Happy Poetry Friday! Welcome, everyone! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.)
So, this month, our Poetry Princess challenge was hindsight again — pick one of your old poems to revise and/or write a new poem in conversation with it… (any form).
I am writing this on Wednesday and feel hopelessly behind. I almost didn’t write anything, but now that we’ve opened it up for everyone to join in, I felt bad not doing it. So, congrats–you’re my new accountability group! If you wrote something, we can’t wait to see it! Share on your blog or in the comments or anywhere you like. And if you share it on social media, use the #poetrypals hashtag!
Here’s the old poem. This one was never shared. It’s from my 2007 Poetry Diary:
March 22, 2007
Bookmark
my life
Let the story stop
While I rest,
Pick up
When I return
–Laura Purdie Salas all rights reserved
And here’s my poem in response. Oh, how things have changed! I feel like my poetry has become so irritable, and for that, I apologize. I am going to try something more positive next month, I promise!
I’m looking forward to seeing what some of my Poetry Sisters have come up with–right along with you guys!
Kelly
Liz
Sara
Rebecca
Tanita
Tricia
Andi
Click here to see all our previous Poetry Princesses collaborations. Next month, we’ll be writing poems on ponderous, or an image of a hippo, whatever form we wish! We’ll share on September 25, and we hope you’ll join in!
Awesome teacher/author/human Heidi Mordhorst has the Poetry Friday Roundup this week! Her haunting “Back to School” poem is stunning. Don’t miss it.
15 Responses
Hope you find a time-travel portal somewhere to sneak off into, perhaps a story or poem will emerge–I like time-travel. Your poem isn’t anywhere as bleak as mine, and your title and image are both uplifting. I’d like to slow time down, I never seem to have a free moment–prep work for teaching online takes up a lot of time…But I’m happy to be working. Thanks Laura!
Okay, so your life in hindsight and forward sight is a contrast for sure. It gave me a laugh so I say, let me join in and skip a few chapters so I can take a rest in my new home in 2021. I hope you join me next week with the challenge I proposed for the Roundup I am hosting, Laura. Thanks for inviting me to share a #poetrypals poem this week.
I think both poems show what we all think, Laura. not dark really, but true. And the early poem struck me because even written years ago, it fits. “Let the story stop” may not have been what you were thinking then, but it fits today, my wish! Have a lovely weekend!
Thank you for putting irritable on the page/screen. I’ve been fighting irritable and the folks that push me toward “seeing the bright side” kinda irritate me too. I will get there. I know I will have moments of positivity and creativity. That’s me. I like the idea in your poem of putting this year on the shelf until we are ready to keep reading or, for a new book!
By now you have surely heard the term “toxic positivity,” which is more of the same ick that got us dishonestly where we are. Let’s do it, let’s look at the dim side and say what we feel. Let’s be IRRITABLE and crushed. It improves our vision.
I *haven’t* heard of this, though just looked it up. I believe in feeling “all the feels,” as the kids say:>) I do tend toward the positive, though, and try not to share too much irritability here. But sometimes, ya just gotta let it go, though. Thanks, Heidi–I always learn new stuff from you!
Yes to a time-travel story and skipping ahead to Chapter 2021, Laura! I’m sorry I missed this challenge, but I’m glad you gleaned this gem from your 2007 poetry diary. I’m literally writing myself a reminder for the September poetry pals challenge — I love hippos.
I don’t find this poem cranky! I, too, want to skip ahead — both in books and in life sometimes when things get to tense!! What other people find a plot point to linger upon, I’m often ready to abandon. Nothing at all wrong with that — this movie, 2020, is pretty upsetting, and I’d like to be done with this part, too. Let’s just fast forward to the end where everyone has a HEA, okay?
I like it! And amen to skimming the rest of 2020! Ruth, thereisnosuchthingasagodforsakentown.blogspot.com
I love how you used the book metaphor to write a “cranky” poem about 2020. The bookmark in life is a brilliant metaphor, wake me up when we’ve made it through to the next chapter. The uncertainty of what will happen next week when we get back into school is keeping me up tonight. Oh, how I’d love to thumb ahead in this book.
You are not alone in wanting to hit the pause button or skip a few chapters of this story, Laura! I love the added details and depth of your new poem.
I’m in total agreement, and if that makes us irritable, then so be it. Who wouldn’t be what with all 2020 has thrown at us?
I love this kind of exercise, Laura et al! Your bookmark concepts reminds me of Daisy’s wish to be placed in a medical coma until this is all over. “Do you think that’s a legal request for someone to make?” If not, let us shake our silky teal tassels and remake the world. (And thank you for the compliments, Laura. You also are an awesome multifacted human, and I never forget that you took up BATON TWIRLING. Wait, is that right?)
Color guard (so flag twirling, not baton–but close enough!). Thanks, Heidi:>)
I love the bookmark metaphor, to pause and take a break from the story. But I also would love to skip ahead, get the next couple of months over. What does it say to wish your life away? I’m trying to resist it. Loved your poems.