Yesterday I posted a semi-free verse poem based on a Tarot reading. It got some good feedback. For some reason, recently, I’ve been fascinated with poetic form and transforming poetry to different forms. Today I was reading sonnets (classic stuff, not mine), and it occurred to me that yesterday’s free verse would read really well as a sonnet.
Or does it?
You can judge. Here’s yesterday’s post. Let me know in the comments!
On Receiving a Tarot Warning of You By Michelle Garren-Flye
Just for today, promise me the world, even if it’s just a pack of cards. I’ll dance about, my wings unfurled, cavort until the fall of the stars. Judge me harshly, naked and cold, standing alone in my own grave. Wash me away in the coming flood! New beginnings are only for the brave. The dark man glowers, my love he denies, promises made in Cupid’s embrace. I will bare my heart, my soul to your cries, but our abstract romance never takes place. Through sunset’s blood, Death sweeps and star’s life out of the pitcher leaks.
Photo and Poem copyright 2024 Michelle Garren-Flye
Today I did something kind of fun. I have a book of Matsuo Basho’s haiku on my desk that I often read when I’m experiencing writer’s block. It’s a beautiful book even though now it’s a bit beat up and coffee-stained. But the pages are full of haiku by the master of haiku. Sometimes when I read them, I feel like I can picture him on his travels, taking inspiration from the simplest of things, writing his verses even in discomfort, possibly hungry, cold, stuck in bad weather, probably tired.
And then I wonder how on earth I can claim any adversity at all.
At any rate, today I was reading some Matsuo Basho and I found this one:
snow on snow
this night in December
a full moon
—Matsuo Basho
I’m currently editing my book Winter Solstice for republishing so this little haiku caught my attention, especially when I read the backstory of it. Basho wrote it for two fellow poets who were arguing, hoping by pointing out the beauty of the moon’s glow on the snow, he could defuse the fight.
I don’t know if it worked for them, but it gave me something to think about. I wondered what it would be like to write a sonnet with the same idea. So I did.
For Basho By Michelle Garren-Flye
Why persist in impatience and strife? When yonder field full of starflowers reflects the moon’s light into our life, how can this world of war be ours?
Sit here beside me, give me your cares. Worries, bad habits, and visions begone! Along with all the stuff of your nightmares— the ones that sometimes linger on.
This world is full of beauty, you know: meadows turned into a galaxy of stars by nothing more than the moon’s glow concealing all of our cuts and scars
Take heart! Come with me and dance in soft grass among stars and planets.
It’s hard to remember sometimes that our world has been through a lot and survived. Sometimes the news makes it seem we are on the brink of all the disasters. Politicians make money off our fears, the media churns out new ones every day. But today I saw a Monarch on a bunch of pink lemonade lantana, and it made me happy.
Photo and poem copyright 2024 Michelle Garren-Flye
It’s an excellent question. The truth is, I’ve been traveling with family, but I’ve also been lost in other worlds of my own making. I’m working on another poetry book (with my fortune cookie poetry included), and I’ve started a new novel, but don’t hold your breath on that one lol. It’s coming along, but right now I’m really just getting to know the characters. It’s a romantic fantasy adventure. Probably a standalone, but possibly the beginning of a new series.
And to top it off, it’s poetry contest season. Not wanting to pull any of the poems I’d already decided to put into my books, I had to write some fresh poetry. Plus, one of the competitions is an ekphrastic poetry contest I enter every year (never won it though). For those who don’t know, ekphrastic poetry is where you write poetry based on a work of art. I love it.
This year I had a lot of fun with it, too. I chose one painting and wrote three different poems (villanelle, sonnet, and tanka) about it. I loved all of them, so I submitted all of them lol. It might be fun if one of them wins!
In the meantime, though I don’t have a poem to share with you today, I did think I might share some of the artwork I’ve been creating for Unwelcome Souvenirs, my next poetry book.
Today I decided to try a different kind of sonnet. I’ve always been fond of Shakespearean sonnets, but today I opted for a Petrarchan sonnet. I’m not certain I’ve mastered it, although I do have two to share. The rhyme scheme is easy enough to follow (I used ABBA ABBA CDE CDE in the first one, ABBA ABBA CDC CDC in the second.) It’s the theme that somewhat escapes me.
