Remember

our starting point point of view view from the top top of the bill bill of rights rights of way way too complicated complicated matters matters over minds minds unlocked unlocked secret secret view view, hidden hidden thought thought, remember? remember our starting point

our first step step into the unknown unknown fields of pleasure pleasure of getting to know each other other senses, other bodies bodies in motion motion of the heart heart in wonder wonder of wealth wealth of touch touch our core core revealed revealed emotion emotion bared bared our love love our first step

One of the suggested forms today at OctPoWriMo was loop poetry. I wrote a poem, noticed it was from the head, realised we were asked about the heart too. So I wrote a second one, from the heart. Combined them in a table. Only in the process of putting them together, I realised this was going to be a cleave poem too if I played my cards well… A cleave poem is a poem that’s split in the middle, where the left part forms a poem, the right part forms a poem, and together they form a third poem.

So with a surprised face, I present to you for #OctPoWriMo day 9 my loop cleave table poem – or something like that 🙂 The right column should be outlined to the right but the block editor and I are no friends yet.

April 14, inspire me

April 14th, inspire me
scattered everywhere take two	the ghost of I’m not good enough
you won’t like it	you won’t like it
lost property, prompt not included	fracture strength to the none
April 14th, inspired me

The prompt at napowrimo.net today was “to write a poem that deals with the poems, poets, and other people who inspired you to write poems.” After ample consideration, I realised that my biggest inspiration is #NaPoWriMo, and specifically the prompts and community at napowrimo.net.

The poem combines some of the things I learned and developed during 7 years of National Poetry Writing Month:
– The lines are a compilation of titles of poems (in this case all of them published on napowrimo day 14)
– The formatting is a table
– The poem is a cleave poem

Just to be clear: I’m not claiming that I am my biggest inspiration 🙂 I’m just celebrating today’s prompt by leaning into 7 years of napowrimo inspired writing. I was surprised to find out that some of my favourite ones (The ghost of I’m not good enough, Fracture Strength and You Won’t Like It) were born on this very day.

I lost connection

at the pharmacy		while bombs fell
I worried when		you texted me
good things		you’ll miss
in life		the feeling of being alive
seemed to fall apart		beyond repair
the news broke		your last selfie
my train of thoughts		shattered
I switched off		your dreams
	and apologised

Jane Dougherty wrote a fabulous cleave poem today, for the silence prompt on octpowrimo.com. Hers made me want to try one too. It turned out to be contagious. SMSaves wrote a very good one, called Working Mind Wanders.

How to read a cleave poem?

1. Read the left hand poem as a first one.
2. Read the right hand poem as a second one.
3. Read the whole as a third one.

I guess I could claim I’ve invented a new form, with the title and last line turning the poem into a diamond shape – if your fantasy is rich. I’ve been experimenting with tables before, I suspect I may have written one or more cleave poems before. I’ll search through my site and see if I can add some links or tags, so they are easier to find.

Update: no cleaves found yet, but two table poems, one diamond and one square:
i is a number (I’m not)
Disposition

Today’s prescription

three lunges—————————–be told
two planks——————————- what to do
five seconds —————————- to get better
times series —————————–reduce fatigue
stress reduction ———————–feel fit
neuro plasticity ————————cope

Tomorrow’s schedule
will be different
yet the same

outdoor activity ————————-helpful indeed
never mind the weather ————my body is thankful
individual session ———————-someone finally got it moving
group session —————————-my mind reassured
yanking ourselves———————- to get help
out of our misery ———————–and not struggle alone
by the hairs ——————————-yet I’m irritated
it’s between the ears ——————to the bone
what messes us up ———————full of resistance

Each day I’m exhausted
proud of making changes
fed up with the time it takes

writing poems —————————prescription followed
is an act of defiance ——————-check
protesting the void ———————escaped into creation
reclaiming imagination—————-check

The prompt for #OctPoWriMo day 9  is to write about why you are choosing to continue to write poetry now.