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Baking Bread (or Life in The Modern World)
Why can't it be easy for once?
Instead, it starts off sticky
and keeps getting stickier
until necessary intervention.
Slow down.
Slower,
less speed,
deep breaths.
Suddenly, stickier becomes smoother
and by now you should know better --
difficult hides behind a screen of pliable
and soft is a precursor to crunchy.
Next comes growth.
A time of pure yeasty optimism
until the smashing and scraping
brings everything back into perspective
and before you know it
the boundaries are set
the heat is applied
the outcome revealed.
There is no such thing as easy,
only repetition after repetition.
Savor the warmth, the freshness.
Then start again.
©Mary Lee Hahn, 2017
This is a poem for Laura Shovan's Annual February Writing Project. The words/phrases for this poem
screen
Why can't it be easy for once?
Instead, it starts off sticky
and keeps getting stickier
until necessary intervention.
Slow down.
Slower,
less speed,
deep breaths.
Suddenly, stickier becomes smoother
and by now you should know better --
difficult hides behind a screen of pliable
and soft is a precursor to crunchy.
Next comes growth.
A time of pure yeasty optimism
until the smashing and scraping
brings everything back into perspective
and before you know it
the boundaries are set
the heat is applied
the outcome revealed.
There is no such thing as easy,
only repetition after repetition.
Savor the warmth, the freshness.
Then start again.
©Mary Lee Hahn, 2017
This is a poem for Laura Shovan's Annual February Writing Project. The words/phrases for this poem
screen
shoot
stickier
soft
smashing
scraping
speed
smoother
slower
Jone has the Poetry Friday Roundup this week at Check it Out.
Thanks for your patience to all who depend on Kidlitosphere Central for the list of Poetry Friday host blogs. Life blew up and I kept putting other things above "update the link list" on my TO DOs. A teacher work day tomorrow and Monday off for Presidents' Day has given me enough breathing space to get 'er done. (And, as usual, it wasn't such a big deal...I just needed to BEGIN.)
"No such thing as easy": that's for sure! Thanks for this!
ReplyDeleteHave a lovely long weekend! Also, share the bread basket... :)
ReplyDeleteLove your savory poem, ML. Good things are worth the effort. :)
ReplyDeleteYour "pure yeasty optimism" is contagious!
ReplyDeleteAs a bread maker, I felt this poem deep inside. I often complain about how each loaf is a surprise, and "it shouldn't be!" I proclaim. But why not really. There is only so much you can control.
ReplyDeleteThe baking poem provides me with food for thought on our journey of life, Diane.
ReplyDeleteReally love this analogy, thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteMmmm, my mouth is watering for fresh baked bread. 'A time of pure yeasty optimism' - oh how I long for that some days too. =)
ReplyDeleteI love this idea of accepting what you can and cannot control in life - you can practice, repeat, and measure, but in the end, you never quite know what will happen - life will always surprise you!
ReplyDeleteYou have touched my bread-baking heart!
ReplyDeleteHugs and celebration for time to breathe.
ReplyDelete"Savor the warmth, the freshness.
ReplyDeleteThen start again." Love this!
What a great poem. Love the stickyness and the scraping and the growth and that it's never easy....just enjoy the warmth and begin again. Fantastic feels to this. Well done, you! Have a great week.
ReplyDeleteMary Lee, I enjoyed this again! Such fun participating in Laura's adventure.
ReplyDeleteSo much to savor in this poem today! I love reading everyone's challenges. All are so different and unique yet from the same set of words!
ReplyDeleteLove the meaning twist... in both your title and poem: the literal "Baking Bread" and the allegorical "Life in the Modern World." I like how your question and its answer bind it together. :)
ReplyDeleteIt is a lovely ode to baking, Mary Lee, and then so much more. I'm glad you shared!
ReplyDeleteThese lines apply to bread and life:
ReplyDeleteNext comes growth.
A time of pure yeasty optimism
until the smashing and scraping
brings everything back into perspective
and before you know it
the boundaries are set
the heat is applied
the outcome revealed.
In the olden days, when I used to cook and bake, I loved making pizza dough. It was soft and malleable and a delight to work. You've made your poem work double-duty. Well done.
ReplyDeleteWow, Mary Lee - nourishing on many levels. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteI like the surprise of the direction you took the words, Mary Lee.
ReplyDelete"Start again" -- words to live by!
My favorite stanza is this one:
ReplyDeleteNext comes growth.
A time of pure yeasty optimism
until the smashing and scraping
brings everything back into perspective
Breathing in that poetry goodness, Mary Lee! (No need for extra butter, either.)
I love the breathing and the going through the baking process with you. Thank you.
ReplyDelete