mrteague

The Root’s Lament

Reverse poetry is a form that can be read from top to bottom and from bottom to top. Usually, when the poem is read from bottom to top, it reverses the top to bottom meaning. I first became acquainted with reverse poetry a couple years ago. My wife shared one with me called “Pretty Ugly.”Continue reading “The Root’s Lament”

Poetry’s Bouquet

Often I have to remind myself there are many kinds of poets. When a poem dazzles me, it’s easy to throw shade on my own work, to feel drab next to their shine. Dylan Thomas is one of my favorite poets, if not my absolute favorite. That said, I doubt I’ve understood two of hisContinue reading “Poetry’s Bouquet”

Published Haiku!

In a previous post, I mentioned one of my haiku would appear in the August edition of the journal, Better than Starbucks. Well, August is here, and my haiku has been published 😊. To date, this is my third published poem. If you’d like to check out my haiku online, you can read it here.Continue reading “Published Haiku!”

Metaphor

Metaphor, similes, imagery…these are the blood and guts of poetry. When discussing metaphor for the first time in school (third grade?), the teacher’s example was, “The room was an oven.” I remember feeling something like, “Wow! A lot more interesting than saying, ‘The room was really hot.’” Even at that age, there was a littleContinue reading “Metaphor”

Lights Out

Like everything else, writing has its seasons. From what I gather, most writers try to write something every day. But sometimes there are lulls (we don’t call it writer’s block or even mention that 😉). But even lulls can be fruitful to the imagination. Below is poem I wrote about not having anything to writeContinue reading “Lights Out”

As Summer Ages

Someone once said art is really about the observer, and that artists watch more than participate in life. (I believe Oscar Wilde said this but I’ve never been able to find the quote again!) Whoever said it, there’s some truth to it. To write, paint, make music, etc. requires that you step back to noticeContinue reading “As Summer Ages”

Robin

I like poems whose impact is immediate and deep; poems that encapsulate strong feelings and ideas in a moment of imagery or action. I suppose that’s why I gravitate toward short poems. Many times, the things I decide to write about happen in a flash, a moment where the mundane becomes metaphor. It’s made meContinue reading “Robin”

These Are the Clouds

I’ve been reading through a book of poems by Yeats. So far, his work is marked by eclectic and contrasting elements. Many of his poems draw imagery from Irish mythology; the natural and supernatural worlds blur into something that is both yet not quite either. Other poems strike decidedly modern notes. This isn’t surprising sinceContinue reading “These Are the Clouds”

Nine

Cats are a part of my life—sometimes whether I like it or not, LOL. So I write about them. But a cat isn’t something that can be corralled into a poem, as if I could capture them with words. More probably, cats indifferently wander into my poems because they have nothing better to do, orContinue reading “Nine”

Longing

At one time or another, most of us will feel longing in some way: a road not taken, a friend who moved, disappointment with work, wanting to have children…the list goes on. Sometimes, we can’t put our finger on what we’re longing for; everything is just permeated by a vacuum. I’ve come to think ofContinue reading “Longing”