Poetry Pantry - #117

The Poetry Pantry

2nd Chance Poems or 1st time shares

 

Hi Poets - Hope you all are having a wonderful Sunday and that you have been writing a lot of poems.  I have found Autumn to be a very inspiring season and hope you have too.  Let's share our words with one another today.  Perhaps a new poem that you have not shared elsewhere.  Perhaps one that you wrote that didn't get as much exposure as you would have liked.  Even if you wrote your poem for another site originally, consider also including a link back to Poetry Pantry to spread the word and the joy of poetry and help others to discover our site.  Please try to visit as many other poets as you can.  We all enjoy visits from those of our poetry community.  Enjoy!


Each Sunday we start a new post with a New Mr. Linky for you. This is so that you can post a link to a poem in your blog. The link will close Monday at 8:00 p.m. (CDT), but you can still visit the links of those who have posted them.

There 3 simple rules:

1. Don’t link to more than 1 poem per week.  If you link more than one, anything after #1 will be removed.

2. Please visit several other poems linked here when you link to yours. Please
don't just link and run, waiting for others to visit you. 

3. Leave a comment after you have posted
your link.  I find that people who leave comments tend to be more participatory.  They wish to be part of the community.  A little of this goes a long way.  It feels good for all.

Classic Poetry - "The Rhodora" by Ralph Waldo Emerson

Ralph Waldo Emerson, 1803 - 1882

A founder of  Transcendentalism and of a uniquely American philosophy emphasizing optimism, individuality and mysticism, Ralf Waldo Emerson was one of the most influential writers of the nineteenth century. Reams have been written about this gentle man; and he, himself, wrote voraciously. Go to rwe.org to read more.

In classic Emerson form, The Rhodora is written in Iambic pentameter with AABBCDCD end rhymes. Also characteristic of his work, the poem explores the notion of a higher entity creating all things, large and small. Emerson also notes that beauty exists whether or not people observe or appreciate it. So, how does that sync with "beauty is in the eye of the beholder"?

Rhodora (Rhododendron canadense)

The Rhodora

On being asked, whence is the flower.
In May, when sea-winds pierced our solitudes,
I found the fresh Rhodora in the woods,
Spreading its leafless blooms in a damp nook,
To please the desert and the sluggish brook.
The purple petals fallen in the pool
Made the black water with their beauty gay;
Here might the red-bird come his plumes to cool,
And court the flower that cheapens his array.
Rhodora! if the sages ask thee why
This charm is wasted on the earth and sky,
Tell them, dear, that, if eyes were made for seeing,
Then beauty is its own excuse for Being;
Why thou wert there, O rival of the rose!
I never thought to ask; I never knew;
But in my simple ignorance suppose
The self-same power that brought me there, brought you.

I Wish I'd Written This

And you as well must die, beloved dust

By Edna St. Vincent Millay (1892-1950)

And you as well must die, beloved dust,
And all your beauty stand you in no stead;
This flawless, vital hand, this perfect head,
This body of flame and steel, before the gust
Of Death, or under his autumnal frost,
Shall be as any leaf, be no less dead
Than the first leaf that fell, this wonder fled,
Altered, estranged, disintegrated, lost.
Nor shall my love avail you in your hour.
In spite of all my love, you will arise
Upon that day and wander down the air
Obscurely as the unattended flower,
It mattering not how beautiful you were,
Or how beloved above all else that dies. 

Another very famous poet for you this week — winner of the Pulitzer Prize for poetry, and of the Robert Frost medal. I don't think she ever goes out of fashion. 

She's a great favourite of mine and this is my favourite of her poems, which I've loved a long time. As sonnets go, I think it must be close to perfect.

Although Millay was known to be bisexual, to me this poem seems a celebration of masculine beauty, a topic which is comparatively rare in poetry. 

And of course, the inevitable death of the beloved is something many of us must face. 

All her poems are at this link, and her books are still available on Amazon.

(In researching this post, I was surprised to find that Millay wrote a verse I have long been attributing mistakenly to Dorothy Parker: 

My candle burns at both ends

It will not last the night;

But ah, my foes, and oh, my friends —

It gives a lovely light.)

Poems and photos used in ‘I Wish I’d Written This’ remain the property of the copyright holders (usually their authors).

