Poetry Friday: Each drawer is different

Poetry: What is it?

An interesting piece about poetry from Ron Padgett provides a beginning for us.

It's fourteen lines that look the same, but you can't say it the same 14 times. Try it.

As the poet explains, there are many, many kinds of poems: tiny, long, nature, funny, serious, patterns, etc. But the thing is, once a poem is written, it is never read the same. Each of us puts our own emphasis on the parts and the meaning. They are gifts given from within one person, presented outside of himself, so you the reader can take it within you.

When I first saw this poem, I imagined someone looking for something, but not finding it any place he looked. Now that I heard the author, and heard his inside feelings of the poem, I see it as an experiment in feeling the words and how each time they are said, the words become something else, depending on its reading.

It's rather like mood too. You could read that poem when you're tired, and it would sound different.

You could read it when you're angry, and imagine how it would sound!

You could read it when you're bored, and how long would it take to read it?

So poetry is feeling, it's sound, it's emotion, and it's imagery -- and a gift each of us will read differently.

Five things to do [not on one day-- but do try them all].

1) Think of a phrase, something plain or something special, something boring or something joyful, or some other emotion. Write it fourteen times. Read it to someone. Ask them to read it to you. How were your readings the same or different? What does that show you about poetry?

Leaves of fall, fall.

Sheri Edwards 

Leaves of fall, fall in colors.
Leaves of fall, fall in colors.
Leaves of fall, fall in colors.
Leaves of fall, fall in colors.
Leaves of fall, fall in colors.
Leaves of fall, fall in colors.
Leaves of fall, fall in colors.
Leaves of fall, fall in colors.
Leaves of fall, fall in colors.
Leaves of fall, fall in colors.
Leaves of fall, fall in colors.
Leaves of fall, fall in colors.
Leaves of fall, fall in colors.
Leaves of fall, fall in colors.

2) Go to poets.org and choose "Forms." Choose a few to read. Which did you choose? What surprised you about each? Which would you read again? Which could you write?


3) Go to poets.org and choose "Themes." Choose a theme and choose few poems to read. Which did you choose? What surprised you about each? Which inspired you to write a poem on that theme?

4) Choose a form or a theme of a poem. Write your own. Share it below so we can read your gift. You may want to create and share an audio recording of your poem, so we know how you would read it. We may read it our way, but we'll always thank you for your gift.

5) What surprised you about reading poetry? What surprised you about writing poetry? How would you explain poetry to someone else, now that we've heard from Ron Padgett and other poets you've read?


Please write a short note and a link to your responses in the comments below.

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Poetry Friday Host: The Poem Farm

Reflections on the Teche by Margaret G Simon