Poem in Progress

Hi friends!

I have been reading Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom. There has been so much hype over the book and I am just now reading it! At first, I lamented that I had waited so long, but then I reminded myself that we often come into contact with people and things that shake us up at just the right time and not a moment too late. At least, that's what my mom says and she's almost always right about such things.

This year has been a stretching type of year for me. I was reminded of the great fragility of life. Thankfully, it was only a gently reminder, and for that I am very thankful. I have also been working on adjusting to my kids growing up and becoming their own people. It has been wonderful to see them grow into their passions but with all change comes new perspectives and I have never been super stellar at not kicking and screaming over change (😂 ) and so this book has been a wonderful guidebook for me. It is helping me accept change as a necessity and a privilege. So in that sense, I have been thinking of the gift of aging, society's misconception of aging, and also focusing on enjoying the moments we are given at the present. To process those ideas, I have written a couple of poems. Good grief, though, one of them is giving me grief! It has gone through several rewrites and over a hundred rereads and I just can't seem to get the beginning right. I don't often write in rhyme, but this one had a really fun rhythm to it and started to rhyme all on its own. So I had to go back and try to match up the beginning...maybe that's why I'm having trouble?

Help! Anybody?

Your feedback or suggestions are very welcome. I was able to watch the documentary, Hallelujah: Leonard Cohen, A Journey, A Song earlier this year and learned that Cohen, in regards to the lyrical writing of his hit, Hallelujah, was reduced to sitting on the floor in his underwear and banging his head on the floor. I'm not there yet (phew! 😅 😆 ) but save me and help me finish it! :) Click on the red button below to access it.

And thank you.

Also, I'd like to share my favorite poem about age, written by the late, great Stanley Kunitz, called Touch Me. Kunitz was a wonder — appointed Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress twice, first in 1974 and then again in 2000 when he was 95. He wrote this poem when he was 85, which I think lends understanding to the meaning of the poem as he calls to his wife to help remind him of his youth. I tear up almost every time I read it. He passed away when he was 100 and, still writing till the end, I am often inspired by his pursuit of writing in his later years.

You can watch him read his poem here.