In February I joined an amazing group of poets writing everyday to prompts about The Body on a Facebook group organized by Laura Shovan. Laura has posted all the marvelous prompts on her website.
Most days it was tough to get one poem written and some days I didn’t write, but one day I wrote two poems. The prompt was about the beautiful brain. On Facebook I posted a Golden Shovel from Emily Dickinson’s line “The brain is deeper than the sea.” But in searching my notebook for something to post today, I found a different poem. I didn’t like it when I wrote it, but now I kinda do.
It’s fabulous, Margaret. Fascinating imagery, for the brain is a pattern-seeking device. That rolling the die for the metaphor to rise to the top – I can see the brain doing that, testing the feel of the roll, blowing on the hands, taking the chance. Most of all I am amazed by how in sync you and I are – for in my post today I compare the brain to the sea. Writing is like that, falling like a vast blanket of inspiration, covering us all with the day’s given pattern of ideas.
I love the imagery you paint in your poem- origami and elephants- too wonderful! Si glad you decided to reread this poem. Don’t stop now.
I love this poem, Margaret. I am especially in love with the origami elephant–the folds that don’t make sense until you see the elephant. So glad you uncovered this gem!
Kim
It’s funny how that came to be. I was actually trying to fold an origami elephant using a YouTube video and realized that no folds looked like an elephant until you finished it. It made me think about how our brain works. Thanks for your comment.
Yea great imagery! I love the surprising feeling of looking at writing you were not too excited about or at least convinced yourself it wasn’t good, only to revisit and be delighted by how much you like it now. Thanks for sharing.
Oh, my goodness…love the metaphors. I think elephant origami is the best!
I’m with Linda, love that ‘origami elephant’, Margaret & am glad you found another poem for the amazing brain!
Such a beautiful brain poem from your beautiful brain!
Ruth, thereisnosuchthingasagodforsakentown.blogspot.com
Yes the “origami elephant” is a lovely metaphor for hidden in the layers of the elephants flaps are both it’s grand intelligence and sensitivity–such special creatures. Beautiful poem Margaret, thanks!
Wow, Margaret, great metaphors! I especially like the brain folds like an origami elephant and the brain swells like sea water. It’s interesting how you didn’t like this poem at first and now you like it. Brains are amazing.
So I think this poem is about the exact thing you experienced–when you first wrote it, you were folding an origami elephant, rolling the die, experiencing the snowmelt runoff. You couldn’t see the whole shape, the metaphor, you couldn’t tell the time because it was still ticking. You didn’t like the poem because your amazing mysterious brain was in charge instead of your “ordinary” critical function…but now you do. You see the elephant, you appreciate the metaphors, tick tock. I love this poem, this process captured, it’s what I’m trying to write every time now!
Thank you immensely! The experiences when writing did inform the metaphors but that is what I came to love and appreciate about it when reading it again.
Margaret, I think this is stunning–I’m so glad you shared it! And I love Heidi’s response above, too.
It’s funny how you can write a poem, then not like it and later you do. This poem is intriguing, I’m not sure if I entirely understand it, I’m just musing on it, but I love the idea of an origami elephant!
I think that was my hesitation. It didn’t really make sense.
I love that no crease makes sense until you see the elephant. The brain is endlessly fascinating and I like that you’ve captured some of the mystery of it.
I’m glad you found this one to share. I love the multiple images of the brain here.
Love it!
Most of all, I love the idea of mining your notebook and finding treasure!
IU am so glad you looked again at this poem. It’s so clever. I love the metaphor of the brain as origami elephant. Clever.
I especially like the second stanza! I feel like it represents us trying to make sense of whatever is going on, making connections any way that we can.