Drafty-Draft Poem
Reflection
The process for writing this poem was a bit exciting, as I initially knew what my end goal would be and spent most of the process refining my way there. I had decided that I would make my book a map, as I was inspired by a few of the examples that we had seen in class. First my poem started out very descriptive, the remains of that can be seen in the second stanza. Instead I decided to opt for a more emotional and ethereal perspective, attempting to make what I was speaking about impossible to understand without the attached visual aid, that being a map that would mirror what was being said in the poetry, which would be the part I would finish last. Throughout my drafting processes there would be times where I would sit in front of my laptop for an hour, writing lines that I would only delete moments later. If I didn’t segment out my revisions I doubt this poem would have ever been finished, but push on I did. One of the reasons I made a map is because I really enjoy making them, it’s fun for me because I’m a huge dork, but I had never been able to get a hold on making topographical maps, and I figured one of those would be the most visually striking. it came out looking well but I have to say some of the elevation changes are incredibly inconsistent, but I believe I secured a natural feel besides a few choice places. A missed opportunity I realized too late was making the poem a key for the map, which would have been neat though I didn’t feel like coming up with and placing 30 symbols, but maybe next time I will, if i do decide to make another map with a different poem. The lines required a steady hand and a large amount of deliberation, first starting by creating a few mountain peaks, flatlands, and canyons before then finding places that would make sense for rivers to flow and then figuring where you might find settlements and where the roads would hug the terrain. A little exercise in worldbuilding. I didn’t put any real place names on the map as i figured that would be distracting, so i just wrote a few words over each other to create gibberish letters that looked convincing if one didn’t pay too much attention. All in all this was a positive experience, one that taught me to keep pushing through even when feeling creatively bankrupt, because something worthwhile is bound to come from that struggle. I’m excited to keep writing and to advance my proficiency with poetry while creating new works.
Letter to 2121
Was 2112 anything like the album?
How did you celebrate the tricentennial?
Is New Orleans under water?
What Fast & Furious are we on now?
Did you figure everything out?
It’s the year 2021 and all I’ve had to eat
Are three seasons of Frasier, and the
Big Lebowski.
We subside on entertainment more
Nourishing than reality, and we
Fight from our phones on matters
Made of foam.
The disease can’t be burnt out, the
Intellectually barren won’t set us
Free, although the cure is ready to
Set in, as trust in systems have
Been eroded like the beach.
Many feel alone, but I’m alone
With them, peering over the
Edge, waiting for harness to
Snap, carabiners to crumble and
To stay balanced or to fall.
Yet I’ll be okay, as all
Is right in your day.
