The Day The Poems Died

Once upon a time, with words of encouragement from someone, I started writing poetry. Not in the classic style, but in a comfortable way for me. A simple way, usually three words per line, it seemed to work for me. I found out that the poems would write themselves. Thoughts would tumble on to the screen, never a correction or change of words, with a speed I found fascinating. When I thought I had said enough, I would stop. Thoughts would tumble through my mind during the day and I couldn't wait to sit down to write.

Then it stopped.

Except for one or two outbursts of emotion, the thoughts went away and hid. And I can point to the one poem that did it.

Wedding Vows

After showing some of my poems to a few women at work to get their reaction, one came up to me with a request. She was getting married and wanted me to write her wedding vows. I was surprised and stunned, but I said yes. Did I mention she was gay? How was I to write about the love of one woman for another?

I thought about it for quite awhile. I had no idea. So I cobbled together the opening lines from a Barry White song, along with some words from two or three poems I had already written, smoothed it out, made it look original and handed it to her for her approval. She read it and started crying. She liked it. I was happy for her, but I walked away feeling unfulfilled. I did go to the wedding ceremony just to hear her say the words, but I was not moved by them, even though her and her bride cried during the reading.

And like a curse of a song writer, the words dried up. The poem thoughts became less and less frequent and now they are gone. I am hoping that by writing about it, the block that I have in place will relinquish its hold on me.

If it does not start up again, at least I have many to show and read which you can see here at
R Jacob Post Poetic Muses

I am proud of what I have written. It all happened because someone did not laugh or belittle my first attempt.
For that I am forever grateful.

and now for the morning ritual
coffee time

ray

Me? Write Your Wedding Vows? Uh, Ok!

I was recently was asked by a woman at work to write her wedding vows.

I was stunned, hiding my surprise, I said yes.

I thought about it for four days or so. Writing it took about 45 minutes. I handed it to her at work.

When she read it, she started to cry, blurted out "perfect" and kept crying.

This was all because I took a chance and brought some of poetry to work for some of the ladies to read.

Let Them Read was my post I guess that started the ball rolling.

I was there for the wedding, feeling like a playwright waiting to hear the words I had written.

For better or worse (pun intended) here is what I came up with.

My first, my last, my everything

Words torn from a song

What can one say

When someone touches your heart and your very soul

My words are framed in ways

To show our shared emotions

Our lives are different from this moment on

Caring for one another

Our ups and downs

For better or worse

My soul mate

We are kindred spirits

Our movements locked in step

It is meant to be forever

Our hands reaching out for the other

To be there for me

And I for you

I will give you my all

To be loved once again

My gift to you and yours to me

Everything I have to make you happy

Affairs of the heart can not be wished for

Birds must sing in the same key

Bees making honey never sweeter

Sunrises seem to be perfect

Sunsets bring hope for more to come

Walks by the ocean. Two sets of prints

Leaving their mark

Our thoughts to be shared

Words not be spoken

I never gave up hope that sometime

Somewhere, you would enter my life

And share our lives together