words go twirling inside my head.
“Life goes faster than you think.” Be hasty.
I have no desire to move from it’s safety.
What will come in the day ahead?
“Life goes faster than you think,” so be hasty.
Got to get moving. Stand straight up, instead.
And the words go twirling inside my head.
“Don’t wait, life goes faster than you think.”
“Goes faster than you think.” Be hasty.
I awake. It’s hard to make a start without dread.
Susan, you capture perfectly the conflict between our bodies, which want to be “rested and cozy,” and our minds, with the reminder that “life goes faster than you think.” Thank you.
This is delightful, Susan. I particularly like the rhyme pair of safety and hasty – almost a contradiction in terms. Now that the temperatures are getting cooler, I find it even harder to get out of bed; I can totally relate to your poem. “I awake. It’s hard to make a start without dread.” Yes, so true!
Susan, the truth of the lines you chose and commented on make more and more sense as readers realize there likely are fewer years ahead than behind us. We know how long it’s taken us to get here and how much we’d like to accomplish in the days we have left!
, “Don’t wait, life goes faster than you think!”
The words go twirling inside my head.
That’s okay. You’ve share the words so they should no longer be twirling inside your head. They’re in print now!
Thanks, Susan.
Hi Anna and thank you for hosting today and for this fun prompt. I love pantoum poetry and went with quotations. I couldn’t find a way to include my birth numbers this time.
Justice is Possible
“Conceive it. Believe it. And you will achieve it.”
“Education is the strongest weapon you can use to change the world.”
“It always seems impossible until it is done.”
“I’m sick and tired of being sick and tired.”
“Education is the strongest weapon you can use to change the world.”
Armed with words and wisdom to fight the powers that be
“I’m sick and tired of being sick and tired.”
Equity and justice, joy and liberty.
Armed with words and wisdom to fight the powers that be
“Conceive it. Believe it. And you will achieve it.”
Equity and justice, joy and liberty.
“It always seems impossible until it is done.”
©Stacey L. Joy, October 15, 2022
What an inspirational poem and so strong! I love the goals of equity, justice, joy and liberty and you are ready and armed to achieve.
Ooops, I guess I didn’t remember to write the 4th stanza. ? That’s what happens when I’m not in a calm focused place to write.
Bravo for the inspirational lines, Stacey! Your pantoum exudes “justice is possible” – love this title, too.
Stacey,
This has such a punch to it! I really like how the quotes you chose fit so well with your own words, especially the second stanza:
Stacey your faith in human-kind is encouraging and you know the line you quote is particularly inspiring to us as educators. Even those who now retired, pray that the encountered we have had in the past and those to come will prove a peaceful weapon to bring about justice … for ALL! Thanks for the inspiration to keep working on the impossible.
“Education is the strongest weapon you can use to change the world.”
It’s Sweetest Day, and since
our very own origin story
is entwined with this day,
I wanted to do this right
and get you the best gift
ever, so, I’ve turned on all
the hot water faucets
in the house, cranked
up the furnace, and put
The Crackle Fire Log on
the Roku. I’ve turned on
the microwave with some
Hot Pockets warming inside,
fired up the toaster oven cooking
some Hebrew National hot dogs,
and put the griddle on the stove top
for some hotcakes. I’ve brewed
hot tea and made hot chocolate.
I have hot sauce and Flamin’ Hot
Funyuns (and Cheetos). I’ve
double downed with the goose
down jacket, your fur coat, and
an angora sweater. I’ve signed us
up for a Hot Yoga class, and I also
folded the clothes that were in the
dryer. I am literally (and figuratively)
sweating like a (hey, no reason to
denigrate a practitioner of the world’s
oldest profession here) all because of
that quote by Edison. Despite his
questionable labor practices and
advertising strategies, he might just
be right that “Genius is 1 percent
inspiration, 99 percent perspiration.”
