I'm like a pencil;
sometimes sharp,
most days
well-rounded,
other times
dull or
occasionally
broken.
Still I write.
j.g. lewis
is a writer/photographer in Toronto.
Month: August 2018
“The woods that I loved as a child are
entirely gone. The woods that I loved
as a young adult are gone. The woods
that most recently I walked in are not
gone, but they are full of bicycle paths.”
-Mary Oliver
08/19/2018
Posted on August 18, 2018 by j.g.lewisLeave a comment
August 18 is Bad Poetry Day, a day to celebrate verse or prose that someone, somewhere, considers inferior, unwarranted, or nasty.
I don’t believe there are such things as ‘bad’ poems.
Yes, there poems that are naïve or juvenile, certainly immature, or undeveloped, just as there are misguided, pompous, or overly-technical poems. There is a lot of shitty poetry where the writer obviously stopped trying, or tried too hard.
Of course there are poems that are unengaging, nonsensical, lifeless, flat, or underwhelming, but even those poems are not “bad”. Not really.
The art, craft, or pursuit of poetry involves an uncanny strength of self. Hell, I’d even call it bravery. If someone undertakes to make a mark on a page, to use common language to express emotions or events, they are to be lauded for the attempt, courage, and execution.
Even a bad poem takes initiative.
Even bad poetry says something. The only poems that say nothing are those that remain unwritten, and even they are not ‘bad’; they have simply not been given a chance.
Take the chance to write, even read, a poem today. Appreciate all that poetry is. You have nothing to lose, and everything to gain.
08/18/2018 j.g.l.
Posted on August 17, 2018 by j.g.lewisLeave a comment
Every once in a while, our lives are blessed by a soul who brightens this planet.
Yesterday we lost one of those people whose talent brought joy to generations, and a voice that will sing on.
No doubt we all have read stories over the past days about who Aretha Franklin was, and have heard the music, and listened as people from all walks of life recall favorite songs, albums, and performances.
We all have moments where a song brings back memories; that is the true magic of music.
I will not list the songs of Aretha that are close to my heart, but I will listen to them as it, somehow, dulls this sadness. This singer had a gift of making any song she sung her own. I hope you also find comfort in that beautiful voice.
08/17/2018 j.g.l.
say a little prayer
