Earth Goddess, Bitten and Banana Tree, endangered species, watercolor and watercolor pencil.
Happy Poetry Friday!
Karen Edmisten is hosting the Poetry Friday Roundup this week on her blog, thanks Karen!
I’m sharing a tanka poem in memory of my Dad–and a colorful painting, as he enjoyed colors and the perseverance of others which is what this painting is about.
DAD’S PERSEVERANCE
Dad and I set off
Knocking on neighbors doors
Most opened their doors
and then coldly closed them
But we trudged on further
He was determined
I was determined too
Principles lead us
Principles tried tearing
us down dad stood his ground
Dark carried us home
But not in heart we held
our heads high discussed
another day to try
Together we moved on
© 2018 Michelle Kogan
Last Saturday I was at a Poetry Foundation Workshop that covered punctuation in poetry, and how different poets use punctuation. Our challenge was to write a poem about a lesson–in two versions, one without punctuation and one with. I’m shared the poem without punctuation.
I’m also sharing this beautiful and tender poem I found, called The Gift, by Li-Young Lee.
my father recited a story in a low voice.
I watched his lovely face and not the blade.
Before the story ended, he’d removed
the iron sliver I thought I’d die from.
of dark water, a prayer.
And I recall his hands,
two measures of tenderness
he laid against my face,
the flames of discipline
he raised above my head.
you would have thought you saw a man
planting something in a boy’s palm,
a silver tear, a tiny flame.
Had you followed that boy
you would have arrived here,
where I bend over my wife’s right hand.
Michelle Kogan Illustration, Painting, & Writing 
Beautiful memories work with “Dad’s Perseverance”, Michelle. Y
Thanks also for sharing “The Gift.”
Your tropical painting “Earth Goddess, Bittern & Banana Tree” takes me to South Florida.
Thanks Jan, the year I painted that watercolor the Chicago Botanic Garden planted some banana trees outside in the summer, they were lovely along with the tropical water lilies–it’s almost like being on vacation when I’m painting there.
What a wonderful post! I would love that workshop on punctuation in poetry! It’s always a puzzle to me. Any concise tips that you can share? I knocked on doors with my Dad too. It’s not an easy job for a kid. My Dad was running for office and most doors opened to warm neighbors and friends in our tiny town. You’ve brought back some memories I had forgotten about.
The Instructor focused on the punctuation that individual poets used, i.e. the well used dash that Emily Dickinson used. She mentioned that punctuation in poetry is up to the poet, ours to take and use as we want to. another poet loves to use the slash—she asked us if there was a punctuation form that we didn’t like, and suggested trying to use it obsessively in a poem. The workshop made me think about punctuation in a totally different light.
I love so much Li-Young Lee’s poetry, and this one is just wonderful. As is the memory of your dad… thank you for sharing both! And pretty cool to use punctuation or no punctuation… it changes things, doesn’t it? xo
Thanks Irene—Lee has such a powerful and soft voice at the same time.
Love your Father’s Day poem and your lovely painting. Your dad would be proud. Li-Young Lee’s poetry is among my favorites. Thanks for sharing these.
Thanks Linda!
Punctuation is always an issue. Commas can sink companies. 🙂 I love Li-Young Lee’s poem. Yours has a mystery, why were you knocking on doors?
We were canvassing for a presidential candidate. My focus was more on my dad and his actions and lessons in perseverance—that’s why I didn’t mention this in the poem, and I wanted to leave it more open ended too.
It’s lovely.
Thanks Brenda! 🙂
I worry over punctuation, too, glad to know that others think about it, Michelle. Your memory of your dad is wonderful, “Principles tried tearing/ us down dad stood his ground.” Plus more love and hope in Li-Young Lee’s poem. Memories of our parents’ hands, the gentleness they had brings a big smile. Thank you!
Thanks Linda—I covered a bit of what the instructor focused on in my reply to Linda M.
Lovely painting and poems, Michelle. Wonderful way to honor your Dad. Have always enjoyed Li-Young Lee’s work.
Thanks Jama, I’m enjoying remember him through these memories.
I love the memory of your dad you share in your poem–it shows such strength that comes from persevering. The painting is gorgeous! I can see why it feels like a vacation to paint there.
Thanks Kay—it’s very calming to paint there too!
Michelle, I could picture you in the poem you wrote and wondered if the action in the poem was the beginning of your cry for activism. Thank you for this Father’s Day post to ponder. Every piece was a delight.
Thanks Carol, good point, yes I think it was the beginning—and a wonderful example offered to me!
I would love to have participated in the punctuation workshop! Might there be some online resources shared in the workshop that you could share with us? I think punctuation can be left out if everything else is perfectly clear, but, if there’s any doubt as to which way the reader will go, then it has to be included. I tend to overdo on the punctuation side, but perhaps it’s because things aren’t all that clear to myself?
I like the idea of leaving out punctuation, as E.E. Cummings did—and perhaps that’s one of the reasons I’m drawn to haiku, for their lack of it and brevity. I shared some of the focus of the workshop in my response to Linda M. If I remember I’ll pass on some of the sample poems we worked on, Thanks Diane!
I can see where you got your powerful interest in politics and your “never say die” attitude!
A punctuation workshop sounds incredibly useful.
I especially like, “Dark carried us home,” which sounds a bit melancholy, but also comforting.
Yes my political fire came from my Dad. That’s exactly how I wanted that line to read Tabatha —I reviewed some of the punctuation focus in my comments to Linda, Thanks!
Such a strong memory of that day with your father, Michelle. I can just imagine the different feelings the actions evoked. I am particularly taken with your bittern. Lovely!
Thanks Kat, a seed was planted, at a key moment.