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Invitation to Listen to “The Right Word,” by Imtiaz Dharker

How My Day Went

went to the beach
caught me a sunset
back in my room
an ode seized my soul
*
All Rights Reserved © Selma Martin 2021

Today, I visited the Poetry Archive, a not-for-profit organization with charitable status, and fell in love with one poem in free verse by an author I will not forget anytime soon.

That particular poem, tells me the Poetry Archive, is from The Terrorist at My Table
(Bloodaxe, 2006), © Imtiaz Dharker 2006, and is used by permission of the author and
the publisher.

They also inform me that the free tracks you can enjoy in the Poetry Archive are a
selection of a poet’s work. “Our catalogue store includes many more recordings which
you can download to your device.”

And they invite me to browse their store.

My lovely, fellow word refiners, I cannot keep this to myself so let me pass that
invitation on to you.

Visit poetry store 

I guarantee you will adore the poem, read by the author herself, that you can listen to for free.

https://poetryarchive.org/poem/right-word/

In the 01:58 long audio, Author Imtiaz Dharker starts by saying, “I work with film, and I know that I can take one image and edit it ten different ways, write ten different sets of words, and make it into ten different stories. That’s one of the things that I’m trying to do in the poem ‘The right word’. There is just one image, but it’s an image that is interpreted in different ways depending on the preconceptions that fit into each.” 


Suppose I were to write another poem based on my current emotions about that
blogger
copying my words. In that case, you’d come to find out too much about me: about how fickle my renegade mother’s heart is, what a softie I am when it comes to young men, and about how adrift I sometimes feel in the blog-sphere.
Because if I wrote another poem, it’d come out sounding like this:

Outside my back door, lurking in shadows …
No. 
Outside the door, hiding …
No. 
Outside that door, taking my words … 
No.
Outside, waiting... Phew!
Ok-- 
Outside, watching me
is a young man 
who looks like my son-- 
naive, scared, adrift; 
full of doubt, trying his best, 
and …
No, wait a minute, 
he looks like your son too. 
*
All Rights Reserved © Selma Martin 2021

I have no affiliation with the Poetry Archive Org — not a one — but I ask you to please, check out the website dear friends while I grab a tissue. 

Thanks for reading and I wish you miracles.


Two posts that you might like to read as they’re still relevant as nothing has changed
concerning that.

Selma Martin
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This Post Has 18 Comments

  1. ben Alexander

    that is truly a lovely and even somewhat scary poem, Selma – thank you for sharing.

    <3
    David

    1. Selma Martin

      David, thanks so much for reading. Love hearing how you felt. Be well dear friend. xoxo

  2. paeansunplugged

    Imtiaz is a wonderful writer, Selma. I have been his fan for quite sometime.

    1. Selma Martin

      She is new to me and already I love her. Lucky of you to know her for a while now. So precious. Thanks for the visit and comment, Punam. xo

  3. Ingrid

    Thanks for the link and your beautiful poetry, Selma ❤️

    1. Selma Martin

      So glad you accepted the invitation. I’m sure you’ll like it. It’s about preconceptions and such. Read the short poem to the end. It will make you gasp. I loved it to pieces.

  4. Manja Maksimovič

    Ahh!!! I listened to her poem immediately after you posted it and loved. In between stuff happened, I went to the shop, and now returned and read this post till the end. Your poem is a PERFECT response poem and brilliant in its own right. <3

    1. Selma Martin

      Honored by you, my sweet. So very glad you listened. I was mesmerized by it. Stay lovely. I wish you miracles.

  5. Jane Aguiar

    Yes, I listened to her poem” The right word” your poem seems to be perfect response. Beautiful, Selma!♥️

    1. Selma Martin

      Glad you listened to those lovely words. Sharing is caring. xo

  6. lynn__

    Wow, what a powerful poem! Thanks for sharing, Selma.

    1. Selma Martin

      Powerful, indeed. So glad you listened. It’s a good message for when we’re looking for someone to blame. Squeezes your heart so. Xo

  7. BookWorm

    What an awesome poem! You definitely got some ideas swirling in your head! Keep sharing, for I love reading 😀

    1. Selma Martin

      Awesome, indeed. So glad you listened to it. Wish I could do it like she does. Thanks so much for visiting. Xoxo

    1. Selma Martin

      Thanks, Daphny. It’s a perfect way of looking at things when we’re looking for someone to blame. I adore it too. I’m glad you gave it a listen. XO

      1. Daphny Aqua

        It is indeed the perfect way 👍
        It was a pleasure ❤️❣️

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