I do not know what we got ourselves into this month.
This was the hardest thing! An anagram poem.
(Curses, Linda Baie for making this look so fun and easy last month!)
Why did I find it so so so hard? OK, impossible.
But the clock’s run out of time so here goes….
a pair of anagrams per line.
Aaaaaaak!
What can I glean from the angel
at my elbow about what lies below?
What can I parse from her spare
verse (that veers toward
danger), what garden does she
steer me through, what hooked trees
loom in stark detail?
My eyes dilate
as I gaze over the acres that scare me,
at the serpents earth presents.
But then at the bluest sky, too – not subtle,
that goodness. It cannot stifle itself,
this earth – its heart whole, like mine.
Now go check out the others!
Tanita
Tricia
Sara
Andi
Laura
And go enjoy Poetry Friday at The Blog With the Shockingly Clever Title!
Happy weekend everyone….
Liz, that poem is marvelous and this makes you an anagrammarian. The ending is beautiful.
Oh, Carol. Do I even WANT to be an anagrammarian?? What a challenge this is, but what fun, too…. Thank you!
I love how we chose some of the same word pairs and used them in such different ways. I adore the last two lines.
Reading this, it doesn’t seem like you struggled at all!
I noticed that we’d doubled up on a few, too. What a ride, huh?
Liz, sorry it felt like a struggle, which you so beautifully put into your poem, but then, ah, relief! I am excited that you all are trying it out with anagrams!
hahaha — Oh, Linda — you know I’m really just awed by you, not cursing you. I had no idea how tricky these would be! Thank you for the inspiration!
Liz, you make those anagrams sing! So fitting for that angel – full of questions and dancing right through them. You are an “anagrammarian” indeed.
Ha ha ha — thanks, Andi. And yes, the angel was the one thing I stuck with from the start — she was my guiding light!
I couldn’t get PAIRS of words that seemed right to me, but now I’m going to try some more – you inspire me!
See, that’s how I feel, reading all of yours. Like maybe I should try this again with an attitude adjustment!
Liz, this is stunning. And, are you crazy? A pair of anagrams in every single line? Holy Toledo, I have no idea how you pulled off this beautiful poem.
Well, Ms. Rhyming Anagram…. I think this is one of those exercises where once you lay down the rules for yourself, you just do it. By hook or by crook….
It cannot stifle itself,
this earth – its heart whole, like mine.”
Ah! So lovely. I also bow down to the “anagrammarian” who despite challenge, even in new forms, always manages to sound completely, truly LIZ. I admire that so much about you and your poetry.
I read your preface to your poem and it sounded as though you agonized so much, but then your poem was so fun and entertaining that the struggle wasn’t visible. I guess that’s the sign of a true anagrammarian! (Thanks for the word, Carol!)
Ruth, thank you. You are too generous!
Wow! I think you did fabulous! When I first read about this challenge, I thought, You are kidding, right? An anagram in every line? I fear mine would be gibberish if I attempted to write one.
Well, that’s what I thought too! Try one!
You guys are slaying the anagram poems.
“But then at the bluest sky, too – not subtle,
that goodness. It cannot stifle itself,
this earth – its heart whole, like mine.”
Perfection.
ha ha — I don’t know about slaying, but THANK YOU!
Long live the whole hearted earth–thanks for your lovely and mysterious poem!
Long live the whole hearted earth!
In 2nd grade we’ve been rewatching some good videos about how struggle is good for your brain–it’s at those moments of challenge when you’re working at the very edge of your understanding that your brain remakes itself. So I think you succeeded in more ways than one here. 🙂
I know you are right, Heidi. Thank you for the reminder!
These anagram poems are so clever and fun! I especially love thinking about earth/heart as anagrams.
I loved that one, too!
You, too, make it look fun and easy, Liz! I’m blown away by all of you. Brava!