Wonder???Wednesday #2 Weird

Thanks to all of you, who responded and played with our new theme, last week!  I loved the  memories that surfaced, while reading your poems! :D

 This week we are going to tread into history, while enjoying  tea, a Geisha and maybe a ghost.  You can go in any direction with these photos.  Just look at the photos and see where it takes you.  This week's wonder, I mean prompt is odd n' unique. I'm naming it weird. Don't worry I will run out of W's eventually and we will use other letters.

 This tea set was given to me by my Mother-in-law.   She gave me 6 tea cups and plates. The set was incomplete, no tea pot.   She received it from a great aunt and it did not go with her other tea sets.  She asked me if I would like it.  I said,  "Yes and thank you for thinking of me."

She knew I loved tea and the art palette would also appeal to me.  She told me what she knew about the set.  It was Japanese and there was a raised image of a Geisha in the bottom of the cup.  The first time I drank out of the cup.  It surprised and spooked me.  It was strange seeing an image of a woman looking back at me. Here are some photos I took.

 I was in the process of moving, when she gave this set to me.  When I arrived in my new home, in North Carolina and was settled, I opened the set.  I washed it and decided to have a cup of tea.  When I saw the face, I knew I had to take photos.  Seeing the geisha was like seeing a ghost.   I got online to  find out about this unique tea setting and its history. 

 This is the tea set.  A serving for one.

In this photo you can see a raised image in the bottom of the tea cup.  Do you see the outline of a Geisha?!

Here is the cup being tilted up. YOU can now see the Geisha!

           Here I have darkened the image.  In this photo I am having a cup of tea!  



The tea cups are made of fine Bone China. The service is from the 1950's, it is called Hayasi Kutani.  You can also look it up by referencing Geisha Ghost.  The molded art is made, by very thin translucent porcelain also known as Lithophane.  This process can create a 3-D image.  YOU can see the image when light n' shadows are in play, when you tilt your cup of tea.   You can also set the cup in a sunny window and view it at different times during the day.  Sunlight alters the image and the Geisha Ghost will appear.

It is believed this process was first developed in China.  In the 1930's, the Japanese started producing Lithophane on sake 'n tea cups.   During WWII many sailors and soldiers were buying pieces to bring back home, during 1945-1952.  This art form stopped production sometime in the 1950's.

Isn't it amazing!!!   

 YOU have your prompt, to me it is more wonderful than weird!  Pour a cup of tea and let the image

speak to you!   I look forward to your poems~  Off to make a cup of my favorite, Oolong!

Blog of the Week - WORDS AND THOUGHTS

In bringing back our featured Blog of the Week, it is with great pleasure that we begin this series with one of our long-time members, Eileen O'Neill of Words and Thoughts. Eileen has been with Poets United since its early days, and  has faithfully participated in Thursday Think Tanks and the Poetry Pantry. I thought it would be nice to introduce one of our earliest members to some of our newer members, who may not have met her yet.

Eileen hails from Ireland, but now lives in Cheshire, England. Her blog often features the beautiful countryside she lives in, and sometimes Eileen writes about "the troubles" in her home country.

Here are a few of Eileen's poems, for you to enjoy. I  looked around in the archives, back to 2010, and discovered a poem Eileen wrote to Poets United in its early days. Wow!

A Poetic Connection - Eileen's poem about connecting with....us!!!! Love it!

From those early days of my solitary station,
I have now encountered a welcome friendly embrace.

A community to support and express the poetic thought,

Sharing the positives and rethinking the negatives.

The commentary spoken through the written comments,

A helping hand extended and opportunities afforded.

To push through those occasional moments of blockage,

To help replenish that dreaded famine of word drought.

A worthy worldwide friendship and connection with poets united.

© Copyright Eileen T O’Neill 19/12/2010

Baby Michael - In 2011, Eileen's first grandchild was born.

A most magnificent little life,

Has influenced so many others.

His arrival changed so much,

Enriching mundane moments.

His enthusiasm and progress,

Captured in his smiling face.

His infantile ways bring joy,

Gladdening those about him.

I wish to extol his presence to all,

That of my dearest little grandson.

©Copyright Eileen T O’Neill 17/12/2011

Shades of Autumn  - An ode to fall, 2012,  with all of its beautiful scents and colors

You will find many other fine poems on Words and Thoughts, as well as on Eileen's second site Beyond Confines.

