It’s hard to believe we’re more than half-way through this year of form challenges.
The whole thing has been equal parts hard and dreamy, really.
And this month, no exception.
So our agreed-upon challenge was to write a poem “In the style of….” and we finally decided to write “in the style of” e.e. cummings. Because who, pray tell, writes in a more recognizable style than e.e.?
We each chose a different poem, wrote our own piece based upon the original, and then recorded that piece so that we could experience the echo both on the page and aurally.
It was tricky to decide how closely we should hew to e.e.’s pieces, but what he offered up in terms of language and sensuality and risk and playfulness? WOW. What a pleasure. So, humbly, I offer up my poem, in the style of:
i liked you when you were curled within
me and now you are so yes a new thing.
Touch tiny and drift more.
i like your cry. i like how it calls me,
i like its round lips. i like to feel the weight
of your still-soft skull against my neck, and the ache
pain-love ness and the what will
always and always and always
be, i like knowing the almost all of you,
i like, slowly seeing the, deep tunnel
of parts I’ll never plumb, and the wholeness
inside out… And heart-blinking baby,
certainly this mother love
of mine, for you, so yes so new.
And here is that very same poem read aloud!
And here is the poem it was based upon….
Finally, here are my poetry sisters’ poems and recordings:
Kelly Fineman
(Find links to even more awesome poetry at this week’s Poetry Friday host, The Logonauts!)
Fare well, friends. Thanks for stopping by and happy weekend.
I love that this was in the ee cummings style. It’s a beautiful poem. I was moved, but the first two lines that image of being curled up within was powerful image. I enjoyed reading this, i enjoyed the sound of it and the way the words roll of the tongue. thanks for sharing.
-iphigene
Wow Liz. What a beautiful celebration of the bond between mother and baby. I adore it. I also loved the addition of hearing it read aloud.
Liz, this is so tender and perfect. “and the ache
pain-love ness and the what will
always and always and always
be”
Yes.
“i like to feel the weight
of your still-soft skull against my neck, and the ache
pain-love ness”
That is exquisite. Ah, Liz—our babies are not babies anymore, are they? And yet, they always will be. Thank you for reminding me of that. xoxo
The sensuality of the original poem is expressed in the imagery of the coiled wee person — the outer wrapped around the inner; cradled and holding close this person. I think it’s beautiful that the speaker knows the ALMOST all of you – this little being coiled within is all yours, yet all hers, too. LOVE this.
e.e. cummings wouldbewillbe proud bitty green
too
Such lovely poems!
Liz, your poem is especially meaningful. My daughter is pregnant with identical twin girls. I’m sending her this link. She will love this!
What a precious and powerful poem! Must share this with my sister who recently became a mother for the first time. Love it!
I just adore these images! “Touch tiny and drift more.” So fitting for e. e.’s style, and so evocative. You’ve created a beautiful thing here.
Gorgeous, Liz. And what a treat to hear you read it.
“And the what will always and always and always be” *love*
dangerous – this, Liz.
makes me want to be pregnant again.
appreciations.
ha ha ha!
I know — I think that’s a life-long risk!