Friday, July 16, 2010

Poetry Friday & #107 - Flying My Poem





This poem is #8 in a Poetry Friday series of poems about poems.  It is also the last free verse poem in a week of free verse.  This was an interesting experiment, pushing myself beyond my usual walls of rhyme and meter, and I will be cycling back to more free verse, continuing to try and strengthen "my bad eye".

Students - I often mention where poem ideas come from.  This story is rather surprising.  A couple of days ago, I got sleepy in the middle of the afternoon and took a nap.  When I awoke, the image of a road-bumping poem-kite filled my mind immediately, and I quickly jotted down a few notes.  A rested brain makes connections that a too-busy brain might miss, so this is today's idea-finding advice: take a nap with your mind wide open!

This week's free verse poems were very much inspired by two books I have been reading: Heidi Mordhorst's nature-rich PUMPKIN BUTTERFLY and Jeannine Atkins' hauntingly historical BORROWED NAMES.  In each of these books, I find myself wrapped in story and place and voice and then rereading to savor delicious imagery and words wrapped in wonder.  These are books to stand back from and look up to.  They're also books to cuddle up with!

Today's Poetry Friday is hosted by Heidi Mordhorst herself, over at my juicy little universe.  Head on over there for the complete roundup of poetry fun.

(Please click on COMMENTS below to share a thought.)

PS - Does anyone know someone in Montana who might be interested in coming by The Poem Farm?  It's the last state to visit!

10 comments:

  1. I love the opening stanza of your poem, Amy. There's so much hope, joy and fear in that getting the kite off the ground image.

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  2. Thanks for the suggestion to take a nap! But first, I need to read back and catch up on "free verse week." I love your rhyme and meter so much, but like you, I'll give it a chance!

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  3. Hi, Amy--

    Thanks for the compliments. I don't know how you keep cranking out such good stuff. Maybe I'd be pleasantly surprised if I tried a PoWriYe too!

    My favorite stanza is the fourth:
    "back and forth/seeking breezes"
    What about trying that as the first stanza?

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  4. "My heart
    plays with clouds
    dances with the sun."

    Exquisite!

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  5. Amy, I love "finger bits of string" -- the humble and tangible that happens before good flying.

    And of course I've delighted that Borrowed Names (as well as a good nap -- I've had that experience, too, while friends swear by showers) could provide some inspiration. Yay you for trying different forms: it is hard to work against the grain.

    I think we napping types do well in the summer heat: a little grogginess, I find, can let in some inspiration.

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  6. Amy,

    Kudos for trying unfamiliar poetry forms, you brave girl!

    I read once that God puts stuff in you while you sleep because he can't get it in you when you are awake.

    Laura Evans

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  7. Another lovely poem, Amy. I agree with Charles, my favorite lines are:
    My heart
    plays with clouds
    dances with the sun."

    soooo beautiful!!!

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  8. Dear Friends,
    Thank you for the encouragement on the new form...and your specific notes. I am thinking about what everyone liked and trying to learn from it all. Happy PF!
    A.

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  9. Dear Toby,
    You will love Heidi's book!
    I can't wait to meet you in person in MN...we can go check out skies together!
    A.

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  10. Dear Toby,
    You will love Heidi's book!
    I can't wait to meet you in person in MN...we can go check out skies together!
    A.

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