To Sense the Rhythm

To find the words 

to sense the rhythm of life 

is to slip away 

from habits of a lifetime, 

to sway to new melodies 

in the moments 

of each passing year 

to sense the grace of our age.

“Sometimes when I am writing, 

I am aware of a rhythm, a dance, a fury, 

which is as yet empty of words.”

~ Stephen Spender, poet

(1919 ~ 1995)

Into the Outside

To take out pencil and notebook, I must put my head down to the page. 

To grasp the songs of the birds, 

  to witness children at play, 

    to marvel at the calm elegance of pelicans ~ I must. 

I could stand still

 breathe in those scenes ~ 

   and I do. 

Marvelling at the vast nature

  that surrounds me lending 

    beauty to my day 

~ even if just for a moment. 

When I want to capture in words 

  each lovely scene,

   create story around them, 

I must put my head down 

  while my pencil scribes in my notebook.

“..take out lovely pencil and notebook to find a few touching, kissing words.”

~ Mary Oliver,  Poem: A Morning Walk

Author’s note: inspired by Mary Oliver’s poem: Poem: A Morning Walk

Jammed

 

Words backed up 

like a log jam 

before spring thaw.

“When words don’t come easy, I make do 

with silence and find something in nothing.”

~ Strider Marcus Jones, poet

The Quest

I’m not getting anywhere 

   on this quest to 

find the words. 

Words that sing, 

  that have meaning, 

    that wake me up. 

They lie dormant 

in their little beds 

only wanting to rest.

So I will acquiesce and let them be 

~ after I have finished this poem 

and said good night.

“Of your unspoken words you are the master; 

of your spoken word the servant; 

and of your written word the slave.”

~ Quaker proverb

In the Drift

Here I am 

on a blank page 

wondering 

which words go together 

too many words come at me 

all at once 

not blocked 

merely too many good ideas 

or were they really good?

or just a disparate word 

scribbled on the page with 

the oomph knocked out of it,

maybe even the why of it vanished.

“The clouds don’t overthink; they just drift.”

~ Avijeet Das, poet and writer

Thinner than Gauze

Did I write them down

   words that blink

 in phrases 

in ideas 

    from nowhere 

  and everywhere

Disconnected

  little stems 

   for story, 

     essay or

       poetry.

       

     ~~~~~

Little notebooks 

on table and desk, 

 filled with notes

  wise words

directions ~ how to shape ideas

  notes to self 

a grocery list for apples and oranges

 bills to pay

  phone numbers

    dates from messages

Not as cluttered as my thoughts

  ~ but close

At least notebooks are solid

  ~ thoughts are thinner than the finest gauze.

“Write down the thoughts of the moment. Those that come 

unsought for are are commonly the most valuable.”

~ Francis Bacon

(1561~1626)

Hints

 

Another blank page

Words beg for release

Mere hints of poetry    

“There are no blank words. Just blank pages.”

                ~ Hadinet Tekie, poet and artist                            

This Narrow Moment

Late  

more words 

to spill 

onto the page 

fitting into 

this narrow moment 

bracketed by sleepy eyes.

“There is a time for many words, and there is also a time for sleep.”

~ Homer,  The Odyssey

Nicely Done!

Nicely done!

Said with a smile 

when a task is complete 

with ease and efficiency

but it is those tasks done 

with steady on until the end

that definitely deserve a smile

and those little two words:

Nicely done!

“You just can’t beat the person who never gives up.”

~ Babe Ruth

(1895 ~ 1948)

Drift

 

Penning poetic words tonight sounded easy but when they kept spilling through my fingers to drift away, I was left to mutter ~       ‘writing is hard’!

“One day I will find the right words, and they will all be simple.”

~ Jack Kerouac,  The Dharma Bums