On writing poetry, by Susan Sanderson

During lockdown I joined in a poetry challenge almost every week. Some of the challenges were easier than others. The one I am writing about here involved writing five eight-line verses using particular words. Lockdown had been eased by this time.

The prompts for each verse were published a week apart, so it was impossible to predict how the poem would develop. By the time I read the prompts for weeks three, four and five, I had upset someone and was upset myself. The early verses fitted with the emotions I was experiencing and the poem seems (at least to me) to be seamless in spite of the way in which it was written.

I have listed the words I included from the prompt for each octave below the poem.

Ups and downs of life

Sometimes life feels like Sisyphus’ boulder.
No-one rolls out the red carpet for us;
Sometimes they give us the cold shoulder
And don’t even drink coffee with us.
We needn’t keep feeling hard done by.
Although some tasks are repetitive,
Thinking of others and how we can try
To help is better than being competitive.

Like damaged nature we can recover
From setbacks and disappointments
Like being separated from a lover.
Some hurts aren’t soothed by ointments.
After the fire cliff-top gorse was black.
I noticed that bracken, bramble and grass
Were the first plants to grow back.
I look for changes each time I pass.

When there are disagreements in life
Between friends or family members
An olive branch should end the strife
And revive the warmth of love’s embers.
If the rift seems impossible to mend
Don’t give up hope! A ghost of a chance
Is better than nothing. Prayers we send
Heavenward won’t be looked upon askance.

Reconciliation may need a radical change
Of attitude from all those involved.
There may be faults on both sides. Strange
Misunderstandings need to be resolved.
We are building on a sure foundation
Even when it seems all we have left
Is like smoke and ash’s desolation.
Surely we won’t be completely bereft.

Even if the rift was as wide as the Grand
Canyon, love and forgiveness should
Remedy what has caused the strife, and
Without reconciliation no good would
Be done by offering a gift of flowers,
Though irises of white, yellow and midnight blue
Might remind us of the Creator’s powers;
His great love includes both me and you.

Paint chip words: Each verse had to include at least two words or phrases from the list.

Octave 1 teddy bear, Sisyphus’ boulder, old leather boots, red carpet and coffee. I use three as the challenge required: Sisyphus’ boulder, red carpet and coffee.

Octave 2 after the fire, shark, bramble, tickled pink, and bittersweet. I used after the fire and bramble. If you’d like to know more about the fire I was referring to, there are posts on Sue’s words and pictures: Recovering from a wildfire and Recovery from a wildfire Hovering a mouse over the pictures there  reveals the captions.

Burnt gorse

Octave 3 grizzly, olive branch, ghost, Santa Claus, and spirit rock. I used olive branch and ghost.

Octave 4 rolling hills, smoke and ash, radical, smoke signal, and dragon. I used radical and smoke and ash.

Octave 5 iris, Grand Canyon, mist, midnight, and half-and-half. I used three: Grand Canyon, iris and midnight. Linda Kruschke's prompt is here.

The whole poem originally appeared on Sue’s Trifles. If you would like to have a go at any of the paint chip challenges there is no time limit.

The person I had upset and I understand each other a bit better now. I think we regard each other as friends!

I wish the regular blogger for 16th of the month a speedy recovery.

Susan always wanted to be a writer.  In 2012 she revived her interest in writing with a blogging project to collect the kinds of sayings, which were much used in her childhood.

Susan experiments with factual writing, fiction, humour and poetry.  She does not yet have a book to her name. Her interests include words, languages, music, nature study and gardening  She has experience of the world of work, being a stay-at-home mum and an empty-nester.   She is active in her local community and Church. She and her husband live in Cumbria. 

Follow her on X (ex Twitter) https://twitter.com/suesconsideredt