The American Academy of Poets lists today, April 27, 2023 as Poem in Your Pocket Day. Alternately, another website lists April 29 as the annual date during National Poetry Month. I think every day is a good day for a poem. Today, with great humility, I share one of my own poems. I am not a professional poet but I do enjoy the challenge of all the moving parts of a poem.
When writing, I often end up with a group of poems that cluster around a topic. I don't start out with a specific topic or set out to write a collection but somehow one thought suggests another. Between March 2013 and April 2021, I worked on poems about women's stories and voices. The possibilities are endless. Perhaps more than ever, our stories need to be told, our voices heard. The following is a poem I wrote during that time. I played with metaphor but also with sounds and words that could be read aloud. Happy Poetry Month.
A Basket of Words*
Find a thin place. Meander
through reeds. Recover runes
etched into a riverbed.
Sing half, whole, heart, and harbor.
Dip fingers into the current.
Send sticks and stubs downstream.
Invoke the song of rock and stone.
Discover scatter, whisper, staunch, and shout.
Soak and stretch reeds. Stand
your ground, shape the base.
Prevent the spine from cracking.
Braid a handle from listen, glisten, and gleam.
Compose with feather and cattail.
Choose letters from egret and heron.
Craft a basket of words.
Weave shelter, honor, season, center, and thrive.
*Copyright Jane A. Wolfe, 2021
You may not be a *professional* poet, but you are a very gifted poet, Jane! Thank you for sharing your beautiful words with us.
ReplyDeleteSo nice! You are a gifted writer Jane...I see that in your blog posts and in this poem (as well as others you have shared occasionally). Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteI love the idea of crafting a basket of words. I may have to make a pencil drawing of that. Favorite words all woven willy-nilly to make a basket.
ReplyDeleteSo lovely, Jane. I love the "picture" you paint with your words. Thanks so much for sharing your poetry with us. XO
ReplyDeleteI love when you share your poetry :) On my walks I come up with words and sentences and feel the urge to write, not sure if it is poetry or words but I love that feeling immensely. It feels fresh.
ReplyDeleteThat is a wonderful poem, Jane, and I'm so glad you shared it. It's interesting to know that you've been writing about women's voices. I read this one aloud to myself and the words and sounds you've chosen work so well. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteI love this poem Jane. Thank you for sharing it here.
ReplyDeleteJane, this is lovely - thank you for sharing it with us!
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