I did not do my own assignment. I kept putting it off with excuse after excuse. This month I posed what I thought would be a simple, easy challenge for my Inklings writing group, “Write a poem using the word becoming.”
I searched my notebook, my Google Docs, and no miracle there. I simply had not written to my own prompt. Last night I decided to take inspiration from fellow Inkling Linda Mitchell and write a haiku sonnet. (She had shared hers at our meeting last weekend.) Form does not always become a poem.
Is it cheating to use a repeating line? After playing with the title “Becoming Spring”, I wrote the title “Becoming Beautiful”. Almost daily, my youngest daughter sends new photos of my newest grandson. Yesterday she sent this one with the text, “Someone had a cute spurt today.” We all marvel at how this baby just gets more and more adorable.
Nevertheless, here is my down-to-the-wire draft of a haiku sonnet for this cutie.
Becoming Beautiful
You are born with it
in the deep blue of the sea
you glisten like gemsYou are born with it
eventually you smile
at your mother’s stareYou are born with it
shine like the full blood moon
a friend to the sunYou are born with it
because that is who you are
someone’s true loveNo need to apologize
Be beautiful as you areMargaret Simon, for Sam, draft
Check out the brilliant ways Inklings responded to this prompt:
Mary Lee @ A(nother) Year of Reading
Linda @A Word Edgewise
Molly @Nix the Comfort Zone
Heidi @my juicy little universe
Catherine @ Reading to the Core
Reflections on the Teche 
Cute Spurt… what an adorable description of our children and grandies. Yesterday I felt the same way playing “open the Bridge,” a made-up game with my grandson. Just when I think he is the cutest, he has another ” cute spurt.” That line could be a poem too! Your poem is beautiful and captures how a child is born with this internal beauty that reveals itself as they grow. Lovely. and this stanza…
“You are born with it
because that is who you are
someone’s true love”
Oh, my heart….
Lucky grandson to be the inspiration for this lovely poem! Also, I love your honesty of trying to how you realized you hadn’t completed the task.
Lovely poem Margaret, I like the color and cool/warm contrast between “in the deep blue of the sea/you glisten like gems” and “shine like the full blood moon/a friend to the sun.” And the quiet, yet affirming importance of “Be beautiful as you are,” thanks!
“Be beautiful as you are” is a wonderful line. And what a cutie! Thanks for sharing your joy.
The grands are a constant light in our lives, aren’t they? Cute spurt is a delightful phrase. Our youngest grands both turn five in July. How did it happen so fast?
Such a beautiful love poem for your precious Sam!
We can’t get enough of him. He is probably our last, too, so even more special.
Kind of messing around until you really get inspired came together with love, Margaret. He is a cutie, and they do change so often with more adorable looks! Enjoy, as I’m sure you will!