He was both a bit intimidating, and a wonderful challenger. I was one of the quiet students who held down the periphery, and I never imagined he would remember me; but years after I graduated (10 or more) he saw me at a Continuing Education event and came over to ask me how I was doing.
What a beautiful and powerful poem, Sarah. I love the way you weave a wonderful blend of words, and I, too, love the last line "the poets will keep us human."
I have been a poet
since I was a child,
but sometimes I forget;
sometimes, it feels like
the words are trapped
on the other side of a wall,
and I am not tall enough
to reach them.
I forget that poetry
is in the air I breathe.
It makes me sad to think
of all the poems I never got to meet
that were inside me all this time.
Now I can only greet each day
with eyes open wide
to the poetry that lives inside,
reminding myself to inhale deeply,
hold the truth briefly,
and release.
I love your way with words and phrases. They make your writing "pop" into a life of their own.
Thank you for sharing
That's so kind, Steven, thank you.
Love this - I haven't been keeping up very well at all with the daily prompts and just need to remind myself they will be there later.
This is so wonderful, A. I am glad you remembered the poet that is you.
Poetic Hubris
Sometimes I realize
my poetry
is the alter ego
of a cat burglar.
I am forever slipping
into homes, lives,
and conversations,
pilfering the linguistic trinkets
that pluck my heart strings,
bagging them up,
sneaking them home with me,
lining my shelves with them,
and eventually combining them
in ways I’m absolutely convinced
they’ve never before been conjoined,
and then proudly carrying them
down to the neighborhood
open-air flea market
or the county fair,
where I expect
they’ll bring top dollar,
or at least
win honorable mention.
This is the business card
I’m going to have printed:
Let me know
if you need
some punctuation donated.
That’s all I’m confessing
for today.
So playful! I love this!
oh man, this is great. Thanks for sharing!
Pilfer on!!!!
Hehe, great comparison 😁
I love the imagery. Very fun.
Thank you for sharing
one
word
after
another
a
line
of
my thoughts
see
where
it
leads
me
the paragraph
breaks
and
the words
sing
That is a great thought of words singing.
Thank you for sharing
Thank you!
Oh just lovely!
Thank you!
This is beautiful, Lisa! Truly lyrical and truly a song!
Where there is sunrise
Where there is sunset.
Where there is birth
Where there is death.
Where there is joy.
Where there is pain
Where there is ecstasy
Where there is despair.
Surrounded by loved ones
Or nobody there.
Always
There
Is
Poetry.
Yes!
Beautiful
Love this!
Wonderful 💜
This is astounding, Karri! It flows so smoothly and lyrically, and is deep wisdom and truth!
Poetry is soul-awakening song.
Rising mischievously over the repetitive, monotone chants of expectation and productivity that seek to ‘perfect’ away our humanity.
The resonating frequency of a tuning fork ringing out, calling me into alignment with
my own pitch,
my own tone,
supporting my voice to sound like my own.
Joining a chorus of voices singing ‘you are not alone.’
Oh, the imagery here is lovely. Seeking to "perfect" away our humanity, a tuning fork...
I will be thinking about this all day.
I love the energy of "rising mischievously". It sets a great tone for your piece.
Thank you for sharing
This is sweet and soaring, Ange. Your beginning is superb: "Poetry is soul awakening song." Yes, indeed!
My apologies in advance for the silliness of this poem, but it just poured out this morning! Oh well...
A Poem unleashed
^
A Poem a day in the month of May
never dreamed I had this much to say
wringing out poems in all kinds of way
trying to keep the goofiness at bay.
^
Words that jump and shout and sing
never quite sure what the poetry will bring
pondering and reflecting on every little thing
hard to know if I am both yang and ying.
^
I once thought my poetry could shine like the sun
or be sweet like mom’s famous cinnamon bun
but like my mind my poems can just run and run
or sometimes sink to the bottom like Eddy’s two ton.
^
Now it seems like this poem has come to an end
it feels so silly I’m afraid to share even friends
but suddenly my shyness and self-doubt begin to bend
and just like that, I smile and hit send!
This made me smile. I am always glad for your sharing.
Thank you A. You are the best!
Silly is good! <3
Thank you Karri! I believe so, too!
Very sweet Larry 😁
Thank you Sarah!
"Poetry is my canoe" - Joy Harjo
Whitman, Dickinson
You and Me
A longing for meaning
Thus, Poetry
You and Me
Shakespeare, Frost
Using words as Guideposts
So we don’t stay lost
Helping others, perhaps
Me and You
A timeless hope shared
With Plath and Angelou
Longfellow and Poe
Shared what they knew
The same is true here
With Me and You
They knew of Love
Emerson and Rumi
So they offered their words
As do We
Poetry; More than Words
From Keats and Wilde
Reminding us to Hold
Our own inner Child
Browning and Blake
Soothing what once hurt us
As we all gather here
Thanks to Miss Curtis
I Love You
I Love Me
And I Love that we share
Our Poetry
Awesome. Thank you for sharing
I love this tribute to all of us poets.
