Singletons

Clenched tight, a red fist,
the solo, dew-wet rosebud
an erect beauty

draws the solitary
child’s attention–here grows
another on its own.

I went to my go-to online resource, Shadow Poetry, and discovered I was doing haiku mostly right. “An unrhymed Japanese poem recording the essence of a moment. Nature is combined with human nature. It usually consists of three lines of 5/7/5.” And, the plural is haiku.

Three lines per verse in my double haiku. And, like many contemporary poets, not sticking to the 5/7/5 rule.

Today’s image from the Creative Roots Foundation Facebook group.

You Gotta Read Poems Aloud

When I want to understand complicated text – a letter from the IRS or my insurance company—I slow down and read it out loud. Both senses, sight and hearing, work on comprehension.

The same with love letters. When I read them aloud, I hear my beloved’s voice. And, I often read them more than once, just for the enjoyment.

The same with poetry. Read aloud and more than once. Often there’s a slight shift when reading aloud. Phrasing, accenting, or cadence may change on a second or third read. Small differences show up that could lend more meaning for the reader. Plus, our voices bring the words to life.

In my writing workshops, I ask for several readings of the same poem by different people. Participants have said they gained new understanding after having heard the poem repeated.

I have first-hand knowledge of that. Once when I participated in a program with Don Thompson, then Poet Laureate of Kern County, I was to talk about San Joaquin Valley poet Sherley Anne Williams and read some of her work. I reread the chosen poem aloud many times.

But it was on the 10^th reading when I realized the poem had two speakers, was written in two voices. That changed my reading, my interpretation of the poem, and my presentation! And I was so glad to be able to represent the poem as the poet intended.

Poetry is musical and that musicality boosts one’s enjoyment of poetry. Remember the repetitions of alliteration and assonance? And onomatopoeia—words that mimic the actual sounds we hear? We miss those sounds when we read silently.

This month I am a featured poet online on DM Quarterly Review’s Virtual Salon, where there is a 7-minute video in which you can hear me read five poems from What the Country Wrought. Tune in and witness how reading aloud enhances poetry.

Then you try it, and let me know what you think.

~ xoA ~