I have subscribed to The Isolation Journals for years and often read the prompts but don’t do them, usually because I read them at a time when I don’t have time to stop and write. They usually speak to me, but perhaps there is a little intimidation happening with me as well. I don’t know. I try to keep my doubt under control, but it’s not always that easy.
I tucked away a prompt from Amber Tamblyn. She used anaphora in a poem titled “This Living”. Her prompt suggested we use this same phrase, “It’s going to be”. As I was driving to school on a particularly foggy day, a phrase came to me, “I could fall in love with”. I played around with it in my Notes app. Autocorrect created the title.
On Love
I could fall in love
with someone
playing acoustic guitar
singing breathy tones.
I could fall in love
with a fog bow
reaching for a waning moon.
I could fall in love
with twinkling lights
blue, red, golden
on the tall Main Street
Christmas tree.
I could fall in love
with my own alto voice
rising in this small car
joining a choir
cantata.
I could fall in love
with darkness
coming so soon–
a winter solstice
Peace.
by Margaret Simon, draft
Peace has been my One Little Word for 2024. I’m grateful for the way “peace” showed up for me and for this poem. Have a wonderful holiday season!
Reflections on the Teche 
So much to fall in love with! You included easy falls (guitar player) and harder falls (darkness). I’m glad you included yourself. We mustn’t forget to fall in love with every self we are throughout our long lives!
💙 your “reaching for a waning moon.” and your voice-I’d like to hear it too—and soothing poem to wake to, thanks Margaret!
Lovely poem. I fall in love again with my granddaughter, now 21 months and inspiring my days and my poems. Thank you for all you offer us—I always look forward to reading and sharing. Wishing you a wonderful holiday season.
Wishing you a season of peace, Margaret! Thank you for the beautiful words you share.
I love that you could fall in love with fog, twinkling lights, and your own voice! Now I want to think about what I could fall in love with. What a lovely poem that, to me, spoke of true gratitude!
Margaret, falling in love with peace for a complete year is a wonderful way to bring happiness. I can imagine you singing in the car as you start your day. May peace continue to flow through 2025.
I could fall in love
with this poem
xo
Margaret, you wrote a WOW poem! I resonated with the first stanza because I love watching and listening to people play acoustic guitar. I love your “I could fall in love with” refrain. Your second stanza “I could fall in love with a fog bow reaching for a waning moon” leaves me breathless with that image. I think I especially love your third stanza “I could fall in love with my alto voice” singing in my car. That’s a beautiful image and I hear your beautiful voice, too. I wish I really could hear your voice singing to an acoustic guitar. So much peace and joy in your poem. Thank you for sharing.
The repetition is lovely and soothing. There’s a lot to fall in love with in this world. I love how it all distills to peace. This is the vibe you give off in life too–whether you feel it or not. This poem is so you!
I think that is the highest praise, when I can borrow a line and make the poem mine. Thanks.
I love how you used Tamblyn’s poem to inspire your own unique creation. Great poem!