I'm not a poet. Faaaar from it actually.
But I am a multipotentialite. So I'm not surprised that I was inspired to write poetry for one day last year.
Have you ever done something, been really proud of it, and then thought, “I wonder how and when this will ever be useful?”
Writing this poetry is like that.
As you read it, remember that this was written when I was totally into the concept of Enlightened Resource Management.
I was all about resources.
And writing as many poems in as many formats about the topic of resources was a great challenge.
Who knows if I'll ever write poetry again. The muse may never resurface.
But I thought it was appropriate to bring the Enlightened Resource Management chapter to a close with a homage to resources. It's almost time to be all about the Value of Simple. Yet today, it's all about expressing myself in new, wonderful, and unpredictable ways.
At the very least, you'll be introduced to poetry techniques you never knew existed. And there's a chance you may just enjoy yourself and find some new words of wisdom to share.
Couplet
I once thought I did not have enough
Because of this my life was rough
I awoke one day to think in reverse
I had too much and needed to disburse
My possessions, my knowledge, my weakness, my skills
To give so freely became such a thrill
I can't convince you less is more
Decide yourself and go explore
ABC
All I want for people is to have more
But achieving this is not possible without help
Community is crucial to getting needs met and goals completed
Determination is the method we use to reach fantastic heights
Everyone benefits when everyone participates
Cinquain
Resources
Universally essential
Elemental, abundant, scarce
Nothing exists without them
Consuming
Haiku
If you consume them
Replenish and nurture them
Or else they vanish
Limerick
I once used resources blindly
My brain got smart and asked kindly,
Stop wasting and wanting
It's really not daunting
Provide more and you set your mind free
Ghazal
Some things are priceless – do you value what you reap my friend?
Rest is vital, you must slow down and sleep my friend.
That which matters most nourishes the soul and refreshes like rain,
If it's important; let penetrate the walls you build and seep my friend.
I will provide all I can, pushing you with grace and with force,
Your adventure is not yours alone; the climb will be steep my friend.
Courageous and caring, dashing and daring, look up and always forward,
And remember you need not look before you leap my friend.
You amaze and astonish with your talent and vigor,
In dreams I run wild, in real life I creep my friend.
Will you show me how to make happen all that I want?
Without your support I do nothing but weep my friend.
For strategy and tactics you learned long ago,
Better to be the shepherd than to be the sheep my friend.
You gesture to me and I already know,
The truth can be spoken with nary a peep my friend.
Welcome the day and enjoy what it brings you say,
“Joel, Release the unworthy, careful what you keep my friend.”
Roundel
To manage them wisely is a delight,
It is a fool who hoards them without care,
The journey to enlightenment takes flight,
To manage them wisely!
The more one gives the more one has to spare,
So follow a path sparkling true and bright,
Be focused and thoughtful but please beware,
Darkness descends and will obscure in night,
To chase them enslaves and they will ensnare,
Deftly picked they are a beacon and bright.
To manage them wisely!
Sijo
Do not ask what I do. Inquire why I do it instead.
We can offer each other friendship, hope and understanding.
Reciprocity required, you expected everything for free?
Tanka
Find them and lose them
Destroy them and abuse them
Flip the coin and see
Create them and release them
They take all forms and bring peace
Ruba'i
Hey you! Remember the feelings of your first kiss?
The build up. The planning. I hope I don't miss.
Resources deserve rapturous anticipation too,
They also can send you sky high in bliss.
Rondelet
Inside my head
I want it I need it right now
Inside my head
The pursuit fills me up with dread
But first I must ask myself how
I acquire this sacred cow
Inside my head
Free Verse
Synapses fire.
Neurons light up like Las Vegas at night.
My mental taste buds explode like the 4th of July.
Resources are the ice cream of my brain.
Gogyōka
Resources
of the world
not infinite
sustain me
unshackle all
Nonnet
To make the wish a reality
There must be some finality
Tools and skills will be offered
Ask not to be proffered
A goal to be sought
A mission caught
Management
Resources
Key
(Shakespearean) Sonnet
I dare to be bold and blaze my own trail
I need nothing myself, I long to empower
Assured that I am to stumble and fail,
Cunning my ally, I need not to cower,
Walk with me and insight reveals,
A new resource appears on the horizon,
We defy flaws, undertake the ordeal,
Knowing the end will strengthen and wisen,
Manage what we can, ignore all the rest
Life is tough enough; leave the baggage behind,
We give it a shot, we do our damn best,
Conquer together, Pool and combine,
Our assets burgeon when teamwork is used,
Two became one, we're happy when fused.
