Friday, February 3, 2023

30 Day Poetry Challenge: Day 3

My daughter Hannah suggested this challenge for our family. She wants to try writing more poetry, and she's hoping that this challenege will get her into the habit.

She, my daughter Emma, and I are all doing the challenge. Today is Day 3.

3. Mimic a poem after one of your favorites, following punctuation and line breaks, but surrounding an original idea.

Source: The Hollow Men by T.S. Elliot
Note: This is a very LONG poem. I didn't do nearly all of it.

My Empty Boots

    Mistah Burton-he pioneer
           Wish I could afford more his gear.


                        I

    These are my hollow boots
    This is my stuffed board
    Leaning together
    Filling my closet. Alas!
    My useless bindings, when
    My stuff sits together
    Quite quiet and useless
    The snow blows outside
    But my stuff still stuffs my closet
    In our storage cellar
   
    Boots without feet, Board without motion,
    Innanimate objects, tools without adventure;
   
    Those who have been
    On the lift, to the top of the Mountain
    Remember looking down below
    Adventure awaits, but only
    For stuffed boots
    For stuffed bindings.

   
                              II

    My eyes dream to look upon
    That great snow kingdom
    Where fresh pow doth appear:
    There, the whales are
    Scattered across a broken trail
    There, with powder bumping up
    And tracks laid
    Through fresh snow laid
    In bowls across the mountain
    Below the backside lift.
   
    Let me be so much nearer
    To that snow's dream kingdom
    Where I can wear
    Mr. Burton's gear
    Ski coat, helmet, heavy pants
    Off the lift
    Flying as the wind takes me
    Now flying-
   
    Now comes powder day
    In that great snow kingdom

   
                    III

    This is the mountain land
    These are the back bowls
    Here the forgotten trails
    Are discovered, here we stoke
    And praise the coming of winter's gift
    Under the bluebird skies of a perfect day.

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