To My Yesterself
Why, yesterself, did you waste any thought
or angst or time on things you couldn't change?
Why make your mind a cage? It sought,
dear yesterself, a waste of time and thought.
What shift, what happiness in you is wrought
by mere review? Let go or act! Exchange,
my yesterself, the weighty waste of thought
and angst for time spent on the things you change.
© 2018 Rebekah Hoeft. All rights reserved.
Click HERE to read this month's interview with Naomi Shihab Nye. Her DMC challenge is to write a letter to yourself in which you ask some questions that you don't have to answer. (Please keep in mind that your poem does not need to be in standard letter form.)
Post your poem on our September 2018 padlet. While some contributions will be featured as daily ditties this month, all contributions will be included in a wrap-up presentation on Friday, September 28th, and one lucky participant will win a personalized copy of her latest collection of poetry from Greenwillow Books:
The prompt wssn't tough enough for you, Rebekah? I see you needed to throw in a triolet form for a little extra challenge. ;) Well done! And for the record, my yesterself could have benefited from this advice as well.
ReplyDeleteI do love a triolet! Plus, my nonformed attempts were terrible!
DeleteYesterself unfortunately often means yesterday's self for me, so acting instead of fretting is still a struggle!
Thanks for posting this--can't wait to read yours!
As we grow older we do look back & often change our tune, & you've shown that well, a consternation for your "yesterself", a new word I love. Wonderful how you've approached the challenge, Rebecca.
ReplyDeleteI suspect that I am in danger of preachy cheesiness (as is my wont), but I'm glad you liked it! :)
DeleteThanks for you kind words!
Why make your mind a cage? Great question!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Diane!
DeleteAnd I should mention that my fruit fly problem is completely under control (and I'm going to try your method next time--I usually just use saran wrap but I am glad to have a more earth friendly option)
Wonderful. Yesterselves are great, but I love that they learn and grow.
ReplyDeleteThanks, David! I agree--we wouldn't be who we were without them but sometimes it's nice to ditch 'em!
ReplyDeleteLove your word "Yesterself," and your questions combining past with present– and then being a maverick open to change as in your lines, " Let go or act! Exchange."
ReplyDeleteYour opening question is a doozy. Thank you for your beautiful poem.
ReplyDelete