Interesting piece Shawn. I felt blazing hot just like the logs when I started reading it, due to the image of two angry people butting heads and then cooled off at the end with the waters of understanding washing over them. A great fire and ice parable for our modern times.
I think that your poem goes beyond personal relationships for me anyway though I thought of that. I think your poem could be about broader topics like political or social issues. This is the joy of writing and reading poetry since the reader brings their own points of references with them to the read! Well done!
It is, as old as i am I still don’t understand poetry but I know that I enjoy reading it (I am not talented enough to write it) I believe that poetry is the expression of the heart. The bible is filled with stellar examples of poetry. David is one of the most outstanding poets the world has ever known.
You know, Kevin, I meet a lot of people who say they ‘can’t write poetry.’ That sort of goes with the territory of being an English teacher. 😉 In my experience, everyone CAN and frequently those who are most sure they can’t, are the ones who are most talented at it.
Give yourself permission to try to capture some moments with word pictures. Don’t worry if it’s ‘good’ or ‘bad.’ Just let it be. Find a metaphor for a view or a person. Stretch it. See where it goes. Like anything else, it takes practice to learn to ‘see’ in a poetic way, but if you enjoy poetry, as you say, you’re making connections to it, even if only subconsciously, and you can write very effectively at that level, too.
Try it. I’ll bet you CAN do it. Feel free to send the results to me (see the Contact or About pages) and I’ll discuss the piece with you. It’s a process.
Don’t be afraid to ‘write crap.’ (Freeing ourselves from our internal critic is the key to developing skill, you can’t grow if you never try).
Shawn Bird is an author, poet, and educator in the beautiful Shuswap region of British Columbia, Canada. She is a proud member of Rotary and a former Rotary Youth Exchange Student.
Interesting piece Shawn. I felt blazing hot just like the logs when I started reading it, due to the image of two angry people butting heads and then cooled off at the end with the waters of understanding washing over them. A great fire and ice parable for our modern times.
Thanks, David.
Don’t be ‘too full’ to write. Overflow into your writing!
I think that your poem goes beyond personal relationships for me anyway though I thought of that. I think your poem could be about broader topics like political or social issues. This is the joy of writing and reading poetry since the reader brings their own points of references with them to the read! Well done!
Thanks, Kevin.
That’s the power of poetry, isn’t it?
It is, as old as i am I still don’t understand poetry but I know that I enjoy reading it (I am not talented enough to write it) I believe that poetry is the expression of the heart. The bible is filled with stellar examples of poetry. David is one of the most outstanding poets the world has ever known.
As was Solomon
As was Solomon!
😉
You know, Kevin, I meet a lot of people who say they ‘can’t write poetry.’ That sort of goes with the territory of being an English teacher. 😉 In my experience, everyone CAN and frequently those who are most sure they can’t, are the ones who are most talented at it.
Give yourself permission to try to capture some moments with word pictures. Don’t worry if it’s ‘good’ or ‘bad.’ Just let it be. Find a metaphor for a view or a person. Stretch it. See where it goes. Like anything else, it takes practice to learn to ‘see’ in a poetic way, but if you enjoy poetry, as you say, you’re making connections to it, even if only subconsciously, and you can write very effectively at that level, too.
Try it. I’ll bet you CAN do it. Feel free to send the results to me (see the Contact or About pages) and I’ll discuss the piece with you. It’s a process.
Don’t be afraid to ‘write crap.’ (Freeing ourselves from our internal critic is the key to developing skill, you can’t grow if you never try).
Beautiful, so fire is nipped in the bud.
or not!
Nice poem, Shawn. Like the metaphoric (?) writing. Could be talking literal – 2 logs that could start a forest fire or speaking metaphorically. Nice 🙂
A necessary component of metaphor is that they work at both the literal and figurative level. If it doesn’t, it jars the reader and loses its impact.
Thanks for stopping by, Tena!
Not sure if I chose the right words earlier… Nonetheless end result, I liked it.
Gorgeousssssss! Love it!
Thank you.
You are in a fire mode with your verses, it seems. Fire is a metaphor for creativity mixed with strength.
lol
If you knew the root of these poems, you’d understand why. 😉 Sadly, confidentiality comes into play.