Thanks, Eileen, for your faithful participation over the years. Poets United has always been about community, and it is a privilege to shine a little light on some of the talented people in our midst.

Come back next Monday, kids. I promise you an interview that will be a show-stopper! It has been in the works a while, and is not to be missed!

Poetry Pantry - #116

The Poetry Pantry

2nd Chance Poems or 1st time shares

 

Do you have a poem you would like to share? Something that you just felt inspired to write and want others to read. Perhaps it’s a poem that didn’t get as much exposure on your blog as you would have liked. Maybe it’s a poem that you wrote a long time ago that you would like people to revisit. That’s what this section of Poets United is for.

Each Sunday we start a new post with a New Mr. Linky for you. This is so that you can post a link to a poem in your blog. The link will close Monday at 8:00 p.m. (CDT), but you can still visit the links of those who have posted them.

There 3 simple rules:

1. Don’t link to more than 1 poem per week.  If you link more than one, anything after #1 will be removed.

2. Please visit several other poems linked here when you link to yours. Please
don't just link and run, waiting for others to visit you. 

3. Leave a comment after you have posted
your link.  I find that people who leave comments tend to be more participatory.  They wish to be part of the community.  A little of this goes a long way.  It feels good for all.

I Wish I'd Written This

In My Craft or Sullen Art

By DylanThomas (1914-1953)

In my craft or sullen art
Exercised in the still night
When only the moon rages
And the lovers lie abed
With all their griefs in their arms
I labour by singing light
Not for ambition or bread
Or the strut and trade of charms
On the ivory stages
But for the common wages
Of their most secret heart. 

Not for the proud man apart
From the raging moon I write
On these spindrift pages
Nor for the towering dead
With their nightingales and psalms
But for the lovers, their arms
Round the griefs of the ages,
Who pay no praise or wages
Nor heed my craft or art.

Of course you will know the poet — but perhaps not the poem. It’s less famous than some of his others. It’s my favourite piece of ars poetica (poems about writing poetry).

For most of my life ‘the still night’ was my time for writing poetry too, with the moon shining through the window, after a day of either paid employment or active motherhood. Nowadays I have more freedom to write at other times of day, but I’m still a night owl by inclination.

I also relate very much to what he says about the reasons we write — the compulsion to labour late into the night at our craft, striving to make art, even if it’s ‘sullen’ and hard won, even if those we want to reach pay no attention.

Dylan Thomas was a troubled man who died far too young, but his poems were indeed art, and not so darned sullen at that, at least from the reader's point of view! I think he was a poetic genius.

There are more of his poems here. My other great favourite is Fern Hill, a lyrical evocation of carefree childhood. And don’t miss Richard Burton’s reading of his play, Under Milkwood. It would probably be good to have the text to look at whilst listening, because we’re not used to such intense language. You can download it as a free pdf at this link.

Poems and photos used in ‘I Wish I’d Written This’ remain the property of the copyright holders (usually their authors).

Wonder??? Wednesday #1

Are you wondering what this Wonder??? Wednesday is all about?   Well, I will probably use a lot of w's-just warning you, lol.   When we decided to change things up at Poets United, I mentioned "Wacky Wednesday".   Yes, it is a book by Theo LeSieg aka Dr. Seuss.  When I was a fitness instructor we had a fitness routine we followed.   On Wednesday,  it was recommended to do this routine or your own routine backwards.    It created muscle confusion, which prevents you from reaching a plateau.  Anyway, I called it Wacky Wednesday and it fit.  When my daughter was little, this was one of her favorite books.  Its premise is about a day that things aren't what they appear.  A boy wakes up and there is a shoe on the wall.  As the day continues more things are out of place, upside down, unusual and odd.   I want you to embrace Dr.Seuss and celebrate him.  This week's prompt is Wacky...yes, it is officially Wacky Wednesday, but don't think it will be wacky every Wednesday, it won't be!   Every week, there will be a new word to make you wonder....yes, we are going to keep it interesting.  Maybe it will be witty, wonderful, wise, weird,  or ???   YOU will have to stop by to see.  When I finish with the W's we will move on, but for now it is whatever w I pick!

