Write a List Poem
Beginning with "Life is the only way", write your own list poem using "A Note" as a model. Your poem must use the same number of words and structure as Szymborska's. Post a copy of your poem to the blog before coming to Wednesday's class. Be prepared to do a recital of your poem (please practice ahead of time!) and give some short remarks on the process you followed and any difficulties you experienced.
26 comments:
Note to Myself
Life is the only way
to hear whispers in trees,
hold your silence in a forest,
rise on winds;
to be a man,
or fight his cold rage;
to tell friends
from everyone who’s not;
to hold a lover,
cuddle under sheets,
to seek the least of all our misunderstandings.
An extraordinary time
to remember for a moment
the first breath
of a child born before you;
and if only once
to fall into a gutter,
end up broken by one mistake or another,
mislay your car in the lot;
and to witness raindrops perched on the end of your nose;
and to keep on not feeling
something important.
—Brad Hyde
Note to Us
Life is the only way
to climb the highest peaks,
hold your breath under the sea,
sit on waves;
to be a camel,
or ride on its hunch;
to differ wealth
from His true blessings;
to fly over mountains,
wander in deserts,
to seek the treasures hidden under the sun.
A solemn time
to offer praise and pray
the holy verses
with the candles lit up;
and only if later
to fall upon a cliff,
end up pounded in a boulder or another,
entrust your soul to a thief;
and to seek the path in total darkness with your eyes;
and to keep on not heeding
His call.
Note to Employees
Life is the only way
to walk alone in streets,
toil your mind on the spoils,
toast at feasts;
to be a boss,
or give her latest report;
to get data
from everywhere it’s not;
to learn new manners,
scribble on papers,
to aim the least of all possible errors.
An august win
to remember for a moment
a victory sound
with the hands clapping loud;
and if only once
to get sacked from work,
end up defaulted in one debt or another,
mislay your stats on the table;
and to follow a graph on the wall with your eyes;
and to keep on not doing
something important.
--Jatinder
Note to Myself
Life is the only way
to stroll wearily on beaches,
catch your dream in the tide,
rise on waves;
to be a seagull,
or fly with loud cries;
to tell solitude
from everything it’s not;
to hear old songs,
evoke in memories,
to seek the least of all possible regrets.
An extraordinary luck
to remember for a moment
a friend visited
with the sunshine beaming dawn;
and if only once
to climb on a peak,
end up sunk in one depression or another,
mislay your shoes at the seashore;
and to pat the tidewater on the spray with your eyes;
and keep on not thinking
something important.
By Qin
Note to Myself
Life is the only way
to get fascinated in fall,
open your heart under trees,
rise on colors;
to be a lovebird,
or enjoy its lovely song;
to hold rancor
about everything it’s not;
to keep inside secrets,
burry under grounds,
to seek the least of all feasible faults.
An unexpected incident
to meet a person
for a short time
involved for the whole life;
and if only once
to fall upon a hill,
end up injured by one snapshot or another,
mislay your purse in the museum;
and to pursue a painting in the hall with your mind;
and to keep on not knowing
something important.
-Zarmina Nabi
Note To The Living Dead
Death is the only way
to be covered with mud,
dressed in fine clothing,
eaten by worms;
to be an angel,
or be thrown in hell;
to tell heaven
from sea of fire;
to turn into ashes,
buried and forgotten,
to enter a new life after your demise.
The final moment
to share experiences and stories
through memorized eulogies
with your golden casket closed;
only if you are
to live your life forever,
leave your footsteps on every sun-stricken sandy shore,
dance naked at Mt. Everest‘s peak;
and to run alongside the continuously moving hands of time;
and to keep on not worrying
about end.
Note to all
Life is the only way
to do rightiousness in hearts, hold your spirit in a holy,
rise on wisdoms;
to be a sheep,
or obey his unite flock;
to tell nations
from everywhere which is not;
to pass the hollow,
mess up in desert,
to seek the least of all our sins.
An extraordinary events
to remember for a moment
the first promise
of man kinds before you;
and if only once
to send to a valley,
end up temptated by one sin or another,
drop your faith in a cave;
and to follow the difficulty of journey ahead in your mind;
and to keep on not thinking
something important.
---Mengistu Deressa
A Recent Note
Life is the only way
to drive fast pass cities,
chase the waves on the beach,
fly over mountains;
to be a dolphin,
or splash its shinny fins;
to read poetry
from everything it’s not;
to chat among crowd,
count the stars,
to ignore the least of all possible regrets.
