  Poetry
This week: Edited by: Becky Simpson  
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| Have you ever sat down, hands trembling, heart quaking, eyes brimming with tears, and written a few lines of poetry to clear the emotions? I have, mostly out of anger, sorrow, happiness, love, or because God touched my life again. Did you know there was a national association for poetry therapy? I didn’t. The website is poetrytherapy.com. Give it a visit for more information. Even here on Writing.Com we find amazing examples of therapeutic poetry, excellent poetry that comes packed with soul-cleansing emotion. This month as we look at therapy poetry, I will make a few offerings from the choicest Writing.Com poets to be found, and provide you with this week’s list of favorite poets. A few classic beauties will round out our lesson, and in closing I will answer the feedback from the last edition, listing the winners of the gift points. Becky Simpson |
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The National Association of Poetry Therapists or NAPT has been in existence for 24 years. They are psychotherapists, counselors, psychologists, social workers, and psychiatrists. They are poets, journal keepers, storytellers, and songwriters. They are teachers, librarians, adult educators, and university professors. They are doctors, nurses, occupational/ recreational therapists; ministers, pastoral counselors, and spiritual directors. They are artists, dancers, dramatists, musicians, and writers. They work in many settings where people deal with personal and communal pain and the search for growth. As poetry therapists, they use all forms of literature and the language arts, and are united by love of the word, and passion for enhancing the lives of others and themselves. Okay advertisement over. If you want to know more please go to their web site.
Poetry is particularly good at reflecting emotion within a few words. It is, I think, because of this that many choose it as the medium with which to share their pain or joy. Poetry can encompass the whole range of human experience whether it be loss, love, depression, doubt, fear, births, deaths, and all of the curves inbetween. So I hope you readily agree that being able to express these feelings in written form can help you overcome the bad times and give you a permanent reminder of the good times. We need as human beings both good and bad to grow and become complete, capable of understanding others and relating to them.
My first example of therapeutic poetry was given to me by my father. He clipped it from a newspaper sometime in the late 1950’s. As I understand it, he had just gone through a very nasty divorce and had not as yet met my future mother. I am afraid the credits for this one were omited so I have no idea who wrote it or what newspaper it was in. I suspect it would be the Hot Springs Arkansas paper. Without further explanation I present “A Fool There Was.”
A Fool There Was
A fool there was and he made his prayer
(Even as you or I!)
To a rag and a bone and a hank of hair,
(We called her the woman who did not care),
But the fool he called her his lady fair--
(Even as you or I!)
Oh, the years we waste and the tears we waste,
And the work of our head and hand
Belong to the woman who did not know
(And now we know that she never could know)
And did not understand!
A fool there was and his goods he spent,
(Even as you or I!)
Honour and faith and a sure intent
(And it wasn't the least what the lady meant),
But a fool must follow his natural bent
(Even as you or I!)
Oh, the toil we lost and the spoil we lost
And the excellent things we planned
Belong to the woman who didn't know why
(And now we know that she never knew why)
And did not understand!
The fool was stripped to his foolish hide,
(Even as you or I!)
Which she might have seen when she threw him aside--
(But it isn't on record the lady tried)
So some of him lived but the most of him died--
(Even as you or I!)
``And it isn't the shame and it isn't the blame
That stings like a white-hot brand--
It's coming to know that she never knew why
(Seeing, at last, she could never know why)
And never could understand!''
**Research revealed this is entitled “The Vampire” and was written by Rudyard Kipling in 1897. Ah, just another example of the press carelessly printing works.
To add to the personal history after my mom tried to kill her husband, and was divorced; my mom and dad met, and I never found further evidence of pain in my father’s life. As a side note: The poem was also the title of a silent movie circa 1915 and is as late as 2004 the subject of an e-book. Thank you, Mr. Kipling for an amazing example of pain in poetry. What love he must have had for some woman.
Now we should take a look at works within Writing.Com that fall into our subject matter. I should warn you that some of these works are very emotional and can make you cry. Being in danger of repeating myself, there is one work that should show up in our list without a doubt. It is “Forever and a Day” by:teardrop. I have shown this work before but I must admit every time I read this I cry.
