Might April showers bring something else?

Of course, that’s not how the rhyme goes. But with any luck, tonight’s rain will bring a shower of poetic inspiration! Because I just found out today that April is National Poetry Month. (The picture at left is this year’s poster. You can click on it to go to the Academy of American Poets website for this event.) So, since it’s raining, which renders it particularly unsuitable for more outdoor pleasures, like gardening, I think I’ll go write some poetry.

It’s been about a year, maybe, since I last wrote a sonnet, which is my preferred form. The mood strikes me from time to time. I wrote this on 4 January 2010.

When inspiration comes, sometimes she finds
Me ready, willing, able, even poised
With pen in hand, no need to coax my mind.
The words fly fast flowing scarcely making choice
So fast they fly I’ve barely time to write
And stumbling now across the sheet they come
Almost unbidden. Such is this delight—
A sweet, unfettered joy—And then I’m dumb-
Struck, dense, and useless, like some rock
That sits unseen beside a less-trod road.
I’ll pace the floor, and pull my hair, and knock
My head again the wall to try to goad…
My mind will not be mined despite how I
Put ev’ry effort forth if soul won’t sigh.

Let’s hope inspiration comes, since I’m poised with pen in hand.