The Poet in You, Yes YOU!

Yesterday, I shared some spontaneous, albeit not my best poetry, and was starting to analyze and/or define it. I thought that I would save for this blog as there are variations of poems as there are poets.

Here are some I am familiar with: 'mystic poetry' (not sure the exact name though I assume this is the closest to describing poetry) from the likes of Rumi and Hafiz, former 'Middle Eastern' poets (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Middle_East):

A poet is someone
Who can pour Light into a cup
and raise it to nourish your
beautiful parched holy mouth
- Hafiz

Tender words we spoke
to one another
are sealed
in the secret vaults of heaven.
One day like rain,
they will fall to earth
and grow green
all over the world
- Rumi

Haiku, a short and unique style of poetry that changed over time was born in Japan (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haiku_in_English). I prefer this simpler interpretation better (http://www.wikihow.com/Write-a-Haiku-Poem). It features three lines, the first with five syllables, the second with seven, and the third with five. It is often on the theme of nature.

I have attempted haiku though it is a challenge for me. Here is one I just wrote:

First cherry blossoms
Delights both my nose and eyes
No going back now

Or how about this one I also wrote as part of this posting:

a feast for my eyes
pink petals dropping like rain
- ballerina show

There's that word "delights" again! Must like it as I also used it in yesterday's spontaneous poem.

Limericks originated in England - I thought Ireland! - with five lines: Lines 1, 2, and 5 have eight syllables and rhyme, and Lines 3 and 4 have five syllables rhyme (as in A, A, B, B, A). They are usually nonsensical and silly. The following limerick, a great example of its structure, won an Irish 'Listowel Writers Week' prize in 1998 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Limerick_%28poetry%29):

Writing a Limerick's absurd,
Line one and line five rhyme in word,
And just as you've reckoned
They rhyme with the second;
The fourth line must rhyme with the third.

And then the prose poem was birthed in 19th century France and Germany; a combination of both prose and poem (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poem.) Rainer Maria Rilke is a prose writer as well as Hans Christian Andersen, even Edgar Allan Poe!

My favourite prose poem or one of them is The Invitation by Oriah Mountain Dreamer. I am only listing the link http://www.oriahmountaindreamer.com/ for brevity's sake: see left-hand side of her website. (You may need to use control plus the button on your mouse pad to enlarge it!)

Here is my take on prose poetry, an excerpt of one I wrote in Grade 9. Yep, I'm proud of that piece of writing as I received an A+ on it!

"...The leaves murmur among themselves, bravely preparing for the coming of winter..." And a little further on I continue, "The melancholy trees moan and mourn for the loss of their leaves ... The trees shiver from the cold as they are unprotected ..."

But what is the definition of a "poem" in the first place. According to google - where else would you suggest I go? Please tell me and I'm serious about that - this is their definition: "a piece of writing that partakes of the nature of both speech and song that is nearly always rhythmical, usually metaphorical, and often exhibits such formal elements as meter, rhyme, and stanzaic structure. Synonyms: verse, rhyme, piece of poetry, song ... something that arouses strong emotions because of its beauty."

I wonder about that I have come across some - hopefully not mine - that do not necessarily evoke strong emotions or rhymes or is rhythmic for that matter.

According to wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poetry), "Poetry is a form of literature that uses aesthetic and rhythmic qualities of language - such as phonaesthetics, sound symbolism, and metre - to evoke meanings in addition to, or in place of, the prosaic ostensible meaning." Well, that's a poetic mouthful. I'll let you figure out that in plain English! ;)

To be continued, with some unusual videos. ;)

What is your take on poetry? If you were a poet, would you wear any of the above-mentioned styles on your sleeve or heartstrings? If not, what is your style?

Poetry: Healing AND Delicious!

WOW! An explosion of monolithic proportions!

Those are the exact words I got intuitively as I took my first bite out of a creamy (ganache?) brownie that a work colleague made and brought in last week.

As soon as I received those words, I thought that it was a great line for a poem. I very often only get snippets, literally a line or two, sometimes even a few words that I sense is a poem or is the beginning (line) of a poem.

For example, after drafting this posting and washing my three-or-four-day pile of dishes (due to this daily blog challenge, ahem), I got these lines out of the blue: "disdain of dishes" while washing them, and "elixir of life." (And I wouldn't normally use the words "disdain" nor "elixir." By the way, check out http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elixir_of_life as you may find it a rather interesting read.

And synchronistically amusing to me, a day or two later, someone used those exact words, "elixir of life." I forget the conversation, but it was like a "doo doo doo doo, doo doo doo doo..."" moment! Think of that in terms of the opening theme music from Twilight Zone by Rod Serling:



Hey, wait a minute?! Who said a poem can't be one line, I mean one verse? I've read a few poems by Rumi and Hafiz for instance that were one-liners if I understand correctly: "O wondrous creatures, by what strange miracle do you so often not smile?" Supposedly this is considered a quote by Hafiz. I say, why can't it be a poem: a one-liner poem?

