Photo by Eric Muhr via Unsplash
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Today’s prompt, “which you can find in its entirety here, was developed by the poet and teacher Hoa Nguyen, asks you to use a long poem by James Schuyler as a guidepost for your poem. (You may remember James Schuyler from our poetry resource for Day 2.) This is a prompt that allows you to sink deeply into another poet’s work, as well as your own.” ~ NaPoWriMo, Day 25
I struggled with this one. I love James Schuyler’s poem and Hoa Nguyen’s prompt–but am disappointed that I cannot come up with a question as resounding as Schuyler’s “The impermanence of permanence, is that all there is?” I feel very impermanent tonight and wish I had more time to work on this draft before posting it. Like, another month. That would give me slightly more time to achieve a modicum of permanence. But because it’s almost midnight here and I’m tired and bored with my own words, here is my poem, warts and all.
PS–Most of the poems written this April will remain online for up to five days, after which they will be replaced by an excerpt, an erasure, or a thoroughly amateurish art piece that will only allow for bits of the original poem to peek through. At least, this is the plan. The reason being that, at some point, in the hopefully not too distant future, these drafts will undergo revision and begin their multiple-year pilgrimage through the slush piles of many a literary journal. So help me, O Muse.
PPS–You know the drill–seashell angels swoop in to help me stage an erasure of the original poem. I’m not saying they’re doing this as magnanimously as in the beginning. Far from it. Now I have to keep them entertained by making a fool of myself. Well, it’s not the first or the last time. I can do this. Five more tableaux with boisterous angels.
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Poetry from the trenches, Day 25
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“[quote deleted by RI]”
Why be like Schuyler when you can be Romana? This was so pleasurable, like eating something delicious with a small spoon. Superb work!
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Oh Saffron, thank you so much for saying that!🙏💜 So happy that reading this was such a good experience for you.🥰
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An incredible piece of writing – so strong and clear. The forest spectacular – the question of who and what we betray brought me up short – and the ending…wow. Five more days of unedited raw posting – we can do this.
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We can absolutely do this!💪💜✊ Though I have yet to post something today… Thank you so much for the kind words—this one was difficult and I had lost all objectivity by the time I posted it (thought it was the worst thing I wrote this month). Need some distance from it before I attempt revision.
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This weekend has been tough, and this piece is strong – you will like it a lot more next month. 😉
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God, I hope so!🙏💜
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My word! No — YOUR wondeful words! WOW!!!
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Thank you, dear Liz! I really appreciate it.🙏💜
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I think you have done a show of the Schuyler line, whereas his was telling. So…no need for mea cuplas!
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Thank you so much, Bee—you’re very kind!🙏💜
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But also truth telling…
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That means a lot to me–thank you!
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I absolutely love the ending!
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Thank you, Maria!💜
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This is really strong! Too many quotable lines to single-out. I understand if you want to tweak it, but it stands strongly as it is now.
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Thank you so much for saying that! This was a tough prompt.
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I agree it was challenging, but you did very well. I especially loved all the minor details you included.
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I miss forests like the one in your picture. Beautiful poem and photo.
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Thank you, Max! Can’t take credit for the photo, but find it mesmerizing. I’d want to get lost in that forest.😍
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Your poem is fabulous!
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Thank you, Sue!💜
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