Today’s NaPoWriMo prompt was a little complicated. The challenge was to write a “golden shovel” poem. This form was invented by Terrance Hayes in his poem, The Golden Shovel. The last word of each line of Hayes’ poem is a word from Gwendolyn Brooks’ poem We Real Cool (one of my favorite poems). You can read Brooks’ poem by reading the last word of each line of Hayes’ poem.

A poem within a poem. A puzzle. I love a challenge!

I chose David Whyte’s poem “Enough” which you can read by reading the last word of each line in my poem.

rest

I find it enough.
moments like these
when sounds are few
and fewer still are words
these moments are
enough.
no space for what if
or worries about what not
to do or say. Yes, in these
moments I find soul words;
I find space within this
time to catch my breath.
if only, if
only this time were not
just like this
life–a fading breath.
if only this
space for sitting,
for being here
and present in this
life of wondrous opening,
would allow me to
receive the
joy of living life
in the present. we
know the places we have
said no–where we refused
to live again;
where we struggle and
strive again.
I find it enough until
pressures of the now
rage against the still; until
again I rest in the still now.

Enough

Enough.
These few words are enough.
If not these words, this breath.
If not this breath, this sitting here.

This opening to the life
we have refused
again and again
until now.
Until now

David Whyte