Thursday, July 18, 2019

A Joni Mitchell reprise: "in time I would learn" + more found haiku



Having been under the weather several days last week, I had the opportunity to dive into Reckless Daughter: A Portrait of Joni Mitchell by David Yaffe (Sarah Crighton Books/FSG, 2017)—376 densely packed pages of astute insights, sprawling connections, and unexpected revelations.

I'm always a bit cautious about reading biographies of artistic role models and being spoon fed secrets that will mar my rose-colored outlook. This one was no exception. On the other hand, I'm not as impressionable as I used to be. With more than a few years under my belt, I understand that our personality flaws are as important as our strengths—that the friction between the two is what makes us who we are. It has the potential to drive us to better ourselves, maybe even lend a hand to others, and, in some cases, make us... I hesitate to say "better," but at least more impactful as artists.

I've written about Joni Mitchell before (HERE). One thing I've always loved about her, aside from her musical genius, is that as a songwriter, she's a true poet. She wields metaphor with the best of them and wears her heart on her sleeve—not because she needs to confess, but because she wants to reveal. It's no wonder that her albums have kept fans hanging on every word. It's because they see themselves in her songs. That's what poets do. They open eyes and minds, they bring people together, they provide comfort and a sense of belonging, and they promote self-discovery.

Reading this biography has prompted a personal "roadtrip" of self-discovery.



Hejira means escape with honor.
It's one of Joni Mitchell's many songs about travel and self-discovery.
(Read the lyrics without playing the video HERE.)


Listening and reminiscing through all of her albums, from Song to a Seagull (1968) to Shine (2007), I've been filling in the gaps, making connections based on recent reading, and sharing as much as possible of her artistic legacy with my daughter who I hope will appreciate her role as an artistic trailblazer and a strong, independent woman as much as I did (and still do).

Not surprisingly, the biography has also prompted a found haiku in response to Linda Mitchell's DMC challenge.

in time, I would learn—
those tender cellophane years
when I was fifteen

found poem by Michelle Heidenrich Barnes from Reckless Daughter: A Portrait of Joni Mitchell by David Yaffe (Preface: Nothing Lasts for Long)

This little three-liner is like a house of mirrors. Found in the preface, the haiku reflects author David Yaffe's words and viewpoint, but it also reflects Joni, herself, since the cellophane reference is hers:
Years later Joni would tell me that when she made that album [Blue] she was totally without defenses, as vulnerable as "a cellophane wrapper on a packet of cigarettes," as she once put it.
          – David Yaffe, Reckless Daughter: A Portrait of Joni Michell
Beyond that, the poem casts an image of my own younger days (and the many lessons I learned in the interim between then and now) and catches a glimmer of my daughter who, at sixteen, is occasionally startled by the crackle of her own tender, cellophane years.


There are a few other haiku on this month's padlet that seem to reflect a similar sentiment, especially after I've picked them out and presented them in sequence. Based on the articles they originated from, the creators of these haiku may not have intended that result, but that's how I am choosing to interpret them. As reader, don't let me stop you from interpreting them otherwise.

in time, I would learn—
those tender cellophane years
when I was fifteen

found poem by Michelle Heidenrich Barnes from Reckless Daughter: A Portrait of Joni Mitchell by David Yaffe

knowing what to do
when unsettling feelings come
up is the next step

found haiku by Bridget Magee from "The Most Important Skills We Teach in the Early Years Aren't Academic" by Elizabeth Mulvahill
 
rise into wonder
life, reckless and opulent
bestows profound gifts

found haiku by Molly Hogan from "So Reckless and Opulent a Thing", a blog post by Marion Dane Bauer responding to a quote by Susan Glaspell

empowered women
no longer push anyone out
the moment of lift

found haiku by Sandie Vaisnoras
from The Moment of Lift by Melinda Gates


Thank you to Bridget, Molly, and Sandie for allowing me to take their haiku out of context and play with them in a new way!


There are many other wonderful haiku finding their way to our padlet, including new ones this week by Dianne Moritz, Linda Baie, Margaret Simon, Angelique Pacheco, Lana Wayne Koehler, Catherine Flynn, Mindy Gars Dolandis, and Mary Lee Hahn.

Fair warning: they are addictive!
I look forward to reading yours. :)


You'll find this week's Poetry Friday roundup at Carol's Corner. She's sharing a sweet poem about the puppy she's been raising paired with photos that will steal your heart.






