Monday, August 29, 2011

Poetry Jam - Looking Up

Unless I've lost track of days or weeks, this week's Monday Poetry Jam is on the theme of  "Looking Up."    I didn't think I would make it this week but a very rough idea came to me this morning while walking the dogs.  It's  really probably more of a disseration but I broke the lines up so it would look like a poem.  

UP

Up is one of those immutable songs,
source of water, source of light. 
It's direction never changes
for the passionate even in despair,
although some of us in throes of science
claim it is as meaningless as a flat Earth.
I will not be misled by space;
up is always up, no matter what.


LOOKING UP

Looking up, however, is never constant,
fragments of psalms and surprise.
It is a matter of degrees of attitude,
free will, and effort, particularly in despair.
Like any skill, it builds with regular practice
which seems to be easier for those of us
who live in holes than for those
who live on mountain tops. 
at

13 comments:

  1. MaryAugust 29, 2011 at 9:14 AM

    You made some good points in this poem. Up is always up, no matter what. Even when in despair, one CAN look up. And so true that is a skill that takes practice. I know Michael J. Fox would agree!

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  2. twinkly sparklesAugust 29, 2011 at 9:45 AM

    I like your introduction--I mostly try to avoid them (or a postscript) because I am so verbose--it is good practice for me to leave the poem alone. You've inspired me to allow myself to write an intro if I like because yours is so nice.


    "I will not be misled by space" --great line.

    I like each of your poems and I disagree that they are dissertations in disguise. That is a nice point you make, though, that line breaks just make it appear as a poem. Brilliant, self-effacing, and funny. Thanks.

    twinkly

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  3. Linda G.August 29, 2011 at 10:16 AM

    Lovely. :)

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  4. TaborAugust 29, 2011 at 8:42 PM

    You mean...writing poetry...is not...just breaking up the lines?

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  5. laurie kolpAugust 29, 2011 at 10:30 PM

    Both profound thought-provokers, but I LOVE the second one...

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  6. PeggyAugust 29, 2011 at 10:51 PM

    I like your up poems. Both made me think. Especially about up being basically irrelevant in the large picture of things. I guess there is no up only out. LOL And thank you for visiting my blog!

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  7. HelenAugust 30, 2011 at 1:55 PM

    I read your poems twice ... both are deep, thought-provoking pieces!

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  8. Dawn@Lighten Up!August 30, 2011 at 5:34 PM

    "Fragments of Psalms and surprise"
    Gorgeous! !

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  9. The BugAugust 30, 2011 at 5:40 PM

    Hmm - I see it as one poem with two stanzas. This might not be what you intended, but I should share that last line with my husband. When life is good he is forever looking down the valley for the thing that will bring the next misery. Instead he should just keep looking up!

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  10. AnonymousAugust 30, 2011 at 6:41 PM

    Gracious compromise. ~Mary

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  11. JinksyAugust 31, 2011 at 1:52 AM

    I love the dual stanzas like Pisces two fishes - pulling in two directions, with and against the current...

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  12. Heidi-"Heidi in Real Life"August 31, 2011 at 7:36 AM

    FABULOUS! I love how you broke the 2 subjects up, UP and Loooking UP. I keep telling you, you could be a lyricist. I hear the "Indigo Girls" singing this one.

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  13. Cassiopeia RisesAugust 31, 2011 at 2:13 PM

    Liked them both. Yes for some it is easy to always look. For others the struggle is too great. Very nice write.


    Melanie

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