So, I’m waiting for that spark
(while trying to hurry it along a bit)
but all I’ve come up with so far
is the sentence, “It’s Sweetest Day
and all I got was this lousy poem.”
And, thankfully, I still think you’d love it.
______________________________________________
Thank you, Anna, for your mentor poem and your prompt today! I love the line “Attitude determines altitude or the height of our flight.” I’m a firm believer in that, too. And your prompt led me to the Edison quote (which led directly to my poem)!
My goodness, Scott, you came up with a bounty of heat metaphors that show you definitely had the spark! No need to wait for it. I think Sweetest Day should always be served with a poem – especially one as delightful as this.
Scott, I did not know that people outside of Detroit knew about Sweetest Day the way we celebrated when Sanders Candy Company made such a big deal of it in Motown. Now, I see that it’s a national holiday. How sweet of you to remind us! 🙂
Hahahahahaha! I read this at first as the things you do on Sweetest Day that are all in your partner’s favor – like not fighting over the heat and just cranking it up – which is also a hilarious approach to imagining that day. But then all the hot foods, and I was like, Wait a second – this is going for full-on sweat! Nice selection of all those things that would open the floodgates. And lousy poems make great gifts. : )
Scott,
As usual, your poem exudes your playful sense of humor. I love the list of things that make one sweat. I had never heard of the Sweetest Day until your poem forced me to do some research. I love the legend behind its origins – a candy company worker who delivered candy to orphanages and rest homes as a way to spread happiness to the less fortunate. Thanks for sharing!
Anna, thanks so much for your positivity today and the poetry prompt. Your poem’s message is spot-on and powerful. This autumn the colors are amazing and I wanted to use this time of year as a metaphor for reflecting on life.
Before All Is Forgotten
An unexamined life is not worth living
like rich fall leaves, dazzling bountiful blooms,
fire reds, orange-golds, behold their glory,
before the day fades and all is forgotten.
Like rich fall leaves, dazzling bountiful blooms,
cherish cloudless blue skies, crisp autumn breezes.
Before the day fades and all is forgotten,
embrace rippling ripe corn, ready for harvest.
Cherish cloudless blue skies, crisp autumn breezes;
adore fragrant burning leaves, drifting ashes.
Embrace rippling ripe corn, ready for harvest;
hear the warm morning sun; taste the cool moon’s call.
Adore fragrant burning leaves, drifting ashes,
fire reds, orange-golds, behold their glory;
hear the warm morning sun; taste the cool moon’s call.
An unexamined life is not worth living.
Barb Edler
15 October 2022
Barb, we just returned from drive from our MCTE (NCTE affiliate in Michigan) fall conference and saw the beauty you describe in your poem. Your choice of words colorfully and enthusiastically reminds to enjoy the beauty of this season. I particularly admire the Synesthesia, the way you use one sense is used to describe another. Thank you!
Cherish cloudless blue skies, crisp autumn breezes;
adore fragrant burning leaves, drifting ashes.
Embrace rippling ripe corn, ready for harvest;
hear the warm morning sun; taste the cool moon’s call.
Amen!
Such beautiful images of fall, Barb! I love the coupling of the ‘burning leaves, drifting ashes’ and ‘fire reds, orange-golds” in the last stanza. The quote, “An unexamined life is not worth living” is so perfect for these nature images.
Barb, your poem is loveliness aloud! You brought me into autumn’s imagery heart, reminding me of EXAMINE life.
I loved meeting you in person at ICTE! Thank you for this beautiful poem honoring autumn.
“Dwelling in the present moment I know this is the only moment. “Thich Nhat Hanh
dwelling in the present moment
I breathe in knowing
all the happiness I seek
right here in this moment
I breathe in knowing
I breathe out peace
right here in this moment
attentive, I see it
I breathe out peace
dwelling in the present moment
attentive, I see it
all the happiness I seek
Sarah,
if ever the Pantoum worked, it does so brilliantly with the ideas you weave together. Being in the moment is so hard but so important.
