Sunday Scribblings/NaPoWriMo27

I was thinking about wings and came up with a few random thoughts and a NaPoWriMo poem for Sunday Scribblings.


  1. First of all, congrats to Laini on her new book. How wonderful it is to work on something and then let it go. Writing is such a solitary art that it’s hard to release it into the world. But despite the success and accolades, completion of a project like this is a huge accomplishment. Congratulations!

  2. Yesterday in the mail I received Kelli Russell Agodon’s book, Small Knots, and have been enjoying her poetry. This gift is greatly appreciated, which makes me think again about how we send things into the world never knowing where they will end up. If we’re lucky, our words fall into the hands of the right people. Thanks Kelli!

  3. April has been a difficult month with the lost of friend and fellow poet Phebus Etienne. Today, I was thinking about the priest who performed the Mass. During the service, he said something to the effect of, “A new poet has entered heaven today … in good company with others who have gone before her.” Gives me great comfort to know that she’s spreading her wings in grand style, reciting poetry and dishing the gossip among the greatest writers who ever lived.

  4. Finally, I’m so glad that National Poetry Writing Month (NaPoWriMo) is almost over. While the ritual of writing every day has been grueling, I’m thrilled that I’ll have 30 first drafts. Looking forward to letting go of this project and attempting something new.

  5. I love being an artist, in the company of those (near and virtual) more talented than me.



Wings

High above the treetops’ skeleton arms and bare fingertips,
large, white birds soar and glide in conversation with the air.

Are they angels flying in the formation of a cross,
their wings extended and exposed under the afternoon sky?

You and I have chosen a sullen life. We rattle our cages,
bite the bell, every feather of our fiery wings clipped.

As the curtains grow pale, we look through layers of light
while something in the world flies away from us.

Comments

Catherine said…
I'm not sure whether to be glad or sad that it's almost over. I think I'll be letting a fair number of my thirty go, but there are others I'm happy to have written - far more than in a normal month. Your "wings" poem is rather sad, but powerful.
January said…
Thanks Catherine.

One of the things I'm most looking forward to is assessing what the process has been like.

I've tried to recreate this dedication again in the year but this is really something I can do annually.
"while something in the world flies away from us."

Great ending for the poem.

Glad you made it through NaPoWriMo.
Becca said…
I enjoyed your "wings" poem -very poignant to me, and I especially liked these lines...

You and I have chosen a sullen life.
We rattle our cages,
bite the bell, every feather of our fiery wings clipped.

Very moving...
...we look through layers of light
while something in the world flies away from us.

Beautiful! I've never read a better line of poetry--tho' the rest is pretty good, too.

Congrats on finishing NaPo!
Regina said…
It's amazing how little angels surround us every day...
Your poem was so beautiful... sad but beautiful. I feel like that many a day...
Anonymous said…
Your musings always make me grateful for the world around me--surrounded by good friends (like you!), a loving family, and the ability to create art.

And I, too, am enamored by the lines
"You and I have chosen a sullen life. We rattle our cages,
bite the bell, every feather of our fiery wings clipped."
Some days I AM biting the bell.
Traveler said…
Thanks for your comment, I hope this leg of the journey is a fun one!

:)
Patois42 said…
A phenomenal poem. Images came to life so acutely.
Anonymous said…
Your poem is sad and lovely, January. And congrats on finishing NaPoWriMo! I didn't complete it myself. It seems my energy is just too scattered at the moment. There's always next time, I suppose.

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