For the month of April, I am exploring various forms of poetry. Today’s poem is an Etheree. It is a ten-line poem beginning with a one-syllable line – each line increasing by one syllable ending with a ten syllable line.
Good
Friday
Jesus Christ
A crown of thorns
He carried His cross
Through Jerusalem’s streets
To the hills of Golgotha
Hung on the cross between two thieves
Suffered and died to redeem our sins
Now we wait – for Him to rise from the dead
Fresh off the March Slice of Life Story Challenge, I am jumping into VerseLove, a 30 day poetry writing experience to celebrate National Poetry Month. I cannot convincingly say I will be successful in writing a poem a day, but I will give it a try.
April is also Jazz Appreciation Month which I think is very fitting. To me, poetry gives writers more creative leeway in format and word choices just the way Jazz allows musicians to improvise and branch out of more formal structures.
Today’s poem.
Poems bring me joy
Opening my heart and soul
Evoking memories – happy and sad
Taking me deeper – inside to
Reflect, retrace, renew
Yielding to the call for quiet
“Write it on your heart
that every day is the best day in the year.
He is rich who owns the day, and no one owns the day
who allows it to be invaded with fret and anxiety.
Finish every day and be done with it.
You have done what you could.
Some blunders and absurdities, no doubt crept in.
Forget them as soon as you can, tomorrow is a new day;
begin it well and serenely, with too high a spirit
to be cumbered with your old nonsense.
This new day is too dear,
with its hopes and invitations,
to waste a moment on the yesterdays.”
~Ralph Waldo Emerson
On New Year’s Day I joined a group #100daysofnotebooking. It is a group of writers who have agreed to take on the challenge set forth by Middle School teacher, Michelle Haseltine (@Mhaseltine – michellehaseltine.com) – to write in our notebooks for 100 days straight. It is a daunting task, but I am giving it a try. The poem below grew out of my first day of “notebooking.” Then today the quote by Emerson appeared in my Facebook feed, so I decided it was a sign I need to share my poem in progress.
Today, I make no resolution,
No intention, no pledge no plan.
When looking back what I have learned is
I can only do the best I can.
No “one little word” will define me;
Petty games I choose not to play.
Can’t promise that I will eat better,
or vow to exercise every day.
When I need to rest I will do so.
I won’t be afraid to say, “No.”
People who know me will understand.
People who don’t – well they can go.
I will listen to my body more –
from head to heart down to my soul.
No expectations will shackle me
Being my best self my only goal.
I have found that I cannot be resolute for an entire year. In the past, making resolutions has only served to set me up for failure. I would choose my “one little word” and realize that I needed to change it periodically through the year. I may not be able to be resolute for an entire year, but I can be resolute for a day. Hopefully, one day will become two, then three, then a week, then a month. I can only do the best I can, and that is enough!
Rita DiCarne 