What is a Poem?
The poem I write
is not like the jacket I wear
It’s more
the shoulders it rests on
the arms it covers
the belly it warms
And the poem I write
is not like the soup I make
It’s the wrist that stirs the spoon
the hand that guides the knife
to cut through carrots
It’s the lips that sip
the salty hot broth
and then speak the words
It’s done now
When a boy turns thirteen
and his voice rises and cracks
Don’t say That’s not your voice
And when the goldfinch at the bird feeder
sings praises to the sunflower
listen
__________Colleen Redman / Poets United
April 27th, 2019 9:38 pm
That’s nice. Thanks.
April 28th, 2019 9:21 am
I like the way you expressed what a poem is. I like that it is the wrist that stirs the spoon. And yes, we need to listen to the birds!
April 28th, 2019 9:21 am
I sing praises for your poem, which celebrates the holiness of the ordinary. Wonderful!
April 28th, 2019 11:09 am
Beautiful piece of poetry…the image
its like the jacket i wear,
its more
than the shoulders it rests on
thank you…bkm
April 28th, 2019 11:21 am
Your poem sounds both warming and delicious! But I particularly love the last two verses.
April 28th, 2019 11:43 am
I love this poem! This…And when the goldfinch at the bird feeder
sings praises to the sunflower
listen…I just adore.
April 28th, 2019 12:19 pm
What BEAUTIFUL blooms in your photos! I loved your descriptions. I especially love the orchid that looks like an angel. Your poem is simply wonderful. I loved the part about the wrist stirring the soup and guiding the knife. And adore the last two stanzas.
April 28th, 2019 1:13 pm
I love to express what something by expressing what it isn’t… negations is such a powerful tool… great way to describe the down-to-earth aspect of a poem.
April 28th, 2019 4:53 pm
A poem to savor.
April 28th, 2019 11:37 pm
I like how the poem moves. changes tempo and subject.
April 29th, 2019 4:15 am
This is beautiful!! ❤️ I love; “It’s the lips that sip
the salty hot broth and then speak the words. It’s done now.” 🙂
April 29th, 2019 11:21 pm
Your poems have me seeing and hearing things again. Thank you.
April 30th, 2019 12:31 pm
This defines the nuances of a poem so well — it isn’t only what it appears to be but all that has gone into it. The last two stanzas are just perfect!
April 30th, 2019 6:16 pm
What a beautiful description of what a poem is.
April 30th, 2019 7:29 pm
Those last two lines are perfect.
May 1st, 2019 2:05 pm
I love the soup allegory so much, Colleen, and the ending with the goldfinch and the sunflower – worth listening to!