"Forever and a Day"
I woke up this morning
thinking of you
reached for your warmth
as I always would do.
Your side of the bed
was empty with fold
pillows in place
untouched and cold.
I did not smell coffee
the news was not on
things seem so different
since you are gone.
Your sweet smelling scent
is fading away
so I cling to your memory
in every possible way.
Motivating myself
is a struggle to do
hard to see sunshine
when feeling so blue.
They say it gets better
as time goes by
to look for the good
at least give it a try.
Something happened
at work today
I started to call you
right away.
Sadly remembering
I hung up the phone
you were not there
God took you home.
My heart is hurting
my soul cries with pain
I've got nothing to lose
got nothing to gain.
Time is one asset
I have plenty to spare
holding on tight
going nowhere.
I'm looking for good
as I have been told
reaching for warmth
yet, shiver with cold.
Darling, I miss you
in every way
and still loving you
"Forever and a Day."
Okay, as I blow my nose and wash my face maybe you could read a few more selections from our very talented Writing.Com poets. Once again I have selected a work dealing with death, though from here on it will be other losses or emotions we will explore:
"I Wish I Knew"
I hate the way I am right now,
I am feeling sad, rather lost,
For a while I was too happy,
Now I've paid the cost.
I've almost been too lucky,
Loving means I feel the pain,
Now I know what losing means,
Will I ever feel whole again?
Picturing my last time with you,
Helpless, I held you, as you died,
Since that night I've really missed you,
Bitter tears I've cried.
Time heals, things will get better,
People like you to believe
That all will come right in time,
But, death, mere words can not relieve.
I'm angry at you for leaving,
I know you didn't want to go,
But I am angry just the same,
Why? Can't say, just know,
This desolate heart's hurting,
My tears are for you and me,
Wish I knew all the answers,
Then this pain just might set me free.
anticipation
Let’s move away from the very deep loss of these people and talk about love. Obviously those in love don’t need solace or help with their emotions, so the poetry they write is aimed at how happy they have become…when will my turn come. Anyway, since I have stated the obvious we must be about to look at when we lose love. And here is my first offering:
" Invalid Item"
He watched her down the hallway,
and he knew she was gone.
With nothing more to say to her;
he'd said it all along.
He'd given all he had to give,
yet it never seemed enough.
She was all he ever needed,
but he couldn't keep her love.
There were arms she would run to,
and a man who understood.
He didn't want to think of that.
It wouldn't do him good.
The night would fall so slowly,
precious memories stalk his mind.
The last thing he needed now
was another lonely time.
Just seeing her move away
was more than he could bear.
Her hair hung low across her back,
her scent still filled the air.
The sheets warm with her embrace,
his eyes filled up with tears.
He tried to speak but words were lost
like so many through the years.
How many times he'd seen her walk
away without a glance?
How many times he'd pulled her back,
and begged for one last chance?
This time he knew was different;
she needn't bother to explain.
There was no room for going back,
nothing more for love to gain.
Before the door was closed for good,
she smiled one more time.
Then she walked from his life at last,
he never tried to change her mind.
The silence closed around him,
as he hung his head to cry.
He knew he couldn't blame her;
she had given him her life.
A prayer was whispered silently
for the dream that she would live.
For a moment filled with promise,
and a love he couldn't give.
Tornado Day
Very different from Rudyard Kiplings Vampire, this poet has expressed self-loathing and blame for a lost love. An amazing poem if I may say so. In our selections for reading this week I will be highlighting the newest writings that seem to fall into our chosen subject. Okay, I think we have time for one more, but then I must really get some sleep. This week has been very busy, and I need to catch up on lost slumber. This poem expresses anger over a betrayal by a lover. I hope it helps the poet sleep at night, since I can’t.
"Invalid Item"
You live within your lies.
Why can’t you just admit
You’re changing all the truths
So you can make them fit
Into your tainted mind,
Your own reality
Where you get what you want.
That’s your mentality.
You said I was selfish,
Now you’re the one accused.
You live for number one,
We others get abused
For your entertainment,
Your sick, twisted delight.
Now I am standing up;
I’m putting up a fight.
