PHOTO ALBUM
A perfect day trip in July —
the sea was calm, the sky was blue,
the kids were little, you and I
were ten years younger, seagulls flew
and cried above us, hours were few,
but stretched, and stretched…until at last
‘twas time — we rounded up our crew,
and our day trip sailed to the past.
Prompted by WD Poetic Asides Huitain Poetic Form Challenge
All Hallows’ Eve
Dark shadows creep from far away
Beware of the falling night
Put on your armor, child, prepare
To fight, persevere in plight
This short poem is my attempt at seadna. It seemed fitting to try an Irish poetic form on Halloween that has its roots in Celtic culture.
Here are the (somewhat complicated) guidelines for writing a seadna:
Image by Jill Wellington from Pixabay
When rain clouds move across the blue,
When life’s nothing but wading through
The endless stream of chores to do,
When meaning’s nowhere to be found,
When you’ve no clue where you are bound
Or what will give you the high ground
When times are tough and friends are few —
Keep plowing through the push and pull,
Keep smiling like a happy fool,
Keep giving till your heart is full:
“This too shall pass” is ever true.
Prompted by Writer’s Digest Zejel Poetic form challenge.
Image: Jan van Goyen. The Square Watch-Tower, 1651. Oil on panel, Overall: 22 3/4 x 35 1/4 in. (57.8 x 89.5 cm). BF843. Public Domain.
No regrets,
no broken wings that one can
not mend, no heartache, not yet,
no pain, just
souls powered up by high winds,
nothing but happiness—trust—
lies ahead,
so it shall be, white seagulls
gainst the morning sky of red.
Shared on Poetic Asides
I stepped outside to see the evening birdsong,
and hear the lilacs fill the air with purple
and white aroma, and to drown before long
in maybe-May. Falling beyond the circle
of probability, defying lifelong
perceptions of what’s real, the twilight sparkled
with myriads of realms. Mind–proven all wrong–
accepted its defeat, joyfully humbled.
Prompted by Poetic Asides Strambotto Poetic Form Challenge.
Image: Henri Rousseau. Woman Walking in an Exotic Forest (Femme se promenant dans une forêt exotique), 1905. Oil on canvas, Overall: 39 3/8 x 31 3/4 in. (100 x 80.6 cm). BF388. Public Domain.
Got any plans for April?
2018 April Poem-A-Day (PAD) Challenge will be here before you know it.
Check out the guidelines, and note the interaction that took place in the comments. Here’s an excerpt from it:
Kateland
March 6, 2018 at 12:47 pm
“Well, there are very wide interpretations of “hateful” nowadays. …
Perhaps a set of rules on what themes are considered “hateful” or “intolerable”…
Robert Lee Brewer Post author
March 7, 2018 at 12:50 pm
“I believe in diversity as far as the form and content of poems–expressing a wide range of opinions. As long as it is done respectfully.
I know for a fact that we have poets from around the world, of various faiths, of various political parties and slants, genders, ages, etc.”
Now, if you’re new to the challenge, Poetic Asides is not a political forum — it’s a poetry blog. However, it’s very refreshing to see its commitment to remain a place of free expression. We should not be afraid to voice our opinions.
Write poetry, be respectful while exercising free speech, don’t be a troll — that’s what PA is about. So, flex your poetry muscles!
Have you participated in PAD challenges? Are you in for the poem-a-day this April? Share in the comments.
If you’ve enjoyed the post, press “like” and “share” buttons — thank you.
In the Mind’s Eye
Sometimes we see
Things that will be —
A memory
Of tomorrow
Sometimes we find
It warm and kind
Sometimes our mind
Fills with sorrow
So some sweet day
In June or May
Bathed in sunrays
We remember
How you and I
Share burnt good-byes
Beneath the skies
Of November
Sasha A. Palmer
It often pays off to read comments to posts. Thinking of submitting your poetry to journals? Not crazy about submission fees? Check out this list of “younger, hungrier” journals provided by Joe Cottonwood in a comment thread on The Passive Voice site:
Got a name or two to add to this list? Share in the comments.
Happy writing, submitting, and getting published.
If you enjoyed this post, do press “like” and “share” buttons — thank you.
Image: Pierre-Auguste Renoir. Autumn Landscape (Paysage d’automne), c. 1884. Oil on canvas (later mounted to fiberboard), Painting: 25 9/16 x 21 1/4 in. (65 x 54 cm) Overall (with secondary support): 26 1/4 x 22 3/8 in. (66.7 x 56.8 cm). BF933. Public Domain.
Jane Friedman on marketing for authors, “You’ll be stronger if you have a multi-faceted approach.” Find out what she means.
University of Iowa Press is giving two awards for first collections of short fiction. No entry fee. Deadline: September 30. Check the guidelines, and submit.
A new poetic form challenge from Writer’s Digest. Join the roundelay fun.
Here’s my contribution:
“A Simple Song”
The shore is kind, horizon — wide
A tender breeze so gently blows
Come, take your vessel for a ride
Those swift white caps are not your foes
Our happiness — an ocean tide
That comes and goes, that comes and goes…
Come, take your vessel for a ride
Those swift white caps are not your foes
You would not hold time if you tried
Gold specks of sand between your toes
Our happiness — an ocean tide
That comes and goes, that comes and goes…
You would not hold time if you tried
Gold specks of sand between your toes
Come, sail while dazzling seas abide
The day, the hour — nobody knows
Our happiness — an ocean tide
That comes and goes, that comes and goes…
Come, sail while dazzling seas abide
The day, the hour — nobody knows
Fragile sandcastles builds a child
The setting sun so softly glows
Our happiness — an ocean tide
That comes and goes, that comes and goes…
© 2017 Sasha A. Palmer (aka Happy)
“What I advise you to do is, not to be unhappy before the crisis comes; since it may be that the dangers before which you paled as if they were threatening you, will never come upon you; they certainly have not yet come.” — Seneca, “On Groundless Fears”
Check out this list of contests with September deadlines compiled by The Masters Review.
Find out why I write poetry.
sasha a. palmer 