30 Poems in 30 Days 2009: Day Twenty-Four
September 24, 2009 by John Hewitt
Most of the poems I write are based on my life and my experiences. For me, poetry is a type of journaling. This isn’t true for every poem. Some poems are fantasy, fiction and fun. In the end though, most are about me in some way or another, even if they aren’t entirely based on my real life.
I am a character in my poems. Because of this, the people who read my poems see pieces of my life, real or imagined. They form opinions about me, my attitudes, and my life. Some people may form a negative opinion of me that is not true. Other people may form a positive opinion of me, which is not true. This is neither a good thing nor a bad thing, but it is a reality. If I present myself as a character in my writing, it is human nature for people to have opinions about me based on what they read.
This will be true of your poetry as well. As your poetry grows more personal, your life gets revealed in larger and larger chunks. If you share your poetry, you share your life. Friends and family may see your poems and think differently of you. Strangers may read your poems and, lacking any other resources, base their entire opinion of you on those poems.
This is something that you need to adjust to, as a writer, a person, and a poet. If you write something true and revealing about yourself, know that people will see it. If you write something fictional about yourself, people will see that too. In most cases, they won’t be able to separate the truth from the fiction. People believe what they read. This doesn’t mean that you should censor yourself. I have been writing about myself on this blog for quite some time, and the good drastically outweighs the bad. You shouldn’t be afraid to let people get to know you. You do need to understand that this is going to happen if you choose to write about yourself. You need to determine how you feel about this and what you will or will not do because of this.
Today’s Poetry Prompt
Write a poem that begins with the word “I”.
A Private Room
I am looking at an institution green wall
The kind of color people only choose for others
No one would paint their own room like this
The choices people make for others
Generally by committee
Or the lowest bidder
Have resulted in this little room
That almost suits my needs
But never provides comfort
No one falls asleep here
Which is something close to the point
I cannot wait to leave
Which is of course
Exactly what I am doing
All I can think of is where I will go from here
Related links
- 30 Poems in 30 Days (1.000)
- 30 Poems in 30 Days: Why you should write poetry (1.000)
- 30 Poems in 30 Days: Writing About Yourself (1.000)
- 30 Poems in 30 Days: Writing About Issues (1.000)
- 30 Poems in 30 Days: Poetry of Place (1.000)
Contact John Hewitt
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Email: hewitt@poewar.comPhone: (520) 261-6104
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I thought I knew
I thought
you will understand
what I am going through
I actually believe
You will take my side
Never mind what they say
Against me to you
I thought
You will believe
Without having to explain
I actually assumed
You will be on my side
Never mind damning proof
To the contrary
I thought
I knew you
Or at least I thought
You know me
But then I realize
I am asking the
Impossible
I thought I knew you
I thought you knew me
But then again
I once thought the
World was flat
And tooth fairy
Existed.
I have never cast the die of my thoughts
Upon another’s eye
I just don’t have the luck.
Better for them to find me someday,
A bird singing in a faraway cave,
Than shoot me down as I seek flight
On blackened wings, once white.
I’ll curl them about me to sleep through day
Until starlight makes everything dark.
Whole and beautiful, a canvas
For their light, these scattered words
From battered self.
Most of my poems are at least half-fictionalized, actually. Often I’ll write from a character’s point of view. Some of my best are undoubtedly authored by guys (in my head). I tend to write from a guy’s POV in stories, so this makes sense.
I’d also like to thank you, John, for doing this project. It makes my writing, including my stories, much better, and is a relief amid all the math homework I’m suffering through. And thanks to Rosemary for all her support to everyone.
you are certainly welcome leah. It has been great having you contribute.
Thanks, Leah. You and everyone are welcome. I just enjoy good poetry!
And I too am grateful to John for providing this opportunity every year. My writing also benefits from it.
I Want
I want a little car
that could follow me like a dog.
I like to walk, I need to walk,
but sometimes I walk too far
and then it would be handy
if my car was right at heel
gutter crawling slowly on a lead.
I could ride home happy
sitting at the wheel
as if it needed driving,
my clever little car.
I’d feed it oil and petrol
give it a drink of water
and put it to bed in the garage.
I wonder if it would come
if I whistled?