Poorly Chosen Craft Move
Conferences plus Covid
alliterative perhaps
but assuredly not poetic
Ugh! So, there’s some context for you. I’ve been swimming in conferences, fever, unplanned absences, cancelled conferences, sub plans, election angst, rescheduled conferences, cancelled rescheduled conferences, etc. And although I can now smell, I still have a very limited range of taste. Somehow, that just seems to be the sour icing on this unpleasant cake I’ve been consuming. But, on the bright side, I’m getting better (yay!), I only have two more conferences to make up, and Linda set us a lovely challenge for the month. Thank goodness for writing friends and challenges!
For our Inklings challenge, Linda shared Joy Harjo’s poem, “Fall” and asked us to respond to it in any way we chose. For some reason (in the midst of fever perhaps?), it seemed like a good idea to print out the entire poem, cut apart the words and then use every single one, some still in phrases, to write a new poem. So, that’s what I tried to do. It was a mixed success.
Ultimately, I took that poem and removed some words and phrases away to come up with this. Every word in this poem is in Harjo’s poem (unless I’ve lost track!), but I’ve chopped out quite a few. Mostly it still feels a bit fever-dreamy to me.
In the Aftermath of Lament
With you on my mind
I cry a forever blue song,
another hanging perfectly
in a necklace of days.
Sky is slightly overcast.
A jay is there again.
The divine yellow leaves
now dark, damp,
a jacket for the earth,
might open the hallway
into this day.
If I need forward,
if I hear the rain,
will your story keep in mine?
©Molly Hogan
To see what the other Inklings did with this challenge, click on their names:
Catherine Flynn
Mary Lee Hahn
Heidi Mordhorst
Margaret Simon
Linda Mitchell
This week’s Poetry Friday Roundup is hosted by Patricia J. Franz at her blog.
Nix the comfort zone 
[…] FlynnMary Lee HahnHeidi MordhorstMolly HoganLinda […]
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Your title is all kinds of perfect, setting the tone for this “forever blue song” of misery and beauty and longing. I love that the “you” can be human, animal, season, or idea. I DO “need forward.”
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UGH! We have covid running around our building too. It is such a nuisance and having to cover each other as there aren’t enough substitutes. Feel better fast, Molly! That phrase, “jacket for the earth” is beautiful. I love the soft comfort of this poem. It has all the elements I expect from you, softness, kindness and a feeling of awe.
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Molly, I am so sorry for all your recent anguish. Sour icing on an unpleasant cake is such a humorous and clever way to sum it up! I hope that you are feeling better and everything in your life gets back on track with a fresh beginning in November. : )
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In each of the Inklings’ poems, I am drawn to that beautiful “necklace of days” — and in yours, Molly, I hear the hope and prayer for a blue wave in a few days! I do hope you are feeling better and find your tastebuds soon!
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So sorry for all the mishap, Molly, but this is a gem, floating along with Harjo, then bringing “your” voice to it, so strong!
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I love the longing in this draft. I feel it in my bones.
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I love your poem, Molly. That experiment worked out well for you. I’m sorry about your COVID and hope you can avoid getting sick again any time soon!
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Molly, your Poorly Chosen Craft Move cracks me up. I agree that your feverish approach to Joy’s poem worked out well, very well, and haven’t some of our most inspired writers created under the influence of one kind of fever or another? I’ve been finding that I compose more interestingly when I don’t have my BIC (“butt in chair”) but when I’m nearly asleep at night or recording on my phone while driving. Paper is overrated! (unless you cut it up). I like the way “keep” means in your last line.
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Oh a “necklace of days.” Beautiful. So sorry you’ve been sick. Most people don’t realize how much work it is to be out of the classroom sick. Hope you will get caught up and feeling better soon!
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Molly, sorry that you are ill from COVID. I was lucky that last month my meet-up with COVID was mild. It is difficult to
I can feel this line in your poem “cry a forever blue song…in a necklace of days”. If there was crying a blue song, it is now but I am hoping that this time around both parties will have some semblance of dignity and togetherness.
(PS: I like the strategy you used to write your poem.)
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