Spring is delivering on the poetry front
Plus Poetry Circle Joining Details...
Hey,
How is everyone? How is your poetry reading / writing feeling right now?
I’ve had some nice little snippets land on the page. A couple of poems accepted for anthologies. And I finally did my first submission for the full manuscript of my second poetry book (hurray, hurrah). I’ve only been working on this book for about two , three years.
A few weeks ago I printed the full thing out and started playing with the order. This stage has looked nothing like the beautiful creative processes you sometimes see online. That still exist in my head. You know - log cabin, sunlight landing wistfully across each piece of paper and through my messy, softly curled hair as I let the poetry just land in it’s true resting place. Nope. This was more strong coffee, holey jammies (STILL, can I please have permission to buy some new PJ’s), hardly any light because the back door has to remain firmly shut else the youngest kid will wake up the entire neighbourhood, me firmly suggesting he watch television rather than do any sort of writing together (strong parenting).
Am I completely convinced it’s right. Hmm, dunno. But I also don’t know how you ever know it is 100% right. It feels like it is right enough. And there was a submission window I was going to miss, so, hey ho. I gave myself that as a ‘made up’ deadline to keep me going (this works for me, I can recommend it as a technique). I’ve also got to the stage where I’ve looked at it for so long that I now think the WHOLE thing is utter garbage. Which I know means I need to step away for at least a few weeks before doing any more to it. Then I’ll return and no doubt realise the order needs a rejig…but fine. I don’t remember this bit being so hard last time.
A short ‘yet to be named’ piece that I wrote one morning last week:
One morning, when I couldn’t sleep for many reasons, I am sure I heard the very first birdsong of the day. A single note that left me imagining a solitary bird outside my window leading the way. It still felt too dark. Was it also hoping for morning?
I’m not sure if there was more birdsong after that first note. I “lost track of time,” as they say. But the next day, which of course did arrive, I wondered about trying to record the sound, should I hear it again. I decided I’d quite like to name this bird that joined me this weekday morning in May.
I’d like to know if it is the same bird that wakes up first every day. Whether this be a species known for early rising or whether each single bird decides when it feels able to provide a silence-breaking ray. “Don’t fear, I am here too,” does it say?
I could try to conduct this experiment. I’ve had many opportunities since. And maybe I still will. But somehow, I know that I won’t. There is so much that I take for granted. I pour my morning coffee. I shower and dress. I feel pleased that birdsong exists, anyway.
Poetry Circle Details:
We have our next Poetry Circle happening THIS Wednesday 21st May at 8pm (UK time, joining details for paid subscribers below). Since the skies seem at their bluest over here in the UK right now, and we are still making our way through a poetry book for Book Club which centres on nature, I thought seasonal poetry could provide a loose ‘theme’ for our circle.
I’m thinking poetry that invites us to sit with where we are, within the season and environment we find ourselves in. I’m guessing Mary Oliver might feature. A friend sent me this poem last week which I have read so many times. This is ‘In Spring’ by Rose King:
Isn’t it wonderful?!
If you have a favourite poem that seems right for this time of year, or any favourite nature poem more broadly, please do bring it along.
Otherwise, we’ll be doing our usual read, write, share format. I’ll bring a couple of prompts that give us a starting point but remain loose enough (hopefully) to let our creativity do it’s thing.
Looking forward to it.
Nelly x