Poetry Talk

Welcome to my Poet Lady Chat Room. I would like to invite you to click on the chat box and type in a question, a suggestion, submit a poem, in other words – “chat with me.” I may, if you submit a poem, decide to feature it in my Poem of the Week section or, we may simply exchange ideas and suggestions about your poem.

This is a place to “talk” poetry with someone who has loved it all her life. I have a true passion for the possibilities of poetry and would love to hear your thoughts and/or read your poem. I will be happy to offer my reaction to your work and, based on over 40 years of teaching poetry, organizing, and conducting poetry workshops, working as a book review editor for an international poetry magazine, authoring five books of poetry and two textbooks on teaching poetry, send along my thoughts on ways to make your poem stronger and more impactful.

If you’re on my site, you have a connection to poetry. Feel free to connect with me – right here -right now, by typing your message into the “chat box” and clicking send. I’m waiting…

 

Your friend in poetry, Susan

FEATURED POEM
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Suffocated (1 reply)

Vaishnavi411
3 years ago
Vaishnavi411 3 years ago

Here is my poem which I want to submit for consideration as the featured poem of the week. Please have look! 

Stumbling-fumbling through the scorn,
saving myself from being torn.
Trying - striving not to drown,
managing to keep that crown —

The crown that sat on me upright,
pushing me down yet shining bright.
My back aches, no wonder why
Nevermind, I will not cry.

I won't cry – I think I'm strong,
strong enough to have been born.
Eventhough I'm dead and drained
I'll still try to be unfeigned

I will make your dreams come true -
though not aware how I'll get through
Somehow I will find a way–
I'll pay your debts so let me stay

Let me stay now that I'm born
Although I am broke and worn
My dreams?— I didn't get time
To think enough on what was mine

Even if I had got one
You would say that life isn't fun
I know that we have to fight
But I wish this fight were for what's right

I can't change your thoughts or mind
So I'll have to turn a blind
To my passion and my dreams
And suppress my trivial screams.

A word about the poem :-
Kim Tan from "The Heirs' said - "The one who wears the crown, bears the crown". Sometimes the weight of the crown one wears gets so heavy from responsibilities that it becomes unbearable. That's when Suffocation steps in — when you feel like giving up everything but you just can't.
"Suffocated'' brings out the voice of people who are forced to do something they don't want to, be it a student who is forced to choose a profession from the 'Dignified' jobs or a deprived child forced to let go of his dreams because he can't afford it. Parents who pass on their dreams to their children thinking that the child is bound to fulfill their incomplete desires don't realise how they are killing the dreams of their child just how their own dreams were killed somehow.
I hope this poem brings out a new realisation in people so that they can empathize with the victims and maybe, help save someone's dreams
Susan Katz
3 years ago
Susan Katz 3 years ago

Thank you so much for your very emotional poem and for the explanation that you sent along, as well.  I will be announcing the poem I choose for Feature Poem of the Week in my Friday Newsletter and posting the posting the winning poem on my Featured Poem of the Week page.  Good luck - so many wonderful poems have been received, I will have a hard job selecting one.  Have a lovely day, Susan

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