Really, *really* love this selection Nelly. There is something so grounding in simple words that you know have taken a *lot* of distilling. Thank you for week after week of gorgeous, quality poetry and prompts 🤍
I found myself thinking this week about what matters when we look back, which led my thoughts to a lovely friend who died a few years ago…
‘Little’ Things Legacy
I don’t remember her ‘big successes,’ her exam results or her job banding.
What stays in my heart is what she loved and how she made me feel in her presence.
A legacy of ‘little’ lovely things loaded up into my being alongside the empty space of a future we’ll never share.
This one gave me a shiver Ange. It’s a really powerful message. Thank you. I’m gonna keep this one close to me today. And I’m so sorry you lost a good friend xx
Love this, it took me back to my friend and mentor. Who died when I was in my early twenties and her in her late 30’s. Thank you so much for sharing this.
That William Martin poem 🥲 in particular for me this week.
Then the Donna Ashworth one - I’ve been struggling to believe in recently 💔 and so I definitely needed to read those words.
I’ve had a really hard week of people sending me emails so filled with bigotry and hate and telling me how dangerous I am. I don’t really have any words so I tried to write a poem about it -
Zoe I’m so sorry you are facing this. It is so unfair and so wrong. You have lived in line with your values and you should be so proud of that. You have put your love of humanity first. It doesn’t help with how awful it all feels but I do believe that the push back comes hardest when change is on the horizon. Keep doing what you’re doing, you are incredible, but also, look after yourself. And make art from what hurts. Yes!!! That’s the way. Beautiful art. As always ❤️
Oh that’s so horrible for you to have to bear. I never understand how they have the right to judge and then to also do so in such vitriolic ways, many air hugs.
I’m so sorry Zoe. That sounds really hard and the hurt is deep when it’s around things you have deeply invested in and believe deeply in. Thank you for modelling “take your broken heart and turn it into art” (Carrie Fisher 🤍) to us. Sending love xxx
Oh Zoe; I’m so sorry you are having to deal with the worst kind of humans. From our small interactions I just know you are the beautiful-it of souls so let mine and all these kind words outshine the hateful - and as someone who has an aversion to butterflies (it’s the flapping 🤷🏻♀️), I’m still in love with your butterfly poem 🥰
Oh these poems Nelly. I devoured them all. Thanks for sharing. I’ve struggled to keep up with poetry recently- half terms, poorly kids etc you know the drill. But I've thoroughly enjoyed reading everything from the sidelines. An existing one from me this week...
Thank you for these poems. I think I need to reread Good regularly.
I struggled with this and another prompt this week, so I sort of combined them, but also am not quite sure I hit the mark with either one - but I wrote something and that matters.
Do the ants hear
the creaking of a peony
as the petals slowly spread open
at the head of their hefty blooms,
always under threat of toppling, understanding the stakes laid
Looking out of my window I can see my beautiful red peony bloom that is struggling to stand and lying pitifully on the ground. This captures it completely
I wanted to get on earlier but the day did not cooperate with my plans. I loved this prompt. Isn't this what so much of the best poetry does? Making the difficult bearable. This is one little poem about those moments of intimacy I turn away from so often.
The directness is so refreshing. “Do not ask your children to strive” is my favorite of the bunch, but they all hit the mark for me. “Joy” was maybe the most elusive of the bunch, though. My brain is tired so it was less able to move along with that one.
Really, *really* love this selection Nelly. There is something so grounding in simple words that you know have taken a *lot* of distilling. Thank you for week after week of gorgeous, quality poetry and prompts 🤍
I found myself thinking this week about what matters when we look back, which led my thoughts to a lovely friend who died a few years ago…
‘Little’ Things Legacy
I don’t remember her ‘big successes,’ her exam results or her job banding.
What stays in my heart is what she loved and how she made me feel in her presence.
A legacy of ‘little’ lovely things loaded up into my being alongside the empty space of a future we’ll never share.
This one gave me a shiver Ange. It’s a really powerful message. Thank you. I’m gonna keep this one close to me today. And I’m so sorry you lost a good friend xx
Oh this poem ✨
I love the idea of collecting little lovely things with people ❤️
This is so beautiful and heartbreaking.
Love this, it took me back to my friend and mentor. Who died when I was in my early twenties and her in her late 30’s. Thank you so much for sharing this.
Oh Nelly, these poems 👏🏼
That William Martin poem 🥲 in particular for me this week.
Then the Donna Ashworth one - I’ve been struggling to believe in recently 💔 and so I definitely needed to read those words.
I’ve had a really hard week of people sending me emails so filled with bigotry and hate and telling me how dangerous I am. I don’t really have any words so I tried to write a poem about it -
#21 Butterfly:
From age two she was glorious
twirls in fake pink lace,
glitter spinning round
and round - look at her
go, she is a magnificent
butterfly. Born something
else, you would tell her she
is wrong, an unnatural
metamorphosis. I know that
instead you are wrong and I know
also that you will not listen.
