I Am A River

I do not stand still
I do not wait in a pool
I do not fall from the sky in pieces
I do not float vaporous as a revenant
I am not a current that flows along
in the vast ocean of humanity.

I am a river.

If I mystify you by the way I
bend and twist through the valley
grabbing and pulling at
that which interests me as I pass;
or by how I overflow my banks
pick up strays abandoned and
slip back into the drive forward—
at least you'll know I never linger.

I am a river.

I absorb feeders
graft wandering side-streams,
suck in the massive falling rush,
integrate collective trickles,

and gather loose junk 

as I course on by.

It might joggle your mind
to know I am enthralled with
making my bed in stones,
compelled to sing as I go,
ruing the day I empty myself

 

into passivity—
into the still memory of a placid sea

depositing my scraps and silt
in a grand estuary before
resting in the depths of a basin.

                          ~~ DE Navarro

This is a celebratory poem of being proud of who and what you are, the good and the bad (junk, scraps).

We all should be proud of who and what we are—comfortable in our own skins. Making a positive affirmation and being confident in self—but still understanding that you don't know everything and you are not perfect—is actually a powerful place to be in life.

Unfortunately this kind of confidence can at times be mistaken as arrogance by some who do not know that this strength of purpose is based in awe, wonder, willingness to learn, meekness, and humility.

Recognizing who you are and understanding its benefits and limitations is a great step forward in figuring out how to work with yourself to make yourself better.

The Logical Poem-Story

Eons ago in a fathomless destitute crime-ridden inner city
far, far away-Chicago-we met in a vacant lot overgrown
with the most wretched of devil weeds-gnarled, tangled,
twisted stems like steel cables intertwined, seized ankles,
ripped shoes off mid-stride, threw children to the ground;

grasshoppers the size of finger-fat tootsie rolls hugged
tall stalks, shifted around away from intruders, jumped
blind in free flight withersoever they would go to smack
into whatever they hit and to cling with sticky barbed legs
wherever they landed, my nose and ears included.

We discussed the greater matters of life as most kids do,
like where you might come out if you dug a hole through
the earth-Paul said China, I shook my head no; Bob said
China, Christy said it, my brother said it, Cathy said it,
all said China-mad that I shook my head no. Ran home
whining-he won't believe us-got the adults involved.

Mrs. Shuzack said it, my mom even dared to say it, and
there in the midst of the black cracked asphalt street,
John's dad shook a rough knuckled finger in my face,
his sad eyes strained behind hedge row brows, and
declared boldly before all-they come out in China.

Then some school teachers strolling home agreed, like
buzzing bees together, that if we dug a hole through the
earth, we'd come out in China; a few park officials, sharp
and smart in their steam-starch-pressed green uniforms
bearing pointed polished badges, nodded to me to give it
up, as if that were the noble or honorable thing to do.

Someone finally asked me why I shook my head no, so
I smiled and said, "Don't you know, if you dig a hole
through the earth, you come to the molten core and die."

That was the end of that.

                                                      ¦ ~ ¦ ~ ¦

Published in Dropping Ants into Poems, NavWorks Press, 2017
Available worldwide and at reduced price at the Curio Bookstore
ISBN: 9781366548467

NavWorks Press Announces Release of Two New Books: Dropping Ants into Poems & Sometimes Anyway

Los Angeles, CA — NavWorks Press announces the release of two great landmark volumes of poetry, Dropping Ants into Poems, by DE Navarro, and Sometimes Anyway, a compilation of 39 remarkable poets worldwide.

ORDER discounts are available now, the books will begin to ship January 20.

Dropping Ants into Poems A masterful work of literary merit in which DE gives us 27 engaging contemporary poems, 18 Zen poems, and 1 piece of flash fiction that all work together intricately to develop the main theme of planting the seeds of words and knowledge for future generations. Includes an article on contemporary poetry, and a surprise bonus to spice things up.

DE has been called a word-master who writes with an intelligent poetic flair that demonstrates his symbiotic relationship with the English language and extraordinary ability to deliver powerful themes through words and imagery.

