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I love National Poetry Month. While poetry falls to the
background most of the year and is many readers’ least favorite genre, for 30
days once a year, everyone appreciates the minimal or clever lines that make up
a poem of some kind.
I struggled with poetry in school because 1. I never heard
the same beat as others and could NOT measure a foot and 2. I never interpreted
the lines as I was “supposed” to see them. Often this was influenced by life
experience or the lack of it. In college, I had to write a paper on “Return to
San Francisco Bay, 1946” which was about returning soldiers from the war. I had
NO understand of WWII at that time, and I read the poem as prisoners returning
from Alcatraz. The grade was a disaster!
I so appreciate my blogger friends for encouragement in both
poetry and prose. I have met some delightful people on the page. One, Linda
over at Write from the Heart, has encouraged me, prompted me, and propped me up
many times. Recently, she said I needed to read my work in public. Horrors! I
have stood before classes, parents, boards, audiences, and such, but speaking
is one thing and reading your own work is another.
The lines I write I are my babies. They can be cute and
cuddly, or they can be homely and unruly, but they are mine. Therefore, they
are dear to me. But I listened to Linda and read at the program held Thursday at
Grace Church, a fairly safe place. But tonight, I took a step into deeper water
when I read at the Spiva Art Center in Joplin. I am glad I had no idea the
amount of talent of the readers beforehand!
Spiva is an art gallery in Joplin. They hold an
international photo coopetition each spring and have many parts of the country
represented by pictures. After the
photos have been up about a month, they have a 1000 Words Writing Night.
Writers are invited to name the photo that inspired them and then read what
they wrote as a result. It is all under a 1000 words and tonight there were
many talented readers.
My picture was one called EARL by a Robert Moran from Bar
Harbor, Maine. I will post his photo and hope I am not breaking a law. The poem
I read was called Seamus McCall and told of an old boat builder from Maine, his
dreams of building a wooden boat and sailing away. One woman in the audience
was from New England and was very impressed so I know I moved at least one
person tonight!
Thanks for the push, Linda!
5 comments:
Claudia--Can you share the poem? The photo is incredible. I'd love to read the poem it inspired.
That must have taken so much courage. Well done. I would be very surprised if the woman who told you she was impressed was the only one. For some reason we are too often quicker to criticise than to compliment.
And yes, I too would love to read your poem.
What Sioux said. Please share the poem!
Your post is in line with my blog post today, about stepping out of our comfort zone and doing things that scare us. You did that! Congratulations! I'd like to hear more about how reading your work to a large group, in spite of your fears, helped you grow as a writer/poet/speaker---however it touched you. And please, do share that poem!
I would like to be able to write poetry but to present my work to other people is beyond me so you have my admiration.
Merle............
So thrilled you are stepping out. That poem was awesome a d should find a home.
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