Sarah, I can hear your voice in this poem. I admire your ability to share peace and to see the happiness you seek. Lovely and inviting poem!
I felt my breathing as I read your poem, the lines of which are perfectly paced. The poem could be a mantra or a prayer… “I breathe in knowing”…”I breathe out peace.”
Woooosahhhhhh, Sarah! I need to print this and place it on every mirror, cabinet, wall around me. I inhaled this poem like fresh air! I exhaled my stress and closed my eyes in appreciation of you, your poem, and the loving gift from Thich Nhat Hanh.
Gorgeous. I adore the quote by Thich Nhat Hanh “dwelling in the present moment”; your pantoum really brings it to a special fullness and understanding. This pairing of lines is particularly meditative:
This poem really resonates with me. Te importance of breathing and being present in the moment cannot be overstated and your poem expresses that so eloquently. Every night at bedtime, I do breathing with my son to help him to be centered and to fall asleep. This poem feels like it captures that moment perfectly.
Sarah,
Your poem feels like a meditation. While reading it, I was reminded of the breathing exercises and positive thinking used in a Tai Chi class I took many years ago. I love “I breathe in knowing / I breathe out peace” – I feel the stress levels reducing instantly.
#5 “I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life and that is why I succeed.” – Michael Jordan
#28 “Continuous effort – not strength or intelligence – is the key to unlocking our potential.” ― Winston Churchill
Never Give Up
“I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life and that is why I succeed.”
“Continuous effort- not strength or intelligence- is the key to unlocking our potential.”
Push to do what is right
Always hopeful and never giving up
“Continuous effort- not strength or intelligence- is the key to unlocking our potential.”
‘Where there is a will there’s a way’
Always hopeful and never giving up
Energy comes from nowhere
‘Where there is a will there’s a way’
Is what comes to mind at such times
Energy comes from nowhere
Until the very end
Is what comes to mind at such times
Push to do what is right
Until the very end
“I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life and that is why I succeed.”
Anna, thanks for the motivational quotes and the opportunity to write around them. I chose two. one for the day and month I was born. They match so well. I enjoyed and will learn from yours. I agree “It’s all in the mind.” I’ll make it a point to read many others today. Thank you.
I love your “mishmash” approach here, Juliette. I enjoy playing with found language and was tempting to try mashing up all three of mine! You handled them well in here and found ways to weave them together with your own lines. It truly builds to a reason why the need to have to “pull” and dig in to find that energy with this line “Push to do what is right.” Wow. That was the kicker for me – the driving force that keeps us going through failures. Not succeeding means still not right. And we keep on keeping on!
The quote I wound up with was Mark Twain — who ironically I also share a birthday with, so it seemed fitting that I got a quote from him to write about.
I’m not sure I like how this poem turned out, but I do like some of the individual lines. Anna your poem was a delight and I really enjoyed how the lines wove together — especially with your rhyme and the message you conveyed. Thank you for sharing this idea!
On Staying Young
To be young again is not the task
“Anyone who stops learning is old”
instead we keep learning and ask
for the ideas and stories left to be told.
“Anyone who stops learning is old”
unyielding and bitter, a downright prune
for the ideas and stories left to be told
they dismiss and bury themselves in the dark of the moon
Unyielding and bitter, a downright prune
new ideas, new concepts barred — only the good ole days
they dismiss and bury themselves in the dark of the moon
oh they miss out on the marvels newly made to amaze
New ideas, new concepts barred — only the good ole days
instead we keep learning and ask
oh they miss out on the marvels newly made to amaze
to be young again is not the task.
Erica, I am reading your lines and thinking of your FB adventures this week wondering if the “to be young again is not the task” may be inspired by the joy and fun you had — all the “marvels newly made to amaze.” Love it.
