30 Poems in 30 Days 2009: Day Three
September 3, 2009 by John Hewitt
Today I sent off an overnight letter that I should have sent three weeks ago. It was in my self interest to send it out as soon as possible, a four-figure check depended on it, but I let the envelope sit on my shelf. Day by day, the envelope grew as a distraction, but I didn’t want to deal with it. There are many reasons on the surface for why a person procrastinates, but the root is almost always the same. There is an unresolved issue that keeps you from moving forward. That issue may be physical, logistical or emotional, but it is at the core of why you won’t finish something that clearly should be finished.
In the case of the check, there were several unresolved issues. The first was that I was unhappy with the payment. I had not negotiated the amount I wanted, and though I had agreed to their offer, it still irked me. It gave me a certain amount of satisfaction that the company kept calling me, asking why I hadn’t sent the paperwork in. Please note that this was not a client. I would feel much worse about procrastinating if this were a client. The second issue had to do with the paperwork. They wanted a copy of a document, and I don’t currently have a scanner or a copier. I was also short on transportation, as my regular readers know. Finally, there was the age-old excuse. I had too many other things to do. None of these issues were close to insurmountable. I could have gotten past them if the will was there. Today, I accepted my issues, worked through them, and got the letter in the mail.
What does this have to do with poetry? Well I think you know an allegory when you see one. How many times have you told yourself that you would sit down and work on your poetry today, or this week, or this month, or even this year? I had planned to put out a book of poetry for my fortieth birthday. I wanted to put together a collection of my poems, for better or for worse, as an e-book with perhaps a small print run. Well, I’m turning 42 next week, and guess what I haven’t managed to do yet? Again, there are plenty of minor logistical issues, but the major one is emotional. Are they good enough? Have I edited them sufficiently? Will anyone like them? These thoughts have kept me procrastinating.
So today’s lesson isn’t about form or meaning. It is about the most formidable of obstacles – doing. You have to make the time to write. If you aren’t doing so, you need to figure out why and find a solution to that issue. My solution is a simple proclamation. On October 1st, I will be releasing an ebook of my poetry. I hope some people read it and enjoy it, but one way or another I will have a book available from my site on that day. That is my solution to procrastination. What is yours?
Today’s Poetry Prompt
Write a poem that begins with a proclamation. If you need a phrase to get your juices going, try “I will”.
To Do
I will clean house
I will clean my office
The bathroom
The kitchen
The living room
The closet
I will do the laundry
I will organize the garage
I will throw things out
I will make plans
I will stick to them
I will tell you that you are beautiful
I will go for morning walks
I will run that virus scan
That keep begging me and begging me
I will flip the calendar to this month
I will eat better food
I will lose some weight
I will call my parents
I will write a business plan
I will teach
I will learn
I will stretch
I will watch less television
I will write more
I will find a job
I will get health insurance
I will celebrate my birthday
Even if I don’t want to
And I will meditate
I will clear my mind
So that when I think
I know what I’m doing
I will
Procrastination, eh?
That habit that saps away our life
returning nothing in exchange…
I thought, perhaps, i’d write something,
but not just yet…
I’ll get to it…
maybe tomorrow..
I don’t know….
sometime.
Instead, I’ll submit for consideration this short work…
(note: you suggested starting with I will. )
The Lashing
Aye, Will, there be beatin’s fer sure!
You can not irk the capt’n with yer
lazin about and shoddy work
an think you’ll be his bonnie lad!
No! Best take up that mop an swab
this deck, or I’ll be smiling sweet,
when yer lashed an beat fer insolence.
I’ll be cozy while you’re screamin!
No sob tale will stay the whip,
Best dig right in an get it done
before ye capt’n comes and sees you
for what you are: ya lazy whelp!
Every day I will trust that God will provide a day
Every day I will do my best to treat people well
Every day I will notice the wonders of the natural world
Tonight I will thank God for the blessing of the day
Tonight I will sleep peacefully
Tonight I will embrace the loves in my life
Tomorrow I will wake with a spring in my step
Tomorrow I will accept the things that I can not change
Tomorrow I will use the wisdom God has bestowed upon me
This year I will work to be a better person
This year I will allow myself to be happy
This year I will bring joy unto others
.-= Jennifer Woodard´s last blog ..12 Qualities Women Want in Their Men =-.
Whee! A book of yours at last. Jubilation!
(Is that why your own poems seem to have disappeared from this site? I was wanting to re-read those wonderful pieces about your Mum.)
