I joined Spark for the first time. Spark 46, the last round for 2020. A creativity challenged seemed like good way to end this wackadoodle year.
Here is a poem I'm NOT submitting for the piece of art I can't show you yet:
MEANDER (an “In One Word” poem)
Amend
your dream
of reaching that destination. Rename
this aspiration “journey.” Endear
yourself to this dare.
When you find yourself near
fulfillment, read
the landscape, know what you need,
veer toward a new end.
Wandering is a pleasure earned.
Ramble your amen.
©Mary Lee Hahn, 2020
Here are some celebrations from #NCTE2020 last weekend, not the least of which is the recipient of the Excellence in Poetry for Children Award, Janet Wong!
Carol W. has the Thanksgiving Edition Poetry Friday Roundup at Carol's Corner.
Meander is a lovely poem! Thank you for sharing.
ReplyDeleteWow! Would love to know what the process to write one of these looks like. I especially love the line "Rename this aspiration 'journey.'" Big truth there, I think!
ReplyDeleteWow! Now that is an In One Word poem to be proud of. Ramble in your amen....beautiful.
ReplyDeleteI've always liked the word meander… And yes to "veer toward a new end." and "Ramble your amen." Thanks for your alternative "journey" poem.
ReplyDeleteSo wonderful! Here's to some meandering today!
ReplyDeleteThis is wonderful, Mary Lee. Can't wait to see the art that inspired your wise poem. Although 2020 is a year of amended dreams, I love this reminder: "Rename
ReplyDeletethis aspiration “journey.”
If this is the one you're NOT submitting, I can't wait to see the one that you are! Here is some advice I could have used so often in my younger days, if only I had been able to hear it:
ReplyDeleteWhen you find yourself near
fulfillment, read
the landscape, know what you need...
Oh, who are we kidding? In my older days too!
You had me at amend your dream!
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful journey of a poem! The word meander is a favorite of mine, and I was fascinated by all the potent words lying within. Thank you so much for assembling them into this marvelous poem and for challenging yourself creatively in this oh-so-challenging year.
ReplyDeleteA wackadoodle year without a doubt Mary Lee. Love your poem so much I am pasting it into my current notebook, so I can ponder your words at my leisure...
ReplyDeleteYour one word poem is just filled with great advice, Mary Lee. Journey on!
ReplyDeleteOh, I love this. This one's so good, I'm just imagining the poem this WILL use!!
ReplyDeleteSo much of the struggle with now is our inability to hold in tension the idea of future... and change. And having neither be controlled. Your poem is a deep breath and an adjustment as we ramble towards our amen.
I have a lot of practice amending dreams, as most of us do, and this lovely poem celebrates that. Lovely poem. Good luck with your submission. I love the word Wackadoodle.
ReplyDeleteOh, that last line! Yes! And I love that both Janice's and your poems use veering. So much of 2020 has been realizing it's not about changing HOW we got to the goals we had pre-pandemic. It's about changing our goals completely--and embracing them. This is wonderful!
ReplyDeleteThose last two lines. I have participated in SPARK before. So Fun. Maybe in 2021.
ReplyDelete