ORDER at discount now at the Curio bookstore and curiosity shop.

 * ~~~~~ * ~~~~~ * ~~~~~ *

Sometimes Anyway: Pride in Poetry Volume II
Powerful poetry by the 2016 Pride in Poetry Prize winners and selected poets. A remarkably compelling compilation of 63 poems by 39 poets from all over the world that explores the character and quality of life and humanity—past and present—in the full span of our lives. It also features 8 micro-essays.

Poems were chosen for their quality, readability, and poignant impact, and will please all poetry readers everywhere from this time forward, in every place under the sun. There is something here for everyone and everything here is for someone.

ORDER at discount now at the Curio bookstore and curiosity shop.

Pride in Poetry Volume II ~ Patron of the Arts

Pride in Poetry ~ Patron of the Arts

Hi, I’m DE Navarro, Author, Poet, and Editor.

I want to help new and undiscovered poets break into print.  I promote poetry and the writing arts in English worldwide.

I have undertaken a book project to publish 50 poets.
The cost of publishing a poetry book is well over $1000 when you secure ISBN, copyright, layout & design, materials, printing, and marketing.

I successfully published 76 poets in 2009 in Between Life and Language: Pride in Poetry Volume I.  It helped to launch the poetic careers of a number of beginning poets who went on to win other contests, to get published, and to become poet laureates in their communities or states.

This is an opportunity for YOU to become a Patron of the Arts. Your patronage will support the production and publication of Pride in Poetry Volume II.

This is great advertisement for you or your company. Your name will be listed on the “Patron” page as one of the sponsors who made this volume possible. The amount you give will not be listed, just that you are a Patron of the Arts.

Please become a Patron of the Arts and support young and beginning poets to break into print.
The fact of the matter is, most art and literature is funded by patrons and foundations because there is no profit in it for big business.

Only people like you and me keep the arts and humanities alive in our day and time by donating time, energy, expertise and funds.

I will be doing all the production work and making up the difference in funds out of my own pocket.
It will mean a great deal to me and to 50 poets if you help with this project.  I will be extremely grateful and will honor you by sending you a complimentary copy of Pride in Poetry Volume II when it is complete (by December).

You will be proud to be a part of this volume.

Click the link to become a Patron of the Arts.


Thank you again for keeping the arts and humanities alive in our world today.

Between Life and Language: Pride in Poetry Volume I

Or perhaps you'd rather submit poetry for the contest and book.  Read about it at the link below.

YES, I WANT TO SUBMIT POETRY INSTEAD.

The Resurgence of Rhyme

 To Rhyme or Not to Rhyme?


There has been a raging argument for years as to whether rhyming poetry is archaic and no longer viable and has been replaced by free verse or free style poetry that does not rhyme. Some say yes, others say no.  

I have been part of a two year debate over whether rhyming poetry is dead or not. The comments seem to be divided almost 50/50. If rhyming poetry was dead, there would not be so many publications and media formats requesting it. Ironically, rap, a style of rhyming poetry set to music and a beat, garners more interest and revenue than all other performance forms of poetry, unless you include lyrics, and then you have a whole nother category of often rhyming poetry to consider.

Both sides trade barbs. The free-stylers say that rhyming poetry is childish or pansy, too light, too humorous, too sing-songy and somewhere out of la la land. The rhymers say that free style poetry is not really poetry, rather it is nothing more than chopped up prose, it is sloppy, it is undisciplined, it does not require as much skill.

Some say that free style poetry has actually worn itself out and rhyming poetry is on a great resurgence. I'm all for a resurgence of rhyme, but by no means am I for the death of free verse or free style poetry either.

Why is it that most people want to polarize on one end or the other of an issue? Why is it that issues have to be polarized and turned into opposing views? Why can't we simply accept the congruence and harmony in many issues and understand the pragmatic balance of them?

What I am saying here is that there is room enough for both rhyming forms and free verse to be vibrant, viable and powerful ways of writing poetry, each with its own significance, each with its own unique qualities and characteristics, each with its own particular application, and each with its own impact. One thing is clear, neither style works for anyone if it is not done well.  

Poetry must be well done, crafted exquisitely, presented in a manner that exudes total natural progression.  Poetry that is not natural will not appeal to most readers. It will come across as contrived, forced and artificial which will cause it to lose its credibility. 

So why can't we accept the congruence and harmony of multiple forms of poetry, each with its own significance and each with its own power? Why must free-stylers fight with rhymers and criticize each other rather than to relish the different skills it takes to write each? Many great poets wrote both rhyming and non-rhyming poetry and did each equally well.

That's where I stand--right between, amidst and among both and all forms and styles. I write both, does that make me bi-poetic? If you only see in polarizations, perhaps. I prefer to think I am ambi-poetic, and that all poets should be to a certain degree in order to master the art of writing powerful poetry.

Please share your thoughts and also post some poems. If you post a poem, I request that you also comment on two other poems posted in the forum. Simply give your feedback on two other poems, share your impressions, why you liked the poem or where it could be made tighter, more effectual.

Please tell your poetry friends about this blog and let's make this a great place to interact and talk about everything poetic.

Challenge:  Post both a rhyming and a non-rhyming poem in the forum.

© 2013 NavWorks Press and DE Navarro. All rights reserved.

Options:

You can check out my author website DE Navarro.

And perhaps check out my newly released book, Dare to Soar.

Thank you, and have a fantastic day or night (whatever it is for you).