Friday Writings #187: Celebration

 

 

Hello again, dear Word Weavers –

As a citizen of the world, how are you holding up?

These are such difficult times to be alive! Most of all, of course, for those who are directly suffering the terrible effects of both wars and climate change – but also for all those of us who watch in horror. For writers, there’s the extra complication of whether we have a duty to comment in protest, or whether instead we need to remind our readers of all the beauty and good in the world. 

I rather believe it’s a bit of both. But in contemplating the horrors, I have most often been struck dumb. On the few occasions I’ve been able to write something – particularly on the military operations – I have wondered if it’s too inflammatory to share, if it would only exacerbate everything. 



Then I bethink myself that the teachings of Jesus (although I am far from an orthodox Christian) really are the ultimate answer: Love is the only workable way to live; if we could all embody that in our dealings with each other, what a wonderful world it would be! It may be that we'd do better to write poems and stories which add to the love and joy in the world. How good if that could have a collective effect on the overall energy! Even if it raises the spirits of a few individuals – including ourselves – isn’t that well worth doing?

I don’t really know any final, definitive answer to these questions. But I do think that writing poems which celebrate life, and all or any of its components, is a thing worth doing.

So, your optional prompt this week is to write in celebration of a person, a place, a thing, whatever ...

Extra: Optional form prompt. If you care to use this, it may be combined with the prompt I’ve just given you, or with anything you choose to write off prompt … or, of course, you need not use it at all. For those who would like to (and especially Priscilla, who requested it recently) let’s try a Sapphic ode. [Instructions at the link.] They can be tricky, using what is nowadays an unusual pattern of heavy and light stresses – but that can result in finding new ways to say things. (Perhaps this pattern is more common in Greek than English, but I'm not a Greek speaker so I don't know. Can anyone tell me?) Your ode can be any number of verses. Because I find the form challenging, my own this time is only one.

Bonus (a little gift – some extra reading you might enjoy. I did!): From musician and writer Nick Cave’s ‘Red Hand Files’ where he answers questions from his public, Issue #330 talks about the inspiration for his song lyrics. 

Guidelines: One post per person, 369 words maximum (excluding title and notes), post it on your blog, use Mister Linky below to link to the particular post (not your blog as a whole) and hopefully read, enjoy and make encouraging comments on others’ work.

Next week: We will invite you to find a scar on your body (or in your mind/heart), and write poetry or prose inspired by it (how it happened, how it makes you feel, what it means to you...). If you don’t have any scars (hey, it could happen!), then find inspiration in the concept of scars.