One of the joys of technology has been the opportunity to write with others. I have participated in weekly writing with the TeachWrite community; in James Crews’ The Monthly Pause; and in workshops with Georgia Heard and Ralph Fletcher. These experiences have been transformational for me personally and as a writer.
This past week, Georgia Heard used a poem to inspire our writing, “You Can’t Have it All” by Barbara Ras which you can read here. I didn’t realize how much I needed this exercise in noticing, in remembering moments of awe, in gratitude. How much I needed to hush my fears and lay down despair. Georgia reminded me that we can look at life through the lens of abundance or the lens of despair. We have the choice. Too often, of late, I have let fear cloud my view.
Barbara Ras’ poem ends with “There is the voice you can still summon at will, like your mother’s, it will always whisper, you can’t have it all, but there is this.”
Here are a few lines that I wrote – my own “there is this” – still very much in draft form. I encourage you to try this practice: You can’t have it all, but you can have…See where it might take you.
Draft:
You can’t have it all
but once,
I witnessed an autumn sunrise in a golden aspen grove
as sheep were led down the steep mountain road
by an Indian on horseback.
And more than once,
I’ve stood in meadows of bluebells surrounded in softness
up to my knees
or even my hips.
As a child,
I ate watermelon cooled in a canyon stream
with the scent of pine so cold and fresh
it seemed like summer and winter joined hands.
For a few moments,
Didn’t I have it all?
Thank you to all who make this writing space
a place of safety, support, and beauty.
pelicansandprose 
This is absolutely lovely and YES for a moment in time, you can indeed have it all. I appreciate the way you captured moments ACROSS your life, Lovely
First, I appreciated learning ways to write collegially. But then your poem! Three such vividly painted images. And the last – the unexpected watermelon in the stream, and that beautiful line about summer and winter joining hands for that moment. I found it stunning. And the closing is quite lyrical. I think this is a very strong poem.
Thank you for your kind and supportive words, Fran. I value your response.
Ras’s poem is ethereal and comforting. I love knowing I can’t have it all in a culture that defines “all” as material things. I’m doing my. best to participate in the “No Buy” movement this year. I had a student some years ago who wrote a spoken word poem about not being able to have it all right now. It’s a remarkable poem from a gifted young woman. Your poem also magnifies what is important, moments in nature, quiet times. These seem especially valuable right now. I’m so glad I stopped by today.
I love where this prompt took you. Such beauty in those moments you chose to remember. I enjoyed the Write Bites, but my head wasn’t in it on Thursday. I want to revisit the poem and try again. Your poem and courage inspires me to try again. Lovely.
What beautiful imagery! I would love to experience any of those and I felt like I did because of your words. So calming and peaceful!
The simplicity of life is what you have captured here. I miss that. Your words always inspire me!
Oooh, love the sound devices used- meadows of bluebells, cooled in a canyon, and the image of summer and winter joining hands.
Marilyn, this is gorgeous. I loved reading Ras’ poem and then yours. “The scent of pine so cold and fresh” and the cold watermelon is such a vivid experience for you and now for your readers. Just beautiful. Thank you for sharing. I wrote my own version tonight.
Your poem is wonderful and yes, you can have it all in moments like those. I especially love the thought of ‘winter and summer joining hands’.