An exotic place
to remember for a excitement
a good-bye hug
with your tears rolled down;
and if only once
to lose in the fog,
end up stand at an edge of cliff,
misplace your car in unknown area;
and to follow a direction from the stranger you first met;
and to keep going forward to
somewhere enjoyable.
--by Rita Ma
Note to Wedlock
Life is the only way
to exchange feelings at home,
catch your desire on the air,
rise on dreams;
to be a bird,
or fly to dreamlands;
to tell difficulties
from somewhere not known;
to squeeze the conditions,
dawdle in vicinities,
to seek the least of all possible happiness.
An extraordinary chance
to have a pleasant time
a cozy atmosphere held
with the wine glass exchanged by;
and if there is argument
to dispute upon a different viewpoint,
end up soaked into deep sorrow or repentance,
mislay their destiny in the heaven;
and to follow a common advantage in the living;
and to keep on not realizing
something important.
Note to Myself
Life is the only way
to lie down in ground,
catch your dream on the grass,
rise on winds;
to be a squirrel,
or climb its quick motion;
to tell strife
from everything it’s not;
to grasp current chance,
struggle in works,
to seek the least of all possible enthusiasms.
An extraordinary time
to remember for a moment
a project finished
with the flower blossom out;
and if only once
to thrill through a river,
end up span in one jump or another,
mislay your books in the floor;
and to find a star in the sky with your eyes;
and to keep on not holding
something important.
-- Nancy Luo
Life is the only way
- A Note to My Daughter
Life is the only way
To present my infinite love,
watch your face in the sunshine,
Blossom in full;
to be a mother,
or treasure you in heart;
to cherish memory
from every moment we had;
to inscribe your feelings,
keep in mind,
to attend solicitously
for the least possible oversight.
An amazing grace
to have gratitude towards God
a daughter of love held in deep ardour;
and if only one day
to grow up and leave,
end up encountered unpleasant people and hard time,
remember your days with me, honey,
and to follow a whisper in the bottom of your heart
and to believe in mom’s love
something everlasting.
A Note For present and past
Life is the only way
To get inspired in journeys
Shoot for the moon amongst stars,
High above skies,
To be wise,
Humble better than past.
To seek hope
Remember future not past.
Dwell forward for future.
Disregard past journeys.
Be curious in the sea of wilds.
Life ends soon.
Good deeds, last forever.
A silent moment,
Teaches more as never before alone,
Going back, ever cant.
Past mistakes, never counts.
A hopeful soul takes heart,
Learns and walks.
A self respect and a kind heart,
Helps others, as he walks with,
Memories of falls, but.
Forgets, the past.
A Note to me
Life is the only way
to get covered in waters,
catch your breath under the waves
rise on tide;
to be a bird,
or stroke its feather;
to be in cheer
from everything it’s not;
to ride on bike,
stroll the street,
to catch up on all our possible errors.
An extraordinary occasion
to remember for a time
a story told
with the moon bright on;
and if only once
to sink in the well,
end up soaked in one blunder or another,
mislay your glasses in the pool;
and to wobble in search of your way;
and to keep on not seeing
something important.
A Note to Me
Life is the only way
to be clothed in love,
hide your breath deep within,
lie in blissfulness;
to be a prince,
or savor his royal delicacy;
to chase happiness
from everything its not;
to pierce into guts
dwell in thoughts,
to seek the least of all possible offences.
A priceless treasure
to cherish for a moment
a new realm
with the different perspective in heart;
And if only once
to fall into a ditch
end up drinking a cup of shame or another,
Mislay your soul in the arena;
and to follow a crowd in vain with your might;
and keep on not following
the best.
Maryann
A Note
Life is the only way
to remain hidden in clouds,
follows the flow of the wind,
dance in sky;
to be a bird,
or swing its soft wings;
to tell sorrow
among all the happiness;
to gather all information,
put in sight,
to minimize the chance of doing wrong deeds.
An unforgettable experience
that ought to be reconcile
a secret discussion
held inside the lightless campsite;
and if only once
to lost track in woods,
end up trapped deep inside the unknown wilderness,
misplace your dream in the fog;
and to follow the path that shine brightly through your goal;
and to keep hold on tight
something important.
— by Michael Lu
Note To Myself
Life is the only way
to watch a bone crushing hit,
cheer for the other persons pain,
hockey is great;
to be a newborn,
or hold one in your arms;
to know whats right,
from everything thats not;
to hold your i-pod,
let it play,
to forget all your problems for three minutes.
an extraordinary opportunity,
to do something you've always wanted,
that one thing,
without a care in the world;
and if only once,
to stumble upon a cheater,
end up torn apart from the inside out;
To mislay your thoughts in a maze;
and try to find them through the walls;
only to keep searching for
something important.
