Last year when the call went out for Poetry Friday hosts, I selected this date because I knew I would be knee deep in the classroom and anticipated this day would be at the end of my year in second grade. I never imagined it would end this way. And could you have imagined in January all that would occur in such a short span of time?
I wish I had the words to express how deeply saddened and angry I am about all that has happened and is still happening, not just since Memorial Day with the senseless killing of George Floyd, but for more days than I can count. My social studies methods class last night focused on the teaching of hard history and slavery. I'm not sure I did the topic justice in one 2 hour and 40 minute session, but at least we began the conversation and talked about the importance of confronting our past and recognizing the impact it has on our present and future.
My writing has been dark and sad. It lacks hope, but I keep writing. My first poem in the summer poetry swap went to Ruth of
There is no such thing as a God-forsaken town and was entitled
In the Shadow of Violence and Oppression. It was a found poem inspired by current events and was created using lines adapted and modified from
The Poisonwood Bible, the story of a missionary family who move from Georgia to the Belgian Congo in 1959. You can
read it here if you are interested. I wrote several draft poems using language from this text, including the one below.
The poem I'm sharing today is a golden shovel that uses the lines "Do I dare/Disturb the universe?/In a minute there is time" from
The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock" by T.S. Eliot.
It was one thing I was able to
do
hold a sign, hold a hand.
I
wanted to do more, but did not
dare
too afraid
to offend, too weak to
disturb.
As lives turn inside-out and upside-down,
the
world turns uneasily, barreling through the
universe.
Here in my city,
in
this former confederate stronghold,
a
glimmer of hope sparked for a
minute
but it did not last, could not take root where
there
are towering statutes to pain, to our ugly history.
Is
this a battle we can win? I hope so. It's long past
time.
Poem ©Tricia Stohr-Hunt, 2020. All rights reserved.
I do hope you'll take some time to check out all the wonderful poetic things being shared and collected today. I'm rounding things up old-school style, so please leave a comment and I'll add you to the post.
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In Tribute
Original Poetry
Laura Purdie Salas shares a poem on eve of her daughter's wedding entitled
I Need You Need Me.
Robyn Hood Black of Life on the Deckle Edge is sharing a found poem collage entitled
Keep in Balance.
Sally Murphy shares her poem
Orange Cats in a lovely, narrated video form.
Carmela Martino of Teaching Authors shares
Trying Something New, a syllable-square poem in the "In One Word" poetry form invented by April Halprin Wayland.
Carol Varsalona of Beyond Literacy Link shares a photo collage poem in the form of a golden shovel entitled
Grandma Love.
Bridget Magee shares
many wee things today, including an original poem, a book 'wee-view', and a tiny word wee-source.
Molly Hogan of Nix the comfort zone shares a poem entitled
Tabernacle.
Fran Haley of Lit Bits and Pieces shares a
loop poem inspired by Margaret Simon's “This Photo Wants to Be a Poem” prompt.
Tim Gels of Yet There Is Method shares a poem entitled
Feathers.
Carol of The Apples in My Orchard is sharing a number of
pandemic haiku.
MSheehan of A Few Words is
sharing a poem inspired by "The Love Song of J Alfred Prufrock" by T.S. Eliot.
Poems of Others
Ruth of There is no such thing as a God-forsaken town shares a lovely bunch of
poetry swap poems she received from Kat Apel, and some poetic words about statutes coming down.
Poetry Books
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Happy poetry Friday all!
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