Welcoming the New Year with My Poetry Sisters and Sonnets

I'm so thrilled to be embarking on another year of writing with my poetry sisters. This month the challenge was to write a sonnet. I chose the curtal sonnet form for a bit of a challenge. The shorter length actually made this a bit harder than a traditional sonnet. If you know the work of Gerard Manley Hopkins, you'll recognize this form. You can read a bit about the curtal sonnet at The Poet's Garret.

I'll admit that I have a hard time with these challenges when there is no theme. I was the kid who had a terrible time in English when the teacher said "free write." I do much better with direction, so I hard a really hard time picking a topic. Because I've been spending so much time doing yoga, I thought I'd focus on breath. As often happens, this poem didn't go where I expected it. And though I like the form, this feels unfinished. I could have used the additional 3 lines. Oh well ...

Deep Breath
From that first moment on the earth we learn
to breathe. The lungs expand give power to
our cries, not feeble chirps but gut deep wails
proclaiming we are here. Each breath in turn
like heart beats marks the days. In and out through
years we deep inhale, swelling chests like sails
that catch the breeze. Before we undertake
a daunting task, or dive beneath the blue
of water’s wake, we’re strengthened by the tales
of those who came before. Breathe deep, awake,
blaze trails.

Poem ©Tricia Stohr-Hunt, 2018. All rights reserved.

You can read the poems written by my poetry sisters at the links below. 

• Tanita Davis
• Kelly Fineman
• Sara Lewis Holmes
• Laura Purdie Salas
• Liz Garton Scanlon

I do hope you'll take some time to check out all the wonderful poetic things being shared and collected today by Catherine Flynn at Reading to the Core. Happy poetry Friday friends.