A Poet's Journey

​By Gerald Bigelow

Unaccustomed as I am to blogging, I am making my first foray into this endless cascade of flowing thoughts and ideas. From time to time, I will tell you what I think about this or that. However, I will not talk to you about whether or not I had either a good or bad cup of coffee, notwithstanding the fact that I have never drunk a cup of coffee in my life. Likewise, you will never know if my mattress is comfortable or if my pillow is stuffed with either foam or buckwheat husks. Finally, I will never recommend an over-the-counter laxative or tout a generational home remedy. With that said, welcome to my blog! I will always respond respectfully to your inquiries, and demonstrate a willingness to listen and provide an objective response.

Most journeys begin with the first step, possibly a step into the unknown or a leisurely stroll down familiar streets. A poet’s journey, on the other hand, begins with the first observation. Poets tend to walk in lockstep with the old adage, “look before you leap,” and if you should find yourself tumbling through space, be sure to capture your observations of those experiences using concise, powerful language that invokes descriptive images. For the past two years, a group of poets has been meeting at the Edmonds Library on the second Tuesday of the month to create, critique, improve, and share their poetic observations. This monthly gathering is free and is sponsored by the cooperative efforts of EPIC Group Writers and Sno-Isle Libraries. All are welcome.

The poetry group is comprised of curious individuals who share diverse thoughts highlighted by different life experiences. The outcome of our gatherings consistently produce thought-provoking poems that sometimes elicit tears, laughter, or in rare cases, a few good-natured, but heated, disagreements.

As poets we see, smell, touch, and feel our way through life. Some things that we encounter are experienced at the surface, some are ethereal, and some hide in the deep, dark crevices of our underpinnings.

We observe, digest and express. A life ignored is a life lost. A life observed is a life lived. For us, poetry is a journey best spent in the company of fellow travelers.

Come and join us!

In the immortal words of Chaucer, “So priketh nature in here courages / Thanne longen folk to gon on pilgrimages.”
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© Copyright 2017 G.M.Bigelow 

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