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Day 8: NaPoWriMo 2024–Encounters and Relationships

Day Eight on APRIL 8, 2024

Well, we’ve officially passed the one-week mark! We hope your inspiration is holding up. But if you find
it flagging, our daily optional prompts might just give you the lift you need to power through.

Today, we have two featured participants: (1) Behind Door Number 3 and Orangepeel, where you’ll find
very differnt, but compelling, takes on Day 7’s postcard prompt.

Our featured resource today is this animated video of a talk given by the poet Jane Hirshfield on the art
of the metaphor.

Finally, our (optional) prompt for the day takes its inspiration from Laura Foley’s poem “Year End.” Today,
we challenge you to write a poem that centers around an encounter or relationship between two people
(or things) that shouldn’t really have ever met
– whether due to time, space, age, the differences in their
nature, or for any other reason.

Happy writing!


Thanks, Maureen.


Kindling

I see the signs but mostly
I feel it, inching closer and
closer every day. The loud

spray of color sprouting
from the ground, a more tender
wind, my cheeks caressing.

My dog feels it too: he leaps and
dances with it, rolls in the grass
with it and hurries me outside

to join in. But I’m inspecting
the plush bench—whiplashed by winter
—contemplating how to fix it.

Oh spring, you come to remind me
of life’s rhythm of continuation,
showing me how you do it,

telling me I can do it too.
I glance at the dog and glean
at how he and his silver lining

leap and frolic with spring. Some-
thing within softens and pries me
open, feeding my soul its kindling.

© selma
on prompt or off, dunno. But this is
what came through me today.

This is my fourth try at National Poetry Writing Month (NaPoWriMo), and this time
around I’m trying NOT to spend so much time ‘perfecting’ a task that needs more time
to reach a satisfactory closure. I’m a slow poke after all…

Thanks for being here with me as I work on the prompts on my phone–outdoors,
weather permitting–and please excuse the formatting.

Thanks for reading my Day 8

:

Selma Martin
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This Post Has 33 Comments

  1. beth

    Wonderful hopeful word about the coming of spring and rhythm of life

    1. Selma Martin

      So pleased with this comment. Thanks a million. 🙇🏽‍♀️ Melissa.

  2. Suzette Benjamin

    Congratulations Selma for the one week mark in poetry!!
    I love your poem and your beautiful “kindling” that sparks the softest flames within..which nothing else could ignite. Fabulous piece.

        1. Suzette Benjamin

          Oh, this just came into my thoughts as I was penning my reply to you Selma: “… shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.”

          1. Selma Martin

            Never mind. I got a slice of heaven with your words. Thanks dearly.
            Blessings again —befall you. Xo

  3. dorahak

    Dogs are like that, fully open to the moment, and sometimes they even teach us how to be, just BE. Lovely poetry, Selma.

    1. Selma Martin

      Dogs know. They teach those who listen. Xo. Blessings, Dora. Xo

  4. Sadje

    A beautiful poem Selma.

      1. Sadje

        You’re always welcome 🙏🏼

  5. memadtwo

    Spring does open us up–I feel it in your words. (K)

    1. Selma Martin

      Happy you share this feeling with my words here. Thanks so much, K 🤗

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