Happy last Poetry Friday of 2022! Patricia has the roundup today at her blog Reverie. Be sure to stop by for a beautiful end of year message from Patricia and lots more poetry goodness.
This week I’ve been revisiting some old poems with my poetry group, The Nevermores, with the thought of revising, reworking, or letting it take me somewhere else. I found a few poems that followed “What the _____Knows” structure that I first learned about from a Poetry Friday post by Mary Lee Hahn in 2021.
What the Wind Knows
What does the wind know?
Forget the angry gusts that shout,
broken branches tossed about
with hostility
we can do without.
What does the wind know?
There’s kindness in a gentle breeze
for lifting kites and rustling leaves,
for tickling dandelion’s sneeze
as it sows its seeds.
Draft, 2022Rose Cappelli
I’ve also been thinking about my One Little Word for 2023. I love it when my OLW finds me. Lately, the idea of kindness has been popping up in articles, poems, books, and news reports. So I decided to pursue kindness as my OLW. My goal is to intentionally incorporate acts of kindness into all aspects of my life, to look for it, and to celebrate it. So, I reworked that poem about the wind (which I think really was more about kindness than the wind anyway) to serve as my mantra for 2023.
Be Kind
There’s kindness in a gentle breeze
for lifting kites and rustling leaves,
for tickling dandelion’s sneeze
as it sows its seeds.
So forget the angry gusts that shout,
the broken branches tossed about
with hostility
we can do without.
Remember to be kind.
©2022RoseCappelli
May 2023 bring you all many kindnesses!
Imagine the Possibilities 
I like both of your poems Rose, and the subtle changes you made in the revised “Be Kind.” How delightful this line is, “tickling dandelion’s sneeze!” Wishing you and “kindness” good journeying this coming year, thanks!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, Michelle.
LikeLike
Wow- what a great transformation you made with this poem, Rose. Simply considering the first version through the lens of kindness totally changed it for me and I love that your revision becomes a guide for 2023. I’m really looking forward to another year with the Nevermores! Happy New Year!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Patricia.
LikeLike
Love your revision, Rose! Switching the order of the stanzas really does change the way we read the hostilities part. In my experience, you’re always kind. I can’t wait to see you celebrate that!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, Laura. I’ll be looking for opportunities to spread kindness more intentionally.
LikeLike
I love how we can look at a previous version of a poem from a different perspective and see it in a whole new way. I enjoyed both of yours, especially “tickling dandelion’s sneeze” and the way your new version includes your goal. Happy New Year!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, JoAnn.
LikeLike
Rose, your rewrite is just right for a mantra and guiding poem. I like the line, “…forget the angry gusts that shout.” It is a clear directive for me to avoid the gusts that disrupt an even flow. Have a great New Year.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, Carol!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh, I like the first two, but the change for ‘kindness’ is awesome, Rose. I hope you share it a lot with others. It’s brief, exactly the message the world needs. Happy New Year with your OLW!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Wow — you flipped the stanzas and ended up with something that feels totally different. The image of the dandelion sneeze will stay with me today.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I love how you reworked the poem to reflect your one little word. Kindness is a word that needs to stay. I love the image of “dandelion’s sneeze.”
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh, I love your one little word for 2023. I need to write up a post and share mine next week!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh, that’s a cool revision! Thanks for the glimpse into the process.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Isn’t it fun how much difference subtle changes can make, even in our intention for the poem? Very interesting read, Rose. Happy New Year to you and yours!
LikeLiked by 1 person
What a wonderful revision to introduce your OLW. I really do like taking apart old poems and shining them up into something new. You’ve done that beautifully. Happy New Year!
LikeLiked by 1 person