It's Not That Bad #7: Spring poems, prompts & articles to read RN ✍️
🌸 April's newsletter 🌸
Hiya, hi, howdy,
*Insert generic musings on Spring being here, how the sun changes my personality and why new starts are important*.
But, seriously, I am feeling all those things right now, and everyone I speak to is too. Those few days of sun we had last week really solar-powered me and got me excited for the future, ready to shake up life.
In this month’s newsletter I wanted to share some Spring poetry, a few prompts to help inspire your own poetry (pls tag me in anything you write based off of these!) and a couple of articles I’ve loved reading lately.
THREE POEMS ON SPRING
1. Spring by Mary Oliver
In April the Morgan was bred. I was chased away.
I heard the cries of the horse where I waited,
And the laughter of the men.
Later the farmer who owned the stallion
Found me and said, “She’s done.
You tell your daddy he owes me fifty dollars.”
I rode her home at her leisure
And let her, wherever she wanted,
Tear with her huge teeth, roughly,
Blades from the fields of spring.
2. April By Linda Pastan
A whole new freshman class
of leaves has arrived
on the dark twisted branches
we call our woods, turning
green now—color of
anticipation. In my 76th year,
I know what time and weather
will do to every leaf.
But the camellia swells
to ivory at the window,
and the bleeding heart bleeds
only beauty.
3. Awakening By Alicia Suskin Ostriker
It can take a lifetime
says the old woman
It can take a single deep kiss
says the red tulip
Time to take a nap
says the dog
✍️ PROMPTS ✍️
Change - write down ten words that instantly spring to mind when you think of that word, and use them in a poem (wherever you feel fits)
Start by writing a poem to someone you love, and say all the things you find hard. Then relook at it, and edit/cut/rearrange into a poem or three.
Start a poem with ‘a sundress makes me’
Write a poem about different versions of yourself - that never existed. Like this poem I shared.
Write a list of things you’re proud of yourself for - the big (let in love) and the small (brushed your teeth) - and turn it into poetry.
ARTICLES TO SPEND YOUR SUNDAY READING
I don’t know how to grieve my friend’s suicide: https://www.thecut.com/2022/04/hola-papi-grieving-my-friends-suicide.html
What are we missing in the fight against Islamophobia? Suhaiymah Manzoor-Khan gets to the point: https://gal-dem.com/what-are-we-missing-in-the-fight-against-islamophobia-suhaiymah-manzoor-khan-gets-to-the-point/
Avril Lavigne and the return of pop rock: https://www.polyesterzine.com/thedollhouse/avril-lavigne-and-the-return-of-pop-rock
Not all trans people want to pass: https://www.vice.com/en/article/z3n5jw/not-all-trans-people-want-pass-lgbtq-sex-gender-acceptance
Cole Sprouse for GQ: https://www.gq.com/story/gq-hype-cole-sprouse
And finally, me interviewing Cat Cohen for GLAMOUR: https://www.glamourmagazine.co.uk/article/cat-cohen-the-twist-shes-gorgeous-interview-2022
Lots of love,
Chlo xoxo