Happy Poetry Friday!
Today’s prompt for the #WaterPoemProject was awesome but challenging. How do you show the universality of water but still stay specific? Here’s my attempt:
Like most everybody else, I’m experiencing lots of upheavals lately! I have no huge National Poetry Month plans–just hoping to share an imagepoem here each day (or as often as I can). I’m participating in Laura Shovan’s awesome #WaterPoemProject the best I can, so most of my poems will come from either that or from the PAD (Poem A Day) Challenge at Writers Digest. Grateful for the distraction of poetry and friends!
For loads of fabulous poetry today, check out the Poetry Friday Roundup with Molly Hogan at Nix the Comfort Zone! She’s sharing thoughts about baking and creation and two beautiful baking poems–including an etheree I particularly love!
25 Responses
Wow! Laura, you included loads of details. I was touched by the sprinkler you do a cartwheel over. I have cried over two close friends to my daughters who have had to change their weddings to include only the officiant and a few others.
Well, I love every bit, and yes, “Name anything, and I am there” is what earth holds so dear. I like that you included Aphrodite from those long ago who showed even then water’s magic and am sad to read your personal touch about your daughter’s wedding. It’s poignant for our time, Laura.
I am grateful for the poetry friendships and connections too! I have really enjoyed the waterprojectpoems. This poem of yours today is so beautiful from primoridal pool to tears. Just lovely.
You made water old, wise, sweet, playful, beautiful, giving and heart wrenching in so few well-chosen words. I’ve reread this poem five times, and will again and again, each time savoring the visuals and swirl of emotions–just as the best poems always inspire us to do! Thank you for this!
Love how you’ve shown the omnipresent role of water in our past, current, and future times. (And so sorry for your daughter’s wedding-plan tears. What a difficult disruption this is for so many.)
Gorgeous rendering by Water itself — so creative and so true! Every line is beautiful and that last — “name anything and I am there” — so full of power. And awe. I love this poem.
Thanks so much, Fran!
Loved this journey you and water took us on–“I am fog on your glasses when you grocery shop today, masked” yes she is there with us and I hope always will be. Thanks for your powerful and inspiring poem Laura.
Thanks so much, Michelle.
I love your shift to everywhen and the last line is perfect. Sorry I haven’t been participating as regularly. Maybe today? Maybe tomorrow?
Don’t apologize! I’m just struggling right along with you. Glad Laura Shovan has organized this, but not able to participate every day myself. That’s the lovely thing about poetry–it’s always there waiting for you, right? xox
Laura, this is wonderful–you’ve definitely captured the universal essence of water. The details are so evocative. That first stanza made me catch my breath, and I especially love “I remember Aphrodite’s birthplace and the/ arc of the sprinkler you cartwheeled over” in your second stanza. Brava!
Thank you so much, Molly Beth!
I love all those glimpses of water from the ancient past to the fogged glasses of today.
Thanks, Kay!
Fabulous poem, Laura. You certainly captured the universal as well as the specific, showing water as an essential life force.
Thanks so much, Jama!
Your poem is sad and comforting at the same time, Laura. Sad because I much prefer cartwheels over the arc of a sprinkler to tears over crumbled wedding plans. 🙁 Yet comforting because water is something to hold on to. Funny to say that given its slippery nature, but it’s, as you say, been everywhere and everywhen—a role model for survival.
Thanks, Michelle. It was hard to capture such a big subject, but also fun to wrestle with possibilities…
Laura, this is a beautiful poem from water’s perspective. You should bring this to #NYEDChat tonight as an inspirational poem #SharingPlanetBeauty.
Thanks, Carol–I just made a note to myself to do that!
This water poem gave me some new perspectives, Laura. Thank you… it is beautiful, thoughtful, inspiring!
Thanks, Karen!
“tears in your eyes when your daughters were born” You’ve done such a lovely job demonstrating the universal, but also the very personal. Thank you, Laura.
Thanks so much, Kimberly!