A wishing fish swam into my mind yesterday, inspired by #Inktober and #OctPoWriMo (October Poetry Writing Month).
Last year, I had poetry envy for my fellow Poetry Friday poets who did either or both of these. So this year, I’m giving it a go. I the wishing fish grants my wish–and life cooperates–I’ll keep going. 2 days down–29 to go!
Tabatha Yeatts hosts this week’s Poetry Friday–and shares a wonderful post by Carol Boston Rutherford about her new YA verse book on Marilyn Monroe: Beauty Mark.
I do love a good challenge!
Wishing Fish–poem and ink drawing
Each day of October, each of these challenges offers an optional prompt.
For October 1, they were:
Inktober: fish
OctPoWriMo: Light, shining, bright, sharing, talent–and 2 possible forms to try: an acrostic or a kyrielle sonnet
I didn’t end up using the prompts, but I did write my first Kyrielle sonnet. I ended up writing a poem about missing my family during the pandemic. And I wrote that before my dad was admitted to the hospital for what I think is a complication from COVID–which he had in March/April. He’s doing ok, and will hopefully just be there for a few days. But none of us can go visit him. And my mom, who went with him to the hospital is now quarantined for two weeks because she went to the hospital.
Boy, I could use a wishing fish right about now!
If I could make but just one wish,
Would it be for a magic fish?
A fish to make my dreams come true–
A fish who brings my love to you.
Even though we’re so far apart
I hold you snug within my heart
Perhaps I haven’t thought this through,
A fish who brings my love to you?
Times and tides are, as people say,
Keep you and me so far away.
She could pull me in a canoe,
The fish who brings my love to you.
If I could make but just one wish,
A fish to carry my love to you.
Day 2: A haiku and a wisp (not wish!)
Inktober: wisp
OctPoWriMo: vulnerability, form: haiku or lannet
It’s still pretty smoky here, so when I thought about wisp–and vulnerability, for that matter–I thought about the smoke around the mountains. I have hardly been able to see the mountains lately–I wrote about the smoke a while ago in this post.
But my drawing ended up being a woman with her hair blowing wildly in the wind. I call it “I should have worn my hat”
My haiku came out of that feeling of vulnerability. They’re not connected like the wishing fish picture and poem above. But they are connected by a feeling of being vulnerable–of being buffeted by the wind.
Ash falls like snowflakes
Missing you, haze fills my heart
Mountains disappear.
And that’s all for today
Thanks so much for stopping by!
Stay well and stay strong.
xoxo
Wheeeee! You are off to a good start! I love challenges to write daily. I find them exhausting. But, they really do push me to the corners of my creativity. Your love for your family and missing them is so real and poignant–even with the lighthearted wishing fish.
Thanks, Linda. I agree with what you say about challenges. Because they take so much energy, I don’t do them too often, but I do enjoy them when I do.
“Poetry envy” made me laugh. Glad you are going for it this OctPoWriMo! Your magic fish is sweet. I smiled at “Perhaps I haven’t thought this through” 🙂 Best of luck to your dad.
Good luck with the challenge, and sending healing thoughts for your dad plus good quarantine mojo for your mom. Jeez. 2020 just keeps giving…
I love your fish wishing, Susan, and those hearts flowing our as air bubbles in your drawing. I wish I could do one of these challenges, but just have too much going on this month in other ways. And I know the smoke has been terrible, a little better on Saturday, hopefully for you, too. I’m glad your father is okay & send best wishes to him & your mother! Enjoy your Sunday!
Fish wishing and a haiku wisp are keeping you busy and in touch with your feelings even when you can’t be with feeling, Susan. Best wishes for your father and mother. Know that your poems are love messages to them.
I really loved the haiku…poignant.
[…] shared my first 2 poems for Inktober already. I thought I’d share what I wrote earlier this […]