”We don’t read and write poetry because it’s cute. We read and write poetry because we are members of the human race. And the human race is filled with passion. And medicine, law, business, engineering, these are noble pursuits and necessary to sustain life. But poetry, beauty, romance, love, these are what we stay alive for. To quote from Whitman, ‘O me! O life!… of the questions of these recurring; of the endless trains of the faithless… of cities filled with the foolish; what good amid these, O me, O life?’ Answer. That you are here – that life exists, and identity; that the powerful play goes on and you may contribute a verse. That the powerful play *goes on* and you may contribute a verse. What will your verse be?” – John Keating (Robin Williams), Dead Poets Society
I really love this quote. It speaks the truth. Poetry flows freely from our passion to express ourselves. It comes deep within our soul. Oftentimes, it is what we are feeling that become and shape into a verse.
Mine is:
When my long arduous journey
is oftentimes trodden in solitary
Avoided and feared by many
for its steep ground is stony
I feel Him
when my vision becomes dim
He guides me
towards the light for me to be free – Winnie
How about you? What will be your verse?
Image: Pixabay
Love all of this. Such truth about a beautiful form of art xx
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I’m glad you agree with me. Thank you for taking the time to read. 😊
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Of course! 😉
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It’s putting a painting into words and then painting it in people’s minds.
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I totally agree with you.
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I like to write…
To make laughs and excite!
And one more thing
I’m thinking of…
I really love to write about
love!
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Nice! Thank you for sharing. I love it!
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Beautiful post! I write poetry when I can express my thoughts better by that medium. When fewer words say more.
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Thank you! So very true! Short but meaningful words.
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😊
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John Keating!!!
This movie made my cry every time I watch it and giving lessons to me!!
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Me too! Thank you for dropping by.
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Poetry is fun, joy, life, and should be shared with the world just as you have. Great write Winnie❤️😊
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I truly agree with you, Eddaz! Thank you, dear! 😊❤️️
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You are welcome Winnie💝
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Absolutely beautiful Winnie! ❤️
“I only wrote prose before I met you.
My musings were superfluous and serious as well.
But now the words dance with me.
I sing with them
and we create poetry.”
― Kamand Kojouri
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Thank you, dear! ❤️ Wow! Thank you for sharing that lovely poem. I loved it! So very true. The words dance with us and we sing with them. Wow! ❤️
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Sensational Winnie! I agree it’s the things that fill us with passion and purpose that we live for!🤗❤️🌹
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So very true, Jenna! Thank you for that fantastic comment 😃❤️🌹
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Always my pleasure!😊 Here’s to having a wonderful weekend!🌈☀️😊❤️🌹
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Cheers! I love that emojis 😊🌹❤️
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Right, rainbows and sunshine are always good times!😘
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😊❤️🌹
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this is so true and the quote very profound. love your thoughts on poetry Winnie. indeed when it starts with a feeling the words flow and the reader feels one with the poem. you journey is marked with beautiful milestones to bring love and light to others in all you do, in written word and also in deed. you are a lovely shining soul.
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Awww! Thank you for sharing your lovely thoughts, Gina! I used to hate poetry when I was in high school. Little did I know it will be an integral part of me.
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but you are so accomplished Winnie! truly love your free verse it has its own form and flow. Haha I loved poetry from very young but I only started writing it about 2 years ago. I was never really good at it and preferred prose and stories. yes i can see how this is your soul food now. keep on writing it is so wonderful
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Awww! Thank you, Gina! I have to thank my teachers in English and our language then hehe. But I love reading poetry. I stumbled an old book of my uncle when I was a child in our home. I was so mesmerized. Yes, you’re right! It is my soul food. Thank you for the encouragement!
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wordpress has been so funny lately that I don’t seem to get all comments or posts in my feed. I dont know how i could have missed your reply. It was the same for me, I was introduced to poetry from a book I found in the library and have loved it ever since. you are so welcome Winnie, so happy you write for us to read
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I totally agree with you. It’s the same with most of us. That’s great! It’s like stumbling upon a treasure, isn’t it? Likewise, Gina.
