Carol Varsalona at Beyond Literacy Link hosts our Poetry Friday today, filling us up with final summer memories, a preview of her next gallery, The Art of Summering. We've had cooler weather these recent days, so reading and seeing what has been gathered will make me rather nostalgic. Thanks, Carol!
Last week Michelle Barnes interviewed Naomi Shihab Nye for the first Today's Little Ditty of the season, a most wonderful post full of Naomi's words and poetry. The challenge given was "Write a letter to yourself in which you ask some questions that you don't have to answer." Unfortunately, I did not return to the post to re-read those words until I went to post my poem. What I remembered was only something about 'questions'.
So, I began wondering about questions and how the time in one's life changes those asked, usually according to needs. I will try again, but this is what I wrote before I visited.
That Measuring Stick
Two - only answers, “No, no, no.”
At seven, “Why? I want to know.”
Thirteen, private, asks self, “Who?”
Eighteen, hungry, “Where shall I go?”
“What?” and “How?” feed grown-up years;
“Hurry, hurry. Answers, appear!”
Elders’ salt and pepper quest,
“Bring them on.” No question feared.
Linda Baie © All Right Reserved
You sure put in a lot in a short poem Linda– a mighty poem!“What?” and “How?” feed grown-up years;" this is right on, and I like the layers in this line too: "Elders’ salt and pepper quest," Thanks.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful....universal truths that we can imagine in our own lives as we read. Each day, I'm seeing more salt with my pepper. But, I have to admit--I love the questions more. Bring 'em on, baby!
ReplyDeleteWell, this speaks to me. I love the empowerment of that last line - bring them on, indeed.
ReplyDeleteHa! One of the benefits of age and experience, right? Thank you, Linda! I do hope you'll write more Questions poems... Neruda's BOOK OF QUESTIONS is a favorite poetry collection of mine. xo
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you took this direction, Linda. It's great, wonderfully compact. Brevity is the soul of wit, as Shakespeare would say!
ReplyDeleteYes, you certainly did pack a lot of wisdom and reflection in a short poem. I like that last affirmative line too. :)
ReplyDeleteTime traveling with you, I remember moments like that. I love how fearless you become.
ReplyDeleteAs time passes, we grow in wisdom. Bring them on!
ReplyDeleteQuestions asked across a lifetime remind me of the journey we all take. Your poem Linda, has both brevity and power. I enjoyed it very much. I have always believed that poetry is essentially our very best words squeezed into tight spaces to create sparks. This poem certainly does that.
ReplyDeleteWhat a clever poem, Linda. You cover so much ground in just eight lines. I love the 'salt and pepper' quest and love the dual meaning - of asking for them to be passed, and perhaps of questioning how one got to the salt and pepper hair stage, lol.
ReplyDeleteLinda, I love the fact that you have spent a lifetime questioning. That is what we want for our students-to be curious and creative. Your poem hits both points. I love how you creatively took the task to compose a poem full of questions. I don't think you need to create anything new unless you have more time and interest. You hit the nail on the head, Linda.
ReplyDeleteIt was a very busy day & I love your responses to my poem. Life does change our thoughts & approaches; I see you all agree. Thank you everyone.
ReplyDeleteYou certainly captured life in two stanzas, Linda!
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, Linda, I think this poem is definitely suitable for the challenge and I hope you put it on the padlet. I LOVE it! One of the things I've been looking for with this challenge is different approaches to the question-asking. I've have now written three attempts for the challenge, all of which have some value as poems, but none of which satisfy me in terms of the questions. They feel so forced. Yours most certainly does not!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Matt and Michelle. It is what I ended up pondering about questions. And certainly it is a different approach than I thought it should be when re-reading Naomi's words. I'm glad you like it, Michelle, & yes, will post it on the padlet! And I may write again. Seeing what happens next is often a surprise, right?
ReplyDeleteExcellent poem. Love your stages of questions!
ReplyDeleteThank you!
DeleteNo question feared. The answers may not please, but the questions are always worth asking. Well done, Linda!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Diane. I agree!
DeleteThese stages of questions ring so true. I well remember the constant why, why, why. Your poem reminds of the tension in two ways of living in this world. Some people seek the certainty of living in the answers, but I have been drawn to living in the questions (no questions feared?) even though it is at times uncomfortable. The older I get, I find I have fewer answers and more questions.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Kay, yes, I have them, too, and struggle at times with finding the answers.
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