It started out as a flimsy idea. Write something; anything! Have I gotten lazy?
Overwhelmed by the shit? I think I opt for the former and not the latter so
much because words are still available; pandemic or not!
I love words. I love poetry. Maybe not mainstream writing like them who write (or
writ) for the ages or weren’t specifically poets. Stephan Crane (In
the Desert) comes readily to mind of course there are others. Bukowski,
Brautigan, beat poets and their hedonism (baggabaggaboo).
Anyway about 7 hours ago I saw an article detailing how a mother of 4, decided
to be virally anti-vaccination in the middle or a pandemic. She died this week.
Ergo I decided to make poetry regarding the situation. Specifically using Senryu
form and not Haiku. The difference is the content and aim in haiku you are
given words edging you to a specific season with an image drawn from it, in the
third line.
Senryu is similar in that it uses the same 5-7-5 format but is not directed at
the 4 seasons or anything specific beyond the poets intent..
There I stopped—the writing of a single Senryu, morphed into 6 pieces written
to allow the reader to divine the intent. (I am not un-sympathetic towards her
kids but still…)
ANOTHER ANTI-VACCER DIED TODAY
senryu not haiku
Jewels in the dirt
channel the rough times that kill
© M Durfee
9/21/2021
Jewels in the dirt,
channel the rough times that kill.
plant your body for them!
© M Durfee
9/21/2021
Jewels in the dirt,
channel the rough times that kill.
plant your thoughts for them!
© M Durfee
9/21/2021
Jewels in the dirt,
channel the rough times that kill.
Cry tears for their choice
© M Durfee
9/21/2021
Jewels in the dirt,
channel the rough times that kill.
plant body shallow
© M Durfee
9/21/2021
Jewels in the dirt,
channeling rough times that kill.
plant body shallow
© M Durfee
9/21/2021
Senryu is a solid little form, and in general, I like it a lot better than haiku, because as you say, it isn't nailed to the seasonal/natural theme. These are all heartbreaking, and also for me, rage-inducing, being as I am surrounded by these people and it has kept me in lockdown for almost two years now, while I watch a hundred people a week die in my red state because they choose to believe utter nonsense rather than face reality. I have my shots, but that doesn't make me safe when no one around me has theirs; tho the relentless death toll has increased the vaccination rate somewhat, we are still significantly below 50%. Death and overwhelmed hospitals are the new normal, I guess. Your senryu say it all, especially that fourth one.
ReplyDeleteOne of my blog friends is watching his 2 year-old granddaughter in the hospital with Covid. Of course, he's terrified... and angry as all hell. I'm waiting for the booster to be available, especially for my sister, who has been fighting cancer for 9+ years and is immunocompromised. Doing the right thing is not difficult.
ReplyDeleteIt will end eventually but even when it does the danger is NOT over.
ReplyDeleteI assume that most ant-vaccers are pro-Trumpers, so when they die, one vote for Trump dies too. My complaint is that not enough of them will die.
ReplyDelete