You won't use me again.
I'll fight you with my rhymes,
My weapon is the pen.
I’ve used it many times.
The very best of all,
Worse than any action.
Words hurt more than fists and
Bring more satisfaction.
So you can go back now
To the world where you rule
Where you command the truth,
But are seen as a fool.
squeaker
That wraps up another newsletter for me. I hope you found it interesting and that the poets have touched your heart with their own experiences. If they did then they are truly great poets.
Tip of the Day: This comes from me, as painful as any situation is don’t forget that using all the tools of poetry will make your statement impossible to ignore. Write it then edit it until it says just exactly what you wanted it to say.
I am always at your service.
Becky L Simpson
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FAVORITES:
The following members of Writing.Com are some of my favorite poets on Writing.Com. They exhibit and understanding and skill that, simply put, amaze me. I hope those I have forgotten will forgive me, but as time goes on and my memory prods, me this list will change.
Vivian 
reblackwell
Stormy Lady 
Theday 
Tornado Day
wittyvixen
daycare
SUGGESTED READINGS:
I call these poets and poems works of the week. Some will be by cases of all colors, as skill is not determined by your case color. Just five or six poems I think you might enjoy.
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CONTESTS:
In this edition I wish to highlight two poetry contests. The first is our own newsletter contest. The first twenty answers this month will be awarded 1,000 gift points. You will also find within this section winners listed from previous newsletters.
The challenge for this edition is: Simply write me a poem that is therapeutic to you, send the link to me and remember there are 1,000 points for the first twenty readers to respond.
The second is sponsored by Vivian | | | Invalid Item
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#1007396 by Not Available. |
Last Editions Winners:
n4ekm
lakecat
Margaret
celestial
Each of these wonderful readers will receive 1000 gift points for their efforts.
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https://www.Writing.Com/go/nl_form
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Questions and comments from last week, my thanks to those who wrote in:
Submitted By: brazette
Submitted Comment:
Becky;
You know I have those same thoughts and feelings of fear and insecurity. But, I am appreciating the comment you gave back to INKYSHADOWS-reviewathoning. It is soooo true that we all are and that if we don’t just do what we gotta do our fears will indeed take over. That is my reason for coming to this site. I have fears of not being a good author/poet but coming here I fear no more.
brazette I am glad there aren’t just two of us scared of appearing inept in our writing. The thing is that as I read the various authors on this site I discovered something I missed as a child reading many, many books. As a child it was easy to become completely immersed in the story completely losing myself to the book. Now as I read, what I have discovered are the imaginations of thousands of inspired minds and sometimes hurting souls. It is very hard for me to criticize the second but the first I try my best to explain what worked for me and what didn’t. Yet politely we should all compliment the author for their effort. Because most of them are as concerned as we are and it takes a great deal of effort to try. – hugs Becky
Submitted By: n4ekm
Submitted Comment:
Dear Becky,
Again, another form a poetry I have yet to try, until now. Thank you for doing all the research so that we may learn different techniques.
(I wanted to let you know that my user name was spelled incorrectly. It is n4ekm.) Here is my first attempt at haiku.
Mya D. Preston
ID: 1001284 (Rated: E)
Title: Mimosa Music
Description: A haiku poem written for Becky Simpson's newsletter contest.
By: Mya D. Preston (2)
Mya,
I do as much research as I can in the allotted time I have to complete one of these newsletters. Unfortunately there are times when my research and the knowledge of others do not jive. My hope is that readers will do their own research and enter my world of discovery. Your effort to join into the fray and present your own works is greatly appreciated. Thanks for correcting my error. – Hugs Becky
Submitted By:John~Ashen
Submitted Comment:
Actually the haiku became its own form as early as the 17th century. It developed its masters in the 18th century (including Basho) and was popularly revived by Shiki in the late 19th.
Also, the haiku was a revision of the tanka, not the hokku. The hokku was the 5-7-5 beginning of the tanka, and it was renamed haiku when a few writers (mainly Basho and Issai) decided it ought to stand on its own without a 7-7 follow-up.
