Students - It is a coincidence that last week's poem begins with "You asked..." and this week's begins with "You ask..." Perhaps I am thinking a lot about wishes these days? I invite you to do the same.
This poem grew from my love of fall, my love of staring at fires, and my love of seeing how one thing (wood) changes to another (flame, ask, smoke, heat).
It also grew from the meter of a different poem, "Faults" by Sara Teasdale. It begins:
They came to tell your faults to me,
They named them over one by one;
Read the rest of the (six line) poem HERE.
Each line of Teasdale's poem has 8 syllables, and the rhyme scheme is ABBCAC, which means that line 1 (A) rhymes with the line 5, line 2 (B rhyme) rhymes with line 3. And line 4 (C) rhymes with line 6. I began with keeping her strict meter but then veered off toward the end...on purpose. While I am able to continue such a tight rhyme, I wanted a little of a drifty imagining feeling, just dreaming of those old oaks.
Go ahead and borrow something from another writer this week. Maybe borrow from me who borrowed from Sara and write a six line poem with 8 syllables in all or most lines. Or maybe read something by a different writer and borrow a way to repeat or a way to find a topic or a way to end your poem. Remember, borrowing is not stealing. I never copy others' poems and call them my own. But I DO notice their writing techniques and borrow those. This is one way to learn to write.
If you would like to enjoy a fire with me...here you go. I wrote by its light.
Rose is hosting this week's Poetry Friday roundup today at Imagine the Possibilities with a neat reverso about fall. This is a form that, to be honest, scares me a little bit, and I admire what she has done with it! Each Friday, all are invited to share poems, poem books, poetry ideas, and friendship in this open and welcoming poetry community.
Warm and cozy, toasty and crackly wishes to you, my friends....
xo,
Amy
