Rabu, 1 Mei 2013

Verse First ~ An Authentic Life

Welcome to Verse First where simple notions lead to amazing poems. 
Today's Notion?

An Authentic Life

 What do Polonius, from Shakespeare's Hamlet and modern-day author, teacher and spiritual leader Roger Housden have in common?

 Perspective. And wisdom.

 One is a fictional character, the other is a living, breathing human being; yet each encourages audiences to live an authentic life, being truthful to purpose and self.

 Hamlet said:
"This above all:
To thine own self be true,
And it must follow, as the night the day,
Thou canst not then be false to any man."
Housden said:

 "A journey [toward the true heart of your own life]... goes against the prevailing current. It requires you to step out of line, to break with polite society. Other people will feel the ripples, and they won't like it. Any authentic movement usually requires a break with the past -- not because it is bad, but because it is so difficult for a deeper truth to make itself known among the accretions of habit and conformity."

 So, poet friends, I invite you to step out of line. Let us feel your ripples. To thine own self be true. Write a poem about an authentic life, living your passion, following your bliss. Fact or fiction, tell a tale in poetry. Make a deeper truth known.

 One caveat: Do it in fewer than 13 lines.


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36 ulasan:

  1. Mary1 Mei 2013 pada 7:35 PG

    Excellent prompt, Kim. I will do some thinking....and be back.

    BalasPadam
  2. Rosemary Nissen-Wade1 Mei 2013 pada 7:42 PG

    'Scuse me for being pedantic — my rl friends expect it of me! — but it was not Hamlet (the character) who said that but Polonius, IN Hamlet (the play) to his son Laertes.

    BalasPadam
  3. Rosemary Nissen-Wade1 Mei 2013 pada 7:54 PG

    Great prompt anyway, never mind who said what. I have linked to one I wrote recently, taking an authentic position which some people can't fathom.

    BalasPadam
    Balasan
    1. Rosemary Nissen-Wade1 Mei 2013 pada 7:20 PTG

      Oops! So busy being pedantic, I didn't notice the 13 lines caveat. If you care to remove my link, Kim, I'll try and write/find another piece.

      Padam
    2. Rosemary Nissen-Wade1 Mei 2013 pada 7:25 PTG

      Ha ha! Having just been to my blog and seen so many enthusiastic comments, I think maybe it had better stay. If I include the title I could say it is 13 lines x2. ;)

      Padam
    3. Rosemary Nissen-Wade1 Mei 2013 pada 7:41 PTG

      Oh no, it wasn't that either; it was FEWER than 13. Oh well, at 25 mine is fewer than 13x2, OK?

      (The Poetic Asides prompt today is to write about confusion. I'm in a real good place for that one, lol!)

      Padam
    4. Unknown2 Mei 2013 pada 9:06 PG

      Not removing any links, Rosemary! Yours is so touching, so true, even I forgot the line count. You really do add joy to my life, PU partner!

      Padam
  4. Lisa A. Williams1 Mei 2013 pada 8:59 PG

    I wrote this poem last night, I think it fits in with today's prompt although I didn't use the phrase
    "an authentic life".

    BalasPadam
    Balasan
    1. Unknown1 Mei 2013 pada 10:09 PG

      The wavelength must have extended between us, Lisa!

      Padam
  5. Laurie Kolp1 Mei 2013 pada 12:11 PTG

    I love your prompts, Kim.

    BalasPadam
    Balasan
    1. Unknown2 Mei 2013 pada 9:07 PG

      Thank you for saying that, Laurie. I tend to move in a different direction than many, so fear they may not be to popular taste. Your support buoys!

      Padam
  6. Sherry Blue Sky1 Mei 2013 pada 12:27 PTG

    Wow, I am so jazzed at the great prompt - the challenge will be the thirteen lines. I shall return.

    BalasPadam
  7. PT1 Mei 2013 pada 12:31 PTG

    great prompt

    BalasPadam
    Balasan
    1. Unknown1 Mei 2013 pada 5:09 PTG

      Hey PT~ Your poem is terrific, but I encourage you to shorten it to fewer than thirteen lines in order to address the prompt. I look forward to your revision!

