List Poem: "A Note"
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.
Try to find a rhythm to the words you choose (note the number of syllables as well as the number of words). Be careful to punctuate exactly the same way and be aware of how the poet has used punctuation to divide and compare ideas.
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.
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Another Note to Myself
Life is the only way
to breathe icy winter air,
plunge your hands into pockets,
shiver on streets;
to be a friend,
or cry in deep despair;
to tell someone
stories you shared already;
to squeeze fresh oranges,
savour a coffee,
to seek the best espresso shot ever.
An extraordinary time
to remember once again
a younger man
with all his lofty dreams;
and if only once
to share the worst pain,
finish something started long ago,
lose sight of your destination;
and to remember a hug from someone that you love;
and to continue on not recognizing
many failures.
—by Brad Hyde; November 21, 2010
Note: I noticed that with mult-syllable words that, sometimes, it is better to match the rhythm you want than an exact word count on the line. Use your best judgement and read the poem, out loud, to yourself again and again (and again!) to get the sounds right.
It's hard work, I know!
A Note to Us
Life is the only way
to be burnt by the sun,
catch snowflakes with your tongue,
inhale a fresh breeze;
to be a Narwhal,
swimming in the Arctic sea;
to become frozen stiff
by someone else’s fear;
to wonder about the future,
seeking questions to answer,
taking the path of most resistance.
An amazing fluke,
to remember who you are
through the awesome beauty
of snow covered mountains;
and if only for an instant
to see the world as it is;
one giant living globe in a universe of nothing.
Cluttering preconceived notions
melting ice castles of the polar kings;
and you don’t, yet, have to buy the air you breath.
A Small Reminder to Myself.
Life is the only way
to lie in a white, soft blanket,
to be silent amongst people,
not knowing what to say;
to be a bird,
or fly on its wings;
to tell anything
from everything it's not to my loved ones;
to download everything on my USB illegally,
dawdle on my facebook and/or twitter,
to seek the most of my possible chances;
An extraordinary chance
to have a real friend to talk
when I was in high school;
and if only once
to acknowledge the knowledge,
end up bathed in the sun on a deck or in another place,
misspelled names on the board;
and to chase the stars in the night sky with eyes;
and to keep on not knowing
anything important.
-by Esther Park
A Fleeting Thought
Life is the only way
to sit on a bench in the rose garden.
read your novels on the fluffy bed,
walk on clouds;
to be a bird,
or free from the cage;
to tell children
from everyone who`s not;
to find old friends,
chat on facebook,
to share your young and ambitious dream.
An extraordinary birthday card
to remember for a moment
of being forty myself
with faint facial wrinkles;
and if only once
to fail a test,
end up waiting one year or another,
mislay your recipe in the drawer;
and to wait cherry blossoms galore in your town;
and to keep on not thinking
something important.
A Note
Life is the only way
to get covered in ideas,
catch a cold from a friend
rise on hopes;
to be a superman,
or kiss your clever Lois;
to tell chocolate
from everthing it’s not;
to squeeze into leaving train,
dawdle on clouds,
to seek the biggest of all past surprises.
An unexpected picture
to remember for a while
of toddlers playing
with the iron switched on;
and if only once
to stumble upon a beauty,
end up tied in a knot of questions,
misley your mind in the laundry;
and to follow a call of the irracional side of you;
and to keep on discovering
something extraordinary.
A Note to Me
Life is the only way
to go around the world,
walk through the lovely beach,
sleep on couch;
to be a reader,
or write a poem;
to take risk
against everything that is planned;
to pursue your goals,
discover new things,
to play as long as you can.
An extraordinary moment
to remember what your purpose is
an unforgettable life
with full of surprises;
and if only once
to tell that you love her,
hiding this feelings for years,
forget your past life;
and to focus on what you want for you future;
and to enhance what is best
start to change
A Note
Life is the only way
to get dressed in costumes,
perform your dance on the stage,
spin on tiptoes;
to be a lark,
or enjoy its happy sing;
to tell right
from everything it’s not;
to hunt inside ads,
change in places,
to search the most of all possible chances.
A special event
to remember for a moment
an embrace held
before the train went away;
and if only once
to sail in a boat,
end up soaked in one upturn of another,
misput your feet in the water;
and to follow the drift of the cloud with your heart;
and to keep on not knowing
anywhere home.
