You write them every day?
How do you write one every day?
I read them every day, and I tell my wife
that we’ve got another one from the little
poet lady. She reads ’em, too.
Where do you get your ideas for poems?
Whaddya mean, they just come to you?
Are you “channeling” them?
How can you have the nerve to publish
them when you’ve just dashed them off?
I’d never have the guts to put out
such new pieces. Not that yours
aren’t good, but… wow. That takes
some nerve.
That’s amazing—a poem a day.
I couldn’t do that.
Do you mind that a lot of days you
don’t get many “likes” on Facebook?
Sure, you say you don’t mind, but…
How do you know who’s reading them?
The point is to write them and let
’em go? Like those monks who labor
over the sand mandalas and then
blow them away?
I don’t really get poetry. But I liked
the one about your big dumb boy cat.
I read them every day because your
mother sends them to me. She says
she knew you were a poet when you
could barely hold a pencil.
And look at you, still poeting all
these years later.
Are you going to continue?
How long can you keep this up?
I don’t know how you do it,
but poet on, little poet lady.
Give us another.
•••
It’s been a year today since I started this experiment of writing and putting a poem a day into the world. Honestly, I don’t know how I do it. But I do know that the more I stay open to images and lines, the more they show up. (Thank you to the creative gods for that!) My job is to pay attention and write ’em down.
Thanks to all of you who’ve liked/loved them or commented or even just read ’em. But even on days when there are few reactions to the poems, the point is to write ’em, put their unpolished selves out there, let ’em go and keep writing. It’s a practice—like meditation or walking or yoga—and the idea is not to be attached to outcomes.
Having said that, I’ve heard/read all these questions over the past year, all good questions with not great answers from me. But I appreciate them.
Mahalo nui loa. 🌺💜
•••
Güd wrtr 
Interesting, Jan.
I’ve been writing a poem a day since May 3rd, 2022. I was inspired by Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer–I’d written prose every day for about thirty years. (She’s written a poem a day since 2006. Wow!) I love that we both have this practice–you late at night, me, before dawn. Your poem is what I wake up to! My writing companion.
with deep love,
Amrita
Excellent! You’re some months ahead of me. I, too, have been reading Rosemerry’s daily poems for years, too. I’m dazzled by her and others who do this… and I’m delighted to know you and read your daily poems, too! Thank you!
I feel the same way! How lucky you are to still have a mom who is functioning. Mine’s been gone since 2008, and she had dementia for about ten years before that. Please send her my love!
I’m not a commenter, as a rule. I usually just enjoy and keep moving, but since you’ve done this marathon of daily poem publishing the least I can do is say “Thank you!” I have been appreciating, enjoying, and being enriched by your work for some time now.
– comment given as I sit in our Airbnb overlooking Council Square in Braşov, Romania on a vacation with my husband to celebrate being all married up for 35 years now.
Don’t always comment, but read every day. As your niece, R, would say, you are “Ahmahzing”!
Thank you, Marge! I really appreciate you!
An amazing accomplishment, and still going strong!! Love, Mom
>
Thanks, Ma… you grew a poet who keeps on poeting. I appreciate your love and support!