A Note
Life is the only way
To emerge high to sky,
Endure the pain in the atmosphere,
Lie on clouds;
To be an eagle,
Or shine its sharp feather;
To tell truth
From everything it’s not;
To meet new people,
Have a chat,
To seek help when you are in trouble.
Trying to sleep
But can’t fall asleep
The eyes are shut
With the mind opened up;
And if only once
To make a big mistake,
End up falling down on the ground crying,
Lay your feather in the freedom;
And to follow the sunshine on a warm and sunny weather;
And to keep on not knowing
Something important.
A Note
Life is the only way
to get pushed in ditch,
eliminate your desire in the wrong,
powerless on feet;
to be a rock,
that mince in its smooth;
to bear hardship,
from anything its possible ;
to wander from home,
feed in barren,
to accept the highest awfulness of same race.
a fortunate gaze
to overlook all the past
an image burnt
in to flame and smoke;
if close doors behind
to feel lonely in far,
begin hurled up in a typhoon or storm,
base your aim hiking the height;
and to assemble a new home on site open to light;
and to persist on might getting
relieved existence.
Jamileh
A note
Life is the only way
to feel the warm sand under your bare feet,
hold the sound of the mighty ocean,
rise in spirit;
to be a seagull,
or stay in land just watching it to set free;
to be optimistic
from every moment is not;
to look into my lover’s eyes,
long time and deeply,
to seek happiness or sadness we could share;
An extraordinary opportunity
to remember for a moment
a dance under the sky overcast of stars;
And if only once
to hit against the wall,
end up fallen to pieces at sometime or another,
mislay your weeding ring on the beach;
and to look for a shining on the water with all your heart;
and keep on not knowing
something important.
Note To Myself
Life is the only way
to watch a bone crushing hit
cheer for the other persons pain
hockey is great;
to be a new stick
or hold one in your hands;
to tie your skates
have one not as tight as the other;
to hold your i-pod
let it play
to tune out everything else and get in the zone;
an extraordinary opportunity
to do something you've always wanted
that one thing
to hoist the Stanley Cup;
and if only once
to stumble upon an open net
end up taking the shot and hitting the post;
to replay that moment in your mind;
and try to figure out what went wrong;
only to come to one conclusion
I missed.
A note to my former self
Life is the only way
To hear a heart beating,
Catch the breeze between your toes,
Rest on hope;
To be a vagrant
Or acknowledge ones despair;
To watch heartbreak;
In plain sight,
To seek redemption from past wrongs made.
An extraordinary opportunity
To murmur something subtle and sweet
That once heard
Will change present and future;
And if only once
To witness a sunset fade,
Wind up pleading for a single waking glimpse
Mislay your thoughts in dreams;
And to travel on the whims of curiosity;
Sitting still.
A note with love
Life is the only way
to feel the warm sand under your bare feet,
hold the sound of the mighty ocean,
rise in spirit;
to be a seagull,
or stay inland just watching it to fly free;
to be optimistic
even in difficult times;
to look into my lover’s eyes,
for a long time and deeply,
to seek happiness or sadness we could share;
An extraordinary opportunity
to remember for a moment
a dance under the sky overcast with stars;
And if only once
to hit against the wall,
end up fallen to pieces at sometime or another,
mislay your weeding ring on the beach;
and to look for a shining on the water with all your heart;
and keep or give up loving
something important.
A Note to the Serious Minded
Life is the only way
to grow into maturity
make mistakes and not be afraid
breaths, be alive;
to be a child
delighted by a simple object;
to be discouraged
but never lose hope;
to try new things everyday
dawdle between times
to seek the most of possible fun;
an ordinary day
pumping with an extraordinary heart
a snug hug
curled up into mommy’s arm;
and if only once
to feel unloved and lonely
end up with baby’s cry or angel’s laugh.
Spends a whole day on the swing;
and to let the world shake you dizzy, feet up in the air;
and to keep on not feeling
somehow tired.
A Note To You
Life is the only way
you’ll swim across the sea,
and be the last one swimming,
you have won;
to be a guider
or challenge the great one;
to tell together
everything it really is;
under the blue umbrella
you will conquer,
and seek nothing but the endless possibilities.
An extraordinary moment
to remember for a lifetime
you will do it
with nothing holding you back;
And if only today
will you make a mistake
can leave you so empty with sadness but,
I will make you shine bright;
and together I can make you fly with my words;
and together we can go forever
something important.
-- by Sarina Sivia .
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