Let’s celebrate poetry because it’s National Poetry Month. I’ve written poetry since 1986–forty years! Lin just told me he’s been avoiding poetry for over eighty years. Which camp do you fall into?
Disclaimer for Lin
Even though he doesn’t care for poetry, Lin has read all of my poetry books. In fact, he inspired my five-book poetry series.
If You Don’t Like Poetry
In school, so many English teachers assaulted curious minds with bad experiences with poetry.
I remember not reading much in school but when we did, the teacher’s interpretation was the only correct one—no room for me or anyone else to interpret the many nuances any poem offers.
Later, at the university when I got my English degree, professors opened up possibilities after they offered prescribed interpretations. But I had the opportunity to see myself in the poem. That’s when the magic happens, but so many students/readers never had that. They got shamed or totally discouraged and become anti-poetry.
Maybe rhyme seemed silly. Maybe you couldn’t figure out iambic pentameter. If that’s all you saw, you missed a whole different world of possibilities: free verse.
If You Do Like Poetry
Bless You! Someone in your life opened a door to all the possibilities out there. The good news is “According to data from the American Booksellers Association, poetry book sales saw a 7% increase in 2023 compared to 2022.”
When I read poetry, I have to suspend my logical mind and let the images, the tone, the nuances speak to my heart. Then I feel wrapped up in the words and know something I have never known before—because of that poem.
And writing poetry has become my go-to genre for many years. Here’s a haiku I wrote about the wonderful mixture I am:
Who am I really?
Manure and paper clips.
Earth and words mingle!
So, no rhyme but fitting a form: 3 lines: 1st line – 5 syllables, 2nd line – 7 syllables, 3rd line – 5 syllables.
When I taught my poetry unit to my students, they wrote haikus and blew me away with their images and thoughts. Yes, a three-line haiku is poetry. Having to be selective about word choice forces the poet to work through words and language to arrive at the correct count per line and for it to make sense. What a challenge!
Is a Horse Poetry?
Today I shocked Lin, my husband, that I wasn’t writing my whole blog about the amazing Horse Parade we attended —100s of horse—to celebrate the 115th Anniversary of Boquete, Panama. Another observer told me, “No, at least a thousand horses.” Can I write a poem about a horse, horses? Can a horse be poetry?
Here’s a haiku I just wrote about that experience:
Horses everywhere!
Bridles, saddles, quirts and bits!
A black horse prancing so!
So does it work? Does this haiku give you images about horses or a horse?
Lastly,
Poetry has always been meant to be read out loud. Because this National Poetry Month, I have and will be sharing videos of me reading some of my poetry. Hearing the poet read her own work has its own magical power too!
Here’s some samples:
From my newest book which is book #2 in a five-book poetry series, Time Measured Out!: Navigating Life’s Journey Through Poetry, listen to “Spirit Coyote” about an experience I had:
From the first book in the five-book poetry series, Was It A Dream?: Navigating Life’s Journey Through Poetry, I play with thoughts about words in “Playing With Words.” Listen here:
From my multi-awarding winning book, A Time To Grow: A Daughter’s Grief Memoir, listen to “What Words Capture My Loss?:
If you would like to hear more of me reading my poetry, go to my YouTube channel to all that I have recorded so far: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QML0Xl_VAk8&list=PLVTJuKpv4RZd0Uv7A1ZVaBP5YmZAT2Bik&pp=sAgC
More are coming soon!
My Newest Books
Time Measured Out!: Navigating Life’s Journey Through Poetry, Book #2 e-book
ISBN – 9798989688654
$3.99 for limited time
Was It a Dream?: Navigating Life’s Journey Through Poetry, Book #1 – e-book
ISBN – 979-8989688630
$3.99
Buy My Audio Books:
This Tumbleweed Landed
Let Me Tell You a Story
Hair on Fire: A Heartwarming & Humorous Memoir Audiobook
