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Amaya Engleking, Caren Krutsinger, Jaeyoun Ryu, Malcolm Maloney Jagamarra, Natasha Trethewey, William Butler Yeats
“The Wanderer” by Jaeyoun Ryu
Happy Tuesday to All and Welcome to Poetics! Lisa here as your pub host, offerer of liquid refreshment, tasty snacks from the magic cupboard, and provider of today’s Poetics Prompt. Melissa has kindly and graciously agreed to open the bar today, but I’ll be in later after visiting with my son, daughter in-law, and 3-year-old granddaughter at Meijer Gardens in Grand Rapids.
Before getting into the prompt,
ATTENTION: dVerse LIVE will take place on Saturday, May 11th from 10 – 11 AM, New York time (EST). Watch for the OLN prompt on the dVerse page on Thursday, May 9th for the link to join the Saturday event. You’re under no obligation to read, but if you do you can read any poem you wish, not just the one you linked up at OLN on Thursday. It’s a fun time of camaraderie and you get to see and talk with people from the poets pub live.
Now that housekeeping is in order…
Back in April of 2018, Gospel Isosceles, a.k.a. Amaya Engleking wrote a prompt about Holy Places. As I read through her essay, it pretty much says everything I would like to say about pilgrimage but that I could only hope to say as well. Six years have passed. Much has changed since 2018 but some things stay the same. We are the same, but different, which is a paradox but nonetheless true.
Today’s prompt isn’t just about pilgrimage. I looked at three words that feel like synonyms with each other; this word, wandering, and walkabout.
Pilgrimage is defined as:
1. A journey to a sacred place or shrine.
2. A long journey or search, especially one of exalted purpose or moral significance.
3. The journey of a pilgrim; a long journey; especially, a journey to a shrine or other sacred place. Fig., the journey of human life.
Wandering is defined as that which wanders, which is defined as:
1. To move about without a definite destination or purpose.
2. To go by an indirect route or at no set pace; amble.
3. To proceed in an irregular course; meander.
Walkabout is defined as:
1. A temporary return to traditional Aboriginal life, taken especially between periods of work or residence in modern society and usually involving a period of travel through the bush.
2. A walking trip.
3. A public stroll taken by an important person, such as a monarch, among a group of people for greeting and conversation.
It wasn’t as easy as I thought it would be to find a good poem on pilgrimage.
Pilgrimage
by Natasha Trethewey
(1966 – ) Vicksburg, Mississippi
Here, the Mississippi carved
its mud-dark path, a graveyard
for skeletons of sunken riverboats.
Here, the river changed its course,
turning away from the city
as one turns, forgetting, from the past—
the abandoned bluffs, land sloping up
above the river’s bend—where now
the Yazoo fills the Mississippi’s empty bed.
Here, the dead stand up in stone, white
marble, on Confederate Avenue. I stand
on ground once hollowed by a web of caves;
they must have seemed like catacombs,
in 1863, to the woman sitting in her parlor,
candlelit, underground. I can see her
listening to shells explode, writing herself
into history, asking what is to become
of all the living things in this place?
This whole city is a grave. Every spring—
Pilgrimage—the living come to mingle
with the dead, brush against their cold shoulders
in the long hallways, listen all night
to their silence and indifference, relive
their dying on the green battlefield.
At the museum, we marvel at their clothes—
preserved under glass—so much smaller
than our own, as if those who wore them
were only children. We sleep in their beds,
the old mansions hunkered on the bluffs, draped
in flowers—funereal—a blur
of petals against the river’s gray.
The brochure in my room calls this
living history. The brass plate on the door reads
Prissy’s Room. A window frames
the river’s crawl toward the Gulf. In my dream,
the ghost of history lies down beside me,
rolls over, pins me beneath a heavy arm.
Finding one on wandering was a little easier.
The Song of Wandering Aengus
By William Butler Yeats
I went out to the hazel wood,
Because a fire was in my head,
And cut and peeled a hazel wand,
And hooked a berry to a thread;
And when white moths were on the wing,
And moth-like stars were flickering out,
I dropped the berry in a stream
And caught a little silver trout.
When I had laid it on the floor
I went to blow the fire a-flame,
But something rustled on the floor,
And someone called me by my name:
It had become a glimmering girl
With apple blossom in her hair
Who called me by my name and ran
And faded through the brightening air.
Though I am old with wandering
Through hollow lands and hilly lands,
I will find out where she has gone,
And kiss her lips and take her hands;
And walk among long dappled grass,
And pluck till time and times are done,
The silver apples of the moon,
The golden apples of the sun.
Source: The Wind Among the Reeds (1899)
Fire Dreaming, by Malcolm Maloney Jagamarra
Here is a short, but powerful poem on walkabout.
