Happy Poetry Friday! Welcome, everyone! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.)
Almost the end of September–wha???
Well, once again, I missed the live write. This whole past week was all about getting settled back in after our glorious trip to Norway (photos and poems about that to come), and the weekend disappeared in a blink.
When I looked to see what our Poetry Sisters prompt was, I came to “It’s all my fault.” I had just been part of a seriously depressing Zoom chat with nonfiction friends over the future of nf books, given the proliferation of AI “books” and various tools that…well, anyway. I don’t want to get depressed again. So when I read that prompt, I actually liked it, but I also wanted to make it a positive poem. I didn’t want to wallow in sadness.
And THEN I realized I’d been looking at last month’s prompt. THIS month, we’re doing terzanelles. (I’ve never heard of them either.) Oops. (Edited to add: Nope. I was right the first time. This is how my life feels this past year–always slightly out of step. Mercy. But I made something and am posting with friends, even though I was absent from the process!) So then I decided to just keep the “It’s all my fault” bit and try this form. This is not an easy form (to me). (And I totally overlooked the part in our plans that said we were choosing rhyming pairs to all use.) But I still had fun playing with it. I started with it’s all my fault and did a bit of freewriting. There are lots of things totally out of my control–my chronic pain, family members’ health problems, etc. But a lot of things that make me a tiny bit wistful ARE my fault. They’re the result of my choosing something else as more important. And I’m lucky to be able to make many choices! The bare planter on our deck and my currently messy studio (full of drafts, charging cords, knitting projects, sample tiles, etc.) are a little sad. But they’re just that way because I prioritized something else. I’m just going to embrace that.
Here’s my second draft. The photo is of Randy and me at the North Cape on our recent Norway trip. The North Cape is the northernmost land point in Europe that’s accessible by car–I think that’s the deal. You’re up on a high plateau looking out at the ocean, and the horizon is so blue and empty that you can see the curvature of the Earth. It’s an amazing place.
I’ll be by to see what you (maybe) and my Poetry Sisters did with this form.
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15 Responses
I adore this poem! And you masterfully combined the challenges for September AND October. Bravo!
Oops :>( On the other hand, doing the wrong challenge fits in pretty perfectly here.
Thanks for giving me a mentor text for a terzanelle! I really can’t wrap my head around all they rhyme, repetition, and meter, but you made it look so EASY! (I better get started now for next month…)
Hahaha–yup, that’s why I did it! :>D Lord.
You are AHEAD of the game, Laura! I know exactly what you mean in this poem about choices. One time, we chose to travel for the week before we left Germany–it was a big overseas move, and didn’t prepare as we ought to. Oh, the lost things and smashed glasses and chaos on the other end in Virginia…but honestly, the week in Italy was worth it. So worth it.
Yes, that’s it, exactly!
Honestly, that’s my biggest gripe against traveling in the growing time — SOMETHING will go wrong if I’m not there to watch it, and I’ll come home to empty planters… but honestly, packing up and going is sometimes a BETTER choice, and it was so fun to see your travels through picture dumps. Take joy where you find it.
I first saw this poem on IG and thought Oh I want to write one of those! I love how you turned to things you are choosing to ignore in favor of travel. Norway! How fantastic!
“Life bursts at the seams” — so true. Like how you recognized the privilege of being able to choose and embrace what feels right for you. Norway sounds amazing. Love the pic of you and Randy! Didn’t realize it was possible to see the curvature of the earth! Also marveling at how there seems to be an infinite number of poetic forms — kudos to you for testing out the terzanelle. 🙂
Laura, your prose writing gives me peace of mind, “The bare planter on our deck and my currently messy studio are a little sad. But they’re just that way because I prioritized something else.” Clutter is my nemesis so I shall remember to embrace what bothers me. Traveling does allow the body to revive. Your photo is wonderful and your poem is a great mentor text for next month’s challenge.
I like “it’s all my fault, and I don’t care,” especially because the second line is a surprise.
I was struggling with something that was my fault this week. I think it was my best choice but that’s always weird, when your best choice is still a problem.
Sorry about your chronic pain 🙁
xo
Laura, your poem reads seamlessly! Now I want to try writing a terzanelle. What a fabulous trip you had — so glad you chose it!
Oh, wow, you make a terzanelle look easy and doable! (I’ll come back here over the next month to be inspired again!) Your title is so full of gratitude, and the poem bursts with that joy we can find amidst the hard things in life (that will still be there when we get home, but we should choose the joy anyway.)
First off, now I feel less afraid of next month’s prompt!! Also, Laura, you pulled off a two-in-one, so yay you!! Also, so terribly glad you chose travel!!
I also love your “and I don’t care!” Reminds me of Maurice Sendak’s “Pierre A Cautionary Tale” which I always loved and makes me smile! 😊 And wow to Norway, your pic of you and Randy, and being able to see the earth’s curve- how fantastic, I’d do that first too, thanks Laura!