National Poetry Month 2009 4.4 Bottles
Posted by Rick Tanski on April 4, 2009
This poem, while inspired through the photo prompt, stands well alone and is better with it. In response to Bud’s prompt for today, I thought I would experiment with structure, form, and meaning even more.
As an English teacher I sometimes find it annoying when writers seemingly leave us in the dark, grasping to find the light they may have only seen. This feels particulary true with poetry and often shows up in the popular attitudes that poetry is inaccessible only to a few learned so as to not be understood, or that it is pedantic and trite warranting no further intellectual investment. As a a result, poetry has lost its place among everyday people and I find that very disturbing on so many levels.
Anyway, I digress. In the poem below, I have deliberately played with the structure intending each though to be encapsulated in the three lines in the 1-2-3 form. That form has multiple meanings for me (and I hope for the reader): person-other-whole; you-me-us; creator-created-creation; and, well, you get the point. Additionally, the poem stands as a whole when read traditionally left to right, but each column is intended to be a complete poem in itself representing another perspective or dimension of the idea. The last phrase ends two of the four poems and can end the first and second column poem as well.
I didn’t intend to write it like this from the begining, but after the 6th line, I really didn’t have a choice. I hope you enjoy it.
Bottles
Photo Credit: gierszewski via Bud Hunt
With intention
Filled with purpose
Dripping
Life flavors
Our experience splashes
Colored
In moments
Of human hues
Qualities
For us
Revealed by others
Mixing
Fleeting feelings
And subtle shades
Distinct
Unique contrasts
Illuminated in prisms
People
To be
Filled with light
Together
Wholly made
As is intended
