Happy Poetry Friday! Please visit rockin' Robyn at Life on the Deckle Edge for Roundup. I'm very excited to be hosting our Progressive Poem here today, and I'm excited to share the latest line. But first..........
In celebration of National Poetry Month, I will be sharing in each post during April a favorite quote from a favorite poet on poetry. Enjoy!
stories would be
told in sepia."
- Ellen Hopkins
How much do I LOVE THAT QUOTE?! Complete interview at The Examiner.
And now! What a delight this year's Progressive Poem has been! We've gone from sitting on a rock to spiraling like an eagle to seeking advice and listening to a voice (who IS that "Irene" anyway? Still feeling shy about my name being in this poem, so I am thinking of my great-grandmother who is my namesake, and who, according to family legend, "never said a bad word about anyone." I wish I could say I've lived up to that. Alas. Something to strive for. And oh, she was wise! She could have said the words in our poem.) to tucking that merry hen's eggs close... and now the reason for our angst, our fear, our journey...
And now! What a delight this year's Progressive Poem has been! We've gone from sitting on a rock to spiraling like an eagle to seeking advice and listening to a voice (who IS that "Irene" anyway? Still feeling shy about my name being in this poem, so I am thinking of my great-grandmother who is my namesake, and who, according to family legend, "never said a bad word about anyone." I wish I could say I've lived up to that. Alas. Something to strive for. And oh, she was wise! She could have said the words in our poem.) to tucking that merry hen's eggs close... and now the reason for our angst, our fear, our journey...
Sitting
on a rock, airing out my feelings to the universe
Acting like a peacock, only making matters that much worse;
Acting like a peacock, only making matters that much worse;
Should
I trumpet like an elephant emoting to the moon,
Or just ignore the warnings written in the rune?
Or just ignore the warnings written in the rune?
Those
stars can’t seal my future; it’s not inscribed in stone.
The possibilities are endless! Who could have known?
The possibilities are endless! Who could have known?
Gathering
courage, spiral like an eagle after prey
Then gird my wings for whirlwind gales in realms far, far away.
Then gird my wings for whirlwind gales in realms far, far away.
But,
hold it! Let’s get practical! What’s needed before I go?
Time to be tactical— I’ll ask my friends what I should stow.
Time to be tactical— I’ll ask my friends what I should stow.
And
in one breath, a honeyed word whispered low— dreams —
Whose voice? I turned to see. I was shocked. Irene’s?
Whose voice? I turned to see. I was shocked. Irene’s?
“Each
voyage starts with tattered maps; your dreams dance on this
page.
Determine these dreams—then breathe them! Engage your inner sage.”
Determine these dreams—then breathe them! Engage your inner sage.”
The
merry hen said, “Take my sapphire eggs to charm your host.”
I tuck them close – still warm – then take my first step toward the coast.
I tuck them close – still warm – then take my first step toward the coast.
This
journey will not make me rich, and yet I long to be
like luminescent jellyfish, awash in mystery.
......
How's this for kismet? The rhyming word "be" brought to us by Margaret allowed me to use "mystery," my One Little Word for 2014! And isn't a state of mystery a great place to be?! Also, I love jellyfish! From a distance, of course... I have some not so pleasant memories of jellyfish stings, but all those dissipate when I see amazing photographs like this one:
So there you have it! Can't wait to see where Julie takes us next!
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| photo found here |
So there you have it! Can't wait to see where Julie takes us next!
Big thanks to everyone for making this such a fun tradition. Mwah!
Oh, I love your jellyfish! The creature and the line both. "Awash" makes a very good jellyfish word, and then "mystery"… very cool.
ReplyDeleteKate, I do believe we have jellyfish-love in common. :) Thanks for stopping by. xo
DeleteHow perfect is that -- you got to use your OLW?!?! And "awash in mystery..." something to which I aspire!!
ReplyDeleteMwah back atcha!
Those OLWs are powerful things, aren't they?? ! I do aspire to living in mystery. Thanks for stopping by, Mary Lee. xo
DeleteSeeing those jelly fish makes me want again to study luminescence, Irene. You've added a marvelous line, connecting to the "coast" along with your own OLW, opening to more questions. This is certainly getting interesting!