A Note for You
Life is the only way
to care for someone you love,
spending the time you have,
with joy and fun;
to be a lily,
or a rose that everybody knows;
to show love
from deep of your heart;
to success on your goals,
trying hard,
making mistakes but not forget to correct them.
An amazing memory
to remember forever
a letter written
filled with love and warmth;
and if only once
to have a chance to go back,
and to fix all the mistakes to have no regrets,
find the goal of your life;
and reach your dreams with success and self respect;
and do not look back but forward
to be what you want.
A Note
Life is the only way
to be surrounded in thoughts,
catch your thoughts of the perfect place,
climb on mountains;
to be a friend ,
or wait to meet them;
to tell friends
from everything it’s not;
to squeeze inside memories,
dwell in thoughts,
to seek the least of all possible events.
An extraordinary possibility
to remember for a little while
a new idea
with different thoughts in my mind;
and If only once
to stumble upon a stone,
end up looking from one side to another,
mislay your mistakes of the past;
and to follow a spark in the dark night with your naked eyes;
and to keep on finding
something significant.
A Note to You
Life is the only way
to eat icy flakes in winter,
warm your hands by the fire,
rise on planks;
to be a pro,
or pretend that its so;
to tell joy
from all that it's not;
to make powder fly,
soar through the sky,
to seek the least of all possible trails.
An extraordinary parent
to remember for a moment
a wonderful childhood
with so many chances;
and if only once
to shred a strange mountain,
end up finding new love in the familiar,
Mislay your reason in the snow;
and to follow your sister closely through white trees;
and to keep on not caring
beyond these peaks.
A Note to Remember
Life is the only way
to cherish old days,
remembering priceless events,
money can’t pay;
to be a kid,
or explore something new;
to share my stories,
from a life full of glories;
to stop time,
wishing to be fine,
to dream the impossible makes me shine.
A thought of stability
to think without obstacles
a past experience
with a lively story I should be humble;
And if only once
to fall into another chance
end up playing with joy in abundance,
mislay your self in the present time;
and to collect the best parts of your journey;
and keep on not forgetting
something essential.
A Note
Life is the only way
to be surrounded by family,
relieve your stress through fun,
reach your dreams;
to be a baby
or hear its soft breaths;
to see sadness
from each other’s eyes;
to cherish every moment,
delve into bliss,
to grasp the most of any outcome.
An exceptional opportunity
to reminisce for an instant
the morals once learned
with a composed mind;
and if only once
to arrive upon a crossroad,
end up tempted, pressured or lost,
remember what you’ve been taught;
and to make your conscious choice with confidence;
and to take that leap of faith
to the future you’ve created.
Note to Myself
Life is the only way
to dismiss morning alarm clocks,
watch sand go through an hourglass,
escape contagious rumors;
to be empowered,
or to stand back;
to tell truth
from all that’s fake;
to sip on tea,
elevate in rainfall,
to forget the most of all our misfortunes.
An extraordinary way
to be reminded once again
that this life
is more than selfish pursuits;
and if only once
to fall into a ditch,
to be stuck by one obstacle or another,
misplace your drink in a crowded room;
and to ride a bike through quiet lanes and empty alleys;
and to keep on feeling
something important.
Life is the only way
to have a challenge,
learn new things,
to face the consequences;
to believe in your dreams,
or fail miserably;
you only have one chance,
to do what you want;
to reach your goals,
with full confidence.
A priceless treasure,
to conquer your fears
and find happiness;
to be a King,
to face the world yourself,
to be incredible or to be adorable.
Believe in the impossible,
and live each day to it’s fullest potential;
and that’s the way,
you can make a difference in your World.
A Note
Life is the only way
to smell smoke in ruins,
clutch your rage on the ice,
rise on stars;
to be a dove,
or spread its warm wings;
to tell hate
from the human grasping;
to dive into thoughts,
highlight the woes,
to seek the best solutions for our evils.
An extraordinary day
to remember for a moment
a lamentation blew
with tart tears spilled down;
and if only once
to disclose a dirty deeds,
end up chained by one handshake to another,
misplace your light in the dark;
and to pursue dreams on the moon with blind eyes;
and to keep on not existing
something important.
