POETRY IN THE SUN

 Resolutions just slip away, don't they?

On January first I decided to read a poem a day. I like reading poems because of their lyricism, the intense visual images they create, and their emotional intimacy. I realized long ago that I can't read an entire book of poetry all at once. Each poem needs to be savored. One a day. Easy resolution to keep, right?

That resolution lasted a couple of weeks during the surprising quiet time after the holiday rush that allows me to reflect, recharge, and resolve.

It's almost the end of January and I forgot all about reading a poem a day. I turned to some of my own poems to see what ideas they inspired and to remind me how difficult it is to write a poem. Poetry writers have told me that they rework a poem over and over to get the right word choices and the right sense they want to convey. 

I don't spend that kind of time writing poetry, but I like to write down phrases that come up and tuck them away to see if they will carry me further.

Here are two:

Spider webs cover a hill/ Dew covers each strand

Where will these two phrases take me? I like the idea of large and small: The spider webs covering a hill and dew covering the strands of each web. Is there more meaning to be found?

Frogs chirping as we walk by/  Their sudden silence the opposite of a motion-detector light.

I think I will leave that one alone.

While taking a letterpress class, I needed a short poem to express my ideas about cats. Trying to devise a poem and design a small book proved challenging in the amount of time I had. I also set myself up for difficulty by deciding to cut out silhouettes of cats within the book pages. Here is the draft of "Do You Know Cats?"

And each page of the completed book:

Do you know cats?

If you do, you know

the lightness of 

existence.

Do you know cats?

If you do, you know

curiosity, judgment,

and fear.

Do you know cats?

If you do, you know

a world of

concentration &

awareness.

What have I 

learned from cats?

I know to take

the time to be quiet.

I know to look

carefully.

I know to touch as

lightly as I can.

What I have learned from our numerous cats.

This post is in honor of Blackie, Chaucer, Bosworth, Winthrop, Kabuki, Jellica, and our last cat, Tangier Buzzer Baby, who passed away in January.

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Two thoughtful posts about changing your attitude:

From Sarah of Frog Hollow Farm about community:

https://mailchi.mp/froghollow/newsletter-nov21-1556141?e=84fbcec38c

Pics and Posts by Chandra Lynn who shares a poem by Ullie-Kaye here:https://iamchandralynn.com/2023/01/25/wednesdaywisdom-some-days-and-sunflowers/