The Power of Poetry

My first intention  was to write this quick post (which will consist of pictures more than text, I'm thinking) on Wednesday before my poetry group meeting but that didn't happen and I'm rattling it off now, very quickly, on Friday evening before bed.

I wrote a couple of quickish poems for our meeting, one of which was inspired by a poem from one of the other poets. So lovely when creativity fosters further creativity. This post was originally going to be a bolster against quite negative but necessary critiques from the Guild about my latest short story and it can still be that. My poems fared better than the story. Either way I learn so much from my writing groups and I treasure them and my peers greatly. But I like to write a variety of things and such variety keeps me creating. If a story is received negatively, for instance, I can temper the self-doubt with a different aspect of creating...writing non-fiction or poetry or painting or creating ATCs for instance. And the variety keeps me creating. 

​So to bolster myself after the Guild reviews (I suspected, even knew in my heart of hearts, that the story needed more work and had a weak ending that seemed unrelated) I reminded myself of my poetry success which arrived a couple of weeks ago: a poem published in an annual anthology. This year they got the spelling of my name right so I include it here. 

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Mary Frost, a member of our poetry group, who anointed us ParaTactics Poetry Group, deservedly won first prize in this year's contest for The Banister. She also had three other poems published in it. Reading this copy of The Banister is like reading letters from an old friend. Mary relocated to southern Ontario over a year ago, maybe it's been almost two years now, but she remains a vital part of our small but nourishing group, still critiquing our work and we still critique hers.  One of her poems in this edition of The Banister wonderfully encapsulates the idea I put forth in my rambly post at the end of October. If she'll let me, I'll ask her if I can include it in my next post...or give it a post all its own. I simply love it.

As I gathered my critiques for the ParaTactics meeting, I thought again how I should pick up a new folder. This one is getting torn and raggedy. But Mary gave it to me. She bought it on impulse, saying that the romantic picture on the cover reminded her of a set of White Knight poems (now lost due to the computer piracy a few years ago...I shall have to hunt emails for them) I was working on when we first formed the group. But the folder helps keep Mary close. Examining it closer I realise I can simply use some pretty, strong tape to reinforce it. 

Its beautiful image is a poem in itself. 

My latest Moonshine painting (new moon in Scorpio) was inspired by a partial poem quote from a poet I hadn't heard of before: Wendell Berry. The quote is hard to read on my painting. I may go over it in black. It is:

"Be like the fox
who makes more tracks than necessary,
some in the wrong direction.
Practice resurrection."
~Wendell Berry

Such wise words. So tread lightly, my friends, and be like the fox!