Poetry Friday: Seasonal Blues and The Inspiration We Choose

· by · in ,

Yoda and I differ in our views on grammar. But we both like green.

I live in extreme upstate New York, where winters can get pretty rough and seem to last forever. It’s taken me years to admit it, but I do get a touch of the seasonal blues when the trees become bare and the hours of daylight start shrinking. I need my greenery, and so when all the green stuff disappears and all the living things go to sleep in their winter hideaways, I start to feel a bit sad. I watched a poof of leaves blow off a tree just the other day and actually felt the blood drain from my face. I’m sure if anyone been around me at that moment, they might have thought I was about to become ill. If SADD can be considered an illness, I suppose I was about to become ill.

I struggle with this every October, but it took me a loooong time to recognize that. I used to blame it on my hectic schedule and the fact that two months into school, my life as a teacher gets really crazy. I blamed it on other things, too, before coming to the simple realization that I really needed to stop trying to pinpoint the source and instead, focus on the solution.

In addition to doing some of those simple things (vitamins, exercise, supplements, etc.) for my biological self, I try hard to change my emotional filters at this time of the year. I count my blessings frequently. I surround myself with the people and things that I love: my supportive husband, my exuberant kids, my amazing students, my favorite chai tea, a new writing pen and journal, and a foot-warming cat.  I’ve found that this is the time of year that I can find myself in a bit of a writing rut, too, so I do my best to switch writing gears and try something new…take a break from my current project to refresh and re-energize.

With that, here’s my first attempt ( a draft) at a cleave poem. If you’re not completely familiar with this unusual and challenging form, it’s a form that can be read in three different ways: you can read the left side as an individual poem; you can read the right side as an individual poem; you can also read the poem from left to right as one whole poem. Each reading should deliver different effects on the same subject.

As you read this cleave poem, you may notice the ongoing battle between my seasonal blues and my seasonal inspirations.  This draft is far from perfect, as is my temporary victory over my ongoing battle with SADD this time of the year. But it leaves me lots of room for reflection and growth…and most importantly, room for inspiration.

poetry+friday+button

What are your inspirations? What gets you through the blahs?

Today is Poetry Friday!  Today’s Poetry Friday round-up is hosted by Linda at Teacher Dance.

Share