Well, this is more like an anti-proclaimation *hang head* but hey, at least it starts with “I will” ;-P
:::
I promise I will do it
I will gather up my wits
Put on my social façade
And go out there to meet
Strangers
I promise I will get to it
Be sociable
Be friendly
Make friends
Out of strangers
I promise to do what I dread
Smile and make empty
Conversations
Keeping boredom
Off my face
I promise I will
Truly I will
Maybe I will
Sometime
Some day
But I will get to it
Maybe
Or maybe not.
Twin Proclamations
(found poem, from media reports)
Welcome to Repco Rally on the Tweed – Join the Protest –
Good for business! You are needed!
Fast and furious predicts ace. A juggernaut – 90 racing cars,
A great atmosphere. support vehicles, helicopters, sirens
Finally we can show what we’ve got to scare away wild life.
to an international audience. A close knit community.
A stunning display. People are not happy.
Preparations will continue unabated. Aboriginal leaders deny permission.
It will be fun Ancient songlines and pathways
and bring money to the area. go through here.
A heavy police presence has been sent. The Government has failed to protect
Riot squad ready. the world heritage national park.
Protestors will be arrested. Now it’s up to the people.
Every two years for the next 20. Every two years for the next 20.
Join the Protest –
You are needed!
A juggernaut – 90 racing cars,
support vehicles, helicopters and sirens
to scare away wild life.
A close knit community.
People are not happy.
Aboriginal leaders deny permission.
There are ancient songlines and pathways
which go through here.
The Government has failed to protect
the world heritage national park.
Now it’s up to the people.
*Obscenity obscenity obscenity.*
They’re supposed to be side by side. Which they are sorta, but not how I envisaged. And how the second poem got to be underneath as well is a mystery. OK, I’ll post them again one under the other.
Twin Proclamations
(found poem, from media reports)
Welcome to Repco Rally on the Tweed –
Good for business!
Fast and furious predicts ace.
A great atmosphere.
Finally we can show what we’ve got
to an international audience.
A stunning display.
Preparations will continue unabated.
It will be fun
and bring money to the area.
A heavy police presence has been sent.
Riot squad ready.
Protestors will be arrested. .
Every two years for the next 20.
Join the Protest –
You are needed!
A juggernaut – 90 racing cars,
support vehicles, helicopters and sirens
to scare away wild life.
A close knit community.
People are not happy.
Aboriginal leaders deny permission.
Ancient songlines and pathways
go through here.
The Government has failed to protect
the world heritage national park.
Now it’s up to the people.
Every two years for the next 20.
Hi Rosemary,
The poems are still on my site, though I haven’t placed any direct links to them. You can reach them through this link.
http://www.poewar.com/category/poem/
Thanks for your interest. At least some of those will be in the book.
Late submission here, I know, but when school calls, there’s nothing that you can do to stop it from taking up your whole day, unfortunately. Thus the catchup work.
The Looming Monster
I shall study
I shall try to remember
that the population density
of Singapore
is 6,814
(or is it 6,414?)
I shall prepare
I shall try to understand
what’s the difference between
voltage, current, charge
’cause to me
they sound the same
I shall revise
I shall try to internalise
that it is I before E
except after C
like in THEIF -
- no! I mean, THEIF!
But first
I shall rest awhile
For it is that start of the holidays
After a term from hell
So
Exams can wait.
Whoops. I spelt the second ‘thief’ in my poem wrongly. Pure accident.
Little Box of Normal
I will never fit into your little box of normal
I’m sorry for this
But the box really is too small
There’s no room for my creative energy
For spontaneity or fun
The corners are really too sharp too,
For they jab into reason and thought and questioning—
All activities I long to do
And when I ask the infamous gadfly question,
“Why?”
The lid of the box is closed entirely too tight
It suffocates curiosity, innovation
No light comes through
I’m sorry I don’t fit into your little box of normal,
That this colorful cloak of self
Just won’t fit into the beige categorization
That the levels of complexity that are me
Are too steep for the box’s height
That labels and understanding slide right off
That the closer you get to zero,
The farther from zero you realize you are
I will never fit into your little box of normal
Or any other box for that matter—
Put the labeling gun away
Lest it misfire—
I’m sorry I don’t fit into your little box of normal,
There isn’t room in it for me anyway.
I will live for you today.
I will be kind, especially to my sibling.
I will be a friend.
I will be confident.
I will help someone in need.
I will clean my room.
I will be a light in the darkness.
I will love and be lovable.
I will do all the things listed above.
I sinned.
I yelled.
I gossiped.
I was shy.
I didn’t see anyone in need.
I added to the mess.
I was afraid to shine brightly.
I was a grouch.
I did not do any of the things on my list.
Forgive me Lord, and thank you for new beginnings.
In case you can’t tell, the lines in the second verse corrospond with the lines in the first verse. I’d like your opinions! Thanks!