Words in Motion

 

Fellow blogger and reviewer, Janet Sketchley, sent a review of a book of poetry this week. I loved the fluid nature of the words the poet used, the rhythm, and the word pictures she painted. All in free verse.

While I mentioned to Janet in a personal note that I do enjoy reading well-formed rhyming poetry (Indian Summer, Campbell; Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening, Robert Frost; The Song my Paddle Sings, E. Pauline Johnson, to name a few), I do not usually write in rhyme myself. And I found myself wondering, how many of those poets’ work remained in a drawer unseen because the poem did not work out the way they hoped. Happens to writers, poets alike. I have many of both.

 

“Whose woods these are I think I know,

His house is in the village, though’

He will not see me stopping here

To watch his woods fill up with snow…”

       -Robert Frost, Stopping by the woods on a snowy evening

 

There are many gifted poets, and as a poet, I am a student of poetry, with a shelf of poetry books to pull out and read.

 

 I’ve bookmarked a good lot of them with special favourites to go back to. Having been associated with Tower Poetry Society for a number of years, and in the past year have had opportunity to join in their monthly (virtual) workshops, I’ve met even more poets in our home province.

Poetry can be a harder sell than a work of fiction, for example, since it does not translate well to other languages that have their own expressions, their own language and rhythms. I noticed this in some of the poetry reading sessions online this summer with Laurier, McMaster and Western university students when I had opportunity to join in as a Tower poet. There’s promise in so much of their work and many of them perform their pieces as poetry slam without words in front of them.

And yet there are other poets worthy of mention too, both ancient and historic. People quote the Persian poet, Rumi, who seems to be as much philosopher, while I might quote Psalm 23, the Shepherd’s Psalm by David in the Bible. 

 

 

In a minimum of words, the 23rd psalm is both metaphoric and picturesque. Scenes of water, of rest on the hillside, of promises of a full table and restoration. How calming. Of all the psalms in the book, that is probably my favourite for its promises and musical arrangement of words—words in motion.

Poetry then can be a song, a recitation, a string of words that work together to make an image, with a rhythmic beat to hold it all together. And for those who think they don’t get poetry, much of our music is poetry.

 Next time you sing a song or hymn, pay attention to the words and the way they work together.  Next time you read a poem, pay attention to the rhythm… and you will find words in motion.

 

Carolyn R. Wilker

https://www.carolynwilker.ca/

Author, editor, storyteller

 

The Road Taken - Atchison

Recently in a writer’s workshop I was re-introduced to a Robert Frost poem, “The Road Not Taken”. The last few lines of Frost’s poem caught my attention the most. Perhaps, these few lines are some of the most popular ever written.

The Road Not Taken by Robert Frost

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I--
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

What chosen path has made all the difference in your life? I have to be honest. I don’t like change. I fight like crazy to keep my life from changing, but then I know that God must have a plan for me. So why can’t I trust Him?

I’ll pray for changes in my life, and then when things start going awry, I wonder, "What the heck is happening?” and try to keep everything normal. I like the road in my wood to be downtrodden, with plenty of nice picnic areas along the way, good scenery and no stones to trip over.

Whereas the road God sends me down has long grasses that block my view. I stumble upon obstacles I can’t see in the dense fog that is in my new world. I don’t know where to turn, and for those I meet on the road, I don’t know who to trust.

Yet somewhere on my new travels I find sunshine and views that are spectacular. Where there are no picnic benches to rest upon, I keep going, finding instead rich meadows that I can sing and dance around.

When change comes I still the pounding of my heart and trust in God and the different paths He chooses for me, be they the same road I am familiar with or something totally foreign. For I know every road I travel will take me to places that make me a stronger, better person, bringing me closer to God and His plan for me.

Change is imminent! While I may not see it coming, and when faced with a choice in the road to take, I’ll take the one less traveled. For I know in my heart that I’ll not walk the road alone. God will be there with me, every step of the way – and that will make all the difference!

Patricia L. Atchison
Website: www.patricia@patriciaatchison.ca
Writing & Publishing Blog: www.aboutwritingandpublishing.com