Poem: Pull Up a Chair

Pull Up a Chair

I just need to sit with a poem
Standing tires us both
Jumping demands such stamina
Whirling distracts us from the task
When we sit, we can talk
If we run, one of us is breathless
And we struggle to put syl
lables in the right pace,
Make that place,
So that’s why sitting
is going to work out fine.

Susan Thomsen, draft 2023

*****

Linda Mitchell generously offered the first line during her recent "clunker" exchange. Thank you, Linda.

The roundup for Poetry Friday on August 11th is at Tabatha Yeatts' blog.

Art: "Table and Two Chairs" (1946), oil painting by Horace Pippin, Metropolitan Museum. Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication. Via Wikimedia Commons.

Comments

[Denise Krebs]

Yes, you have convinced your readers that sitting is a perfect posture for the poem.

"And we struggle to put syl
lables in the right pace,"

Brava, Susan! Well done with the clunker from Linda. I'm sure she will approve. ;)

[Susan T.]

Thank you, Denise! This was fun to work on.

[Linda Baie]

I love the humor and the great advice, Susan, a new look for writing a poem!

[Tracey Kiff-Judson]

What a fun poem, Susan! I love your lines ... "one of us is breathless," "syl - lables in the right pace ... make that place." So clever! Nice work turning a clunker into a gem.

[PATRICIA J FRANZ]

Love what you did with Linda's line, Susan. "Jumping demands such stamina" - makes me laugh!

[Susan T.]

Aw, Linda, thanks so much. Sometimes I have to remind myself that writing takes time and I can't just rush the whole process by, say, jumping up and down. :)

Thanks for your kind words, Tracy! That "clunker" was a totally inspiring first line.

Patricia, ha! I'm glad. Having recently returned to jumping jacks, I speak from experience. :)

[Tabatha]

Whew, I'm glad we're seated! My dog Preston is a whirler and a jumper, but I'd just as soon join you at the table. Thanks for the fun poem :)

[Susan T.]

Oh, yes, please do join us at the table! Thanks for doing the roundup, Tabatha.

[Carol Labuzzetta]

Susan, What a fun poem! That Linda - she always provides a creative challenge! I love it - especially when you have the "mistakes." Thanks for sharing.

[Susan T.]

Carol, Linda’s so-called clunker was the perfect opening line! Thank you so much for reading.

[Carol Varsalona]

Susan, your poem is delightful, especially the syl-lable lines. This is another wonderful remake of a clunker from Linda Mitchell and it goes to show the reader that with careful rethinking a clunker can become a gem.

[Linda Mitchell]

Fantastic! Oh, I love seeing lines shined up pretty and perfect. Great clean-up of a clunker. Wish I had thought of all those movement words you tucked in.

[Laura Purdie Salas]

Hahaha. This is so clever, Susan--thanks for sharing!

[Karen Edmisten]

Linda keeps calling these lines clunkers but clearly, they are inspiration. :) I loved this, Susan!

[Mary Lee]

Brilliant! That "clunker" polished up just fine!!

[Margaret Simon]

Susan,
I'd love to pull up a chair and sit with you to write a poem. I so enjoyed the talk we had. I love where this clunker took me.

[Molly Hogan]

Oh, this is so clever and fun! I love how you took that clunker and crafted this poem. Such a treat! Well done!

[Susan T.]

Thanks so much for reading, y’all! Linda, you offered the perfect opening line. Yay! While ideas for poems happen everywhere, at some point one has to sit down at the table and work it out.

[Marcie Flinchum Atkins]

I love this poem inspired by a clunker. I also love that syllables is split between the lines. Clever!

[Karen Elise Finch]

So clever, Susan! And so true!

[Susan T.]

Marcie and Karen, thank you! I have a bigger poem project with whom I really do need to sit down at the table; it isn’t going to write itself!

[Michelle Kogan]

💙 your sitting poem Susan, makes me smile and I like the playfulness of
"syl
lables in the right pace,
Make that place,"
And cozy art too, thanks!

[Susan T.]

Thanks, Michelle! I was really happy to find that art on Wikimedia. I'd kept putting in my own photos but they weren't working. The Met Museum has evidently made a whole trove of images available for use.