I offer you this poem by Marge Piercy:
The birthday of the world
On
the birthday of the world
I
begin to contemplate
what
I have done and left
undone,
but this year
not
so much rebuilding
of
my perennially damaged
psyche,
shoring up eroding
friendships,
digging out
stumps
of old resentments
that
refuse to rot on their own.
No,
this year I want to call
myself
to task for what
I
have done and not done
for
peace. How much have
I
dared in opposition?
How
much have I put
on
the line for freedom?
read the rest here
... and this poem, from ARTSPEAK:
The Last Poem
is all knees
and flat feet
it keeps forgetting
the routine
yet it wears a hat:
see me?
it lifts its arms:
love me!
it squinches its eyes,
looks past lens,
mirror
stage
dances us
across the page.
- Irene Latham
Happy New Year!!! Here's to lots of love and adventure in 2020. :)
How wonderful! I love the question in the middle of your poem. I absolutely went right to the photo to find the hat. What a wonderful year this has been. Your writing, your thoughts about your writing and others have been a joy to read. You make me think and want to write better. Thank you for that! Let my words and your words become sparks!
ReplyDeleteHere's to more dancing across the page in 2020. Thank you, Irene! xx Christie @https://wonderingandwondering.wordpress.com/
ReplyDeleteThat Marge Piercy poem is a doozie and I stand "self convicted of sloth" alongside her. I've been pondering more and more when and how to effectively add my voice to the mix. I love the compassion in your poem for the "flat feet" and forgotten routine and the ultimate dancing across the page. Wishing you a wonderful year!
ReplyDelete..."all knees and flat feet" I can so relate to your "last poem". Love the humor and bounce in this poem. Like Marge Piercy, I wonder how I can raise my voice. Michelle's post also has me thinking about this as well. I hope your holidays are beautiful and bright and full of poetry.
ReplyDeleteI am too compassionate for my own "knees and flat feet" to judge myself as Marge Piercy does, although I probably could use a bit of a push and a spark!
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year, my dear! xo
Thanks for sharing this gorgeous poem by Marge Piercy, that speaks so closely to my own heart–I think I may have to steal her last line for a future poem: "Let
ReplyDeletemy words turn into sparks." And then yours Irene, WOW–how you've captured the feelings these young dancing girls have in your poem, they dance right off the page and into your heart! Have a wonderful New Year! xo
Go Marge Piercy! And you...you are indeed a poem! The best kind, with surprises and nudges.
ReplyDeleteIt's the time of year for contemplating, and Marge Piercy's timely poem reminds me to focus on the world rather than myself. Thank you for that. I love the personification in your Last Poem poem. Happy New Year!
ReplyDeleteYes, yes and yes--let us take our knees, our flat feet, our hats, and do something for peace. A very-forward moving last poem to catapult us into the new decade, Irene!
ReplyDeleteTwo perfect poems to end this year and welcome the next. Here's to a wonderful, peace-filled, poetry-filled 2020!
ReplyDeleteI love your last poem, and thanks for the card I got in the mail. <3
ReplyDelete