Walkabout
Copyright © Caren Krutsinger
Whimsically worry free
Always open to new possibilities as they arise
Looking toward the sun, even in the rain
Kangaroos leaping across your path, delighting you.
Always ready, hyper-vigilant of danger
Being true to your own glorious soul self
Outside in the wonderful keen of nature
United with the elements
Turning into yourself
We have come to the place where I lay out the challenge, should you choose to accept it. This prompt will be as wide open as a field of dandelions with a bright blue sky overhead and snow-capped mountains in the distance. There are no form, length, or other restraints beyond the options about to be given.
Please choose one (or more) of the following and weave words into poetry:
1. Write a poem that involves pilgrimage, wandering, and/or walkabout. This can be literal, metaphorical, internal, external, a bucket list trip you would like to take someday, or one you have already taken. It could also travel to the dark side or shadow realms.
2. Take a line from one of the above poems and expand on it. Please include identifying info on the poem and poet on your post if you choose this one.
3. Write about a pilgrimage, wandering, or walkabout of someone you know, famous, infamous, or unknown is fine. The story, the experience that is shared is what matters.
4. Find or create an image and write an ekphrastic poem about pilgrimage, wandering, or walkabout to it.
If you are new, here’s how to join in:
Post your piece on your blog and link back to this post.
Place the link to your actual post (not your blog or web site) in the Mister Linky site.
Don’t forget to check the little box to accept use/privacy policy
Please read and comment on other poets’ work–we all come here to have our poems read.
Please note: the Poetics Tuesday Mr. Linky is open to link up to until the Thursday prompt opens.
kim881 said:
Good evening poets, thank you, Lisa for the prompt, and Melissa for opening the bar. I’m anticipating a range of excellent poems for this prompt.
Melissa Lemay said:
Hello, Kim!👋🏻
msjadeli said:
Hello Kim, Melissa, Bjorn, and All. Thank you all for opening the bar in my absence ❤ Finally back home. Was blessed that older son was able to go along also. I'm a little tired out between yesterday's bike ride and today's stroll and chasing my granddaughter. Will be back in the morning with a cuppajoe and refreshed.
Björn Rudberg (brudberg) said:
A lovely prompt, but as I will be leaving on a weeklong adventure to the US I will not write tonight, since I will be busy travelling and meeting with family through next week.
Melissa Lemay said:
Ah, off on a voyage of your own, Björn! Whereabouts in the U.S.? I wish you safe travels.🙏🏻
Björn Rudberg (brudberg) said:
I will be going to Fort Worth/TX
Melissa Lemay said:
🥵
lillian said:
Thanks for hosting, Punam! I did enjoy this prompt. One of my most favorite movies of all time is Walkabout. It’s a very old movie but I still remember being in awe by it.
lillian said:
OOPS: senior moment! Lisa is hosting and this shouldn’t have been in reply to Bjorn. What I meant to say to you, Bjorn, is safe travels and enjoy!
Melissa Lemay said:
I’m actually filling in for Li until she gets here.😂 and I was late.😅
msjadeli said:
Welcome, Lillian, When I was looking for poems on walkabout I saw a lot of links for the Walkabout movie. I haven’t seen it yet but it sounds like I should.
dorahak said:
Hope you have a safe and enjoyable trip, Björn.
Helen said:
Welcome to the good old U S of A, Bjorn!!!! I hope all the rain stops for you!!!
msjadeli said:
Welcome, Bjorn, and thank you. I see you heading to TX. Please be safe, and see you on the flipside, my friend.
paeansunplugged said:
A very interesting prompt, Li. I enjoyed the poems you shared.
msjadeli said:
Welcome, Punam, and thank you! I’ll be back in the morning to visit the poetry trail.
paeansunplugged said:
You are welcome.
Melissa Lemay said:
I am here! Had an unexpected pickup of one year old twins to attend to! Wandering around today.😅 can’t wait to read your wandering wonderings and get your drinks and whatever else you’d like!!
paeansunplugged said:
Hi Melissa. Good to see you here. Hope all is well.
Will catch up tomorrow. 👍🏼
Melissa Lemay said:
All is well. Just busy mom life.😆 My cousin just moved up the road from us and she is also single. With twins.🤯
msjadeli said:
Melissa, I think your busy mom life is going to be getting a lot busier. 🙂
Melissa Lemay said:
I’m in it for the long haul!😄 The plus side is that we can trade babysitting.
msjadeli said:
🙂
msjadeli said:
Thanks again, Melissa, for volunteering to help out. I see you are in demand with your helpfulness. One year old twins sounds like two armfuls 🙂
Melissa Lemay said:
Any time! Ha! I can barely hold both of them at once. I’m out of shape.😮💨
msjadeli said:
Your muscles will learn 🙂
lillian said:
Thanks for hosting, Lisa. I enjoyed this prompt very much….AND thanks for the wonderful plug for dVerse LIVE on Saturday!