Most interesting to me were all the rules you found, plus the language lesson (though I'm familiar with eastern language structure, it's always worth discussing).
John,
Thanks for the additional information. As I just explained to Mya (above) my research time is limited, and though I check several sources, I do not pretend to always be right. The sources in this case agreed as to the creative genius behind haiku. While what I discovered in part agreed with your analysis, they did give credit as indicated. As my newsletters sometimes seem to go too deeply into any given subject, I did not try to give a complete history of the haiku form of poetry. I would like to have any research information you may be able to provide to pass on to our readers. – hugs Becky
Submitted By:Riva Lynne
Submitted Comment:
Becky
I love to write and my 13 year old daughter has decided to put pen to paper and start writing her own poems.
I think that the information in this newsletter may help her as much as it does me.
Now all I have to do is get the younger 5 children to start writing more too.
Thanks for such useful information.
Riva Lynne
Riva Lynne,
You could never guess how deeply your comments touch me. I would love to read some of your daughter’s works. In fact with your permission I will send your daughter an upgrade for three months if she will share her works with us. – Hugs Becky
Submitted By:celestial
Submitted Comment:
Dear Becky,
Thanks so much for clarifying the dynamics of Haiku and other related forms of poetry. It's still a bit a mystery to me, but then again, that's the very nature of the form. Your newsletter gave me the inspiration to approach this piece from death's perspective.
Beneath
Gone from clear sight
No air for breathing now
Buried below trees
Cosmic air to grasp
Ground shakes slushing beneath
Fireball unleash me
Bury all logic
And reason to believe
I died to see this?
celestial
I found it interesting when I recently started reading a Koontz book that used haiku as a method for committing murder, rape, and, well, I stopped reading it because it was too scary. Thank you for sharing your works and keep writing. It’s a good way to always be a winner. – hugs Becky
Submitted By:billwilcox
Submitted Comment:
I think I'm turning Japanese, I really think so! Great newsletter Becky, absolutely wonderful,
W.D.
W.D.,
I am smiling broadly, probably not a good thing since it will create laugh lines. If you decide you have become fully Japanese would you um, suggest a good sushi bar for me? Or better yet if you learn the art you could always cook for me. (teasing) – Hugs Becky
Submitted By:Puditat
Submitted Comment:
Becky - WOW! When things get complicated I am amazed at the number of instructions you found. It seems everyone has their own idea of how a Haiku should be written.
Puditat ,
Just remember the final rule. Learn the rules; then discard them. Haiku, at least in my opinion, has taken on a new life in that it is a simple – complicated form that can be as simple as you like or as complicated as it gets. Have fun with it. – Hugs Becky
Submitted By: Rixfarmgirl 
Submitted Comment:
I think the subject matter of haiku is more limited and the most unlimited of the Japanese forms is the senyru. But, of course, as soon as we write what we believe to be true, Google can come up with contradictions.
rixafarmgirl
Who am I to argue with your analysis. I think John Ashen recently compiled a newsletter on senyru. He seems very knowledgeable on the subject and would probably be more than willing to discuss it with you. I must beg off as I am not familiar with senyru. – hugs Becky
Submitted By: Vivian
Submitted Comment:
The newsletter on haiku was very interesting, Becky. You found so much information than I had any idea existed. Thanks for highlighting my haiku. I've had some reviewers not like it because humid and dry/parched didn't go together. So they didn't know about rule # 12 or about Oklahoma weather. ~~ Mom
Mom,
Perhaps if the reviewers read this they will reconsider their rating.  I know you are one of the most talented poets and authors I know on this site. Thanks for the comment. – Hugs N Love Becky
I believe this is absolutely the largest number of responses I have received to date. It is wonderfully overwhelming. To the rest of you kind readers who made comments about July’s newsletter; thank you. If it were not for your kind words I would be inclined to find another way to spend the time I spend here.
If you have a question, comment or just an observation concerning this edition of the Poetry Newsletter please feel free to send it to me. I would also like our poetry newsletter readers to send me their favorite poem. Please include the poet’s name. I prefer poets from Writing.Com.
Next weeks editor:Stormy Lady
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Poetry: September 07, 2005 Issue [#598]
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