Wednesday, October 13, 2004

My Poems

I've written poems ever since I was a child.  I  loved the metre and rhyme of the Mother Goose ditties my mother taught me, almost in my cradle. 

Several years ago in the early 90's, I challenged myself to write a poem every day, and I did so, for the most part, for two or three years.  Then it got to be a drag and I stopped.  About three years ago I decided to try it again, and was once again able to come up with some sort of rhyme every day.  There was a group of trustworthy Internet friends who enjoyed my writing, and I'd e-mail them my daily poem.

Someone was always saying, "You should do a book of poems."  That, of course, is easier said than done... unless you self-publish.  So, that's what I did.  I had 500 books of my poem book done, and priced them high enough so that if I sold 1/3 of them, my cost was recovered.  I sold about half of them, so they paid their way, and I have no regrets about my book.

At present, I'm not doing a daily poem; it was turning into work once more, so I'm on haitus.  But now that I'm sidelined from my job, I'm thinking this would be a good time to start again.  All I need is a tiny bit of inspiration:  and that could come at any time. 

.

POEMS THAT RHYME
Donna Wood October 21, 2002
 

“I would as soon play tennis without a net as write free verse.”  Robert Frost  

It seems the people who make all the rules
(Scholars, and teachers from upper-class schools)
 All endorse free verse that’s lofty and grand:
They publish “poems” I can’t understand.
 

Granted, I’m low-class.  But it seems to me
If it doesn’t rhyme, then it’s not poetry!
I cut my teeth on old-time Mother Goose,
And raised both my children to love DoctorSeuss.
 

I love the rhyming, the rhythm and all…
The beat and the cadence, the rise and the fall.
Spare me your “free verse”.  I only have time
For easy-to-understand poems that rhyme.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Mo, thanks for sharing your thoughts.  I enjoy reading your journal as much as I did your poems everyday.  Love, Sam

Anonymous said...

Well Mo Bob is happy to hear this news. He is one of your biggest fans.

Anonymous said...

I loved the poem and the picture on the front of the book is outstanding. Did you take the picture?   Anne

Anonymous said...

Congratulations! Very nice Journal!
I love poetry and photography!_rRose

http://journals.aol.com/rrveh1/WAIT-NOTYET-/

Anonymous said...

Your book is on my coffee table next to only one other.  "Blackbird Singing" by Paul McCartney.  My two favorite poets.

Please start writing them again.

Bnana

Anonymous said...

Amen Sister Mo, on that poems that rhyme biz.  And you sure make it hard to pray your knee improves, when you offer a promise we might get more poems out of you!  Cya kiddo!  Joyce, the Dotte

Anonymous said...

I love it. Give me a poem that rhymes anytime. Paula