Happy Poetry Friday! Welcome, everyone–whether you’re brand new or an OG PF friend! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.)
This month, my Poetry Sisters and I (along with others in this community) wrote poems inspired by Wallace Stevens’ “13 Ways of Looking at a Blackbird.” I’ll be very honest and say this poem has never resonated much with me, though I admire some of the sections. Still, it felt valuable to take a single concept and try to think about it in different ways/meanings/aspects.
I wrote my rough draft while working a shift at my part-time job. Shhh! Don’t tell! I printed out the original poem and carried it with me so I could try to let its sections inspire me.
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I had 8 sections that day, and then I came up with a couple more at home. But here’s the version I ended up with in draft 2.
I like some of my sections better than others! But I’m always happy to try writing after a mentor text. I use those so frequently both in my own writing and also when writing with young poets. I didn’t make the live write, so I’m excited to see what everybody came up with! I hope you’re sharing yours on your blog or on social media with the tag #PoetryPals.
And a little bird told me lots of people wrote to this prompt this month–can’t wait to read everybody’s!
Click here to see all our previous Poetry Princesses collaborations.
Our Poetry Friday host is fantastic poet (and now anthologist too) Irene Latham at Live Your Poem. Don’t miss the Poetry Friday Roundup!
14 Responses
Laura, your topic is unique. Stanza 3 is a wonderful description that made me pause, “Autumn drifts on ripples of September.” Stanza 7 was humorous and a lovely way to end the poem. I look forward to reading the Poetry Sisters’ and #PoetryPals’ poems.
“Autumn drifts on ripples of September” — that is lovely as is the rest of your poem. I wanted to give this prompt a try, but time got away from me. Maybe after all these wonderful examples I’ll go back to it. Thank you!
Dear Laura, I love all these lives of a ripple..maybe 7 most of all, because it makes me smile and I agree a little ripple to the pages is proof of a life well-lived! Thank you! xo
A ripple is a wonderful topic for this challenge (I found picking an object the hardest part, spent the ZOOM whining and then brainstorming an enormous list I ultimately threw away. Oh, well.) I’m particularly struck by the desert stanza…unexpected and evocative. And the generations one!
Laura, I love what you have done with your seven ways – sometimes an inch, sometimes two generations worth of metaphors!
These are wonderful, Laura. I like the variety of moods and observations. Yes, VII brought a smile to my face, I like the imagery in I, and V was thought provoking.
Bathtub reading?! You rebel, you! I love your ripples, especially the maples dancing in the pond. That’s something I try to capture every fall with my camera, and you’ve done it so well with a few words.
Mmm…thinking about those ripples between generations. Beautiful, Laura!
A laugh at the end and wisdom (there’s an inch between ripples/Sometimes,
/two generations), too, Laura. What a special topic to consider. I love your wide array!
The blackbird poem IS a difficult mentor poem for me, too. I love the idea of it, but the actual poem is harder to get into — so I went my own way, as usual. It worked for you, too, I see. I especially like how there’s sometimes an inch between ripples and other times, generations… Either the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, or a hurricane throws it into the next county. And who knows why? I love the mystery this poem ripples with.
Laura! I think what I love most here is the meta-aspect of each stanza being a ripple itself. Also, that ring of maples echoing later in the lake’s stillness. This is really lovely, even if the source material didn’t fully speak to you…
So many wonderful ways of looking at a ripple! I think stanzas 3 and 4 are my favorites.
I love that you chose ripple, Laura. I didn’t care for the blackbird poem too much, either. You hooked me on “a ring of maples dances” and “ripples in a pond” was like whipped cream on top. Beautiful imagery in stanzas I and II. I love how stanzas I, II, and III gave me warm fuzzies and number IV gave me a jolt. Nice contrasts. I like how you change it up again and change it in three different ways in stanza VI and I can even smell the rolls. Nice ending with humor. I enjoyed this, Laura, thank you. 🙂
I love the various facets you explored — like shimmering sides of a gem.
And the final one — pages rippling while reading in the tub — made me smile in recognition. 🙂