Sarah
Erica, I absolutely adore the end of your poem. The ability to look forward searching for new knowledge is truly the path to remaining young. Fantastic poem!
Great choice for your quote. The description of bitter prunes given to those not willing to learn is so appropriate. I love the line “They dismiss and bury themselves in the dark of the moon.” The flow of the whole poem made me smile with agreement.
I love the positivity of this prompt, Anna. Using our birthdates to select the quotes made this fun and much easier for me, since I would likely read through all 100 of those quotes trying to select the perfect “one”! I recently experienced a life event I consider major, though it’s called minor in medical terms. This poem provides a way to process and gain perspective, and I appreciate the form this time to keep me focused.
The Aftermath of a Minor Stress-Induced Heart Attack
“Success is in the sum of small efforts
repeated day in and day out.”
My body offered me a kind of clearing
an emptying of my life.
Repeated day in and day out
an emptying of my life
taking stock of all
that has taken a toll.
Taking stock of all
that has taken a toll.
It is work to shear the toxic waste.
It is work to embrace mindfulness.
But success is in the sum of small efforts
so I continue the clearing my body offered
working to shear the toxic waste
working to embrace mindfulness.
[Quote #65 from Robert Collier]
Denise,
Sending comfort and healing your way, and I so appreciate you using this space to process, allowing us to witness this major/minor experience, holding space for you!
These lines stopped me, made me stop and think hard:
This idea of a body clearing and a “clearing my body” are so compelling and feel, to me, an invitation
Peace,
Sarah
Denise, you have so many lines that capture ideas that show the power of removing the toxic inner thoughts and support the positive ability to stay mindful. I adored the line “It is work to shear the toxic waste”…ain’t it the truth! Powerful poem!
Denise,
how scary that must have been!
You really weave the repeated lines successfully with a few minor adjustments that really work.
The wording of this line works so well:
Denise, I love the lines “My body offered me a kind of clearing / an emptying of my life,” and the repetition of “taking stock of all / that has taken a toll” really drove the message home. (I hope your recovery from your “life event” is smooth and speedy.)
THE BIG IDEA
“If you can dream it, you can do it.”
Practice every day
a few simple disciplines.
Make one idea your life.
Practice every day:
think it, dream it, live it.
Make one idea your life.
Great minds discuss ideas
so think it, dream it, live it.
Average minds discuss events,
but great minds discuss ideas
and success is practiced every day.
Remember, average minds discuss events.
What you need are a few simple disciplines:
Success is practiced every day, and
“If you can dream it, you can do it.”
I had fun blending bits from the quotes from my birth month, day, and year (both the 19 and the 60). It was a bit disconcerting how well the quotes fit my current mindset, and now I’m pondering the Swami Vivekanandana quote “Take up one idea. Make that one idea your life…” What one idea would be worthy of such a focus? Perhaps love?
Thanks for a fun challenge!
Mary Lee, I vote for love as the one idea, but the adventure of living itself is a close second. Experience is another idea worthy of such focus. You use one of the same lines as Susan today, a line that I love – Great minds discuss ideas. A powerful reminder to discuss important matters that result in good things.
What a great quote to use and I love how you blended the quotes together to form this poem! It worked really well.
Mary Lee, I love this approach of making one idea your life. I can imagine so many things I could accomplish if I stuck to this. I agree on the fun with the match of quotes to birthdate – a bit like a horoscope reading.
Mary Lee, I love the idea of great minds discuss ideas. Adored “so think it, dream it, live it.” Yes! Perfect message and poem!
Mary Lee,
Love how you are “bending bits.” So many of the motivational quotes to me were about getting somewhere, and it occurred to me that there is so much about goals toward success rather than this living it.
For me, your poem is saying THE BIG IDEA is us with the plural “minds” and the “practice” with others, and your post script really considers what is “worth” taking up!
So appreciate this contemplation — and thanks to Anna for inspiring philosophical Saturday!
