
I am in need of music, poet Elizabeth Bishop wrote in her poem of the same name.
I am in need of distraction, I find myself saying, and how nice!, distraction is everywhere— funny animal videos, show-me-your-dance-moves Instagram accounts (shout-out to my daughters), clips of Italian mayors shouting at their constituents who won’t stay home.
So here’s a Poem Elf distraction. I’m inviting you to submit a Quarantine Haiku. You can also send me a picture of your haiku, Poem-Elf style. You can be in the picture or not. I’ll post as many as I can.
Email your haikus and/or photos to thepoemelf@gmail.com.
A brief tutorial on haikus (for better instruction, link here and scroll down):
- Haikus have three lines, traditionally 5-7-5 syllables, but feel free to experiment. No one’s counting.
- Start with an image (something you see, hear, taste, touch, smell) around you.
- Keep it simple. Try not to get too metaphorical or flowery.
- Haikus often contain an element of surprise or sudden understanding.
Your haiku can be silly, profound or mundane. Just not political, please. The point is to use the structure 5-7-5 to re-focus your thoughts away from anxiety and worries.
Just so you’re not self-conscious about submitting work that is mediocre or worse: first of all, it doesn’t matter. This is just supposed to be fun, communal and distracting.
Second, here’s mine so you know the bar is low:
Goodbye, soda bread
Once upon a time, St. Pat’s!
Crumbs and raisins now
Just six feet away You laugh and stand there smiling I will hug you soon
As of late although Surfaces are suspicious All has been wiped clean
Thanks for the prompt!
sent with rowdy bliss
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Dear Poem Elf: love your blog! Please note that my poem is in no way intended to make light of the seriousness of the virus and it’s consequences. Hope we all get through this ok. ndmurphy
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