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I really love yours.
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I am humbled by your comment, Drew. Thank you!
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So…so true…poetry isn’t just flow of words but thoughts deep within😊
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Yes!😊
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Beautiful Winnie
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Thank you so much, dear! ❤
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Loved your verse and that iconic quote you shared too, Winnie! ❤
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I’m glad you loved my verse, Isha! Thank you so much! 😊❤️
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💛😊
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I am still learning to pen my own stanza
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You can. You have a way with words. Just let it flow. I would love to see your verse. 😊
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🤗 You are very kind hearted.
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I am humbled my friend. 😇
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😇🙏
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You have a lovely way of writing that captivates readers…great poems
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Awww! Thank you, dear! How are you? 😊
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Love this
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Thank you! I’m glad you love it. 🙂
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Well defined, Winnie!
My verse:
* When a love moves a soul, even within the silence. Within just a gaze, with just a smile. When love truly moves, a heart cries. The feeling moved the soul, to tears! Blessings!
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Thank you, Warren!
Wowww! That is so beautiful! I was moved to tears. Thank you for sharing, Warren! Watch out for your verse. I’m going to compile those who have participated. 😊
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My absolute pleasure, Winnie! I read all your post, blessings!
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Thank you for that, Warren! Blessings to you too!
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I love this thought and post on poetry. I have been exploring poetry more lately and have started posting poems more, always looking for feedback too to grow in this area. I love your poem, it’s so inspiring. 🙂
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Thank you for that wonderful comment! Good luck with your poetry. I hope you can share your verse. Please check out my post after this one. 🙂❤️
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Nice one
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Thank you!
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Welcome
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Thank you for sharing this post! 🙂 When Richa invited everyone to join in the fun for OctPoWriMo2018 poetry month, I wasn’t sure what to think. After writing a few poems, I felt like I stumbled upon something beautiful as I was exploring the medium again. My feelings, memories, and thoughts became intertwined and woven onto an imaginative landscape. ❤
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It was the same with me. I was not even sure if I can deliver the day to day prompt.
Wow! That’s great! I hope you can share your verse. You can find the instruction in my next post after this one. ❤️
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You ALL Rock here! Thank you for inspiring me. The more inspired we are,the more inspiring we may be. ☺️
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Thank you! 😊
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What a beautiful thought!
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Thank you for appreciating it!
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Beautiful, it’s a just simple beauty..
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Thank you! I hope you can share your verse too!
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Truly amazing and much appreciated
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Thank you so much! I appreciate your comment.
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So perfectly written! Love it!
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Thank you so much! 🙏🏼
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😄😄😄
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😊
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mwsrwritings.com/raka-award-nominations-3/
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I use my poetry to explore contrasts in human nature. It really never started that way, but my work moved into the dark and disturbing. I grapple with the concept in Buddhism where good and evil are different sides of the same coin, and your quote of Whitman’s work harkens back to my favorite poem of his, one I first hated, “Out of the Cradle Endlessly Rocking.” That poem, reading it, was my real coming of age as an artist. In it water represents life and death, good and evil. Water gives life and takes it indiscriminately. In Christianity, we separate these as opposing forces, but in my work God and the devil are the same; one cannot really exist without the other. The cycle, the struggle of human life confirms this. This became clearer to me when I had a conversation with someone from a non-Christian culture. She told me to explain heaven. After I did, she said, “Wow, for a religion that depends upon heaven and salvation so much after life, you sure don’t spend much time thinking about it. Actually, your description of a utopia sounds more like pending hell than heaven.” We would get bored and start looking for thrill.
So my work looks at contrasts particularly in girlhood because the construction of girlhood and femininity is very complex and interesting to me as a male.
Thanks for writing and asking!
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Interesting! Thank you for sharing your thoughts!
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I feel so often that we restrict poetry to language – but so often even an image, art – anything that evokes emotion can become a form of poetry.
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So very true! Thank you for sharing your thoughts.
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A short and meaningful poem that contains your essence. I enjoyed reading it!
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Thank you so much! I’m happy you enjoyed reading it. ❤️
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