I Am Part Blackbird

This poem was inspired by day 21 Jill’s “28 Days of Unreason” challenge. Thank you for sharing the quotations with all of us; it has been a lot of fun to write in response to them! Today’s quotation is, “Like many poets I’m part blackbird and part red squirrel and my brain chatters, shrieks, and whistles.” ~ Jim Harrison

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I am part blackbird,

Singing in the dead of night,

And I am part raven,

Croaking nevermore’s dark blight.

 

I am part peregrine,

A pilgrim, flying south,

And I am part sparrow,

Sweet chirping fills my mouth.

 

I am part peacock,

With feathers as my fame,

And I am part phoenix,

Rising in a burst of flame.

 

An Ocean We Call Sky

Jill has provided even more excellent poetry fodder for this 16th day of the Songs of Unreason series. Today’s quote is:

“We walk the bottom of an ocean we call sky”  ~ Jim Harrison

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Limitless, this blue expanse,

Filled with fluffy boats

On which imagination sails —

We ride the clouds to

Dreams as we aim high,

In this ocean we call sky.

Writing Space

This was inspired by poems by Jill and Jane about the places where they usually write.

The corner seat on the comfortable brown couch,

Light from outside the window streaming in the morning,

Cup of coffee in a mug I love in front of me,

And some books beside: A space that welcomes writing.

Moving Water

This is my response to day 7 of Jill’s “Songs of Unreason” series. The inspiration comes from this quote:

“The only answer I’ve found is the moving water whose music is without a single lyric” ~ Jim Harrison

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Moving water’s music is without a single lyric,

Yet it speaks eloquently in babbling,

It speaks of all humanity’s searching

For our source, and our perseverance, sticking

To the goal while stumbling over little pebbles —

Yes, there is moving water in all people.

Break Down the Barriers

Here is another poem inspired by Jill’s “Songs of Unreason” quotes challenge. Today’s was about how “human wildness…finds all barriers brutishly unbearable.” That got me thinking about how people, in general, want to be their true selves but build metaphorical walls out of fear of being rejected. This turned out better than expected!

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Everyone I know

Wants

Authentic

Connection — so

Why do barriers

Still preside, looming

Over our lives?

 

Hearts yearn to reside

In a special place,

Where barriers break,

So let us take

Risks, and time,

And shine our lights

Above and far beyond

The dark,

And tall,

And gloomy,

Walls.

 

May our words be

Nourishing trees of life.

May the broken barriers

Begin with mine.

Vital Updraft

This poem is a response to Jill’s idea to use quotes from a book as poetry prompts. Today’s was “vital updraft.”  I ended up writing about deep breathing and used a haiku form to be extra Zen. It also helps that a haiku is only three lines, which made today’s challenge much easier.

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I inhale, exhale,

Keeping calm, vital updraft:

Inhale, breathe in peace.

Dash

I love —

That intake of breath,

That gasp,

That dash

To forever when I see

Your face,

I love:

The love that grows,

Though it may

Have begun

As infatuation;

I love

Your soul,

Which is,

And will remain,

Irreplaceable.