It's been a hard year, both personally and professionally, and I have debated long and hard as to whether I would actually participate in National Poetry Month this year. I have considered lots of different topics-- motherhood, grieving, and a series based on books I have read this year, including one of my favorites, HOPE by Douglas Carlton Abrams and Jane Goodall. I've also thought about focusing on a specific structure- tanka, tri-cubes, or found poems. Finally, I decided I would just do what I could do, a little of this and a little of that. Not even sure I will write every day, but here is the first one, based on a raccoon I unexpectedly encountered on a busy city street, when I was driving home from visiting with a friend last night.
"Encounter"
city thoroughfare
late night deserted
until enormous ring-tailed raccoon
bursts onto headlight beam stage
startled by the spotlight
and not desiring stardom
he lopes stage right
into tall grass
preferring peaceful
anonymity
to a life of fame
(c) Carol Wilcox, 2022
Heidi is hosting Poetry Friday today at My Juicy Little Universe. Head over there for lots of terrific poetry!
8 comments:
I'm glad you're here and sharing poems.
I really like your take on this nighttime encounter with a raccoon.
What a treat to look forward to a daily poem from you! I really like the "not desiring stardom" line and the way you use the stage metaphor to describe the raccoon's behavior.
Doing what you can sounds like a great idea! Maybe other people's projects will inspire you along the way. I am relieved that the raccoon made it to safety and we had a happy ending.
YAY! It makes my heart happy to know that we'll be writing together/apart again this year!
Lucky raccoon that you were going slow enough to allow for that exit-stage-right!
Your poems, your words are a constant church and compass for our work and our souls. Thank you for writing, Carol.
What a moment caught in those headlight beams...and the wonderful poem that comes from it. Hooray for writing what and when you can. That's the best, in my opinion.
Doing what one can sounds like a good place to be, I'm there too. I'm also glad the raccoon, "lopes stage right" and avoided an "Encounter," but what a poem it inspired–wonderful, thanks Carol!
Sorry for the so-late comment, Carol--and thank you for sharing the wise weighing and conclusion you've come to about NPM. Do what we can when we can! I love the metaphor of the "headlight beam stage." Glad you both emerged from that encounter unscathed!
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