My Poem of the Week: 'Reply to the Question "How Can You Become a Poet?"' by Eve Merriam

[narya_flame]

Something hopeful and create-y this week.

Reply to the Question "How Can You Become a Poet?"

take the leaf of a tree

trace its exact shape

the outside edges

and inner lines

 

memorize the way it is fastened to the twig

(and how the twig arches from the branch)

how it springs forth in April

how it is panoplied in July

 

by late August

crumple it in your hand

so that you smell its end-of-summer sadness

 

chew its woody stem

 

listen to its autumn rattle

 

watch as it atomizes in the November air

 

then in winter

when there is no leaf left

 

                                                  invent one

Comments

[lferion]

I had not seen that before -- I really like it.

[narya_flame]

I should probably take its advice 😄 I keep insisting I can't write poems, but I haven't actually tried since university!

[spiced_wine]

That is absolutely amazing!

[narya_flame]

I really love it - as much about noticing as it is about writing.

[spiced_wine]

I think writers do notice things :)

[narya_flame]

Very true!

[polarissruler]

Wow, this is beautiful. And very true for me (but for fanfic, not poetry). I often read a few novels, wikia pages, tvtopres pages, reviews, and in some cases fanblogs just to make sure that one line sounds correct.

[narya_flame]

It's true for me with fanfic too; I haven't written poetry since I was a student, although I keep meaning to try!

I'm very glad it spoke to you.