My New Umbrella
Photo by Amy LV
Students - I often wonder about where others' ideas come from, and then, when I am in a good writing groove, I remember. Ideas come from absolutely everywhere. Earlier this week, rereading my notebook from last May, I came across this little entry:
Notebook Entry - May 2024
Photo by Amy LV
Intrigued by such a curious invented person, I decided to write more about her:
Poem Draft #1 March 2025
Photo by Amy LV
Then, somehow, the rhythm of a famous, anonymous, old (around 1888) nonsense rhyme that goes like this, invaded my body:
Moses supposes his toeses are roses;
Moses supposes erroneously.
For nobody's toeses are roses are posies.
As Moses supposes his toeses to be.
Of course, with any old, anonymous verse, there are other, newer versions, and you can read about these at Wikipedia. What surprised me - and ALWAYS surprises me - is that this rhythm was rattling and rolling around in my brain unbeknownst to me...and its meter showed up in my own-this-week-lines. After doing a little sleuthing, I realize that this has happened before with "Moses Supposes His Toeses Are Roses" - see my poem Manny the Manatee.
As I drafted and redrafted at my computer, the main character of this poem changed from a she to a he...and I went with it!
Poem Draft #2 March 2025
Photo by Amy LV
Today I have two writing suggestions for you.
The first suggestion is to read poems aloud regularly. Read to your family. Read to your cat. Read to an old sneaker. Read to your dog. Read to a cactus. Read to your stuffies. Read to the air. Read to yourself. If you read and write regularly, the rhythms that go through your body will come through in your own lines, even when you are not trying for it. Yes, I did revise and tweak and fine tune...but the rhythm was already inside of me.
The second suggestion is to think about quirks, both yours and those of others. The Cambridge Dictionary defines a quirk as "an unusual habit or part of someone's personality, or something that is strange and unexpected." You might think about your own quirks, the quirks of those you know, or the quirks of imaginary people. Then...write!
What are my quirks? Hmmm. One of my quirks is that I always buy a lot of baking supplies whenever we are expecting a snowstorm here in Holland, NY. Another of my quirks is that I sing a special song to our cat Winnie when I want her to come inside. What are your quirks? The quirks of others you know? The quirks of imaginary characters such as my own Umbrella Man? These may well make for excellent writing inspiration.
And...Happy Spring! Yesterday was the first day of spring where I live, and I so I tried out my new umbrella in the morning's sunshower. Isn't it all beautiful?
Spring Equinox Sunshower at The Poem Farm
Video by Amy LV
Thank you to Rose for hosting this week's Poetry Friday roundup over at Imagine the Possibilities with a joyous, poetic celebration of spring. Each Friday, all are invited to share poems, poem books, poetry ideas, and friendship in this open and welcoming poetry community.
Be quirky. Be quirky. Be quirky. That is all.
xo,
Amy
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I love this peek behind the curtain at your writing process - sometimes the poems seem to take on a life of their own, don't they?
ReplyDeleteIn my year of 'barefoot' I just stumbled across Moses and his toeses! It's a wonderful rhyme and Moses sure is quirky. Happy spring. Thank you for sharing your umbrella poem. It's delightful.
ReplyDeleteI love your helpful suggestions. "Read to an old sneaker" cracked me up, and "Be quirky" is always good advice. Thank you! "On Gray April Days" is delightful. I find walking helps establish a rhythm in my head. too.
ReplyDeleteWhen I read the Moses poem I immediately thought of Bing Crosby and Danny Kay in "Singin' in the Rain." Love the peek at your process, the sunshower, and your beautiful umbrella! Thanks, Amy!
ReplyDeleteLove the sweet poem. YES to quirkiness!! What a pretty umbrella. Thanks for the sun shower joy.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful Amy! I think your character and I would get along well. And your video was so joyous. Happy Spring!
ReplyDeleteI think tweaking is one of the most fun parts of writing! You already have the shape of a poem, and then you can sleep on it, live with it, walk with it, and then the poem talks to you and suggests in what direction it would love to grow.
ReplyDeleteYour peek at your process is just as interesting and valuable as your final poem. Thank you for sharing, Amy!
I always love reading about your writing process. I learn something every time! I want to know the man in your poem. I think I would like him. As for quirks, I have too many to list. : )
ReplyDeleteIt is so vulnerable to share your messy process. I love it and love the snippet of what is going on in your creative brain. I think I need to be more quirky!
ReplyDelete