Poetry Night at the Writing Life, 25 January 2025
First poems of 2025 talk of old rivers and new experiences.
If I haven’t said it to you already, welcome to 2025. Time for some poetry.
If You’re Interested in my Poetry Here…
My first collection of poetry is out now.
The Flow and the Journey
As I’ve mentioned previously in this space, I came into writing poetry more or less under protest.
Since Substack doesn’t have the setup for this, I’ve set up something at my Wordpress sister site, Liegois Media. I set up my own Internet storefront page where you can order my chapbook for $6 per copy. The link is below.
https://liegois.media/product/the-flow-and-the-journey/
So, the first poem for today is another winter-themed one. This one’s about a river and what it’s like this time of the year.
First Freeze
Fort Madison, Iowa, 25 January 2025
Breathing in frost
Air constricting your nostrils
Swaddling in parkas is the only option
To avoid freezing in place
And the last sign the true cold is here
Is when you look across The River
And see its sparkling surface
Due to the sun on the horizon
Has turned dull white and its flow continues
Hidden by the snow-capped ice.
This week I wrote a poem I’m not sure I will share on this page, likely not even later. But I’m beginning to realize poetry is becoming more of an emotional outlet and a way to work out things in my head. So this poem’s about all that.
Emergence
25 January 2025, Fort Madison, Iowa
I started playing with words and verse
Just because my fellow writers did
And I wanted a new experience.
But then I discovered
As I faced big events and hard times
I could manage them when I
Entrapped them in words and verse.
Now I’m compelled
To let the words and verses loose
And scatter them on the page
Even if I’m the only one who sees it.