The Power of Poetry

When Barton and I met, I was living in Alabama while Barton was in Tucson, Arizona. For over six months, we would email poetry back and forth to each other, and because of the time zone, I would end up with two emails a day, one when I woke up in the morning, and one before I went to sleep in the evening. Poetry and flowers, no wonder I fell in love!

For our special days we celebrate together, we will write poetry to each other. Poetry always brings us back to center. There are times when we’ve dropped off, not writing poetry for a while because we are busy with other marketing projects. Let’s face it- it’s hard to write a poem on the computer when you’ve been on the computer all day. Or want to break free, writing outside, but are called back inside the office because other projects are due.

This last weekend, we traveled to Randolph, New Hampshire, and we had a moment to pull out my old trusty notebook and pen, drafting a poem. We sat on the back porch, overlooking the White Mountain Range, writing and rewriting the poem, Barton tweaking it ever so slightly each time.

I was fascinated with the space between words, the pace at which we wrote, and how each revision shaped and formed the poem into a new being each time.

Barton and I have been reading at local Open Mic readings in the Triangle area, facilitated by myself and Alice Osborn, another locally published author. Each time, we play around with how to read. I will go up with Barton and hold the poem for him to read. When we first started reading at opem mics, I would translate every word afterwards. Now, Barton will ask me not to translate, and we will offer to the audience that they may read his poem after the open mic if they do not understand. While someone asked us to have printed copies to read along with Barton, we noticed that people won’t listen to Barton, missing the connection between poet and listener. Each time, we experiment with something different.

It’s been such a joy to know that the person I love supports and encourages my writing, pushing me to write better with each new poem.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CEe_8J-Fqto&hl=en&fs=1&]

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