Saturday, November 13, 2010

riding the poetry bus

When it comes to poetry I'm a peculiar bird. When I try my hand at it I usually do okay, but for whatever reason poetry usually is off my radar. A few of my blogging friends, however, enjoy poetry a great deal, so I am reading and enjoying more and more of it. My friend The Bug participates regularly in some writing challenges via other blogs, and this week one of them piqued my interest enough to give it a go. I have lifted the following (in italics) from her blog:


The Poetry Bus is being driven by the amazing Karen at Keeping Secrets (really, you should check out her poetry). She has us thinking of Robert Frost and forks in the road. She says:

The challenge for passengers this week will be to write about one of the following:


(1) a time you had to choose between two clearly divergent paths; (2) a time you were called to walk a path you didn't choose for yourself; or (3) a time you refused to travel the path you were called to follow. If these won't work for you, write anything about a choice you made.

I'm going with number 1. It is title-less. 

How is it
that love lives
where like can find no home?

The lure of love
brushed past the ragged edges of 
discomfort, 
disunity, 
dis- too many things,
and blazed a trail that,
just in time, 
would host the thundering hooves
of heartbreak.

Worse, dreambreak.

Shards of broken images
stared back at me
from that place of 
dreaming, 
longing, 
imagining a world
through which I was meant 
to dance
and sing
and play
and splash
in puddles of joy.

But, no.
Wisdom called out, 
my own clarion call to hold me back 
and protect the heart 
whose breath lifts the wings of dreams.
In the shadow of wakefulness 
my world went still, 
and gray. 

And it waits. 
Again.

8 comments:

Jayne said...

OK, I'll come out of the closet... I am not a poetry fan either. Truly... I'll read it and many times, scratch my head as I feel I must be missing something? I used to like to compose poetry as a young kid, but as an adult, I find little enjoyment in it for some odd reason.

Peter Goulding said...

"Usually I do okay" at poetry, she says.
Let me tell you, that second lure of love stanza is as good as I've read. Write more poetry. That's a request.

Helen said...

'dreambreak' .... I am entranced by this word ... and your poem too!

The Bug said...

Oh well done! And heartbreaking...

The Bug said...

Oh well done! And heartbreaking...

Karen said...

For someone who doesn't read or write much poetry, you certainly seem to have the knack for it! Welcome to the bus crowd -- you fit right in.

Terri said...

well done. I too like your phrase, "dreambreak." well, you have an idea why.

Carolina Linthead said...

I second Peter's request: write more poetry, please! It is difficult, I know, with all the demands on your time, the cares you carry (okay, I'm projecting more than a bit with that phrase), but this is so very lovely. Thank you!

*does "we're not worthy" bow*

LinkWithin

Related Posts with Thumbnails