A friend of mine suggested I listen to a podcast with Jane Hirshfield. It was a lovely hour. Even though I split it between multiple shorter listens, I want to go back and listen straight through. You can find it on Spotify on the Ezra Klein Show.
I write a poem-a-day, but honestly, I don’t always write a good, shareable poem each day. This week the only one I somewhat like is an acrostic to a Jane Hirshfield quote. One of my students found a Mary Englebright quote “It’s just a bad day. Not a bad life.” I’m applying that to my poetry writing. “It’s just a bad poem. Not a bad poet.” I like Linda’s idea of exchanging clunkers. Maybe some of my starts and fits will bloom on another page. For today, it’s Anything.
Creative, inventive Margaret, I feel the simplicity & truthfulness in your “Anything.”
Here’s to each of us finding what brings Peace. I applaud you, always even if I’m not here often.
Hugs, Jan
A poem a day is a lot! Those words are there finished or not but waiting for you another day. Not good or bad just the beginnings of a new poem.
I have a friend who does a share around with drawings. Each one starts a drawing then it is passed around for everyone to add on to it in some way. Great to see what other will do. It would be fun to take the poems you are not share and share them that way to see where they will go.
I like your ANYTHING poem Margaret, I value the process the road to it, so much is there in that road, thanks and for Jane Hirshfield too!
Beautiful poem, Margaret. Thank you! This morning I had a round trip ride of about an hour so I listened to the podcast. Thank you for that, too. Jane Hirshfield is fascinating!
I think it’s great that you found a word, “anything” that means something good for you, Margaret! And I love that it will be “healing the rough places”, nothing better than to find the solace that is good personally!
Thanks for the podcast tip! I like your ANYTHING. Poems have so many gifts.
I’ve just listened to the latest ‘On Being’ pod interveiw of Kate DiCamillo and it was wonderful. I will have to add the Ezra Klein podcast. I like your view of poeming…I write a lot of poems but oof…not every one of them is shareable! Your lines, “scar/nearly invisible/growing old,” are lovely. Good wordsmithing!
Thank you for the reminder to let ourselves be imperfect, Margaret.
Lovely thought that a poem can heal the rough places. So true! Beautiful poem, Margaret. I will have to check out Jane Hirschfield’s podcast!
You’ve discovered the power of Jane Hirschfield! Yay!
Oooh! I want to listen to this podcast episode. I wrote a poem a day too, and I’d say MOST of them aren’t that good. But I love the practice.
Margaret, what a beautiful Anything acrostic. “Healing the rough places” and softening scars is a beautiful gift of poetry. Thank you for sharing the Hirshfield podcast, quote and your poem. I love “It’s just a bad poem. Not a bad poet.” Amen!
Ooh, your poem makes me think of kintsugi also. Healing the rough places–yes!
I love Jane Hirshfield. She is indeed inspiring and I love what she inspired in you, Margaret!