 Go HERE and you can see a few pages inside the book~


The prompt is wacky you can choose to do it in Dr. Seuss fashion, you can go with the idea in the book that your poem be out of place....  Whatever you wish...just don't wish for fish or green eggs n' ham~ :D

Poem of the Week - Two for the Price of One

Kids, I am excited to be bringing back the Poem of the Week series. This will normally be whatever poem really knocks my socks off in any given week. This week, a poem by Myrna Rosa at Daily Spirit caught at my heart. Myrna is a traveler with a very large heart of her own, as you will see in this poem. Below Myrna's poem is a second gem, by Timoteo. Why choose? We can enjoy BOTH! 

A VISIT TO MOTHER-IN-LAW

A person needs just a little space to live.

Her tiny room is dark, lifeless.

Pictures “adorn” every inch of wall.

Jesus bleeds.

His mother and the saints suffer.

“There’s nothing good to eat here.  Look at that ugly thing they brought me.” 

She points to an innocent piece of chocolate cake,

that I’d gladly devour if I lived in her space,

I think.

I let her believe I’m kind to bring her homemade fish.

It makes her happier than to know what is

fast food – she never approved.

And why does she eat corn flakes with every meal?

Because she can

still possess feedom’s ghost.

Only ghosts willingly see her now.

Really.

Willingly.

Obligation mixed with love makes me visit.

But truth is truth,

most times, I’d rather not go.

Not because I fear the ghosts,

or Jesus’ painfully tortured look,

his mother’s and other martyrs’

portrayal of absence – no heaven on earth.

But I must fear… something.

There is certainty in her eyes.

She gives me five little packets of graham crackers she’d saved,

and a little bracelet someone made.

I leave contemplating her little place,

knowing

to live or die, 

we need just a little space.

*************************

Isn't this poem touching? Thanks, Myrna, for being a part of our community. 

I already had this set to go when Timoteo at Catnip sprang his fantastic poem Kiss From the Clouds on the blogosphere. I simply have to include it here in case some of you may have missed it. Way to write, Timo!

She was a woman from Jakarta
the mistress of a Cardinal
and she painted lonely landscapes
on her journey to the sea

A child of the east
a woman of the west
she loves only what is forbidden
standing naked in the courtyard of a country church
where you have followed her from the tourist bus
dark angel beseeching heaven
for a sign from her departed lover

And you know that you can touch her
but she has already told you
that sex is meaningless unless
it is tied to some romantic illusion

And she has told you that her lover
had said that when he is dead
he will send her a kiss from the clouds
and you turn your face skyward

And you know that you can possess her
but she has already told you
that life is meaningless unless
it is tied to some romantic illusion

And she has told you that joy and sorrow are both impostors
and that joy is born from exultation in the moment
and sorrow in a morn when the moment has passed

And you know that you can kill her
but she has already told you
that death is meaningless unless
it is tied to some romantic illusion

And the rain comes like music divinely orchestrated
and your tears come like the muse
unexpected but greatly appreciated
and the colors of the rainbow explode inside your head
as she transmogrifies into a vision of the Madonna

And transcends into heaven

And you wonder who will pick the shrapnel from your eyes
as the rain sends you a kiss from the clouds

She was a woman from Jakarta
the mistress of a Cardinal
and she painted lonely landscapes
on her journey to the sea 

                                              **********************************************
Wow. Just so good.  Come back next week, kids, as we will be featuring a Blog of the Week. (I love this! So much fun!)

Poetry Pantry - #115

The Poetry Pantry

2nd Chance Poems or 1st time shares

 

Do you have a poem you would like to share? Something that you just felt inspired to write and want others to read. Perhaps it’s a poem that didn’t get as much exposure on your blog as you would have liked. Maybe it’s a poem that you wrote a long time ago that you would like people to revisit. That’s what this section of Poets United is for.

Each Sunday we start a new post with a New Mr. Linky for you. This is so that you can post a link to a poem in your blog. The link will close Monday at 9:00 p.m. (CDT), but you can still visit the links of those who have posted them.

(Remember also that this is the week that changes will be taking place here at Poets United.  Sherry will highlight a Poem of the Week for us to enjoy later Monday evening.  Ella will begin with her "Wacky or Wonderful Wednesday" prompt VERY early Wednesday morning.  Rosemary's Friday "I Wish I'd Written This" sharing and Kim's Saturday "Classic Poetry" will remain on the same schedule". We are excited and enthused about the changes and hope you will be too!)