Peace,
Sarah
Mary Lee,
what a great output you created using bits of great thoughts. Such wisdom at work here.
That 3rd stanza is a killer! “Average minds discuss ideas, but grat minds discuss ideas” is such a great couplet. I couldn’t agree more.
Mary Lee,
Your poem is very poignant and Yodaesque. The combination of quotes and words of inspiration are very motivational – like a mantra to start the day.
Anna, thank you for bringing the Pantoum to us today! The way you blended motivational quotes is so inspiring. The line that spoke to me most was So I’ll join a group and be a part. It stuck because my husband and I do a lot of camping together, but on my last trip, I attended a session in a state park about the GirlCamper group and their workshops and meet-ups. When you said to use a number of our birthdate, I had the topic. I have been looking for a 1966 Scotty to restore and take on my solo writing weekends with my soul schnoodle. Cheers to you, Anna, for hosting us today and motivating and inspiring us always.
1966 Serro Scotty
I’m looking for you, 1966 Serro Scotty
I’ll breathe new life into your old wheels
we’ll hit the road, be best friends
when I find you, look out!
I’ll breathe new life into your old wheels
restore your soul, rest in your embrace
when I find you, look out!
we’ll blaze new trails
restore your soul, rest in your embrace
listen to the symphony of the trees
we’ll blaze new trails
camping out under the stars
listen to the symphony of the trees
we’ll hit the road, be best friends
camping out under the stars
I’m looking for you, 1966 Serro Scotty
How fun! (Both the poem and your future camping!!)
Kim, I’m always surprised by the form of the pantoum and how it causes us to look at lines with new eyes in each stanza. They live in that space differently, feel different, and allow for re-seeing. I love the “listen to the symphony of trees” line as it sits against “we’ll blaze new trails.”
Whoa, Kim! This is a rather sexy, sensual poem with the “rest in your embrace”. There is such intimacy in the “camping out under the stars” and the “I’m looking for you” and even “When I find you, look out!”
I love this.
Sarah
Kim, wow, what a delightful poem. Love this ending, looking for the 1966 Serro Scotty. I love the way you capture the invigorating power of the adventure: blazing new trails, restoring the soul, and “lisen to the symphony of the trees” Yes, I want to be on this adventure with you! Fantastic poem! Thank you!
Oh, I hope you find it! What a great little journey reading this pantoum was.
Good morning, friends! Day 1 is finally here :). I remember being introduced to the Pantoum form by Anna years ago – and she gave us a form for writing these! Believe it or not, I still keep blank copies of the form she shared on hand in my writing tool space. I wanted to share the link here . I love this form and look forward to writing today. Also, Denise Krebs once shared a Pantoum generator online as well. Happy writing!
I started writing and the writing became a form of a list of quotes. I recently read in my inbox a poem that was titled something like how to be perfect and it was a similar kind of list, but I couldn’t find it again to reference here. No matter. Here’s what I got this early Saturday morning. Thanks for the prompt.
Quote #61: “The only people who don’t make mistakes are those who do nothing, and that is the biggest mistake of all.”
Is it a mistake of time or birth order that I am a perfectionist?
Perfection is a guide for no one.
No one takes care of your life like you do.
Do your best.
Best is always better than nothing at all.
All we have is the try.
Try to give me advice and I’ll lean in.
Lean in and listen.
Listen to your perfectionist.
Perfectionism is overrated.
Rate your heart as Open.
Open mind, open soul.
Soul to soul, we are all in this together.
I love the way your lines zigzag from end word/phrase to beginning word/phrase.
Margaret, I love the repeated word listen in your poem today, especially as it appears back to back, mid poem. There is imagery there to me, two hearts standing back to back and the listening is what has to be done. Your last line speaks volumes – – we ARE all in this together, yes! Great words from a great mind today.
I love the way each line blends into the following line! It makes it feel more like a conversation somehow.