Have you seen the movie Walkabout? It’s a very old movie but I shall never forget it. I googled it and I think it’s still available to watch. You’ve inspired me to go back and watch it again!
msjadeli said:
You’re welcome on hosting and for the plug for LIVE on Saturday. No I haven’t seen it but I think I will now.
rog said:
hi Lisa, melissa
hi poets
I got back from a six day wonder yesterday I have shared just one of the things I have seen this evening.
hope you all have a good time visiting the places within each others poems,
rog
msjadeli said:
Welcome, Rog. Can’t wait to see what you wrote. Will be visiting the poetry trail in the morning. “Six day wonder” has me intrigued 🙂
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msjadeli said:
Welcome, Jane. Glad you were drawn in by one of your favorite poems. Looking forward to reading it in the morning while sipping a fresh cuppajoe.
dorahak said:
Fabulous prompt, Lisa, and the poems you shared are grist for the creative mill — I’m still working on mine! 🤗💖
msjadeli said:
Welcome, Dora. Who said, “the best-laid plans of mice and men”? I planned on being here this morning but here it is 7pm and just arriving. This week is kicking my butt. Looking forward to reading your poem when it’s finished. Heading to the poetry trail in a minute here…
dorahak said:
Unexpected delays are the spice of life (or is it bane?). Take your time, dear Lisa. Poetry will always be here. Hope all is well with family. 💖
msjadeli said:
Probably some of both 🙂 Thank you, my friend. Yes, all is well with family, thank you for asking ❤
dorahak said:
🤗💞
Rob Kistner said:
Great prompt Lisa, and thank you very much for hosting today. The piece I linked to today is a poem that I began a number of years ago. It’s gone through three iterations. This will be the fourth. It’s a poem about walking in the wild, which I immediately felt, with the updates I have wanted to bring to it for a while. would put it step by step in pace with your prompt. 🙂✌🏼🫶🏼
msjadeli said:
Welcome Rob. So happy you like the prompt and my pleasure on hosting. Ooh, my intrigue is growing knowing it’s gone through the polishing machine more than once. Walking in the wild is probably the best walkabout I can think of <3
Callsign8Santa said:
Thank you for the lovely prompt….which I thought I would enjoy so, but ended up physically grappling with it, so to actually come out with something made me all the happier!
msjadeli said:
Welcome Callsign8Santa! The poems we wrestle with are sometimes much more satisfying for the ones that come prancing out with ease. Glad you are happy with your poem. I’m a day late reading but heading to the poetry trail in a minute here.
Helen said:
Thanks for the great challenge, Lisa!!!! I would love a glass of pinot grigio today … that’s it!
Melissa Lemay said:
I’ll get your Pinot until Lisa gets back. Cheers!🥂
msjadeli said:
Melissa, thanks again for acting as host. Welcome and Cheers, Helen!
rothpoetry said:
This is a great prompt, Lisa. I think it will be an interesting one to see what can be done with it. How about a Banana Split. Don’t forget the cherry on top! :>)
Melissa Lemay said:
🍨🍌🍒🍫
msjadeli said:
Welcome, Dwight. I see Melissa already got your banana split :)
seanatbogie said:
Everyone is wandering one way or another, not excuses for not responding to this excellent prompt.
msjadeli said:
Sean, welcome! I know you “love to go a-wandering” and happy you will participate in this prompt :)
kittysverses said:
Thank you for hosting a wonderful poetics prompt today, Lisa. I enjoyed reading the poems that you’d shared. 🙂
msjadeli said:
Kitty, welcome! Happy you like the poetics prompt, thank you <3
pvcann said:
I often make a pilgrimage – only ever out into the bush, I find my heart there. Many thanks for the inspiring prompt Li. I’ll have a whiskey please (that other pilgrimage).
msjadeli said:
Welcome, Paul. I can’t wait to read your pilgrimage love poem. My pleasure on the prompt. Setting up two whiskeys, one for you, one for me. Cheers, my friend!
pvcann said:
Cheers 🙂
The Sicilian Storyteller said:
Hey Lisa: Does the following message from you mean we have to link up by tomorrow?
“Please note: the Poetics Tuesday Mr. Linky is open to link up to until the Thursday prompt opens.“
Thanks!
msjadeli said:
Welcome, Nancy! Yes, the Poetics prompt is open until the next prompt, which is Open Link Night, begins at 3pm tomorrow (Thurs.) If you can’t get it written by then, it’s easy peasy to link up to the OLN Mr. Linky.
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