Wednesday, January 8, 2014

Poets United Mid-Week Motif ~ Newness


“How fast the stream flows from January to December!” 


A MOTIF is an important and usually repeating idea or theme in a work of art,  a feature in a decoration or design <a flower motif in wallpaper> , and similar ideas in music and science.


 Today’s Motif: Newness 


In 75 words or less: A New Year.  Again.  Are you a fan of "new"? Or are you tired of the whole idea of "new," preferring the tried and true?  As I take over Kim's Verse First starting today, I feel almost too much newness.  I miss her already.

My favorite thing about a New Year in the Northeast USA is that I see the return of the light that began with the Winter Solstice. Days grow longer and promise is in the air.  This is both new and old, recurring year after year.


Today I am inspired by poets Carl Adamshick and Jimmy Santiago Baca:



New years' morning by Carl Adamshick
A low, quiet music is playing—
distorted trumpet, torn bass line,
white windows. My palms
are two speakers the size
of pool-hall coasters.
I lay them on the dark table
for you to repair.                                                  
 (35 words)
Copyright © 2010 by Carl Adamshick. From Curses and Wishes (Louisiana State University Press, 2011). Used by permission of the author.  This poem was featured as 1/1/2014 poem-a-day at Poets.org. 

It would be neat if with the New Year
     BY JIMMY SANTIAGO BACA
                   for Miguel

It would be neat if with the New Year
I could leave my loneliness behind with the old year.
My leathery loneliness an old pair of work boots
my dog vigorously head-shakes back and forth in its jaws,
 . . . . 

From Winter Poems Along the Río Grande. Copyright © 2004 by Jimmy Santiago Baca. 


Please:
  1. Post your 75-word (or less) poem on your site and then link it here.
  2. Share only original and new work written for this challenge. 
  3. Honor our community by visiting and commenting on others' poems.


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57 comments:

  1. I doubt...about my verse...hope it fits in this new year-newness column!

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    Replies
    1. Of course it fits in, PT. I'll be giving it a closer reading soon.

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  2. Welcome, Susan! Thanks for this inspiration!

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    1. Thank you for the welcome, Karen.

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    2. Karen, I was unable to see your poem at your site. Please fix the link above or link anew and I'll delete the first.

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    3. Is there some reason my link (good along with bad) is gone?

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  3. i will see what i can cook up for you during training today susan...and try to drop it in the comments at lunch...

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    1. of all things new

      the dry drop of eggnog,
      round, in the subtle grain
      of the tabletop

      easily scratched away
      with a fingernail
      has enough

      meaning to carry us
      through

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    2. What memories that little drop must stand for!
      Thanks for bringing this poem round, dear Brian.

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    3. A poet can read reams of stories in a dry drop of eggnog. Good one, Brian!

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  4. Nice first prompt, Susan!! I think poets are always looking for a NEW approach...which is kind of what I wrote about.

    Am looking forward to reading what is shared.

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  5. Susan,

    Loved this and hope that my effort works with your intention...
    Eileen..

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    Replies
    1. Absolutely! I'm happy that you are here.

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    2. Susan,
      I appreciate the individual response. Something motivating about that recognition. Thank you,
      Eileen

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  6. Replies
    1. Thank you, Laurie. Congratulations on your forthcoming book!

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  7. enjoyed the new prompt! will be back later to read others! Thanks Susan!

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  8. good challenge... time to pit the thinking cap on...

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    1. Looking forward to reading your poem, Robert.

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  9. Alas my fateful flaw of being long winded has made me wander outside the borders just a tad.. the 75 word rule bit the dust on mine... :)

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    1. But what a poem! I don't see anything to prune, and feel happier for having read it.

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  10. Hi kids. Yippee! A new year and a cool prompt! Doesnt get much better than that! Welcome, Susan. So nice to see so many people pumped to start Mid-Week Motif off with a bang!

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    1. Glad to see you, Sherry! Your poem brings such power and strength.

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  11. Thanks Susan for the prompt today. and thank you to Kim for the fun prompts at Verse First!

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    1. Hi Leslie, I don't see how to leave a comment on your site. I love the form and circularity of this poem with rose and snow and hope and joy.

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  12. I tried speaking in Buk's voice. Hope you enjoy it. Great subject, by the way!

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    Replies
    1. Thanks for joining in. I did enjoy it, very much!

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  13. Thanks for the prompt, Susan! Looking forward to what other poets will share.

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    Replies
    1. It's been fun so far. Thank you for being here.

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  14. Thank you for the prompt, i had a go at this and linked it to my other blog to coincide with Word365. I hope this was Ok. Looking forward to being here in 2014. regards Alan

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    1. Thank you, Alan. I am very glad you posted this poem. Such Grace!

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  15. A lovely first prompt Susan, and a great couple of poems to lead us off as well...thanks so much and Merry New Year!

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    1. Thank you, SE, Happy New Year to you. Your poem is delightful.

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  16. It's been a long time since I last posted to a 'challenge' here. And here's my offer. Hope it fits.

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    1. Thank you for bringing an offering today. Truthfully, I didn't see the newness motif in your poem, but I enjoyed reading it anyway. Perhaps the foorgiveness is new?

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    2. My bad Susan, I read through the challenge after a long, tiring day and misunderstood it. I failed to notice I was supposed to write about New Year. Yes, the idea was newness in the way you see old things, acceptance of behavior that once seemed unacceptable. I write a lot about being selfish, this was just another poem. Thanks for your visit and comment. Promise to read more carefully next time.

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    3. #632 is unique and brilliant. I went back to read it again today.

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  17. Thnak you your sweet poem, Loredana. I am happy that someone else ushers in the new with a coffee shop, if not with coffee.

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  18. Goodnight Poets. I'll check in again in the morning.

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  19. Good prompt!

    http://purplepeninportland.wordpress.com/2014/01/09/new-book/

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    Replies
    1. Great poem! I love reading between the covers. Do you want to put this in Mr. Linky?

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  20. Hopefully not too late, not quite sure what day it is in the US :) http://agoodatheist.blogspot.co.nz/2014/01/another-chance.html

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    1. I don't even know when this linky closes! Glad you are here.

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  21. I'm going to link again . No idea why the working link disappeared. Sorry for the confusion.

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    1. It's all good. I erased you at #3 and 4. The working link is #21. And now you are also #25. But that's cool. I'm just learning how to work this technology--so we'll learn together! Thank you for caring and checking in so often.

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  22. I'm here Susan ~ Thanks for the lovely challenge ~

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  23. Lovely prompt Susan!! glad to see you in the team! Glad to be here with some random thoughts. Thought will not be able to make it. will catch others on the trail...

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  24. First of all , I'm sorry to post a wrong link at #28. As the name and link was stored and I accidentally hit the 'enter' button, it just happened :-( .

    Please ignore the #28 link for me. The next one is the link for this prompt of new year.
    HAPPY NEW YEAR to all the dear members of Poets United. :-)

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    1. I'll remove it Maniparna. Thank you for linking your poetry here.

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  25. haven't visited in awhile just started a couple months back.... enjoyed your post and subject matter... made me want to write a poem..!!!

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    1. Thank you, p.o.p., come on back when you have one or just to enjoy the poems already here.

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  26. Very late joining in, sorry. New year, very busy.

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    Replies
    1. I think many of us have captured this busy bug.

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