Oh, Margaret, there is such wisdom in the development of this poem and the building toward the final line: Soul to soul, we are in this together.
And that is such a contrast to the “one” referenced in the first few lines. Seems like each line is disrupting absolutes of self like best, and all, and ist.
The word Open with it’s capital. gosh that O looks so wide, inclusive, welcoming, disrupting.
Thank you,
Sarah
Sarah,
Thanks for putting in to words the things I was feeling while reading this but couldn’t quite verbalize.
Margaret, love your lines “Best is always better than nothing at all”, “Lean in and listen,” and “Soul to soul, we are all in this together.” Fantastic messages throughout this! Thank you!
Margaret, I adore the way you opened up something so personal as perfectionism that many deal with (especially gifted students), and gave it a soft space to land.
Beautiful!
That last line is wonderful…makes me the reader feel like a friend is reaching out to me.
Anna,
What a perfect challenge. I love those that have infinite application. My writing muscles need some exercise today, so I plan to create more than just one of these. And I definitely plan on using this with my students!
How Do You Spend Your Time?
Big
Inspiring
Mind molding
Empathy building
Ideas
Others doing
Expensive Entertainment
Watching and cheering them on
How and why do they even do that?
Events
Living
We never know the inside
Everyone deserves grace
Think about if it was YOU.
People
Ideas are hard to discuss; it challenges our beliefs
Events are in our face everywhere; it’s common ground
People are easy targets; we feel safer “knowing” what others are doing.
Conversation is connection.
We need it and often crave it
But guard what you talk about
You often let those things in to shape
who you are
and how you feel.
Ideas
Events
People
The harder it might be to discuss . . .
the more important it is to.
The easier it might be to talk about . . .
the more dangerous it is to.
Thank you, Eleanor, for reminding me
“Great minds discuss ideas;
average minds discuss events;
small minds discuss people.”
~Susan Ahlbrand
15 October 2022
Susan, the unfolding of your poem to reveal the quote is such a clever approach. I felt as if I were puzzling through, watching all the bits and pieces connect before the end reveal!
Her quote was one of mine as well! (Happy December birthday?) I wound up using it in a very different way…
Susan, I love the way you pulled the quote apart and put it back together at the end. The quote by Eleanor is powerful. The Little White House in Warm Springs, Georgia is one of my favorite places I’ve been in the past couple of years, and your use of her quote today reminds me of all the inspiring quotes they have on the walls of this historic place. The reminder of minds and conversation is timely. Thank you!
Susan,
So many wonderful reflections here. So appreciate the philosophical thoughts evoked by Anna’s prompt and how we are each taking them up for reflection but also to offer wisdom through verse today. Wow.
The ellipses that you use between some of the lines offer a space to both answer (an invitation to the reader to fill the space) and pause to breathe before the next line that offers a possiblity-consequence.
Craftful.
Sarah
Susan, very provocative poems. I like your nod to Eleanor at the end of this. Sage advice! Great poetry!
Susan, I concur with other responders who point out the way you cleverly engage us to keep reading until we unveil to the affirmation that inspired your writing today. Thanks for the trip down memory lane.
Repetition really works here. Love the ER quote. She’s a favorite of mine.
What an interesting challenge, Anna. I love a chance to see what a random number might bring. You used your quotes so cleverly!
“Don’t wait. Life goes faster than you think.”
It’s odd teaching 7th graders.
They appear at your door,
year after year,
looking much the same
as the last group,
(we tend to reflect what is around us),
acting much the same too.
I find myself saying odd things to them.
On our daily walks:
No parcouring off the building.
Stay away from the sinkhole.
But I’m off course
(It’s hard not to be with middle schoolers).
When a group looks the same,
year after year,
you tend to think you look the same as well
(they graduate as 8th graders and
you don’t see them change over the years).
