"In Poetry We Say..."
Four original poems inspired by author and poet Whitney Hanson
When Whitney Hanson came out with her guided journal “in poetry we say…”, I knew it would be the perfect companion on long train rides and to curl up with in cafe nooks. Today, I was seeking some inspiration and found myself reaching for the journal and also a watercolor palette.
Here are share four original poems using Hanson’s “In English we say…” prompts.
No. 1
In English we say: I’m letting go
In poetry we say:
I sail these waters as if I was brought to the sea
just for this…
as if my lineage traced centuries of men and women
in maritime uniform.
As if it is not my first time…
For I need not have bravery
when I have muscle memory,
instinct, nature, and breath.
No. 2
In English we say: When I think of you, it makes me cry
In poetry we say:
My heart, dear mother,
is yours.
My love for you is infinite
but somehow we don’t always hear each other.
Sometimes, words are said and then
there are those that are not.
At the end of the day, our hearts beat alone, unsatisfied.
Mother, my insides drop in the deep of night,
awakened by a dream you are in.
My heart thinks of you, even when my mind does not.
And, it beats for the waves upon a horizon
I long for…
of feelings I know not how to say.
No. 3
In English we say: I’ll love you even if you don’t love me
In poetry we say:
I do not fear the embarrassment of loss,
of unrequited affection,
of reaching into thin air,
or of silence on the other line.
If it means I have the present,
this moment of mutual care and togetherness.
I do not fear what may not plague us at all.
But if it does,
I will not lie to myself
nor to you.
I will whisper and hope
you may lean in to hear clearly
someday.
No. 4
In English we say: I’m tired
In poetry we say:
My toes stretch
for they have curled and suffocated against
leather shoes all day.
My hair unfurls from tight bands
and flies like solar flares on the surface of the heat giant.
My insides struggle between hunger and rest…
for both seem just as urgent
as the next.
Nothing groundbreaking but it sure felt amazing to hold a pencil and paintbrush in my hands after a long time. All I have to say is…do whatever it takes to get inspired.
Happy community-gathering!