To borrow a book title
from one of my seminary professors,
Dr. Walter Brueggemann,
“Finally Comes the Poet”
space-maker, mold-breaker, heart-shaker…
thought-drifter, shape-shifter, dream-sifter…
bell-ringer, tear-bringer, sweat-wringer…
trip-booker, fresh-looker, love-cooker…
beast-tamer, peace-framer, grace-namer…
risk-taker, earth-quaker, hope-baker…
hope-baker 💜
thought provoking with a great structure.
Thank you for sharing.
I have read (too? 🤷♂️😂) many of Dr. Brueggemann's books. I am jealous you got to study with him.
He was both a bit intimidating, and a wonderful challenger. I was one of the quiet students who held down the periphery, and I never imagined he would remember me; but years after I graduated (10 or more) he saw me at a Continuing Education event and came over to ask me how I was doing.
That is really cool. Thank you for sharing
So effective!
Very nice and creative, Todd!
"A child shall lead them."
poetry
it is my pleasure
to meet you
we met before
several times
as a boy
as a teen
as an adult undergrad
I wasn't a fan
I didn't understand you
you made no sense
that didn't help
like everything else
that frustrated me
I would
roll my eyes 🙄
at those that marveled
over your beauty
whiskey tango foxtrot (wtf)
I realize now
it wasn't you
it was me
that I didn't know
my emotions
I didn't understand
so I couldn't know
or understand you
but it has been
three years
of writing poems
and you have
changed me
helped me
heal
from trauma
grow
into myself
love
words and meaning
live a new life
it IS my pleasure
to meet you
This is so great to hear. Poetry is balm, indeed.
I never understood poetry
with my mind, but my heart
has always connected.
From Bukowski to Oliver,
my tastes diversified. Now
Gibran, Gorman, and Rumi
fill my heart with beautiful
words, ideas that I feel,
emotions that I taste.
I test their words on my tongue:
some sweet, some bitter, all full
of truth. Their poems reflect
life's flavors, expressing the pain,
developing a vision for a better future.
Uncorrupted by the status quo,
unmolested by censors, poetry
calls out the bullshit and strips us
bare. In an evolving world, where
programs and algorithms gain power,
the poets will keep us human.
Ooh, those last two lines! Powerful.
What a beautiful and powerful poem, Sarah. I love the way you weave a wonderful blend of words, and I, too, love the last line "the poets will keep us human."
The poets will keep us human 🤍
Poetry
All of life is a metaphor
if I have eyes to see it.
The sun rising
Moon cycling
Wildflowers standing
and trees waving.
Breath bringing
me back home.
With subtle reminders
and gentle lessons,
daily inspirations,
and surprising encounters,
my ears hear proclaimed
poetic language
without words.
All life is a metaphor
if I have eyes to see it.
This is splendid, Trish. The imagery is beautiful, and I love the ending: "All life is a metaphor, if I have eyes to see it."
I love this...may we all have "eyes to see it."
Sound off
sound out
plasma pulsing
mystical shout
there is nothing here
there is everything here
I tune in to the child
in their concrete coffin -
the ultimate spaceholder -
their grief sounds
like the feeling I get
when I recall
bouts of dizzying anxiety -
a thin sound
As hopelessness grows
in strength and numbers, however,
the sound grows more robust -
something the child
can lean on
lean into
a presence
thank God
no longer alone
This child is a warrior
this child is greater
than any man
that ever lived and died
fighting for a sound
they could never understand
This is very powerful Sarah. It catches you at the first line and winds through a wonderfully evocative story and poem. Thank you for sharing.
Poetry
Where I live
they say you
are either
crazy
or a poet
'I'm not a poet'
I confessed
but awoke
the next morning
with a poem
in my head
the words
slipping stealthily
out of my mind
to make poetry
on the page
So perhaps I
am a poet,
but never fear,
there is for sure
a bit of crazy
in me too!
Leon, Nicaragua
Very nice, Jane! Perhaps any true poet is a bit crazy!
Poetry...Twice Arrived
Second voice arrived 26 years ago
Critically ill
Recovery long
Body forced quiet
Soul began to share
Some phrases repeated themselves
Heard but didn't listen
Listening came through a small
blank journal and beautiful pen
from a praying friend
Timing not of my making
Sudden flashback:
Painful memory
step-dad found my stack
of four journals
I am 13 years old
Terrified as he read them,
fearing physical retribution
for truth telling
He uttered two words: Up--Outside!
Passing through kitchen
Grabbed box of matches
marched me to the burning barrel
in the corner of the backyard
HUNKS of pages torn...LIT
I watched my voice go up in flames,
Physical punishment would have been easier
30 years later, reposed in sunchine, journal on lap
1999 and first 3-4 lines
Then phrases
Then themes
Fascinated a new creative voice opens
Creative me has not ceased....
It's my voice, you can't take it away.
Kay Klinkenborg May 20, 2024
I'm so sorry he tried to steal your voice. How wonderful that you have reclaimed it
Oh Kay, what a terrible painful memory. I too am glad you have your voice.
This is so moving and powerful, Kay. Cheers to this new and re-emerging voice!