There are types of poems that are only a few lines in length. And besides, I read a few blog posts recently where a story is told in only five sentences, imagine that! So why not a poem that is only one verse? I am a 'rebel' after all preferring to colour outside the lines. No, not in a rebelliously, angry, war-like, disastrous kind of way. That is not me at all, well, except for certain issues in the world that push my buttons.

Oh wait, that's another story or rather blog post! Ah, see where inspiration can come from? It can come as I think and/or type words on this page, I mean computer.

So here goes everything or nothing ... sometimes I like to challenge myself as I prefer to write poems when they come to me, not 'forced' out of me (similar to how I feel about writing by the way!)

WOW! An explosion of monolithic proportions
this orgasmic sensation on my tongue
delights my lips, my mouth, my throat, my tummy
hmmmmmmmm, yum, yum, yum

Ok, that was a short poem of whatever kind. My on-the-spot version.

Then a little later, I changed it slightly to read as follows:

WOW! An explosion of monolithic proportions
this orgasmic sensation on my tongue,
my lips, my mouth, my throat, my tummy
delights me
hmmmmmmmm, yum, yum, yum

Do you like to read and/or write poetry? What do you like to read and/or write about? Do you have a favourite poem and/or a favourite poet? If you write them, do you have a particular style? How do you get inspired or where do you get your inspiration from? I know, I know...so many questions! I'm a curious lot, what can I say. I like to learn, even from you the reader! ;)

Part 2: 100 Ways to Kneel & Kiss the Ground

You may wonder, how did I, a North American gal get into Rumi? How did I hear about him?

Years ago, I met a former refugee who was a survivor of torture from the middle East. He was a lover of Rumi's poetry. It was he who organized "Rumi Night" on several occasions. It was always an evening event with recitation/reading of Rumi poetry with background music, sometimes with whirling dervishes dancing their divine dances of love and devotion.

I came to really enjoy and appreciate Rumi's poetry, not because I used to write inspired poetry (though haven't much lately), but I find his poetry so sensual. It is a feast to my ears, my heart, my soul. It pierces through unwanted emotions transforming and transmuting them into peace and love, similar to what I feel when I chant in Sanskrit.

In fact, at a community dance once, I felt strongly compelled to ask an acquaintance if I could recite/read some Rumi poetry at an upcoming evening. I was delighted when he replied that he would see what he could do, or did he say 'Yes!'?

Regardless, I was ecstatic yet humbled to be considered to take on such an honourable role. I took it quite seriously as I mentored with an older woman, Ruth Raziel, well known in the community for her readings of Rumi poetry.

My initial impulse was to read them passionately as I felt they "should be" expressed; however, it was suggested that I read them as if I was savouring the words like food on my tongue. (I don't know if she actually said that, but something along that line.)

This inspired me to write my interpretation of Rumi’s poetry:

close your eyes
listen
with ears wide
heart open
ready to burst
in flame
to the sounds of love –
fluid words
like soft feathers
or luscious chocolate
melting slowly in your mouth
such exquisite sweetness
and delight!

I love that poem, my poem, my inspired poem that tickled me pink. Do you think the poem describes an experience of Rumi poetry? (Not that your opinion matters though. I'm just curious!)

I still have the post-it notes marking some of my favourite poems and passages of The Essential Rumi (with a very similar cover featured yesterday on my blog post), such as:

Birdsong brings relief
to my longing.
I am just as ecstatic as they are,
but with nothing to say!
Please, universal soul, practice
some song, or something, through me!

I actually cried when I opened reciting my favourite Rumi poem, "I want to sing like the birds sing, not worrying about who hears or what they think” The words moved me deeply, touching me sincerely because of my heart's longing to sing freely, with wild abandon, and most of all, to start my inspired alternative youth choir.

If you wish to hear an inspirational and beautiful CD, check out a gift of love cd (pictured above). As you can see from the cover, it features a lot of actors.

Jared Harris, an English actor is one featured on the cd. Here is a short video clip with his voice and scenes from the film, Koyaanisqatsi; check http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Koyaanisqatsi for details if you are interested.


Does poetry move you? Would you be willing to allow it, listening to it with an open heart? And what happens if and when you do? You might just enjoy the experience. ;)

100 Ways to Kneel & Kiss the Ground

Coleman Barks http://www.colemanbarks.com/, an eminent scholar of Rumi's poetry is well-renowned for his translations and interpretations of Rumi's poems. One major book title is The Essential Rumi, with two book cover versions shown.

As part of the Indian Summer Festival in Vancouver, BC, on Saturday night, I attended "100 Ways to Kneel and Kiss the Ground" named after one of Rumi's poems.

Rumi (short in America for Jalal ad-Din Muhammad Rumi or Jalaluddin Rumi) was amongst other things, a 13th-century Persian poet. He has actually been described as the "most popular poet in America" and the "best selling poet in the US" according to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rumi.

Here is a snippet of one of his poems as recited by Coleman Barks: .

Do you love poetry and if so, what kind? Are you familiar with or interested in Rumi's poetry?