They Have Their Uses, But… [Poetry Friday]

Happy Poetry Friday! Welcome, everyone! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.)

Last week, I shared a Halloween poem (just in case you’re looking for spoooooky! :>)

So, this month, our Poetry Princess challenge was “Oct 30: A naani poem, theme is foresight again (or autumn, or both).

A naani is 4 lines, between 20 and 25 syllables, and…well, I don’t know. I really struggled with it. That’s all I know. I think there weren’t enough rules for me to kind of understand what they would work well for. Anyway, here’s my first attempt.

If you wrote your own naani, I hope you’ll share it on social media with #PoetryPals or below in the comments. And for the coming month, here’s our assignment: Nov 27 — theme is hindsight — pick one of your old poems to revise and/or write a new poem in conversation with it…

I’m looking forward to seeing what my Poetry Sisters have come up with–right along with you guys!

Kelly
Liz

Sara 
Tanita 
Tricia
Andi
Rebecca
 

Click here to see all our previous Poetry Princesses collaborations. 

And for more poetry, don’t miss the fabulous Poetry Friday Roundup with my friend, Linda Baie.

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21 Responses

  1. Thanks for saying that you struggled with the naani, Laura. I am trying to wrap my head around it but in the meantime, I was trying to get my feet on solid ground with the pantoum. You know that I think your tree is awesome and added your naani poem to my Abundant Autumn Gallery so many thanks for this offering. I look forward to seeing many other naani poems and hope to try it out also.

    1. Oh, pantoums! Have fun, Carol! It’s tricky with those repeated lines, but fun to play with how to use them to best effect, while still moving the poem actually forward!

  2. Are you kidding??? I ADORE THIS. I adore this so much! “Will never gaze in awe.” Exactly what we need to get back to, what we yearn to get back to — being awestruck. Thank you. This made my morning.

    1. Thanks, Liz. I just don’t know what makes the naani different. I didn’t have–didn’t make–the time to really look into it more deeply. So it was kind of a “meet the line and syllable count” writing session. But sometimes that’s all I’ve got :>)

  3. Thanks for the Naani challenge. Love the last line of your Robots poem. So true of many things. Here is my attempt.

    Covid Extended

    a restless world
    uncertainty
    prolongs the worry
    letting go in healing silence

    1. Love it, Sandie! Thank you for playing :>) I love the idea of that healing silence. Ourselves, nature, whatever spiritual side you have–silence seems to give room for us to get healing from all those things.

  4. New to me, Naani is, like so many of these intriguing forms I’ve been fortunate to meet in this nurturing poem-making community.
    I’d say you’ve got the Naani down, sharp.
    The last line!
    Yes.

    Happy Halloween Weekend, dear Laura.

  5. From what you wrote, I’m not so sure about this “naani” form (to write) but I love what you wrote, Laura. Robots will never “gaze in awe”. I love your message! Have a lovely weekend!

    1. Thanks, Linda. I was okay with my poem itself, but I don’t feel I did anything particular to make it naani-ish (probably because I don’t have a good grasp of what makes a naani a naani). :>)

  6. Well, robots was a totally unexpected topic! I love how much raw info you’ve managed to gracefully put into this poem, including a theme of why humans still matter. Lovely.

  7. Naani poems are a new form to me, as well. I love your robot naani attempt, Laura. I’ve learned something new about robots from reading it! (who knew about planting that many plugs per hour?) Happy Halloween! 🙂

  8. “Will never gaze in awe.” That’s me every fall. I really like the way you’ve described what a robot can and cannot do. The last line provides a jolt of truth when you read it.

  9. Well, I’ll take the human gaze over all the numbers any day–yes to humanity, thanks Laura.

  10. The best thing about small short poems for me is the pow of truth they pack. Like this poem. I have never written a naani. But, I might like to try it now.

  11. Nice job! And so true! The awe is such a big part of what makes us human.
    Ruth, thereisnosuchthingasagodforsakentown.blogspot.com

  12. Your Naani made me smile. I think it’s wonderful and it is a form I’m never heard of. I love the tree! It’s so big and bright! Happy Halloween.

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