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 