napowrimo #26: let's get metaphysical
by Christine Swint
It’s our day to shine the light of our awareness on our inner selves, and maybe even ask some questions about what exists in our deepest hearts. Whenever I’m in the mood to think about the big questions, like where I came from or where I’ll be going, I turn to the poetry of Rumi and Hafiz. These two Persian poets are examples of mystics who wrote about their interior lives in respect to something greater than themselves.
One of the more well-known contemporary translators of Rumi’s poetry into English is Coleman Barks. Here is a link to one of his translations, “What Was Told, That.”
And here’s the first stanza of the poem:
What was said to the rose that made it open was said
to me here in my chest.
Rumi was a medieval psychonaut who explored his connection to the universe by diving inward. Today, if you like, read “What Was Told, That,” and then write a poem in response.
Or, you can try responding to a poem by Hafiz. Daniel Ladinsky has translated “The Woman I Love,” by Hafiz. Read this poem, and write your own love poem to whatever you find when you look deeply into your own heart.
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A note from “admin”: This month, since we’re all trying to write every day, we’re leaving the comments open with each prompt so you can post links to your poems as you write them. So, go ahead and write your poem, post your poem (with a link to Read Write Poem and a Read Write Poem tag, if you would) and come back to this very spot and share your link with us.
Of course, if you’re a creature of habit, you can always post your links at this week’s “Get Your Poem On” post. Who are we to mess around with what works for you?
And don’t forget to go read the poems of others in this wonderful writing community. We’re all in this NaPoWriMo “mess” (ha ha!) together; let’s support each other in the insanity that is writing (every day)!
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Wear it loud, wear it proud! Display the Read Write Poem badge on your site. Just click here or on the image above to get the code! read write poem news- ah, the question of too much poetry
March 17, 2010 | 11:37 am“The new math of poetry is driven not by reader demand for great or even good poetry but by the demand of myriads of aspiring poets to experience the thrill of ‘publication.’ “
So says David Alpaugh (along with a lot of other thoughtful things) in “The New Math of Poetry,” published last month in The Chronicle of Higher Education.
Read the article and let us talk. What say you?
- it’s a wrap: last stop on our (virtual) tour of molly gaudry’s ‘anatomy for the artist’
March 15, 2010 | 3:28 pm“I was physically drained by this poem. I understood it on my terms. If a poet’s innovative craftsmanship with form, word, sound, imagery, metaphor, can show me my own bones, then I want to read more of that poet’s work.”
Just a snippet from Wanda McCollar’s response to Molly Gaudry’s electronic chapbook, “Anatomy for the Artist.” Look for the entire post on Synecdochic Stuff and find the rest of our tour, below.
The first stop was Donna Vorreyer at her blog. Next up was Catherine Fitchett at Poetry Chook, Lawrence Gladeview at Righteous Rightings and Ren Powell at More Babel.
You can find complete information about this chapbook and tour here, including a link to where to find it and read it for yourself, online.
Next month’s tour will start mid-April. Don’t miss it!
- the (very) latest on our (virtual) tour of molly gaudry’s ‘anatomy for the artist’
March 11, 2010 | 2:25 pmRen Powell has just posted her take on Molly Gaudry’s electronic chapbook, “Anatomy for the Artist.” Find the post at More Babel.
And, in case you missed it, the first stop was Donna Vorreyer’s, at her blog. Next up was Catherine Fitchett at Poetry Chook and then Lawrence Gladeview at Righteous Rightings.
You can find information about this chapbook and tour here, including a link to where to find it and read it for yourself, online.
- a new poem every day in april (requires reading, not writing)
March 10, 2010 | 6:33 pm“Beginning April 1, Poets.org sends one new poem to your inbox each day to celebrate National Poetry Month. The poems have been selected from new books published in the spring.” Sign up here.
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The first in a series of patchwork poems, for NaPoWriMo #25-26. A variation on found poetry, using lines from Hesse, Kafka and H.G. Wells:
A Hesitation Before Birth
I think it gets rather metaphysical near the end, although it wasn’t deliberate on my part.
nowhere close to metaphysical today, sorry.
http://knittingthewind-westering.blogspot.com/2009/04/so-my-last-poem-was-metaphorical.html
Here is my day 25. Not related to any prompt.
Life of a Former Childhood Day Dreamer
http://brokeness.blogspot.com/2009/04/napowrimo-25.html
http://poemsotherwise.blogspot.com/2009/04/stars-and-me.html
Let’s get Metaphysical
Mine’s a bit serious today.
for
[...] Read Write Poem’s [...]
Wonderful prompt– Rumi and Hafiz are very inspiring:
Word</a
Loved the challenge! The Hakawati
I didn’t use the actual lines from the two poems you provided, although I enjoyed reading them.
This entry, however, is definitely metaphysical in nature:
WILL THE WICKED WIN?
This is my NaPoMo poem #26, and my second metaphysical poem in two days: Becoming
Man… I’ve been seriously busy. Managed to find inspiration for a poem this week though; here it is:
Fiery Struggle
http://thinkingcities.blogspot.com/2009/04/fiery-struggle.html
It is not metaphysical but very concrete:
http://firmlyrooted.blogspot.com/2009/04/mom.html
Day 26
http://paperdreams-jgc.blogspot.com/2009/04/day-26.html
trying to centre myself
http://a-mus-ing.blogspot.com/2009/04/centred.html
thinking about pottery for #26–”peacock hands”
http://therer2doors-thespacebetweenwords.blogspot.com/2009/04/peacock-hands.html
This is as metaphysical as I can get today:
http://blog.elizabethenslin.com/2009/04/whys
I chose a different source of inspiration to get metaphysical with – a quote from Babylon 5:
Star-stuff
here’s mine
blurred…
Is it #26 ?……as I ask another question
Beautiful prompt, beautiful poems.
Here’s my offering:
Blossom
What I love about NaPoWriMo is that the poems are very wonderfully flawed. But while sifting through them, you might find a few diamonds you want to polish and display
Great prompt!
http://leftturnatjoy.blogspot.com/2009/04/sweet.html
in by a whisker!
Writing to a different post today (No 20), but here it is:
At The Wedding, Her Dress Was Red -
http://morningsongspoems.blogspot.com/2009/04/at-wedding-her-dress-was-red.html
I wound up writing about someone who can’t get metaphysical…
http://freckledwriter.blogspot.com/2009/04/martha.html
TAKING THE STAGE
This went slightly over my head. So… I didn’t follow the prompt.
http://cassandralee.tumblr.com/post/100498755
[...] was another poem triggered by a ReadWritePoem prompt – responding to Rumi and/or Hafiz. I’ve come across their work before. As a reader [...]
Barks and Ladinsky write versions of Rumi and Hafiz…..neither of them translate from Persian to English
#26
on my Facebook Notes and here:
http://dash30dash.ning.com/profiles/blogs/warm-current-napowrimo-26
[...] is also my daily NaPoWriMo poem, instead of a reflective, metaphysical piece. Although it is probably metaphysical from the spider’s point of view, bless her [...]
*Whoosh!* Says the wind
.
http://lori102870.blogspot.com/2009/04/queens-mirrornapowrimo-26by-me.html
here’s my attempt for #26 let’s get metaphysical
http://eneri-hot.blogspot.com/2009/04/butterfly.html
[...] (I don’t think this quite hits the metaphysical mark, but I did find my inspiration in Christine’s prompt about tackling the metaphysical over at Read Write Poem.) [...]
As I understand it, metaphysical poetry is something completely different, and what you mean is mystical.
My entry is here
aflame
[...] NaPoWriMo Read Write Poem Prompt #26 [...]