So, today is Easter. Let's just abandon all the rules (as some of you out there prefer to do anyway) and write a free verse poem about Easter OR whatever you choose. I just want to point out that "free verse" is NOT the same thing as "blank verse."
Blank verse IS unrhymed but surprisingly, it DOES
have rules - rules that pertain to things like “iambic pentameter” with
unstressed/stressed syllable patterns or “trochee” with stressed/unstressed or
even more craziness, how about dactyl blank verse with has
stressed/unstressed/unstressed syllable patterns? There is also “anapest blank
verse” – yeah, we’ll just stop there. So, we are not writing blank verse today
~ just free verse. And if nothing strikes your fancy – just use a favorite
poetry form of your choice.
FREE
VERSE is basically random, without any fixed metrical patterns of
any kind and while there is no need to rhyme, it’s totally fine if you wish to
use rhyme, but there is no need to count syllables or to worry about much of
anything – just let it come. But free verse is actually tricky to make it feel
cohesive, but once you get it just how you want it – you will be most happy
with it. Free verse poems can be long, short or anything in between, as long as
it seems to have a good flow, then you are good to go.
Nature, family, life, love, religion, Easter, whatever comes
to mind ~ go for it.
So, for today's examples, I’m sharing two free verse poems that I wrote a few years back. I've shared them before but that's okay. I wrote “Hope” in 2015 and have shared it every year since because I love it and for today, it works well for Easter. The second poem, “Dishwater Redemption” was first written in the mid-1970s when I had young children but I rewrote it a bit in 2007. It also works well for Easter. Anyway, for what it’s worth, here are two free-verse poems:
HOPE
Hope creates
options.
It still can
happen.
In fact,
anything CAN happen.
Hope is what
we cling to.
I hope I am
doing enough.
I hope
people understand the purity of my motives.
I hope my
family will all be together in the hereafter.
Why do I
have hope?
Because I
believe what Christ said when He came.
I believe He
really did die for our sins and that
through the
atonement of Christ
and the
power of the resurrection;
I can be
raised up unto life eternal with my loved ones.
That is what
I hope for.
And because
I have hope
. . . I keep
trying.
© 2015 Stephanie Abney
Artwork by my granddaughter-in-law, Sadie Leavitt © 2023
Dishwater Redemption
The house is
quiet.
My husband
and children are asleep.
The silence
of the room is interrupted
Only by the
sounds I make while washing the dishes.
As I pick up
each dish and rinse away our dinner,
I am
reminded of the meal we enjoyed together.
The chatter
of the children as they spoke of their day
Lingers in
my mind and I feel a sweet contentment.
I’m nearly
done when I notice my well-used cookie sheet,
Standing at
the back of the dish drainer;
Even though
I have washed it thoroughly,
It really
doesn’t look very clean.
The evidence
of so many batches of cookies baked
Over and
over again until it looks tarnished and brown.
When it was
new, it sparkled and shined.
Now it is
discolored and scratched.
And for some
reason, tonight, this bothers me.
I take the
cookie sheet from its resting place and
Plunge it
back into the warm, soapy water.
But I am
unable to rid it of the baked-on grime.
I reach in
the cupboard for an S.O.S. scouring pad
And go after
the suspect brown specks with renewed vigor.
I pay
special attention to the inside corners of the cookie sheet.
This proves
to be especially satisfying and I continue until it shines.
It has been
reborn and I can see my reflection in it.
And
suddenly, I realize… I am like the cookie sheet.
I’m not
dirty by any means, but perhaps,
Not quite
clean enough either; I have lost some of my sparkle.
Leaning against
the sink I know what I must do.
I will take
upon me the S.O.S. scouring pad of repentance
And work and
pray hard to be shiny and clean,
Until the
Savior’s image shows in my countenance.
I plan to
keep my cookie sheet as bright as it looks today
And with a
few repairs here and there, and a heart full of love,
I can do the
same for myself, that I might be more useful
To those I
share this earthly space with.
Who knew?
Sometimes, there’s not much difference between
A neglected
ol’ cookie sheet and a life too busy to notice
Some of the
sparkle and shine has faded.
Yes, S.O.S.
pads are a beautiful thing.
~ © Stephanie
Abney 2007
PLEASE REMEMBER ~ any
poetry found on this blog, written by me, is my personal property and may not
be used without my permission, other than sharing it as an example in a lesson
or to read it to someone. The same goes for any poems that are shared in the
comments of this blog or elsewhere online as a result of this challenge. They
are the creative property of the person who writes them. These poems are their
original work and no one may use them without their permission. It is
understood that they own the copyright to them as soon as they create them and
especially once they post them. Thanks so much!
*** Also, if you choose
to post your poems on your own blog or elsewhere on social media ~ that’s
awesome. But PLEASE don’t just copy and paste my daily instructions, but rather
post your poem on your blog or your FB wall or wherever AND LINK BACK TO EACH
DAY’S SPECIFIC BLOG POST for others to come here to read the instructions. I’ve
spent considerable time researching the poetry forms and writing them up to
share with you. Thanks for respecting my work.
3 comments:
The Sun Came Up
The sun came up a while ago.
The day, brightening bit by bit.
Now the sun is fully up though the tree’s shadows are still long.
The birds are visiting the birdbath, the seed feeder and the hummingbird feeder.
The local chimpmunks have run across the fence a few times now,
Looking for fallen seed and to get a drink from the birdbath.
I love this time of day.
It’s quiet, and the nearby birdsong just emphasizes that.
It’s peaceful and the air smells fresh and clean.
I take a deep breath, allowing the stress of the last week
To drain away from my body.
My herbal tea smells delightful and I take another sip.
Every day should start like this.
D9 Free Verse
writing, thinking,
trying to ignore it
writing poetry
to spark the creative urge,
or have I joined the Poetry Challenge
just to ignore
The Book
at the least for a few moments.
minutes,seconds?
I can not forget about it
anyway.
The Book has haunted me more
than 20 years I have wanted
to speak the taboo
what I have deduced in
my own opinion
what the pets want us
to know
(There is only
now and not now
and only the Now
matters
not now is not here so
live, do, thank
feel
now.
we die
all of us: me,
you, us, them
everyone
so instead of ignoring that
just live now
the most best authentic
now whatever that is
now
not later
there could be no
later
yesterday is regret and anger
tomorrow is anxiety and fear
now just is
for good and bad
please know you have only
now
and dying is ok
it does not hurt
the ones that die only
the ones not dying
now this time so
no need to rescue us from
the dying just
let us
be with us
stay
look
see
witness
companion
us in the dying and
you will know it’s
not so bad
you will die too)
keep writing your
truth
until it is done, finished, complete
for now do not be afraid
it is after all yours alone to tell and
if you do not find
the courage to write it done
you can not
let it go.
do not ignore
The Book it will
not write itself
nor leave you alone
for the moment, minutes, seconds
write poetry or not
writing, thinking, trying
just write
now
I forgot about you,
Then thought about you,
And then remembered.
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