For Sunday Whirl: Wordle #18
http://sundaywhirl.wordpress.com/
Unraveling II: One Word At A Time
Not quite a revolution,
desperation screwed so tight
that morning light slouching
through window cracked
ash-gray granite of determined
resolution.
No stranger to change, refused
to waste efforts on cheap, or easy,
demonstrations. Each day, set
aside specific time to write,
using own words to cleanse
another corner in attic of mind.
Slowly sweeping away cobwebs
spun across years of waiting
for someone else to come along,
to free her.
Elizabeth Crawford 8/21/11
Process Notes: For me, every poem is a word puzzle. If I have a strategy, it consists of finding the most difficult words in the puzzle, getting them out of the way and letting the rest of the poem fall into place. Revolution and desperation were the most difficult, and from there it was a matter of following the rest of the words. Finding a title was the next big leap. Kept seeing those layers of woven cobwebs swept away, unraveled one word at a time. But, I used that idea for the title of another poem, four years ago. It may be found here: http://claudetteellinger.wordpress.com/2010/08/30/unraveling/ and is the title piece for that blog.
We poets do have a tendency to write in certain selective themes.
Soul's Music 
I like this, Elizabeth. I love thinking about words cleansing ‘another corner in attic of mind.’ Indeed they do, and so often these wordles go about cleansing unexpected corners, corners otherwise blocked by those pesky cobwebs!
Glad you enjoyed it Mary. I agree about these wordles. Wrapping ones mind around different words, makes it veer off into sometimes rather dusty cobwebbed corners. Not at all a bad outcome,
Elizabeth
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Strong phrasing—“desperation screwed so tight.” You are an inspiration, Elizabeth. There are days when I ignore my writing life. I should print this out and tape it to my bathroom mirror to remember. The image of cobwebs fits the piece and ties in with the title.
The piece you link to is marvelous. It is a grand idea to write to the first image of every day. Write on, milady. 🙂
Oh, but there is more to that story. Bill Moyers interviewed Robert Bly and Bly told him that story. Moyers said, “A poem a day? They can’t all be that good, can they?” And Bly grinned and said, “Well, somedays you have to lower your standards.” And he is absolutely correct, lol.
Elizabeth
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Loved your process notes and the useful tips there!! 🙂 The poem really unfolds so well …
“Slowly sweeping away cobwebs
spun across years of waiting
for someone else to come along,”
Love the position you take, …. like born free again!!
Thank you and welcome Nanka. For me the actual act of writing is freedom on so many levels. Engaging in it daily is a gift I give to me. One that keeps unlocking those doors and gates, and sweeping away those cobwebs.
Elizabeth
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Expertly done Elizabeth!
Thanks Deborah, glad to see you have joined us on the Whirl. And thanks for the ‘expert’. It will go in the kudo box.
Elizabeth
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Wonderful write! Well done++++++ In every line, something to like!
Annell, glad to know you enjoyed it. And I particularly loved your response to these words. Letting the artist speak is not always easy, interesting and inlightening yes, but not easy.
Elizabeth
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Strong imagery, written with a determination most of us would love to have. Great wordle.
Good to know DDT. Thanks for your kind words. Determination is sometimes built one small letter at a time.
Elizabeth
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Beautiful, Elizabeth… I especially like the second stanza.
Thank you Laurie, that was the easy part.
Elizabeth
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The word puzzle and cleaning cobwebs from the attic make for two excellent metaphors for us all. This poem solves the puzzle and clears a lot of cobwebs.
Hope you are right Mike. It certainly does that for me. Words are the keys that unlock my self built prison. Not a place I prefer to be,
Elizabeth
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Really lovely 🙂
Thank you very much Scribbler,
Elizabeth
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Elizabeth, words do cleanse our souls at least, don’t they? Beautiful poem.
Pamela
I believe that words set us free Pamela, in a way that nothing else can or will. They allow our souls to move into places we would not otherwise venture. Thank you,
Elizabeth
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You used the wordle words very well in this Elizabeth. I loved the last stanza particularly. 🙂
Susannah, I found some of the words awkward, but that can simply be another new avenue to explore, yes? I appreciate your generosity,
Elizabeth
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Awesome use of the wordle, very skilled.
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p.s. loved your process notes too.
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I like what Pamela said. The daily writing is a great thing. It reminds me that I’m breathing.
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I appreciate the thinking behind this poem, devastating in its honesty. I could have done with a few articles or pronouns to help me through it – it seemed to me that you were using a kind of anonymity to distance yourself from muddle! 😀
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Excellent poem, Elizabeth. I always enjoy reading poems about writing, and yours skilfully weaves advice into the narrative. I particularly like the ending. How many of us waste too many years waiting for someone else to free us from self-imposed incarceration of our dreams and ambitions?
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Elizabeth, thank you for this. I’m getting back into the habit of writing daily again. I like how you tackle the themes of crafting something – “refused / to waste efforts” – and at the same time dealing with personal issues, clearing the cobwebs, that wonderful blend of writing that is both therapeutic and artful.
Richard
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Beautifully written Great controls with the emotions.
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