19 Syllable Happiness

June 7, 2017

The sun has returned after what seems like days and days of cool, rainy weather. Summer is finally in the air.

In this blog, I am going to share some poems that I have written in the last few weeks. Many are inspired by the ocean in Maine. I spent my birthday sitting on the wet rocks at the very tip of Seapoint Beach.

I learned about this form of poetry from my cousin friend, Tracey, who first inspired me to write when I was ten years old. On my annual February visit to Hawaii, where Tracey lives, we played around with this structure. I find myself writing these little poems all the time – at the beach, after meditation, looking out the window. I love how simple and spare they are.

These are 19 syllable poems in four lines, a kind of elongated Haiku. Line 1 – 7 syllables, Line 2 – 5 syllables, Line 3 – 2 syllables (or 1), Line 4 – 5 (or 6).

Since this is play, if I need 20 syllables, I do. Or sometimes I let the 19 syllables spin me where else they want to go. I have found it very settling, therapeutic and just fun. Try some yourself.

 

from Hawaii:

 

I walk alone pondering

poems and pleasure,

streams

sing their way to the sea.

 

~

 

Which way does the weather go?

from above? from the sea?

or

from my heart, tangled and free?

 

 

from my birthday:

Misty rocks rise through my bones,

water within and

without –

the ocean calls me.

 

after meditation:

 

Stand on the sill of thinking.

Jump out the window,

roll, lay

down and watch the sky.

by the ocean:

 

Sitting on granite, symphonic

sea on three sides –

I breathe

sweet smelling lightness.

 

~

 

I don’t need a clock. I have

the wind in my hair,

the waves,

the first wisps of clouds.