Thursday, January 29, 2015

Poetry Friday - wishes



Thanks to Paul Hankins at These Four Corners for hosting Poetry Friday this week!

              Since I've begun teaching a class again I feel as if I need to 'sneak' in poetry. The reading and writing both has lessened in time and in commitment. I know I need to be patient and wait. There are posts each week that keep me somewhat satisfied, and I am grateful. I do not always share what I write, but I do read the posts with prompts and ideas for writing from Laura Purdie Salas, Tricia-Stohr Hunt, Michelle Heinrich Barnes, Amy Ludwig VanDerwater and David H. Harrison's Word of the Month. And from them I write! Of course I also read all of your posts too, filled with beautiful poems you've written and shared. Thanks to everyone for keeping me writing and reading.           


            For a long while, the news has not been good from numerous places in the world. Here in the US, the conflicts continue, the sadness of loss remains. Each week I am wondering why those in conflict cannot work harder to come together in compromise instead of working harder to win a battle? I wrote a poem in the past year to a picture prompt from Laura Purdie Salas, where she posts a different picture each Thursday. I found a photo that is similar to Laura's, as well as I can remember. Here is the picture and here is the poem, a constant wish, put into a poem, thanks to Laura.


Wishing bridge building
between ideas
could be as beautiful
as capturing a chasm
with steel!
Linda Baie ©All Rights Reserved

photo credit: Jim Dollar via photopin cc


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25 comments:

  1. jamaJanuary 30, 2015 at 8:03 AM

    Thanks for this beautiful poem and photo. Sigh. I don't know why it has to be SO hard for people to compromise and work together to resolve conflicts. Power drives people to do such selfishly brutal things sometimes.

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    1. Linda BJanuary 30, 2015 at 4:39 PM

      I wish it were different, too, Jama. Thanks for sharing your thoughts, too.

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  2. Karin Fisher-GoltonJanuary 30, 2015 at 1:17 PM

    I'm glad you're putting that intention into the world. For many winning the battle seems to bring more esteem than crafting a compromise. It will be a fine day when those values flip.

    I love the sounds and image of "capturing a chasm."

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    1. Linda BJanuary 30, 2015 at 4:39 PM

      Thanks, Karin, perhaps that is the motivation, to "win".

      Delete
  3. Bridget MageeJanuary 30, 2015 at 4:32 PM

    Your poem is such a beautiful manifestation of this incredibly important wish, Linda! Thank you for sharing it and sending it into the universe. =)

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    1. Linda BJanuary 30, 2015 at 4:40 PM

      Thanks Bridget, writing and sending my wishes is a good thing to do sometimes.

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  4. Matt Forrest EsenwineJanuary 30, 2015 at 7:14 PM

    If only it was that easy! Nicely done, Linda.

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  5. TaraJanuary 30, 2015 at 8:11 PM

    Your poem gets to the heart of conflict - it always seems like an unbridgeable chasm. I know what you mean about the lessening of the chance to write, the classroom has really taken over my writing life this school year. But...there is the summer for that!

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    1. Linda BJanuary 30, 2015 at 9:10 PM

      I try to imagine two (or more) sides coming together & trying to see the other's views, seems easy if the result is no more violence. Thanks Tara, & you are doing a lot of writing for TWT & other posts, although that is connected to school I know. Thanks!

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  6. Michelle Heidenrich BarnesJanuary 31, 2015 at 7:27 AM

    Delighted my blog can help you in your sneaky ways, Linda! You're still managing to produce some great poetry. Your bridging poem says so much about the state of the world.... sigh... I just don't get it either.

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    1. Linda BJanuary 31, 2015 at 8:15 AM

      You're welcome, Michelle. In my busy life, guidance in the poetry does help, and so I really am grateful!

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  7. Diane MayrJanuary 31, 2015 at 8:22 PM

    The "golden rule" should be taught from age 2 on up. If you don't want people to hurt you, steal from you, cheat you, bash your beliefs, kill you, etc., then don't do those things to others. How hard is that to understand? Thanks for letting me vent.

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    1. Linda BJanuary 31, 2015 at 10:06 PM

      You can vent all you want, Diane. It's rather like I did with my poem. It is difficult to understand how such violence can "feel" the right thing to do.

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  8. Stacey ShubitzFebruary 1, 2015 at 9:52 AM

    I'll have to check out those pictures from Laura. I want to try this too.

    Beautiful poem, Linda.

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    1. Linda BFebruary 1, 2015 at 10:05 AM

      Thanks, Stacey. It's quite fun each Thursday!

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  9. DoraineFebruary 1, 2015 at 1:13 PM

    A lovely pairing of picture and poem, Linda.

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  10. GatheringBooksFebruary 3, 2015 at 4:36 AM

    Chasm with steel - now that's beautiful imagery right there. I know what you mean about sneaking in a poem here and there. I just shared a poem from Teaching with Heart to my group of teacher-students today and just distributed them. We didn't get a chance to talk about Neruda and the teacher's reflection of why that poem moved her but I was hoping that the sneaky act would do the trick and hopefully remind them of poetry's beauty.

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    1. Linda BFebruary 3, 2015 at 5:48 AM

      Sneaky indeed, Myra. I love the Teaching With Fire books. A friend of mine gave me the first one when it was published & I use poems from it quite a bit. I should get this second one! Thank you!

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  11. Carol VarsalonaFebruary 6, 2015 at 5:40 AM

    Wonderful!

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  12. Carol VarsalonaFebruary 6, 2015 at 11:55 AM

    Linda, I think your pairing of your ideas with the picture is strong. It gets at the heart of connections. If wishes could come true the world would be a better place.

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  13. Amy LVFebruary 20, 2015 at 7:09 AM

    "capturing a chasm"
    What a great great line...so true about life.
    I, too, am very grateful for this community and how we keep each other going.
    xo,
    a.

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    1. Linda BFebruary 20, 2015 at 8:08 AM

      Thanks, Amy, it is a lovely and supportive group.

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