Poetry Friday round-up with Donna at Mainly Write
Where does a poem come from?
From play with words?
Intention of language?
Simply throwing confetti to the wind?A poem takes shape
whether I am present or not.
Some days the muse is mine.
Others I merely stroke the fire
waiting for the flame to ignite.William Stafford said I should kneel
in the deep earth and dig.*I kneel.
I pray.
I sing.
Then I open my notebook,
lay my pen against soft paper,
and wriggle these fingers.A gift is given.
I will not let go.
–Margaret Simon
I’ve been thinking about where poems come from and whether the joy is in the process or in the product. I don’t know the answer. But I enjoy asking the question.
Kevin Hodgson sent out postcards. I got one and added my given word on the padlet he created. In this instance, the process was the fun. The sending and receiving of postcards in the real mailbox was exciting. None of us are really quite sure what the product means, but we all agree it’s cool.
* “Successful people cannot find poems; for you must kneel down and explore for them.”
–William Stafford.
Reflections on the Teche 
Exploring the questions is the process I love the most. I love how your poem flowed. You have a gift for line breaking at just the right time. Your poetry is like music.
What a great thing to say to someone who loves poetry and music!
I have a small collection of poems about poetry and the writing of it, a pleasure to see your questions, Margaret. They do arrive in the most unexpected places.
When I started to write I hadn’t planned a poem. It’s such a surprise to me every time.
My knees might ache, but the words will flow. I like how deep you dig for this, and the place you get to.
For me I don’t think it’s an either/or question. Playing with words, finding just the right arrangement, it’s all part of the fun. What I find frustrating is when I have an idea and can picture what it could look like, but fall short of that vision. I love that, through your exploration, your poem came to you. A gift not to let go of.
The process can be frustrating when you have set up expectations for the product. I think I am more successful when I just write and let it come to me.
Some days you have to stoke the fire so you can be warmed the next day…the payoff is not always immediate, is it? Wonderful ending, Margaret.
I always let it sit a while and come back to revise. Some have to sit a while.
Margaret, the gift of words flowing was given and you did not let go. Hence, a lovely poem evolved. Wonderful!
Thanks, Carol.
The postcard project looks like fun, Margaret! Where does a poem come from? For you, it’s seems like it’s always there, all you need to do is turn on the tap! (Of course I’m likely to be overgeneralizing.) For me, I’d say the product is more joyful (assuming I actually get there). The process is also satisfying, but very often it feels like hard work, not joy per se.
I love that aha feeling when the product is satisfying. It happens more and more if we continue to show up for it.
What an interesting subject to explore. For me one of the best ways to help poems grow is to plant a seed (an idea) and then go about my business. More often than not, something about the poem will come to me when I’m busy with something else, or in the middle of the night when I wish I could fall back asleep, but since I can’t…
Planting the seed is a necessary first step. I’ve been trying that with Laura’s project, but lately the seeds aren’t sprouting as easily.
Hmm, I’m thinking you have a powerful gift. You are attuned to the poetry around us. You have a poem catcher or are a poem catcher.
I love the idea of being a poem catcher!!
[…] or Product? What is our focus in digital literacy? I wrote about this in regards to poetry on Friday. My students had me thinking about process this week. The value of the […]
Hi, Margaret – I finally got here! And so glad I did. I know what you mean about questioning where the joy is – product or process. It’s a bit of both… Sometimes don’t you just wish those “easy birthing” poems would keep on writing themselves? The feeling is that good!