18 comments:

  1. I enjoyed reading about your love for Joni Mitchell, the solemn, yet endearing reflection of hers and yours, Michelle and that you have been sharing with your daughter, too. Your haiku and the others I hope are mirroring so much that women realize they already own, and perhaps didn't know. I read "Hergira" and copied these lines that touched me in their stark, but true, image: "We all come and go unknown
    Each so deep and superficial
    Between the forceps and the stone" Thanks for every part.

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  2. I'm sorry you were under the weather, but what a fruitful poetic journey it led to!
    Very cool that the other haiku from the padlet go so well with yours!

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  3. I now have another book on my to-be-read list! Despite the physical challenges of getting older, at least there are no cellophane crinkles obscuring the view.

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  4. How clever of you to create your beautiful found haiku and then invite it to play with others! These words of yours ring especially true to me: "With more than a few years under my belt, I understand that our personality flaws are as important as our strengths—that the friction between the two is what makes us who we are. " Now, I'm off to listen to some Joni Mitchell!

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  5. Beautiful weaving together of a memory and then letting it sail away. I'm glad
    "those tender cellophane years" are far behind. I carved out a bit of time to add a found poem to the padlet, thanks to you and Linda for this challenge!

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  6. Very thoughtful poem from a person whose health has stalled their abilities! Seriously, I hope you're feeling better, and hope to contribute to this month's DMC!

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  7. Thanks for the new perspective on cellophane and Joni Mitchell. I loved her music once and should go back to it. I love "the moment of lift" as I just recently read Kate DiCamillo's post about fledging: https://www.facebook.com/KateDiCamillo/ Another haiku found in your post and Kate's.

    An empty nest found
    this moment of lift, fledged--
    Now you are flying.

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  8. Oh I hope you are feeling better. I'm intrigued with the self-reflection inspired by reading this biography. I agree with the tension between flaws and genius. Wouldn't it be great if we could just erase all those flaws.....but no...because they strike against our genius and make us possibly better artists...if I get that right from my read of your post. What fun this has been to see all the found haiku. You ALWAYS make me want to write more and better. Thank you.

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  9. Hope you are feeling better, but glad you found time to read and share some of what you learned. I love how the found haiku came together. I'm looking forward to reading more.

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  10. Michelle, under the weather seems to be the phrase heard these days. My husband had a bug last week and now I am feeling the swaying unbalance. Get well and stay well wishes I send to you.
    This thought of yours is one to remember:
    "That's what poets do. They open eyes and minds, they bring people together, they provide comfort and a sense of belonging, and they promote self-discovery." Here's to a community of thoughts found in the corners of articles. I enjoyed your take on what has been sent in to TLD.

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  11. Love the way all of these read in sequence--from cellophane years to empowered woman, lifting others up. And how fitting-- lifting other poets is what you do on your blog.

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    1. Molly's poem sent me to read Marion Dane Bauer's blog, where I found this:

      my mother’s eggs cast
      here I am, alive, breathing
      an imperfect pea

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    2. Thank you for the uplifting comment, Buffy. :) I see a beautiful, imperfect reflection of you in your found haiku! You should add it to the padlet.

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  12. I hadn't listened to Joni Mitchell's music in ages, Michelle, but I'm glad you reminded me of her amazing talent and shared how it inspires you. I'm also thankful that my wee haiku fit a larger and more powerful narrative under your keen poetic/editorial eye. =)

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  13. I too am a Joni Mitchell fan from way back. This was one of my #MustReadNFIn2019 titles. I listened to it read by Xe Sands and ended up going over to Spotify to listen to the music that matched that time in her life.
    At first I had a hard time with it. Sometimes you don’t want to know exactly everything about your idols. You want them to maintain their mythic status. You don’t want to learn about their pettiness and flaws. You don’t want them to be human. By they end though, I realized that it turns out that it’s ok to see that people you admire are just human after all. It made me appreciate Mitchell’s genius even more.

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  14. This is such a wise and thought-provoking post, Michelle. I especially love this: "...our personality flaws are as important as our strengths—that the friction between the two is what makes us who we are." I still grapple with my flaws and constantly feel I should "fix" them. Thank you for giving me another way to look at this conflict!

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