the mundane, the telling not showing
magnify the intricacy of the small
present the world through eyes that are seeing
not closed to the truth but challenging all
change the world through originality
but never forget the world’s constantly turning
evolving with new birth and creativity
as long as you know that the sun is still burning
resist
Kim M. Russell, 15th September 2018
My response to Imaginary Garden with Real Toads Weekend Challenge: Resistance
This weekend, Brendan is our host with ‘resistance poetry’. He starts by quoting a couple of lines by L.S. Asekoff, which he says have lingered in his mind ‘like tones of a darkly resonant bell’: “Avoid what tempts, / move toward what threatens.” Brendan says that we should resist certainties to go deeper and get to the heart of the truth, and avoid the temptation of completion – poems are only in their latest draft.
Brendan also says that ‘original sin is the failure to resist’ and goes on to tell us about Jack Gilbert, who refused an easy career to get closer to the insides of his words. He gives us an example from Gilbert’s poem ‘Tear it Down’, together with a short quotation from Rilke’s Letters to a Young Poet and a longer quotation from Teju Cole, photography critic for the New York Times magazine, which lead us to this week’s challenge: to write about resistance.
Brendan wants us to write about what tempts us to say nothing, or worse, too little; conversely, why does poetry matter and what can it alone say to the world?
It’s worth following the link to read what was said about the image I have chosen to illustrate my poem.
writing in north norfolk 
You are a wonder of compression, finessing in those lines what I swamp and then can’t bail. I’ll hang your poem between my water hammer and scythe. Thanks so for joining in …
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Thank you, Brendan. I enjoy your prompts. 😊
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The tone of this poem creates impact. it is so assertive, yet encouraging. Great piece, Kim.
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Thank you, Kerry. I wasn’t sure about the tone but you’ve reassured me!
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Oh, this is so well done — your voice is both poetic and philosophical in its understanding of the written word. It challenges and prods you to be original in intent and resist with a clear knowledge of its history and its aftermath. Very well-penned.
-HA
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Thank you so much, Anmol, for your kind comments.
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The showing not telling is what we all need. If just more could do that…. resistance is more like the water than walls…
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😊
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So positive, lovely to read! You made me feel better, after writing mine. Smiles.
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Thank you, Sherry. What a lovely comment to wake up to this morning!
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I do love your directness, and the truth of your poem.
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Thank you, Annell!
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This is gorgeous writing, Kim 😊 the voice in this poem is incredibly poetic and philosophical! Especially love; “as long as you know that the sun is still burning resist”.. sigh .. oh yes! ❤
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😁
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I like this one! Sometimes resistance can be taking the trouble to shape a poem into a form.
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Thank you!
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