If you can read, you can live a multitude of lives. But stories are more than a diversion. They let your mind play dress up with ideas. It is up to you to decide if those ideas deserve a place in your permanent wardrobe.
Words hold strong magic
to charm my mind. The right words
tell me a story
about myself. I learn much
living other lives through words.
Song Choice: Narnia by Steve Hackett
This tanka-prose piece was inspired by a prompt given at Imaginary Garden With Real Toads: Art With Me. It is also linked to Poets United Poetry Pantry 388
Featuring poetic beats, lyrical storytelling, and other assorted jazz.
I love this. Every book I read takes me into a different life. I so love that about words! Every poem I read lets me see the poet's heart more clearly. I love that too.
ReplyDeleteYay! So many people had written some pretty awesome and inspiring words about writing that I felt I needed to contribute something from the perspective of a reader. Though the tanka could be read from the perspective of either.
DeleteSo much truth, in both the prose and tanka. And the break lines in the latter are yummy genius. Love it.
ReplyDeleteI was pleased with how they worked out as well.
DeleteYes, yes, yes!
ReplyDeleteLOL, I take it you like it then? Thanks!
DeleteWords do offer us multiple lives to live!
ReplyDeleteOne of the many things I love about them. :)
DeleteWords are borrowed shoes... love the thought of what they can do to dress you up in someone else's shoes.
ReplyDeleteAnd when you walk a mile in those shoes, you have a chance to learn something new.
DeleteExactly... I try my best, how else would anyone be interested if I didn't try my best?
DeleteSo much wisdom and truth in this, Rommy!💞
ReplyDeleteThanks Sanaa!
DeleteWord is Truth itself in the hands of writers and poets.
ReplyDeleteWith a capital T
DeleteI feel transported through time to when I would live a thousand lives in the safety of book jackets and Dewey Decimal
ReplyDeleteSimilar memories inspired this piece. Sadly I don't have as much time to read as I did as a child, but I still read as much as I can.
DeleteSometimes thinking is the best way to travel. Reading included.
ReplyDeleteYou can't lose your luggage that way. :D
DeleteA very unique way of incorporating words into our wardrobe of life. Sometimes, we need to change the outfit to fit the day.
ReplyDeleteIndeed
DeleteStories "let your mind play dress up with ideas" -- love this! So true!
ReplyDeleteThanks Debra!
DeleteDo you sometimes try to imagine what man's life was like back before words. Man turned to hieroglyphs in his need to record his thoughts!
ReplyDeleteGoodness, I can barely conceive of such a thing! There's an old Chinese story about demons trembling when they had found out humans discovered writing. That always makes me smile.
DeleteWonderful!
ReplyDeleteZQ
Thanks ZQ!
DeleteAh - I think every time we write we tell a story about ourselves...whether we know it or not!
ReplyDeleteA little of us always manages to slip in somehow, even if it's just how we remember something happening to someone else.
Deletewords of the creator create the beloved and the beholden ... the stories told and in the telling, we fall .... for a new identity of each other and of course, of ourselves ....
ReplyDeleteloved how you've brought this together and explored the idea of words as the written and read :)
It was a little bit of trick to fit both aspects in, but I'm glad I tried it. :)
DeleteThis is brilliant! I love this - lovely and layered - tanka-prose piece ... and I read a lot of tanka/tanka-prose ~ smiles ~ For me, this encapsulates everything the best of the genre aspires to. A really awesome job on this - I'd love to see it published in a tanka journal!
ReplyDeleteSo would I! I'd be kind of ridiculously over the moon about it.
DeleteHi again, Rommy. The tanka community is extremely welcoming to emerging, as well as established Tanka poets. If you are interested in exploring publication in Tanka Journals, there are several. By way of getting started, I would highly recommend beginning with Skylark http://skylarktanka.weebly.com (the final deadline for the summer 2018 issue of Skylark (6:1) closes at midnight - in your part of the world - on 1st February, so that is pretty tight, but might not be impossible) and the Tanka Society of America. http://www.tankasocietyofamerica.org/home/ where there is a small fee, but offers various publishing opportunities. They post clear/reasonable submission instructions. Both publications are lovely. They both accept email submissions and, from personal experience I can attest, that they are very poet friendly, and (from what I have found) responsive to inquiries.
DeleteThe right words
ReplyDeletetell me a story
about myself... that's beautifully said...
Thanks Thotpurge!
DeleteI love this idea - the magic of words and power of story telling really shines through
ReplyDeleteI'm glad I was able to show both sides of it
DeleteEven as a child I was amazed that others didn't share my ability to visit different worlds through written words. Even in ancient times tribal members would gather round the story teller for their entertainment (presumably without ads!) Luckily my youngest grandchildren are avid readers too. Great piece Rommy.
ReplyDeleteNow I'm having a laugh thinking of a story teller interrupting the narrative to sell items.
DeleteTanka is a favorite form of mine ~ yours is perfection. I have been the lucky recipient of poetry over the years, written for me/to me. Fascinating how those words told me 'the story of me' through another's eyes. Thank you for jogging this old gal's memory. Time to open a few boxes, re-read those gifts.
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad I played a small role in bringing such lovely memories back.
DeleteSo much truth in your words! Beautifully written!
ReplyDeleteThanks Sharon!
DeleteStrong magic indeed!
ReplyDeleteThanks Bekkie!
Delete