The first was inspired by the teachers of the field trip I just got back from. Petrarchan sonnets are supposed to express admiration for someone or something. I can think of no one more worthy of admiration than three teachers who are brave enough to take 170-some kids on a three-day field trip in which they bring back three trophies and all the kids they left with. That’s well-planned success!
The second is a little more amorphous thematically. I just went for the “I’m in love and I’ll do anything for you” theme. Still, as is the case most of the time, the second one seems a little better. A little tighter, maybe?
I plan to play with this form more.
Photo and poems copyright 2024 Michelle Garren-Flye
Success is a planned event.
To the Teachers By Michelle Garren-Flye
I watch with admiration and joy as you lay out the problem before us in a manner that makes me curious about the method you will employ, the way you will destroy what would otherwise cause a fuss but you dispense with it and thus success becomes our ploy.
To you I must confess my admiration grows as I watch you at work; I know you’ll make a success for your inspiration only grows and duties you do not shirk.
Star Hunting By Michelle Garren-Flye
I’m out to catch a star for you to place in your eye. I’ll be back by and by though I may travel far. Does this sound bizarre and do you wonder why I can’t just leave things as they are? It’s all because I love deep and hold my passion within. It’s worth a loss of sleep even if on the way I weep. If I plan I know I’ll win and your heart safe I will keep.
This one reminded me of an Irish blessing, which got me thinking how many different ways there are to grow rich. And that led me to the actual thought of growing something, which led me to my little sonnet below. It’s practically a jingle, isn’t it?
Enjoy!
Photo and poem copyright 2024 Michelle Garren-Flye
May you grow rich.
An Ad for a Money Tree By Michelle Garren-Flye
But why don’t you have a money tree yet? They’re growing on every corner street and they couldn’t be easier to get. It’s an investment whose price can’t be beat!
Perhaps you worry your tree will not yield enough harvest—true, there’s no guarantee… But just plant it and see if you can’t build trust enough for a great, prosperous tree.
Soil, water, and dreams are all it will require to grow tall and strong with many green leaves. In its shade you’ll soon find rest when you tire; all of your worry and care it relieves.
With a money tree, there’s never a hitch It is simply the best way to grow rich.
ETA: It was brought to my attention that I neglected to attach the poem…it’s here now. Sorry about that!
Laughing is one of my favorite things to do. It’s good exercise, right? It’s also hard to make yourself do when you don’t feel it. In fact, I think making yourself cry is probably easier than making yourself laugh.
So, this fortune is right up there with “You’re more attractive when you smile” for me. Yeah, it’d be great to laugh everyday, but life sometimes doesn’t allow for that.
With that said, maybe my sonnet will sense.
Photo and poem copyright 2024 Michelle Garren-Flye
Make sure to laugh everyday…it’s good for your health.
Lifestyle Choices By Michelle Garren-Flye
Why not just laugh and sing and play all day? It’s good for your health, your outlook, and life. Take a moment, is all I want to say, for merriment and to avoid the strife.
Love and life are difficult? Oh come on! I’m sure you can find a reason to laugh… Just find the funny stuff on which to fawn— wait, I’ll find it myself on your behalf.
Look, here’s a puppy playing on a meme, a cat in a bag, a man falling down. There is plenty more along the same theme! Use stuff like this to wipe away your frown.
A giggle or two is all that it takes. Laughter costs nothing, and fixes heartaches.
Happy National Poetry Month to you! Welcome to April. My favorite month of the year.
Every April, I try to post a poem I write every single day. This year, I’m actually incredibly busy with my bookstore, my new editing business, and trying to get my first two novels republished by me instead of the traditional publisher that had them until recently. (See previous post.)
So, instead of trying to master a particular type of poetry (I’ve done haiku, sonnet, and villanelle in previous years), I’m opting for what I hope is a simpler route. I’m writing what I call fortune cookie poetry.
It’s pretty simple. Each day I’ll break open a fortune cookie, read the fortune, and write a poem based on it.
A little background about me and fortune cookies. A few years ago my life took a turn I had never anticipated. At the time it devastated me, and I became obsessed with wishing I could know what was coming at me before it actually hit me. Astrology, online Tarot and Magic 8 Balls (I recently got a real one for my birthday), hitting shuffle on my iPhone music after asking it a question…and fortune cookies.
Have any of these things helped? Probably not. Life is life and sometimes it smacks you around. Unpredictability is just what the world is, and no amount of crystal balls are going to help you see what’s around the bend…or, sometimes, right in front of you.