There 3 simple rules for Poetry Pantry:

1. Don’t link to more than 1 poem per week.  If you link more than one, anything after #1 will be removed.

2. Please visit several other poems linked here when you link to yours. Please
don't just link and run, waiting for others to visit you. 

3. Leave a comment after you have posted
your link.  I find that people who leave comments tend to be more participatory.  They wish to be part of the community.  A little of this goes a long way.  It feels good for all.

Classic Poetry - "This Living Hand" by John Keats

John Keats, 1795 - 1821

Known most famously for "Ode on a Grecian Urn," "Isabella" and other works of similar heft and tone, John Keats occasionally penned brief, direct pieces like the one below. Unlike his more recognizable works, these shorter poems often resisted telling the whole tale.

Look at the poem's form. Note that the last line appears to be unfinished. Now read it. Do you feel as if you've been left dangling?

Great device, this. Great little bit of unrhymed iambic pentameter. Masterful!

This Living Hand

This living hand, now warm and capable
Of earnest grasping, would, if it were cold
And in the icy silence of the tomb,
So haunt thy days and chill thy dreaming nights
That thou wouldst wish thine own heart dry of blood
So in my veins red life might stream again,
And thou be conscience-calmed—see here it is—
I hold it towards you.

I Wish I'd Written This

Breaking the Silence (an Israeli soldier testifies to the Vets organisation)

By Brian Carlin

“People at the school sat -
hours in the sun.

They could get water
once in a while,

but let’s say some kid asked for water

five times,

a soldier could come to him and slap him
just like that.
I saw many soldiers using their knees
to hit them,

just out of boredom.

Because
you’re standing around for 10 hours doing nothing,
you’re bored,

so you hit them.

At the bathroom, there was this ‘demons’ dance’
as it was called.
Anyone who brought a Palestinian there –
it was catastrophic.

Not bleeding beatings –
they stayed dry –

but still beatings.”

This is not a 'nice' poem but one which I think essential both to be written and to be read. In fact it's pretty much a 'found' poem.  

Brian Carlin, a psychiatric nurse in Scotland, whose poetry blog, Big Ape Diary, I like to visit from time to time, says of this poem in his replies to readers' comments:

The whole thing was an uninterrupted quote from an Israeli soldier and only had a couple of words changed for the sake of the read…

I read the article in the Independent, and took the words from an Israeli sergeant …and tried to arrange them in line breaks to do the theme justice…

The whole article in the Independent really choked me up, I felt it made sense to use the actual words of an Israeli soldier to testify to the brutality which is taking place in the name of State Power…

Even found poems must be crafted into poetry, and that takes fine judgment. I think the treatment in this case is very appropriate. Horrific subjects are often best treated baldly, requiring no further embellishment. The line breaks here do indeed do all the work needed.

Brian has published a chapbook, A Crateful of Empties and a longer collection, A Skinful of Dust, with Erbacci Press, where they are available for purchase.

Poems and photos used in ‘I Wish I’d Written This’ remain the property of the copyright holders (usually their authors).

Think Tank Thursday #114 Timeworn

Today I would like to share an artist with you.  This artist has taken paper and elevated it with vintage items.  Vicki Sheehan is a visual poet.  Her art speaks of faded memories, from the past.  Her art whispers and invites you to look again.  One imagines the voice of the past longing to be heard.  Here I have featured a few pieces of her art, from her Old Ink Series.  She also sells beautiful leather bound journals, so you can capture your own memories, collect your own words and gather your inspiration, in one place.

Ella:  Welcome Vicki to Poets United :D   Could you tell us a bit about yourself?

 

Vicki:  I am an artist, a mom, a wife.  I am a creative soul, a deep thinker, a dreamer of dreams...
I am the tattered lace on the hem of an old wedding dress, the crumbling pages of a treasured book, a piece of rugged, worn leather...I like rough edges.   I embrace imperfection, I see beauty in the timeworn.  

 Ella:  Vicki, this so poetic and beautiful!  Tell us about this first piece in your series.

 No. 1

Vicki:  I love how items from the past tell a story,  how time enhances their beauty. 

This one includes an old book page, an envelope postmarked 1912, a book spine and some very old lace.

Ella:  I love the colors, the thoughts, and wonder of this series.  It does make one curious, what book, who was Margaret, what was her life like?  Where did the lace come from, where was it worn?    This is such a romantic art form.

