Today is Poetry Friday and April 1st and the first day of National Poetry Month. My Sunday writing critique group, the Inklings, take on a challenge each first Friday of the month. This month’s challenge comes from Mary Lee Hahn. She suggested that we write a poem like Ellen Bass The Thing Is. Another Inkling, Heidi has the round up this week.
My One Little Word 2022 is Enough. It surprises me how often enough appears in the poems I write. It’s happened again.
The Thing Is
after Ellen Bass
to become yourself, become you more fully
* Psalm 110:3
even if you don’t like what you see.
Even as the river dries, revealing cracks
in the surface, displaying a dump
of glass bottles as the only thing
binding you to this place.
You are who you are.
You have this one wild life
to live, no matter the manifest;
That face in the mirror is yours,
hold it with affection,
send it a kiss like the dew
on the womb of the morning*,
praising This is Good.
This self is enough.
You will love her more
and more every day.
Margaret Simon, draft
Pink echoes dawn sky
Radiant spring
(c) Margaret Simon
Read other Inklings take on this challenge:
Molly at Nix the Comfort Zone
Mary Lee at A(nother) Reading Year
Heidi at my juicy little universe
Catherine at Reading to the Core
Linda at A Word Edgewise
Reflections on the Teche 
Oh, that pink azalea and that pink sky. What a beautiful image. I’m going to carry that echo with me all day long.
That’s a challenging poem to start with and I like the path you followed for your poem Margaret. The bits Of Mary Oliver’s “wild life,” and these important and affirming closing lines,
“This self is enough.
You will love her more
and more every day.”
Your azalea poem is gorgeous, and look at that pink in the sky!!! Thanks.
Wow Margaret!
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Your poem is so affirming, Margaret. I also was reminded of Mary Oliver as I read it. Thank you always for sharing such beauty in pictures and words.
Beautiful, Margaret – echoing the responses above! And thanks for that amazing blaze of pink to start the day. (Thanks, too, for hosting the Progressive Poem again!)
So many things I love about this poem including the Psalm and the Mary Oilver line. This line is staying with me today as I think about someone’s struggle with looking in the mirror right now. “That face in the mirror is yours, hold it with affection,” I need to share these words with her.
[…] Mordhorst @ My Juicy Little UniverseLinda Mitchell @ A Word EdgewiseMargaret Simon @ Reflections on the TecheMary Lee Hahn @ A(nother) Year of ReadingMolly Hogan @ Nix the Comfort […]
Oh, that azalea photo! Oh, the last two lines of your poem!
“That face in the mirror is yours,
hold it with affection”
Good advice and worth remembering. Thanks for sharing your poem. I’m enjoying all the different takes on this Bass poem.
Margaret, I am delighted with the Inklings’s prompt this month. The mentor text is strong and your poem is more than enough. I think the wording, “binding you to this place” is a foreshadowing of what is to come at SJT. You are off to a great start for NPM 2022
Wow, what a photo–and your poem is perfect with it!
Congratulations having two poems in Imperfect II! Wow, your powerful poem moved me in many ways. Your beginning repetition of “become” and “even if you don’t like what you see. Even if the river dries, revealing cracks in the surface” started and continued with great effect. As others mentioned I love how you worked in pieces of Mary Oliver’s “one wild-life” poem. I love this line “That face in the mirror is yours, hold it with affection,” and the ending with repetition of “more” “This self is enough. You will love her more/ and more every day.”
I am so glad to see your stunning azalea photo and hear your “pink echos dawn sky” again from FB! Thank you for sharing your joy, beauty, and inspiration.
Something about the word “dump” really gets to me here. I’m sorry I didn’t make it back to the google doc, but clearly you didn’t need me too 🙂 Such a strong take on the prompt, Margaret! And that azalea photo is just delicious!
Margaret, this poem really touched me, reflecting what I often think and the need to accept the person that one happens to be. Thank you for organizing the PP. I so enjoy being part of it. Happy NPM!
I love that tenderness of your face “hold it with affection” and the psalm is so beautiful. I love azaleas so much! Did I ever tell you of California State Univ. Long Beach covered with azaleas? I fell in love with them in college.
It is a loving poem, Margaret, discovering self & doing that which feels like a comfort, “praising This is Good.” Thanks for the wonderful azalea color, needed here but coming!
I love the affirmations in your response to “The Thing Is.” Why do we work so hard to remind ourselves that “this self is enough”?
Lovely and soul-filling, Margaret. Thank you.
I needed to read your words today, Margaret. “This self is enough.” Thank you. 🙂
Beautiful psalm for loving the self! And beautiful azaleas! Thank you!