ReplyDeleteYay for more questions, Linda! And yes, luminescence is inspiring, isn't it? I love the scenes in LIFE OF PI. Have yo seen it? Thanks for stopping by. xo
DeleteThis is a beautiful line - mysterious and fun to read! This poem has been simply a joy to follow. Wow! Thank you again, Irene, for getting this whole fun started.
ReplyDeleteDear Amy, JOY is the perfect word. Thank YOU, sweet friend. xo
DeleteHa! And what are the odds that we both use the word "kismet" in our posts today? Your line is divine, Irene! Like those jellyfish, the mystery of this poem is surely aglow as well.
ReplyDeleteHa, Michelle! A double dose of kismet... I'm IN. :) Your comment makes me wish I had gone with "aglow" instead of "awash"... though I don't know what the preposition would be ?? Thanks for stopping by. xo
DeleteI love your luminescent jellyfish! I was going to review your book today at my blog, but I picked a Good Friday piece instead. Next week I'm definitely going to post the review!
ReplyDeleteYay for Good Friday! You are so sweet to post anything ever about my book -- so grateful and looking forward to it. Happy Easter. xo
DeleteI love the sounds in your line--the repeating "sh" of "fish/awash"--and "luminescent" is fun both to contemplate and to say.
ReplyDeleteThank you JoAnn! I do love all those "sh-sh" sounds, especially when one is talking about the ocean... aha, another "sh" sound!! Thanks for stopping by.
DeleteWhat could be more mysterious than the glow of luminescent jellyfish? Wonderful line--and where will Julie take us next?
ReplyDeleteBuffy,thank you for sharing the mystery! Wherever Julie takes us, I am sure it will be colorful and vibrant and awesome. Thanks for stopping by! xo
DeleteI love the word "luminescent" and how wonderful it is that mystery fit so beautifully in your line!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Luminescent LInda. :)
DeleteLove what you did with the line she gave you...in content as well as internal rhyme. For being such a fanciful poem, we're all quite grounded in nature, aren't we??
ReplyDeletePerfect - luminescent jellyfish...and that photograph just adds to the mysterious feel.
ReplyDeleteTara, I love that photo, too. :) Thanks for stopping by!
DeleteOh, Irene! One of my favorite memories is being at a small aquarium in Australia and watching jellies float in their aquariums.(aquaria?) I felt so much calm just standing there. They were white in tanks with black backgrounds and some lighting to make the luminescence appear as pure pearly light. I love how you have our character embracing the mystery without fear. Onward to the coast or whatever path we travel next!! Wonderful line.
ReplyDeleteJanet F.
Janet I too, am filled with a sense of peace when visiting aquariums... love the underwater world. Thank you for sharing! xo
DeleteI think I'll just choose to be luminescent all weekend. What a lovely, perfect word. And it does go so well with your "mystery" - thanks for a stellar line as we continue our journey! Also, kudos to Margaret for setting up this complete thought so nicely.
ReplyDeleteRobyn, I think you are luminescent year-round. xo
DeleteI had a feeling my line would lead to something beautiful, like mysterious jellyfish. I am loving this poem!
ReplyDeleteMargaret, your line was so perfectly OPEN! Thank you. I am loving the poem too... and still a ways to go! xo
DeleteThis is growing to be such an awesome poem - how amazing when likeminded beings come together to share bits of phrases, a rhyme here, tucking in a word there. Beautiful! Thank you for this tradition, Irene.
ReplyDeleteAw, thank YOU, Myra, for being such a luminescent part of this community. xo
DeleteThis progressive poem process is full of mystery -- you never know what twists and turns we will take!
ReplyDeleteYes, Tabatha, mystery all around! Thank you for stopping by. xo
DeleteI *love* jellyfish. It's great to see those glowing sea-creatures make a grand entrance into the poem, Irene. I'll have to wear my jellyfish socks (really) in your honor today.
ReplyDelete