That is, until October,
when school photos land in your box
and you suddenly find yourself
staring at the old person
surrounded by smiling 7th graders
who look the same as last year’s group
and the year before’s
and the group twenty years past
and you realize
you’re in a time loop
that runs on replay
in a Dorian Gray sort of way.
The caption below the portrait
reads: “Don’t wait.
Life goes faster than you think.”
Jennifer,
As a 35-year teacher of 8th graders, I was nodding my head in agreement through this entire poem. We so often freeze them in our minds, too, and it’s hard to let them change, grow, and mature so when we see them later, we are so taken aback.
My favorite lines are:
Oof! So much truth here! I can relate! The only thing that changed in those 37 class pictures was ME!!
Jennifer, amen! You remind me of a football game I attended recently. One of my grandsons plays for his middle school a county south of us, and they have a huge kid on their team. Everyone talks about his size, how this particular player is destined for a great future in football. A woman chimed in and said, “I can’t imagine being back in middle school. You’ve got that giant kid bigger than my husband, and then the one who still looks like a third grader in the same class.” How true! We don’t realize how quickly we change in just a short span of a year….a month…..a day…..an hour……a breath.
Jennifer — I loved the wisdom in your poem. Often I’ve thought about how my 7th graders stayed 13 and I just got older and older…funny thought. You picked a quote close to my heart. My favorite is the image of your walking with the 7th grades with “no parcouring off the building…” just made me laugh to think about it. The sage eye…you are a gift to those kids. Susie
Jennifer,
So appreciate your reflection today on time. Indeed they are at once the same age and yet the age of the time lives differently in their hearts, minds, and bodies. The students in your space today carry memories of the past few years that students in years past did not, and theirs were different. This is all wild to think about — this “time loop” you thread through. And throughout it all, you carry the collective in your portrait. A gift, an honor. I know you do not take it for granted, and this poem is evidence of you slowing time to reflect.
Love it,
Sarah
Jennifer, I so enjoyed the way you showed the similarity of the years and students, but how you recognnize the change in yourself. I think your ending line adds a sort of chill. Yes, life does go by faster than we think. Powerful poem! Also, loved the dialogue you captured while with your students.
Jennifer, it must be something about those who teach middle school teachers who find such humor in the fact you state so well in these lines:
When a group looks the same,
year after year,
you tend to think you look the same as well
We used to be able to say that pictures don’t lie. But with such ease in manipulating photos using online tools, we probably will be tempted to insert our pictures from years ago into the group photos that come across our screens today. 🙂
But, then, you’d be denying all you’ve learned over the years and that you share so generously with us in poems like this. Thanks for the smiles you brought to our faces today.
I wonder if you have to teach a while to really get this poem. I certainly get it. With this year’s bigger classes at our school, it took me forever to straighten out who was who. In addition, 2006 must have been the year everyone conspired to make life hard for us by naming their boys, “Aiden, Braden, Caden, Jayden, Payden, and even Zayden.” Really?
I love the dialogue, “No more parcouring off the building.” And I learned a new word too!
Jennifer, this poem is giving me love as the second oldest teacher on my campus. The idea of the groups being the same year after year is spot-on especially when I look back at all those class photos where every little face holds unique memories in my heart. Then I look at my face and wonder if I realized how many more wrinkles and folds would come in the blink of an eye. ?
We took pictures last week. I don’t look forward to the 8 x 10 portrait they give us as teachers, the one they’ve airbrushed, but yet who is this woman???
I love your poem and you are a masterful poet!
Oh, my goodness…the truth of this. Wonderful poem, Jennifer.
Love this. Love the Dorian Gray allusion. And as a former teacher of 7th graders and middle school, the sameness and the unpredictability is spot on.
Jennifer,
This is such a wonderful description of the passage of time as it relates to this age group. I love “I find myself saying odd things” – so often have I felt this way as a statement leaves my mouth that borders on the absurd. Time truly does speed past, but it feels like the “time loop” when there are so many similarities from year to year.