      Padam
  8. Vandana Sharma1 Mei 2013 pada 1:38 PTG

    Hi friends. Thanks for such a nice prompt.I wish to go to a place that is just the way i want. So, here is my poem for today " Some place"

    BalasPadam
  9. paperdollmom1 Mei 2013 pada 7:37 PTG

    Thanks for the prompt...quite a deep one I might say!

    BalasPadam
  10. Ella1 Mei 2013 pada 7:41 PTG

    This is deep...I'm thinking how would I show all the ripples I have created~ I have to fight to be authentic-shouldn't be so damn difficult. Great prompt Kim! Off to work on my secret language ;D

    BalasPadam
  11. Tanpa Nama1 Mei 2013 pada 8:11 PTG

    I've been fooling around with writing some poems in the ecstatic vein of Sufi poets and Christian contemplatives and this prompt gave me the impetus to complete one and post it! Thanks for the great prompt!

    BalasPadam
    Balasan
    1. Unknown2 Mei 2013 pada 9:08 PG

      And I LOVE your linked work. This is a vein I'd encourage you to continue to mine.

      Padam
  12. Susan1 Mei 2013 pada 8:30 PTG

    I was sorely tempted by authenticity. Thanks Kim and Poets United!

    BalasPadam
  13. Tanpa Nama1 Mei 2013 pada 9:16 PTG

    Found your prompt via Sherry. Had already posted this for today. It isn't a 'life', but is certainly authentic to this moment in mine. Thank you,

    Elizabeth

    BalasPadam
  14. alan17042 Mei 2013 pada 1:57 PG

    Thank you for the prompt, i have attempted to write from the heart. I was blessed.

    BalasPadam
    Balasan
    1. Unknown2 Mei 2013 pada 9:08 PG

      Your heartfelt poem is powerful, Alan. Thank you.

      Padam
  15. TCPC2 Mei 2013 pada 3:51 PG

    Hope you find this authentic!

    BalasPadam
  16. Tanpa Nama2 Mei 2013 pada 7:59 PG

    HI, there. Thanks for the deep-thought prompt for today. I couldn't help but make a funny out of something which is not always so funny. I hope this poem helps to bring a smile or two.

    BalasPadam
    Balasan
    1. Unknown2 Mei 2013 pada 8:58 PG

      Your piece made me smile, bjt! I want to remind you that the prompt calls for fewer than 13 lines. Would love to see you edit and resubmit to fit the parameters.

      Padam
  17. Janine Bollée2 Mei 2013 pada 12:10 PTG

    Hiya,
    Trying to work out if you mean this to be 'tongue in cheek' or straight.Polonius is generally regarded as wrong in every judgement he makes over the course of the play and Hamlet refers to him as a "tedious old fool"

    BalasPadam
    Balasan
    1. Unknown3 Mei 2013 pada 9:49 PG

      Even tedious old fools speak gems at times.

      Padam
  18. Raining Iguanas2 Mei 2013 pada 10:19 PTG

    My penance for being absent for so long? I will stub my toe on purpose and offer my apologies to everyone here. My life running full and over the brim. I loved the prompt and flailed away...

    BalasPadam
  19. Tanpa Nama3 Mei 2013 pada 11:40 PTG

    Rosemary, I felt your pain about the "fewer than 13 lines" part. As I said on my blog in process notes: Brevity is NOT one of my passions, so this was a good challenge for me!

    Thanks, Kim. I'm late to the party but still rockin'! Amy

    BalasPadam
  20. Sean4 Mei 2013 pada 2:25 PG

    New to the blogging universe! Submitted my first Verse First poem above. It's called "I Am Not Relative", hope you like it.

    BalasPadam
  21. Unknown6 Mei 2013 pada 10:14 PG

    Terrific addition, Sean. Hope you'll visit all the others to get a taste of what else is out there.

    BalasPadam
  22. laura6 Mei 2013 pada 6:46 PTG

    Had a little writer's block.....the prompt really helped!
    Thanks! :O)

    BalasPadam

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