Epigram
I did not know that resources existed
Now aware my mind was twisted
Tuck away and save for a rainy day
Or take action now, I gain right away
***
Thanks to everyone who made Enlightened Resource Management a wonderful part of my life! Closing this chapter leaves me with a big smile.
So tell me: which poem was your favorite? And did any of the words strike a chord with you? Leave a comment and let us know.
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Wow! You seriously ran the gamut here.
I’m not sure I could choose a favorite, but I really liked the driving rhythm of the ghazal.
Hey Shanna,
There’s so many formats for poems I just had to (somewhat) arbitrarily pick some. But yeah, I did cover a lot of ground.
Many of them I had never heard of before. After learning about them I realized there are great techniques for poems from other cultures and parts of the world that we simply aren’t exposed to in the U.S. I agree, the ghazal is pretty cool.
Hey Joel. 🙂 I agree with Shanna, I really like the ghazal. The messages just resonated with me, and I loved the end – “Release the unworthy, careful what you keep my friend.” Thanks for sharing this side of yourself with us. 🙂
Hi Kaylee,
I had to actually reread all the poems after copying and pasting them into the post. The gap between when I wrote them to when I published them had been so long I forgot the content of each poem. But I agree with you and Shanna. I think my favorite is the Ghazal as well.
Isn’t it a blast when you get to express a side of yourself that nobody saw coming?
Wow – you’re not kidding. I studied literature for a while and there were a few formats here I did not recognize. Well done Joel! I especially enjoyed the couplet and the Shakespeare sonnet.
Wow. I got some new formats past a literary scholar. Way to go me I guess. 🙂
Thanks for the feedback Sarah. It looks like it’s more than just the Ghazal that people are digging. It’s good to know I’m not a one trick pony when it comes to writing poetry.
What a cool exercise to write poems in different formats around a theme… really well done! I enjoyed the ghazal as well…. going to have to look up the parameters on that one and give it a go.
Greetings Sarah,
I linked to a couple of websites in the post that have details about the various poems formats. I have a couple of additional resources if those + Wikipedia aren’t cutting it. When you complete your Ghazal, let me know where I can find it so I can check it out.
I have a childhood hatred of poems. So I’ll be honest, I only read half-way through. But I gotta say, the new site is sexy.
I know what you mean Amit. I’m SO not a poetry guy but for that one day, I was. If someone else asked me to look at a list of poems they wrote it wouldn’t normally be my idea of a good time.
So thanks for the honesty and thanks for having a look. And yes, this new site is a lot sexier than that old, ugly Value of Simple beast. 🙂
I’m going to chime in and say that I love the Ghazal as well. It sounds very lyrical- I could totally see writing a melody for that. 🙂
Ethan,
Was that your offer to turn my poem into a song and become the next YouTube sensation duo? Think maybe we could even get a record deal out of it? 🙂
Wow, impressed that you posted poetry. I have lots of poetry tucked away and haven’t had the guts to post it.
My fav is the “sijo”. Amen to reciprocity. There’s more joy in giving, supposedly, but receiving completes the circle, ya know?
Looking forward to more from your new site 🙂
Hi Denise,
Thanks for stopping by and giving me a little input. For me, the scary part wasn’t publishing the poetry. It was writing it and thinking, “Really? You’re writing poetry? What happened to the man I used to know?”
Side note: Reciprocity is one of the most wonderful things in the world. I liked the Sijo for that aspect as well.
I liked the nonnet for its intriguing and diminishing shape. What a great exercise in creativity! Thanks for sharing.
Hi Linda,
Yeah, some of the poems have a pretty cool visual aesthetic to them. I never really paid attention to the shapes and forms that poems took but I certainly do now.
Who knew there was so much more to poetry than the words!
Hey Joel,
Wow! What an achievement with these poems. Good on ya!
Like others, I really liked the Ghazal. I was hoping to be the first to say how cool the Nonnet is, but Linda beat me to it 😉
I really like it, though, because of the shape and I think you were extremely creative to come up with a poem about resources within that format!
The site looks terrific, Joel!
I like what you’re doing, Joel! Looking forward to seeing more!
Jen