What is it not?
No one ever asks but
it is not five times seven times three
it is not forty degrees north
seventy four degrees west
it is not found
like a penny on the sidewalk
or passed over, or let go altogether
because budget cuts
because the market these days
it isn’t able to be deleted
like a voice mail we didn’t listen to
or muted
like a conversation that bores us
it is not fruitful to ignore
it isn’t about giving leftovers to a stranger
on the corner, with no teeth
it isn’t about saying yes
and meaning no, not really
and it is not your very favorite song
it won’t bite you
nor whine in your ear all night
and you can’t hold it, so
you didn’t expect it
to purr in your hand
and despite your best intentions
to appear nonchalant
it won’t ask you to stay
nor will it give you a choice
either way.
National Poetry Month is here! The challenge of NaPoWriMo is to write a poem every day for 30 days. There are prompts all over the web to help you accomplish this. I chose to use today’s prompt from NaPoWriMo.net, which was to write a poem of negation. Sounded fun and interesting to me, so I gave it a shot. Hope you like it, and join us this month in writing poems every day.
Click on the button to hear me read this poem out loud:
Lupita Eyde-Tucker is a bilingual poet and translator raised in New Jersey and Guayaquil, Ecuador. She is the winner of the 2021 Unbound Book Festival Emerging Poet Award, the 2019 Betty Gabehart Prize, and in 2018 was selected as an AWP Writer to Writer Mentee by poet Maggie Smith. In 2022 she was a finalist for the Andrés Montoya Prize from Letras Latinas. Lupita is completing an MFA in Creative Writing - Poetry at the University of Florida, and will be a staff scholar at Bread Loaf Translators Conference in June 2023. 
Not Enough Poetry 
Yes, but what is it? I’m dying to know, now that I know so clearly what it is not. Peace, Linda
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“It” is “Death.”
Excellent poem.
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I like to leave the interpretation up to the reader, Linda. I know what I had in mind when I wrote it, but it might be other things to other people. But, I’ll give you a clue of what it is for me: unavoidable, unfindable, unlosable, unexact, unable to be manipulated, undefinable, not shallow or mean, and it takes hold of us, we can never take hold of it.
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Hmmm, not sure that fits for me, because death could be about saying yes but meaning no. I figured “it” might be something different for everyone. This is an interesting take. Peace, Linda
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Lupita, I thought this really fine work. A pleasure to read. Smiles…>KB
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Thanks KB! Really glad to hear, I know you have high standards 🙂
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I really thought it special and full. Never for a moment did I care what it was–you made it unnameable in an intrinsic way. >KB
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A very interesting writing process and begs the question of what it is ~ Is it love, smiles ~
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Oh! I remember this prompt in NaPoWriMo. You wrote it with verve. Such a lovely piece. Thank you for sharing at dverse!
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I love a poem that leaves room for interpretation…. “It” will be something different to each of us, but your words will ring true every time. Well done!
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Yes.. the negation really made me thinking.. and maybe “it” is different for each of us..
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I didn’t see this at the time, so I’m really glad you shared it with you us at OLN. Wonderful list poem of negation, really enjoyed it, and of course the ‘what it is’ will be interpreted differently by each of us. I first thought ‘compassion’ but now think it might be love.
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As ever, Lupe a very interesting and original write – you have your own voice for sure, which always makes it a pleasure to come here… With Best Wishes Scott http://www.scotthastie.com
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Fun and intriguing.
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“it” truly is different for us all. Well written and certainly got me to thinking.
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Thank you! I like that I wrote something that makes people think.
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Whoa.. didn’t see that coming!! Powerful write 🙂
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Love, death, transition, dementia, shingles–so many delicious roads to travel, & guides to follow. My wife, she she negates something & I inquire about it, say simply, “Because I said no instead of yes”.
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Shingles! you guessed it Glenn!! I haven’t had a chance to swing by Blackthorne way, but will do so shortly.
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So True.. for me at least..
Living iN THE Now..
has no pRiCe..
othEr
than
NOW..
no meaSurement..
to limit or expectation
ALL IS now as well
as noThing
N0W..:)
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