One of my favorite words is quietude. Finding tranquility in a world full of to do lists, city noise, and political and social unrest is difficult so I always question. "How can I disconnect from dissonance to find peace?" For me, writing poetry is one way and yoga is another.
Last week, Heidi Mordhorst host of Poetry Friday presented a new poetry format, the definito. Heidi created free verse poems of 8-12 lines, aimed at readers 8-12 years old. As she noted, a definito highlights wordplay as it demonstrates the meaning of a less common word, which always ends the poem.
Quietude is not often used in conversations or in writing so I decided to write a poem that illustrates its meaning. The wording in places may be . Recalling a recent mini-trip to Central New York, I recreated the scene in my mind and then, wrote, trying to explain how both my husband and I felt when riding through many small towns in Central New York. While this poem has gone through many revisions, I believe that it is ready for critique.
Inching away from the din
and distractibility of city life,
we traveled off-beaten routes.
Miles of green fields, as soft as velvet,
stretched before us in hushed silence.
As we slowly traveled toward our destination,
a glistening wrap-around lake, historic hotel,
and immense veranda beckoned, luring us closer.
In stillness, we sat on ageless Adirondack rockers,
staring into the calmness of an August afternoon.
With eyes quietly closed, life slowly passed on by.
In quietude, we enjoyed the placidity of the lake.
©CV, 2019, Central New York
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| https://www.otesaga.com |
Tranquil countryside charm set the tone for peaceful wandering.
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| ©CV, 2019, Fly Creek Cider Mill |
©CV, 2019, Fly Creek Cider Mill
Summer travels
down quiet country roads
opens eyes to nature's wonders
and serene settings:
a quaint cider mill tucked away
from the bustle of commotion and
a duck family peacefully meandering,
unphased by watchful crowds,
present a tranquil picture of
countryside afternoons
wrapped in quietude.
©CV, 2019, Fly Creek Cider Mill
I now feel comfortable offering my definitos to Poetry Friday for the roundup. Molly Hogan is this week's host. She is an active member of Heidi Mordhorst's critique group who created several definitos last week. You can see her work at Nix the Comfort Zone.
My travel photos and poetry will be included in the #EmbraceableSummer Gallery collection. If interested, please send your summer travel photos and image poems to the hashtags, #EmbraceableSummer and @cvarsalona.
