Poetry or Prose

Poetry or prose. Which one should I write? How do I choose? Or is it as simple as allowing one to choose me? The one that’s in my mind at the instant I pick up my pen is the one I write.  I’m not saying that’s a good plan to follow. But on certain days, that’s how my writing begins. On other days, I might stick to a schedule of work on a short story or keep at the marketing business for my novel. Rainy days are always good for writing. Today has been a rainy day and I’ve written a poem to make the 12th in my plan for one poem a day for a month. I’ve used the Pantoum pattern for this one.

The Pantoum is of indefinite length made up of stanzas whose four lines are repeated in a pattern: lines 2 and 4 of each stanza are repeated as lines 1 and 3 of the next stanza, and so on. Rhyme is optional. In the last stanza, I’ve used the 3rd and 1st lines of the first stanza for the second and fourth lines.

A Rainy Day Is Good

A rainy day is good for writing.
A good day for reading, too.
Lately, I prefer to write poems.
Reading is my second hobby.

A good day for reading, too.
Some books are great, others not so.
Reading is my second hobby.
I should read more than I do.

Some books are great, others not so.
Some books are classics.
I should read more than I do.
I write poetry and prose.

Some books are classics.
Lately, I prefer to write poems.
I write poetry and prose.
A rainy day is good for writing.

c Copyright, 2013, Freeda Baker Nichols