13: The Bare Bones
1. I write in my journal notebooks like a collage artist making mind maps. There are notes in every corner, and they’re not in order. Some are circled, some are highlighted with yellow and some are defined by doodles. It’s as if they were an untenable mess on a desk, but I know where everything is.
2. A poem is like a waking version of a dream, an opening of a window to let the birdsong in.
3. Writing poems for me is like leaving breadcrumbs. I hope we all get home.
4. My brother posted on Facebook the numbers showing our country’s strong economy. I commented that “I understand the Tao more than the Dow, but I know the economy is strong right now.” He responded, “By any metric you choose,” and I asked, “The Tao of Pooh or Lao-tzu?
5. I went to a celebration dinner for David Wiley’s birthday and the wine glasses were lit up like candles.
6. Favorite line from a Facebook friend: This year for my birthday I got “older.”
7. The Poetry Pharmacy in London dispenses literary first aid. Its owner, Deborah Alma, had been prescribing cures from the back of an ambulance before setting up a permanent shop. She has said that the impetus for that project was to be a vehicle (pun intended) for poetry to be delivered to people who don’t usually encounter it.
8. My friend Chris sang the timely song “Put a Woman in Charge” at the Floyd Americana Festival last Saturday.
9. I took the skeletons picture above at the Floyd Americana Fest. Below is one I took at our local Angels in the Attic thrift shop.
10. If you are quiet / be loud / If you are loud / be quiet / Don’t laugh / if you don’t get the joke / Don’t cheat / Wear red… Read my poem Remedy in its entirety HERE.
12. I wrote this poem, also called Remedy in the late ‘70s: Take two poems / and a trip to the ocean / call me in the morning / Plenty of fluids / and funny business / 3 hail Mary’s / and a hug…
13. …Take lots of music / as you need it / dance 3x a day / follow your own directions / watch your children play / Now bless your stars / and tell me something nice / call me in the morning / call me in the night
October 23rd, 2024 9:03 pm
A poetry ambulance… That tickles my imagination.
October 24th, 2024 9:28 am
I like the Halloween stuff. Do you have a Remedy for procrastination?
October 24th, 2024 11:05 am
I’ll have to think about that, Country Dew. I usually just allow it and eventually get bored of it.
October 28th, 2024 2:57 am
Your poem is like a life travel
October 28th, 2024 1:52 pm
Colleen, there is so much to love about today’s 13 but my favorites are #s 2, 3, 10, 12, and 13.. Please do add the missing #11 for I am sure it is another treasure as well!
My t13 post is here
October 28th, 2024 3:31 pm
Ha Ha! I didn’t even notice that #11 was missing.