For Sunday Whirl poetry prompt: Wordle 12
http://sundaywhirl.wordpress.com/
Early Beginnings
Fluttered logic
of poem
resists any stillness,
twisting its way
down page,
like early spring
Montana river,
galloping
ever forward
to find
lower ground.
World of instinct
screams, “Stop!”
But, it would
continue
to buzz and pop
until all thought
drops away
and playful whim
holds sway,
as it races
after its own
chosen conclusion.
Confusion
may be
poet’s only
sphere
of influence,
in this confluence
of words and meanings,
held loosely
between boulder strewn
banks
of anxious wish
to be finished.
Elizabeth Crawford 7/10/11
Process Notes: used all twelve words. Tried different shape in hopes of making it appear like that rushing river. Then realized it sort of harkens back to my very early beginnings of poetry writing: that eager willingness to try, married to extreme hesitancy to commit a foolish mistake. Proof that I didn’t ever really know what I was doing, except chasing after words that constantly tickled my ear, then ran away laughing.
Soul's Music 
I love your process notes as much as the poem………I love your writing, Elizabeth!
And I am glad that you do, Sherry.
Elizabeth
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It is already fun to read the same focus done so differently in the early entries. I look forward to others’ poems.
I, too, love your process notes, Elizabeth, and need to get in the habit myself. Your first stanza, in particular had me in the river moving inexorably, before I read your notes. Not just the shape, but the word choice. The whole stanza moves.
margo
Thanks Margo, we seem to have caught a very similar current today. I also like the process notes and am glad and grateful for them. Which is why I started using them. Every poem has a story behind it. My nephew once gave me a beautiful hand made book with blank pages. I wanted to write poems and include the stories behind them. Haven’t thought about that in a long time. Will have to dig it out and perhaps finally finish it. Thanks for reminding me,
Elizabeth
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Extremely well done! This has a marvelous rhythm.
I am always surprised at how some poems create their own distinct rhythm. I may have something to do with that, but much of it occurs on a sort of subliminal level, and I’m not consciously aware until its done and do a final read. Thanks Mama Zen and I enjoyed your take on that wonderful image,
Elizabeth
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Yes, I think you succeeded in what you where trying to get that feeling of the river rushing, and it does!
I get sort of stuck in breath line form and have to remind myself that a change of pace is a good thing, lol. Thanks Annell, glad you enjoyed,
Elizabeth
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I can relate to this! Nicely done.
Am fairly certain most creative individuals can relaate. Creativity is an ever flowing river, we but need to jump in, lol. Thanks twitches, haven’t seen you around for a while, good to have you back,
Elizabeth
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Elizabeth, I believe you have written about how many of us feel when writing. I love the flow of this piece. Nicely wordled my dear.
Pamela
Thank you much Pamela. Seeing as I started out decidedly not liking wordles, I find it amazing that I eagerly look forward to Sundays and Brenda’s selection of words. I like the flow as well, and love it when it comes together. A bit of a small Eureka! lol,
Elizabeth
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I love “fluttered logic of poem,” Elizabeth. That resonates with me, as oftentimes my poems flow to me logically or illogically. And you wrote about confusion. I think there is nothing sure. We all speculate, share our truths, not being sure they are true. Yore words are always valuable to me, Elizabeth. I find meaning in them, not necessarily the meaning you choose….but my own meaning which resonates deeply with me.
Mary, that is a good thing. If we all held the same truths, we’d be ever writing the same poem, over and over again. Take special care, my friend, my thoughts are with you,
Elizabeth
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This river certainly does flow. Nice!
Nan, thanks for stopping in. The river flows, breaking down, or moving around whatever resistance stands in its path. I really enjoyed your poem,
Elizabeth
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I loved this Elizabeth! It read so well and I was carrried along in its flow.
I especially enjoyed the ‘nature’ references. . .
‘twisting its way
down page,
like early spring
Montana river,’
and
‘in this confluence
of words and meanings,
held loosely
between boulder strewn
banks’
Wonderful!
(I was late to finish my wordle poem this week.)
I seem to be having trouble getting my comment to go through. Please excuse me if this is a duplicate!
Not a duplicate Susannah. Sometimes my spamometer seems to have a struggle discerning between friend and foe, much like the struggle between head and heart you describe so well in your poem. Doesn’t matter how long it takes, it really is the journey that counts. And thanks so much for your very generous words. They mean a great deal to me,
Elizabeth
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I really enjoyed this one, especially the last stanza and the influence/confluence semi-rhyme. I wrote my poem before reading anyone else’s (as always) and I’m amazed how many of us went the same direction with our takes on the wordle. Come to think of it, though, with the word “poem” in the wordle, I’m somewhat amazed we didn’t all glom onto that theme. 😉
I agree Traci, put the word poem in front of a poet, and you will hear about process, lol. And I usually forgo reading other responses til I have found my own. Really enjoyed what you had to say and thanks for stopping by,
Elizabeth
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the buzz and pop idea really tickles me. I’ve met that, and it does usually get its own way.
Thanks Barb. I’m a firm believer in following the words, even when they don’t pop and buzz, they take me to unexpected places, like your “pulp poem”. What a wonderful confluence you created.
Elizabeth
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This poem is a gift to my morning, reminding me of home. I won’t be back to Montana until August starts, by then the rivers will have slowed their hectic pace. You truly touched me with this piece this morning. We’re in Portage, Indiana and have a short driving day today to make it to family in Ohio. I love that your poem plays in the banks of a Montana river.
Happy day!
~Brenda
Brenda, I love Montana. Once spent an entire afternoon alongside the Yellowstone in spring. That memory, for me, constitutes the epitamy of the word river. Had to get it in here, lol. Hope you enjoy your vacation, and Montana awaits you. I envy that.
Elizabeth
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Form and words are perfect for your theme – the rushing feeling of those first steps into writing a poem, its inevitability, and the ultimate realisation – you have captured it all. This is my favourite of your wordle poems. Sorry I’m late reading – I’ve had quite a week!
Viv, I think several of us have had that sort of week. Late or not, it’s always good to see you. And am pleased to know you like the wordle poem. I think I’m actually beginning to relax with them a bit. ‘Bout time, yes?
Elizabeth
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Elizabeth, I very much had that feel of the flow of a river as the words cascaded down my screen. I like that you took river as the heart of your poem from those wordle words. Water is such a fascinating metaphor. Perhaps I’m reading too much into it, but it seems Taoist, the flow of water being the natural thing, that is more powerful than logic, even instinct.
Richard
Richard, we are told that we originally come from the water and I think perhaps we spend a lot of time trying to refind that beginning. There is something wild about and in water that constantly escapes our attempts to catch and hold it. That is a good thing. It means the search will continue.
Elizabeth
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