TEA
There’s something soothing
holding a warm cup of tea;
sunshine hides in clouds.
I’ve written about before– how important the little things are.
When the clouds crowd together over the sun, the bright sky dims, but holding a fresh cup or mug of tea or coffee, steaming aroma filling the dark with its light memories of past comforts, calms the mind and soul.
PROMPT:
What is your comfort? Can you draw it? describe it? poem it? Try it!
The poem above is a haiku: learn how to write one here [Kenn Nesbitt ] and here [The Writing Cooperative ].
The basic form is a poem of 17 syllables in three lines, the first and last are 5 syllables and the middle line is seven syllables:
TEA
5 syllables: There’s some-thing sooth-ing
7 syllables: hold-ing a warm cup of tea;
5 syllables: sun-shine hides in clouds.
Usually they are about life or nature and happen now, in-the-moment. Often the first line is a phrase of the setting, and the next two are one sentence that tells a story, with a shift in emotion or tension.
In my poem, I reversed that, I guess. My first two lines are a sentence [There’s something soothing holding a cup of tea.] But then I switch the mood in a phrase about the sunshine hiding [sunshine hides in clouds.]. Let’s see if I can improve it:
Sunshine hides in clouds–
holding a warm cup of tea
my shoulders relax.
Or
Sunshine hides in clouds–
holding a warm cup of tea
lightens my worries.
Or
Sunshine hides in clouds–
holding a warm cup of tea
sunshine in my hands.
Which one do you like? Go ahead and try—
I like the examples in the Writing Connection haiku how-to— give it a try, and remember that each poem is a step to getting better; the point is to write and try, not be perfect, because life is not perfect either, and a poem records our daily moments to remember and focus our hopes.
About this post:
Be safe out there. Find ways to help yourself, your family, and others keep going! We can do this together!
April is time for NaPoWriMo — National Poetry Writing Month, try a bit of poetry and art to encourage others to be safe with each other. Something short. Something inclusive. Something of spring and hope. #NaPoWriMo/#GloPoWriMo
The Academy of Poets encourages us to write #shelterinpoems. Get some ideas there and share your own.
Tons of information can be found at Poets.org: National Poetry Month and here: Virtual Programs.
National Council of Teachers of English also offers suggestions here.