 No. 2

*This is no. 2 in a series of collages I made to honor these letters. Each piece is delicate and unique and completely original. This one includes an old book page, a letter with a date of 1937 and some very old lace.

Ella:   I love this series. I remember the first time I saw it and how many ideas danced in my head.    It is gorgeous~   Vicki tell me a bit about your process?

Vicki:  One of my favorite things to collect is old letters. The old fashioned handwriting is so beautiful.  As I read the stories, I often wonder how these old letters found their way into the dusty corner of an antique shop. This is no. 2 in a series of collages I made to honor these letters.  I seek the extraordinary in the most ordinary.  That is how I create...

 Ella:   I think this one, may be my favorite.   The wonder and magic of the written word. Maybe Mildred wrote or received poetry?   It is fun to imagine what the lives behind these items reflect.

Vicki:   I usually start with an idea, like this time it was about old letters and beautiful writing. I lay everything out on my table and just start putting pieces together.  I will sometimes do this for several weeks, before I come up with the final arrangements. Then I glue or sew everything together.  I always use originals and everything I use is old, something really old.  I feel like it keeps the piece more authentic. And sometimes I'll just use a small piece of something, telling just a small piece of the story.  It makes it more mysterious.

Ella:  It really does make one observe and take notice.  Your artful arrangement is  like a page out of a diary, a visual scrapbook.   The magic of our imaginations is inspired so much by our memories. I can see stories and poetry in your art :D

No. 6

                                                                             

*This one also includes a vintage book page, an antique letter, an antique envelope postmarked 1912 and some very old lace.

Vicki:  I do wonder about the people, that owned the items before me. I wonder if they were anything like me.  If they also had a passion to create and to beautify their surrounds. I sometimes make up little stories, in my head to go with a particular item.

Ella:  Oh, Vicki you should write your stories down!  One never knows when inspiration strikes. I gather words n' memories, like you gather these beautiful items.  I see you sold, some of your series!  I can see why, they are so dreamy.  I also like this new series you have recently added to your shop.  Could you tell me a bit about your  Fabric Art Collages?

Vicki:  The fabric collages started as a way to use very small pieces of treasured vintage laces and fabrics.  They were left over, from other projects.  I can't bear to part with even the tiniest scrap, just like the paper collages. Right now, I have many of these in progress. They are waiting for that special little scrap that will complete each one.

Ella:  I love your process, you are waiting for the right piece to fit the puzzle. What is No. 01 made up of?

Fabric Art Collage - Stitched Series .01

Vicki:  The backing is tea dyed muslin and this collage also includes a piece of washed burlap with its earthy frayed edge along the bottom, some antique netting with little white polka dots, a pretty piece of an antique doily. I added a small piece of old silk to give it just a touch of pink. It has been artfully layered and machine stitched. As a further accent, I sewed on some beautiful little glass pearls from a very old necklace.

Ella:  How romantic!  I love how you have arranged these.  Your art is like a memory quilt, so many fragments n' snippets of time, so elegantly gathered.

Vicki:  Thank you, so much! :D

Ella:  Thank you Vicki,  for sharing your wonderful art with us today!   I can't wait to read the poetry, your art inspires!   It has been a pleasure to have you share yourself, your art and your process with us.   Thank you so much~ 

You can visit Vicki at her blog and be sure to drop by her Etsy Shop. She is always listing new, lovely creations~  Her journals are stunning, too.

"Fill your paper with the breathings of your heart."

William Wordsworth

                    "Beautiful memories tell our story, and wrap them     -selves in ribbons of the heart." -- Flavia

"Perfection consists not in doing extraordinary things, but in doing ordinary things extraordinarily well. "  ~Angelique Arnauld 

  Select one of Vicki's collages or a timeworn item you own, to inspire your mystery into a poem!  I look forward to reading your offerings on our prompt #114 Timeworn.

If you have a prompt idea (even a Music or Film inspired one) that you would like to suggest or share with us please send it to poetsunited@ymail.com . We keep a folder set aside with all your suggestions and just might use it one day.

There 3 simple rules:

1. Don’t link to more than 3 poems per week.

2. Please visit some of the other poems linked here when you link to yours.

3. Leave a comment after you have posted your link.