A Note
Life is the only way
to get intoxicated in web,
broaden your eyesight on the wave,
surf the Internet;
to be a pal,
or enjoy a hot date;
to sense sentimentality
from deep in heart;
to circumnavigate the globe,
meditate in beliefs,
to seek the least of all cultural differences.
A vital affinity
to remember for whole life
an opportunity grasped
with no regret gone by;
and if only once
to fall into a love,
end up soaked in a nest of dove,
achieve your goal in the realm;
and to cherish a dream in reality with your will;
and to keep on not forgetting
anything everlasting.
The Last Note
Life is the only way to be something you’re not,
to grow wings and fly,
cherish the moment;
to be an eagle,
and envision the entire world;
to grasp life
from everything it’s not;
to claw at fish,
with complete precision,
the fulfilment from within on an empty stomach.
A good opportunity
to remember for a moment
the ending minute
the last breath of a dying life;
and if only once
to sacrifice a soul,
end up giving life to one despite another,
mislay your remorse in the clouds;
and to follow your instincts where they lay within your mind;
and to keep on not feeling
the hunger.
A Note to Someone Important
Life is the only way
to perform your instruments freely,
tune up keys with your heartbeat,
trust your note;
to be a star,
shout louder than the crowd;
to tell someone
lyrics they already forgot;
to whisper a lullaby,
a gentle melody,
to seek delightful dreams in the darkness.
An extraordinary time
to remember in a flash
a crying baby
with chords of his own;
and if only once
to share a brilliant harmony,
realize special notes are continued,
miss your cues in a symphony;
and try to catch up to member’s tempo in a group;
but keep playing your piece for
someone important.
Title: Timeline
Life is the only way
To be running a marathon
Looking from a distance
Hoping to see the finish line
To walk in the woods in the dark
Being guided by the stars
To tell someone goodbye before their time
To go on a road trip
With no directions
Long and curvy
Stopping to stand at the end of a cliff
An amazing speech
Made to touch so many hearts
Spoken clearly
And only for instant
To climb a mountain and feel close to the stars
Having the sense that you’ve reached so far/ you’ve made it so far.
Life is the only way to be solid like a rock
Silent and still
Not knowing where you’re going to be placed
To be strong when tough times come
Even through a tornado you sit still.
To tell someone not to worry while grieving yourself
To walk in a cornfield not knowing which way to go
An ordinary dream
To only wake up and realize life is time itself
Starting at any paste
Today can be your last day
And if only once you got the strength to reach mount. Everest
Seeing the world from above and saying you did it and come so far.
A note to my daughter
Life is the only way
to play piano on stage,
cast your feelings on the keyboards,
bathe in melodies;
to be a musician,
or write her musical notations;
to tell audiences
from everything by her fingers;
to squeeze inside scripts
crawl in lines,
to play the least of all possible dots.
An extraordinary chance
to remember for a moment
all audiences applaud
with the tears in their eyes
and if only once
to step out the stage
end up soaked music in the air for days,
mislay your fingers on the keyboards;
and to follow a spark on the wind with your minds;
and to keep on playing
spontaneous improvisation.
A Note to Myself and to You
Life is the only way
To dream at dreams
Chalenge difficulties
Win as winners.
Life is the only way
Of struggle and adventure
To prosper and thrive
For another try
In life.
It's the only way
Of give and take
To be there for a friend
For you may need one
When in need.
Life is the only way
One way
Can't drive the wrong way
Of fines and accidents.
Can't escape from life
To the other side
To the endless
It's just silence.
I refuse to go silently
To the silence
I would rather fight
To challenge fate
Be a happy worrier
Of the better
Of the future.
A Note
Life is the only way
to be devoured by darkness,
desire to seek for light,
break the cage;
to be a leave,
or flow along the stream;
to find back
what you have missed;
to look through haze,
reveal the truth,
to choose what you think is worth doing.
An extraordinary opportunity
to fight for dreams
the treasure buried
deeply inside the cruel reality;
and if only once
to stop all the hesitation,
finish what must be done,
leave the burden behind yourself;
and to continue the long journey toward the certain end;
and to move on not regretting
any choices.
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