Saturday, April 30, 2011

Poem #30 -- With Apologies to Mr. WCW

Flickr Creative Commons Photo by Kevin H.





















This is Just to Say

I have written
the poems
that appeared in 
my life

and which
I've gathered like
plums in a bowl

forgive me
they were delicious
so sweet
so unexpectedly sweet.


©Mary Lee Hahn, 2011



Well. There you have it. Thirty poems in thirty days. 

Thank you, blog readers, for indulging me in this project. For being patient with this shift in our usual blog focus. We'll return to our usual programming next week.

I am relieved to be finished -- I'll gladly let go of the pressure of producing a poem fit for public consumption every single day. And yet...and yet...

Franki said something to me mid-month that has really stuck with me: "Now that you're living like a poet..." That's really what happened this year. Every day I was on the lookout for the words or image or idea that would become that day's poem. It felt very similar to the way I carry my camera with me at all times, looking for the shots that will become my monthly mosaic. It rejuvenated my writer's notebook.

I was going to say that I think this year's poems are better than last year's, but reading back, I think they're just different, not better or worse. Last year I seemed to focus more on forms, finding the words to fit. This year I followed a trail of words, and created or used the form that seemed to fit. I have begun to live like a poet.

Happy National Poetry Month 2011! 

9 comments:

  1. CONGRATULATIONS! WHAT AN ACCOMPLISHMENT!

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  2. Oh, I love this! May your May and June and July and August and forevermore continue to give you poem-thoughts, even if you don't turn them all into poems. Thank you for sharing this journey with all of us. Happy poem-day-off! A.

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  3. Great way to end the month! Franki's comment was spot-on, wasn't it?

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  4. Congratulations on a great month... and I don't think WCW would want an apology for that. It's a great summation. (He might want an apology for this This is Just To Say poem generator however!)

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  5. I do love that poem-generator,Greg. Maybe we should all do that for 30 days and see what gems come? ha ha

    Thanks, Mary. Now to take a breath and write some really dumb poems. Yay!

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  6. Anonymous10:52 PM

    Congratualtions. My month failed miserably. Between spring break and the illness of my aunt.. too many distractions.
    But your monthis filled with such wonder poems and imagines. Thank you.

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  7. Congratulations--and well done, Mary Lee!

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  8. Mary Lee,

    I forgot to sign in on my Google account. I left the comment attributed to Mike.

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  9. I'm filled with admiration--apart from the gloriousness of the plums you plucked all month, I can't imagine when you sleep, Mary Lee!

    I think I might try 31 poems in July...

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