Thursday, April 12, 2007

a humble debut

I am pleased to be making my Poetry Thursday debut.

As I have alluded to in previous posts, I had the enormous pleasure of spending a Zen-like day in a Susan Wooldridge workshop.

One exercise she had us work through involved empty matchboxes, Susan asked us to collect items from outside that would fit in these tiny containers.

Fort Worden made for a fertile landscape of found treasures that we could tuck inside our cardboard niches.

Back inside after 30 minutes of roaming the grounds, Susan then prompted our poet spirit by offering key words and phrases to use in the construction of our verse.

I must admit that I have read my class notes and poetic prose from that day maybe 100 times or more. And, I can still remember so vividly each careful step I took with head tilted downward, concentrating intently on the grass, asphalt, concrete, whatever terrain my feet stumbled upon.

Looking... always searching for that one object that called out from among all the rest. The one pearl or even two perhaps that laid there patiently waiting for me to notice.

I spied several gems amidst the vast scenery. And, I knew... once I held them gently in the palm of my hand that they had a story just waiting for me to tell.



-seed pod, you look like a beach at low tide

you promised a peek at your treasures inside

i forgot you said you would give me the moon

then when will you bring me the stars.




-feather, you look like a ballerina en pointe

bring me grace, make me fluid

you told me to stand up straight

yet, i feel so fragile, what if i break

i had forgotten you said "remember to sway".

14 comments:

Jill said...

This is so wonderfully cool!!! I have shivers....what a wonderful experience for you!
Love it!
Can't wait to read more....

Runner Gurl said...

Beautiful....Thank you for sharing.
xo
g.

Bookworm said...

This was great. Your blog is really classy. I hope you don't mind, I have added you to my "Quality Bloggage" list. Drop by sometime.

Anonymous said...

Welcome to Poetry Thursday. These are wonderful, and I love the illustrations.

Cassiopeia Rises said...

I loved your first poem for PT. Very creative. Keep them coming.


love-bd

Anonymous said...

Welcome to Poetry Thursday. This is a safe and wonderful place to write.

I enjoyed your prose describing your walk and then the object poems are a delight.

Anonymous said...

I think I may use this exercise. Sounds like fun.

Welcome to PT. :)

Rose

xo

gautami tripathy said...

welcome to PT. You write well.

Anonymous said...

beautiful. Gives me goosies.

Scotty said...

Welcome to Poetry Thursday - hope you have a lot of fun and inspiration.

Deb said...

Welcome to PT.
Lovely poems (from a cool prompt). I particularly liked the feather en pointe.

Anonymous said...

tracie...love these! love them! i have been wanting to start with this poetry thursday...you inspire me in so many ways...miss you! want us to get together real soon!
xo...annie

katie said...

i love this post tracie! i've always heard the poet in your posts so it seems only natural you are in poetry thursday. you inspire me too...now i'm thinking, can i be in poetry thursday too?? the artfest class sounds wonderful - i so enjoyed your poem, thank you!
xox

Judy Wise said...

What a wonderful exercise. Oh, I want to go out with a matchbox and to listen for the sacred to teach me new things. Every bit of life, every scrap of matter is grist for the poet within us.

Thank you, Tracie. This entry touched me deeply.