I'm trying something new, taking a risk this month - participating in#VerseLove with Sarah Donovan,
hoping to write poetry every day this April.
Today's challenge is called "The Golden Shovel," a poetic structure created by Terrance Hayes, who wrote one from Gwendolyn Brooks' "We Real Cool." The challenge is to take a line or two of a favorite poem and use those words 'acrostic-style,' one by one, in order, as the first or last word of each line in your own poetry. I have used my favorite poem from this website, "I am not I" by Juan Ramon Jimenez, using the words from these two lines:
I am this one,
walking beside me whom I do not see
Each word, one by one, is the last word of my poem, which follows...and, poetically, I think it should be entitled "Writing Beside Me," the title of my blog.
Writing Beside Me
Isolated, together, Mom, Dad, four boys, and I
So long ago, yet all that I am,
Mental illness, oh no, don't talk about this
Shame on you, these are our secrets, every one
Don't like it here? Then get out, get walking.
Even in distance, they stayed right beside.
Through so many years, memories choked me.
I was able to share with my husband, whom
I love so deeply, but still crumbled from the pain that I
had not dealt with, didn't know what to do,
finally, exasperated with the silence that I loved not
I have tried to remember and see.
[gayle sands, from Sarah Donovan's website] Maureen—this is a powerful and painful sharing. The people you do not see are with you always, aren’t they—whether or not you choose to acknowledge them. “ finally, exasperated with the silence that I loved no/I have tried to remember and see. “ That takes courage…
ReplyDelete[Denise Krebs, from Sarah Donovan's website] Maureen,
ReplyDeleteThe ubiquitous “Shame on you”, whether spoken or silently understood. Too many have had that message. It can be dibilitating.
Healing and power are in these lines…
Through so many years, memories choked me…
I love so deeply, but still crumbled from the pain that
I had not dealt with, didn’t know what to do,…
I have tried to remember and see.
[Crag A Hill, from Sarah Donovan's website] Maureen, I appreciate the honesty in this poem coming out of an amazing two lines of a poem I will seek out shortly.
ReplyDeleteAs Denise points out in an earlier comment, the poem has some powerful healing lines!
[glenda funk, from Sarah Donovan's website] Maureen,
ReplyDeleteI love your inspiration line. I don’t know the poem but will be hunting for it soon. There is such rawness in your poem. I know the feeling in “Through so many years, memories choked me.” I struggle to reveal the vulnerable parts of myself to others. I did that yesterday and almost immediately regretted it. I suppose at our age we realize time to heal childhood wounds is running out. I hope the writing brings catharsis. Thank you for trusting us w/ your truths.
—Glenda
Jordy Bowles - from Sarah Donovan website:
ReplyDeleteMaureen, this was a powerful story you told in a few short lines. The pain and emotions are shown through your word choice, I particularly can feel, “shame on you, these are our secrets, every one/ Don’t like it here? Then get out, get walking.”