Ode to Fishing

Today's piece comes from Nate.  Reading the poem is almost as relaxing as fishing on a summer day.  The fluidity of the lines, how they drift down the page, is a real strong point of the piece, especially in the second and third stanzas.  Enjoy!


Fishing Ode


O body of water
You bring me here
As I cast my line into
Your sparkling water
Waiting for a fish to grab it


Standing by the bridge
Listening to the various sounds
The birds chirping
Dogs barking
Wind blowing through the trees
Like a ghost seeks
Through the misty night


My mind wanders back
To three years ago
When I first came here
And I have been coming ever since
Because it's so relaxing
It makes me want to fall asleep
To the sound of the water
Rippling water hitting from rock to rock


When I feel a tug on my line
I reel it in and tug it back
And I sit there with that feel
Of achievement - it makes me feel
Proud like I did something good.


As the evening goes on
It only gets better and better
More fish more fun
And more relaxing than before
And as I leave I look at the water
And it smiles with the reflection of the sun
And then it gets broken by the jump of a fish
O fishing what would I do without you

The Tempest, Part Three

The Tempest, Part Two

The Tempest, Part One

Ode to Pink

Today's poem is is the creative and vibrant "Ode to Pink" by Elizabeth.  Enjoy!

Pink,
You have
Always
Been there for me.
You have
Brought
Joy
To my life when
I needed it most.

Pink, you are as young
As a flower in bloom.
When I was that
Little flower
You were my favorite.
You made me the hibiscus
Blowing in the breeze on along the
Shore.
I became the lady slippers
Twirling on the floor.
I was the tulip
Dancing
In the sunlight
Swaying back and forth.
And i was the dahlia
Soaking up all of the warmth.

When I wore you every day
I became
Something else.
I needed
You
To keep the smile on my face.

You are the butterflies
Fluttering
In the wind.
The flamingo
Balancing
On its
Leg.
You are the cotton candy
Swirled onto a stick.

You make
Blue feel
Sad.
Blue does not
Have your
Energy.
Blue jumpsuits
Slide along the track.
You race in front of them.

When you walk into a room,
You make an appearance.
Blue doesn't have that zap
To it like you.
Blue doesn't shout and scream
Like you.
Blue doesn't have the sweet scent of
Perfume like
You.
You taste exciting and hyper.
Blue is more mellow.
You can get a person's attention
Before you speak.
You feel sharp when you're vibrant yet
Soft when you're light.
Blue feels dull.
You make everyone
Want to
Get up
And move around.

I would paint the skies
Pink.
I want to see
Seas of pink.
I want grass to be painted pink.
I would paint the sun,
The moon,
The earth,
The stars,
and Pluto pink.
Rhinos and hippos too.
And finally,
I would paint
Blue
Pink.

Ode to Music

Today we have "Ode to Music", in the style of Pablo Neruda, from Beth.  One of the challenges of the assignment was to appeal to the senses, which lines like "sweet chill" do very well.  There's also some very creative use of similes.

Oh music!
You hold the hearts
Of people together,
Open eyes to
The light in life.
Your soul is
Soft,
Loud,
Gentle,
Harsh;
Anything the
World showed
Your creator.

Music,
You are
As bright
As a reflection
Of the moon
On glassy water,
But as mysterious as the
Deep darkness that
Surrounds it.
You held on
To me,
And never
Let
Go.

Music, you fly
Like a dream,
Leaving the
Sweet chill
After waking up,
Daring it to be
A reality.
You wrap around
Me,
Comforting and warm,
A hug from a friend.
You leave me
Whole,
Relieved
Of harsh winds
From life.

I can feel
You fall on
Me as your lyrics
Run
Like water
Runs over
A cliff.

Music,
You are
My light
In the darkness
Of confusion
And my
Pillow to rest on
Until weariness
Has scattered.
Anger retreats
Once your
Grace
Is present.

Music,
You are
A map
When direction
Is lost.
You are
The twinkle
In the eye
Of a child,
The hope
Inside everyone.

Without you,
Black
And white
Would creep
Into my heart;
An unwanted
Draft that hangs
In the air.
So stay a while.
Oh and music;
Never
Stop
Being

Music.

Nocturne

Today's featured poem is an ekphrastic piece by John, based on a painting by James McNeal Whistler.  Notice the shift in perspective in the poem: how it moves from casual observation to directly addressing the subject of the painting in a familiar voice, like a close friend.

Darkness,
a lonely man, on a lonely boat, in a lonely land

Dusk,
the sun never rises, the haze never lifts, the moon never changes

Deserted,
no one is there to be nice to you (like your nifty neighbors), no one is there to guide
you on your path (like your loving loved ones), no one is there to assist your small
needs (like your fun-filled friends)

Deported,
all joy and creativity are cast away upon arrival

Deemed,
the only man lurking there meets punishment for his evil acts like those decades before him

Despair,
this man despairs about his mistakes just like those generations before him have despaired

Dread,
this man now dreads the fact that he has accomplished a vast amount of bad deeds

Desperation,
this man is desperate to be forgiven (for his selfish acts)


Hope,
light rests off in the distance,

civilization lies ahead,

why did you ever start to despair in the first place, my friend?

There is no such thing as a villain, there are only those who have been misled,
we all have problems and mistakes we make (in life) that we need to improve upon,
there is not such thing as no hope.

I Am the Ocean

Today we have an "I Am" poem from Hayley, who chose the ocean as her metaphor.  The ocean is a great choice, not just because we're all oceans in our own ways, but also because of the nature of repetition and the rhythm that you find in "I Am" poems.  Enjoy!

I am the ocean
I wonder how you feel about me
I hear the crashes of myself as I push the sand away
I see everything in the world, I know you
I want nothing because I surround everything.
I am the ocean


I pretend to rule the world
I feel as if I own Earth
I touch people's hearts
I worry when the wind gets strong
I cried when the titanic sunk into me


I understand that even if I am beautiful, I can be deadly too
I say that I am strong and sensitive
I dream of people loving me, the way I am
I try my best to keep under control
I hope to be forever young, wild, and free
I am the ocean

Ode to a Piano

Today's featured poem, a beautiful piece about the piano, is an ode from Karen.  Any musician who's ever had the experience of losing themselves in the joy of creation can probably relate to this poem.  There's some great attention to detail: note the subtle alliteration in several lines, as well as word choices like "hold" in the second line, which is very appropriate, given the instrument.

Ode to a piano
Who holds my thoughts and fears
Who helps me play and play a melody
Who makes me move my fingers on elephant trunks and black keys
Who helps me figure out the true meaning of playing


You help me invent every possible new song
All the different noises I could dream of
Like a person you need some support for standing up
You need food to play a melody
You get dusty and dirty but your beauty is still there
I play and play you for every countless hour
Everything I do makes me think of you


Your beautiful noise takes my stress away
My heart pours out into notes
You gently hold it creating a melody of my thoughts
You don't beg of anyone
You simply just ask to be played
If I had countless hours
I would play you till the world ends