Wednesday, October 25, 2017

Poets United Midweek Motif ~ Journey


   
    “The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.” — Lao Tzu



SOURCE




“Books are the plane, and the train, and the road. They are the destination, and the journey. They are home.”__ Anna Quindlin, How Reading Changed My Life



       Midweek Motif ~ Journey


Not a single atom in this universe is without a journey. Everything around you including yourself is a wayfarer. Each moment is a journey enriching us with experience.


Share with us those invaluable moments about your tour, trek, voyage, safari, pilgrimage or you might even recount your inner journey.


Even if you are a stay-at-home kind you might open your eyes to the exciting, adventurous, arduous and even traumatic journeys that are taking place all around us and write on any one of them.


A few poems for you:


Up-Hill
by Christina Rosetti

Does the road wind up-hill all the way? 
   Yes, to the very end. 
Will the day’s journey take the whole long day? 
   From morn to night, my friend. 

But is there for the night a resting-place? 
   A roof for when the slow dark hours begin. 
May not the darkness hide it from my face? 
   You cannot miss that inn. 

Shall I meet other wayfarers at night? 
   Those who have gone before. 
Then must I knock, or call when just in sight? 
   They will not keep you standing at that door. 

Shall I find comfort, travel-sore and weak? 
   Of labour you shall find the sum. 
Will there be beds for me and all who seek? 
   Yea, beds for all who come.



The Addict
by Anne Sexton

Sleepmonger,
deathmonger,
with capsules in my palms each night,
eight at a time from sweet pharmaceutical bottles
I make arrangements for a pint-sized journey.

I'm the queen of this condition.

I'm an expert on making the trip
and now they say I'm an addict.

Now they ask why.

WHY!       

Don't they know that I promised to die!
I'm keeping in practice.

I'm merely staying in shape.

The pills are a mother, but better,
every color and as good as sour balls.

I'm on a diet from death.


Yes, I admit
it has gotten to be a bit of a habit-
blows eight at a time, socked in the eye,
hauled away by the pink, the orange,
the green and the white goodnights.

I'm becoming something of a chemical
mixture.

that's it!
My supply
of tablets
has got to last for years and years.

I like them more than I like me.

It's a kind of marriage.

It's a kind of war where I plant bombs inside
of myself.

Yes
I try
to kill myself in small amounts,
an innocuous occupation.

Actually I'm hung up on it.

But remember I don't make too much noise.

And frankly no one has to lug me out
and I don't stand there in my winding sheet.

I'm a little buttercup in my yellow nightie
eating my eight loaves in a row
and in a certain order as in
the laying on of hands
or the black sacrament.

It's a ceremony
but like any other sport
it's full of rules.

It's like a musical tennis match where
my mouth keeps catching the ball.

Then I lie on; my altar
elevated by the eight chemical kisses.

What a lay me down this is
with two pink, two orange,
two green, two white goodnights.

Fee-fi-fo-fum-
Now I'm borrowed.

Now I'm numb.


Provisions
by Margaret Atwood

What should we have taken
with us? We never could decide
on that; or what to wear,
or at what time of
year we should make the journey

So here we are in thin
raincoats and rubber boots

On the disastrous ice, the wind rising

Nothing in our pockets

But a pencil stub, two oranges
Four Toronto streetcar tickets

and an elastic band holding a bundle
of small white filing cards
printed with important facts.


Please share your new poem using Mr. Linky below and visit others in the spirit of the community—
               
Next week Susan’s Midweek Motif will be ~  Saints 



15 comments:

  1. Hi, there! Nice to see you all. Have a nice Wednesday and Happy Writing!

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    Replies
    1. I don't think I told you how inspiring this prompt is for me!

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  2. Hello everyone! I have a new name to go by on here: "Hopeful" it is, for privacy reasons. Have a great day everyone!

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  3. Sumana, Sherry and Mary,
    I have returned from a long absence. Too long away from a place of warmth and great familiarity. I have made the journey back today:)
    Eileen

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  4. Sleepy, and needing rest ... I'll be back later for this feast.

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  5. A prompt that has some ideas swirling, thankfully, after a rather dry spell. Thank you, Susan!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It was Sumana--but, I am so happy you are writing again!

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  6. Thanks for the great prompt! I'll return tomorrow to read.

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  7. A lovely prompt. Life has been very busy for me again, so I am a little late...

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  8. Nice prompt, Sumana. I have commented on some & will continue commenting tomorrow. Have a good week, friends.

    ReplyDelete

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