With that said, I still eat fortune cookies. And right now I have the sweet taste of one in my mouth and I got an even sweeter fortune. And I wrote a poem about it. It’s a sort of sonnet with a kind of cool rhyme scheme. 🙂 Hope you enjoy.
Photo and poem copyright 2024 Michelle Garren-Flye
Love is in the Air By Michelle Garren-Flye
Love is in the air, you say? Well, that explains it all. I’m not looking up today so I guess I missed its call.
Don’t bother looking out for me. I don’t think I believe anyway. Love has no real allure, you see, and on my nerves, it will fray.
Seductive whispers just won’t work now that I’ve been set free. I don’t want to sound like a jerk but I don’t think love is my key.
So go ahead and float about! Someone else will hear you out.
People think I’m crazy when I say this is my favorite day of the year. But it is. It’s the day I feel the most hope for the future.
Today. The darkest day of the year.
Want to know why?
Because every day after this one gets brighter.
In honor of the darkest, most hopeful day, I’m doing a “live poetry writing”. If you haven’t joined me for one of those, it’s sometimes interesting since I’m working at my bookstore and am often interrupted.
(At 11:16 a.m. I’m already interrupted by customers. How dare they? Just kidding!)
Winter Solstice
By Michelle Garren-Flye
(11:20 a.m. debating about form versus free verse…really should’ve thought about this ahead of time!)
What makes the darkest day of the year so bright?
When the sun leaves early, why do I still hope?
I refuse the fear the end of day, the coming of night
With the long darkness, I know I can cope.
(11:23 a.m. I’m thinking sonnet, then. I do love sonnets.)
Daylight may not last as long while the night grows
and flowers cannot emerge in the absence of sun
but even now, I sense the spread of nighttime slows
and the approach of dawn will soon come.
(11:29 a.m. I know. Sun and come don’t really rhyme…)
In my bed, I wait to hear the first bird’s sweet whistle
(11:38 a.m. Sorry, I was off trying to find a book for someone. Back now.)
in the dark and the cold, with my head on my pillow.
and then it comes, like a message of dismissal
to the cold of yesterday, a welcome to tomorrow.
(11:45 a.m. I did stop in the middle of those last few lines to check out a customer. Not doing badly on time, considering…)
I jump from my bed, ready again for employ.
This day and the next I feel will bring joy.
(11:49 a.m. I wrote this couplet to end the sonnet thinking I wanted to write about joy, but as I wrote the last line, I thought maybe I should concentrate on faith instead. So, I’m working on an alternate.)
I jump from my bed, but wonder about my haste,
I pause to think but I know: it’s all about faith.
11:54 a.m. I’m done. This was fun and I will most likely polish this one up some. No idea what I might use it for, but it’ll go into a folder on my computer, anyway. Thanks for joining me! Enjoy the darkest day of the year, but don’t forget to have faith. Tomorrow will be brighter!
There are so many things to wish for. What’s your wish?
One Minute
By Michelle Garren-Flye
It’s 11:11, what’s your wish?
Is it love…money—or a bit of peace?
Go ahead, speak it and be selfish!
You’ve spent your whole life trying to please.
Whisper it to the first sparkling star…
Watch it drift away on dandelion fluff.
Pray for relief from your past life’s scar…
Hope a simple wish will be enough.
But just one single wish may not suffice!
I tell you what I think we must do:
in order to fulfill your wish’s price,
I’ll pledge mine to benefit you.
Hurry before the minute hand turns!
Tell me the passion that in you burns.
I’m back at work today after being out sick for a couple of days. I’m hardly ever sick, but this one was a tough one. So I naturally decided to celebrate by writing a sonnet. Right?
Hope you enjoy:
End
By Michelle Garren-Flye
When spring ends must I be lost and forlorn?
Spring flowers aren’t necessarily best.
Summer brings new miracles I can’t scorn.
Watch the baby bird sneak out of the nest!
By now, his wings are strong, he can take flight—
see him soar above the emerald tree.
For him loss of spring flowers is no plight—
the season’s passage means he is set free.
I will not shed tears for the loss of spring.
Instead I’ll look forward to each season,
anticipate the treasures it will bring.
enjoy existence beyond all reason.
This is the only way to truly win:
love every moment you are in.
One of last summer’s gardenia’s. They’ll be blooming again soon! Photo and poem copyright 2023 Michelle Garren-Flye
BREATHE: Michelle Garren-Flye 