Your anger does scare me,
far beyond your backward
definition of ‘same-sex’.
But see this butterfly is
wondrous and so made
for this world, I must cover
her fragile wings with my own
vulnerability. She flies but I do so
hope one day she will be free
to soar.
Zoe I’m so sorry you are facing this. It is so unfair and so wrong. You have lived in line with your values and you should be so proud of that. You have put your love of humanity first. It doesn’t help with how awful it all feels but I do believe that the push back comes hardest when change is on the horizon. Keep doing what you’re doing, you are incredible, but also, look after yourself. And make art from what hurts. Yes!!! That’s the way. Beautiful art. As always ❤️
Oh that’s so horrible for you to have to bear. I never understand how they have the right to judge and then to also do so in such vitriolic ways, many air hugs.
I’m so sorry Zoe. That sounds really hard and the hurt is deep when it’s around things you have deeply invested in and believe deeply in. Thank you for modelling “take your broken heart and turn it into art” (Carrie Fisher 🤍) to us. Sending love xxx
Oh Zoe; I’m so sorry you are having to deal with the worst kind of humans. From our small interactions I just know you are the beautiful-it of souls so let mine and all these kind words outshine the hateful - and as someone who has an aversion to butterflies (it’s the flapping 🤷🏻♀️), I’m still in love with your butterfly poem 🥰
Thank you 🙏🏼 ❤️
I'm so sorry to hear about your week. You are a butterfly.
I'm so sorry, Zoe. That's such a lot to carry.
Oh these poems Nelly. I devoured them all. Thanks for sharing. I’ve struggled to keep up with poetry recently- half terms, poorly kids etc you know the drill. But I've thoroughly enjoyed reading everything from the sidelines. An existing one from me this week...
I wonder if there's a place
Lost parts go to gather
To find themselves again
When a woman becomes a mother
And also, yep, know the drill. Hope you get more time to play soon xx
Me too!
Oooof, didn’t see that last line coming ⚡️
Brilliant Kathryn 👏
Thanks Ange x
I’m not sure this one completely fits the bill? But it’s something I’ve played with on and off in notes for a while so here goes:
We always come when you call,
Just as we did when you cried.
Still sometimes wearily,
Still sometimes tired & begrudgingly.
But you know when you need us,
We will come … what a knowing we provide.
Mmmm that knowing is such a thing isn’t it. So beautiful x
Oooh, our eldest is just starting to do more stuff away from us and this really struck a chord. Lovely words xx
Thank you for these poems. I think I need to reread Good regularly.
I struggled with this and another prompt this week, so I sort of combined them, but also am not quite sure I hit the mark with either one - but I wrote something and that matters.
Do the ants hear
the creaking of a peony
as the petals slowly spread open
at the head of their hefty blooms,
always under threat of toppling, understanding the stakes laid
at their base, and deigning to rest
against their better judgement?
So much energy goes into
performing their show
that by the end of it, they can't
even hold themselves up.
So beautiful, aren't they?
Yet so pitiful.
Oh. Oh. I need to read this again a good few times!!!
Thank you! I'm just realizing I copied and pasted it, for the second time, with the same weird line that was meant to be two.🙈
You capture the generous, fleeting show so beautifully. I love the line ‘the creaking of a peony’ 🥰
Looking out of my window I can see my beautiful red peony bloom that is struggling to stand and lying pitifully on the ground. This captures it completely
I wanted to get on earlier but the day did not cooperate with my plans. I loved this prompt. Isn't this what so much of the best poetry does? Making the difficult bearable. This is one little poem about those moments of intimacy I turn away from so often.
Hesitation
Rain thundering on the roof
as he lay on the bed with
the cat I could have slipped in
behind him
wrapped my arms around his waist
but I let the moment pass
I am in love with this one LeeAnn. So simple. So powerful.
Thanks so much. It can be so hard to write about. All those moments I let pass.
This is a beauty 🌟
Thanks so much, Ange.
This is stunning.
Thanks. Yours was wonderful too.
Thank you!
Here is my offering, not written this week, I’m afraid, as it’s been a bit of a doozy health wise (again, yes I’m bored of it too).
.
Hope
.
Oh, I want to feel hope.
That strange joy bubbling in me,
Ringing in my ears
Fluttering in my chest
Oh, I want to feel it
But I daren’t; I can’t; I mustn’t.
The ‘what if’s haunt me
Drag me down.
I’m scared to feel her.
Oh, I want to feel hope.
I know this feeling. You captured it well. I hope you are feeling better soon.
Thank you. This too will pass.
Beautiful Tamsin. I love the lovely bookends of the first and last lines. ‘The strange joy bubbling in me’ 🤍. Sorry it’s been a tough week xx
Thank you. Tough weeks pass luckily (normally)
The directness is so refreshing. “Do not ask your children to strive” is my favorite of the bunch, but they all hit the mark for me. “Joy” was maybe the most elusive of the bunch, though. My brain is tired so it was less able to move along with that one.
Isn’t it. That’s the word, directness!! X