Celebrate Something!

 

My Feet in the Garden This Morning

Photo by Amy LV

 

Students - Happy First Day of Spring! I am celebrating! Here in Western New York, we are alternating daily between warm sunny days and cold snowy days, but happily, spring bulb flowers are strong and can weather storms. Above you can see some little grape hyacinths and daffodils sprouting up in the garden outside my writing shed, Gratitude. We, too, can weather storms.

Today's poem is a poem of celebration. I have been visiting the gardens every day, walking around and welcoming each new sprout.  They feel like old friends coming back after a long trip to the Land of Winter. Today's poem also follows a particular form - the pantoum. I could only find one pantoum that I've written here at The Poem Farm....a poem about wearing masks, posted on July 3, 2020.

 The pantoum form is interesting in that it follows a particular repetition scheme but not a special meter. I was reminded of it by reading Stephen Dunning and William Stafford's book GETTING THE KNACK: 20 POETRY WRITING EXERCISES. You will notice in my spring pantoum that each stanza includes four lines, and in each stanza, the second and fourth lines repeat the first and third lines of the following stanza.

I love seeing messy drafts, so below you'll find mine from this morning. The numbers in parenthesis are a reminder to me that this line should repeat the line that is numbered in the parenthesis. I used a poem in Dunning and Stafford's book as a mentor for my rhyme and meter.

 

Pantoum Draft with Many Crossouts

Photo by Amy LV 

 

If you are ever unsure of what to write about on any given day, try walking around a part of your day and finding something to celebrate. Not only will you have a new bit of writing, you will lift your spirits too. 

Tanita is hosting today's Poetry Friday roundup over at Tanita S. Davis with wise words about how poems are songs and how songs can give us strength. Each Poetry Friday, all are invited to share poems, poem books, poetry ideas, and friendship in this open and welcoming poetry community. 

May you find warmth where you live this week, outside in the weather and inside of your heart. Remember that the way you act in the world can provide warmth and goodness for others too. Peace.

 xo,

Amy 

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A Pantoum for Our Times

Self-Portrait, Summer 2020

by Amy LV

amylvpoemfarm · In The Meantime - a poem by Amy Ludwig VanDerwater

Students - You may have noticed a lot of repetition in today's poem, and you may have noticed that the repetition follows a particular pattern. This poem is a pantoum. A pantoum has stanzas of four lines (as many as the poet wishes), and in each stanza, the second and fourth lines repeat as the first and third lines of the following stanza. Pantoums do not always rhyme, and you will note that I changed the pattern in my final stanza, rhyming all four lines with each other.

I do not recall ever writing a pantoum before, but for today, I wanted my message to contain a lot of repetition, and this form clearly lends itself to that. I am writing about the importance of wearing masks because I know that science tells the truth, and I care about my community -- both the small community of my family and the large community of our world's people.

You might wish to try writing a pantoum of your own. You do not need to rhyme, and your pantoum can be as long as you wish. Simply experiment with four line stanzas, and follow the repetition pattern as above. I suggest choosing repeated lines that you wish to drive home. I found that making lists of rhyming words in my notebook and then drafting on the computer helped me with this form.

Linda is hosting this week's Poetry Friday roundup over at A Word Edgewise with a poem swap share and a powerful 'In One Word' poem for July 4. We invite everybody to join in each Friday as we share poems, poem books, poetry ideas, and friendship. Check out my left sidebar to learn where to find this poetry goodness each week of the year.

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