NaPoWriMo Day 5: Poem: The Cloak of Hope

NaPoWriMo Day 5 Prompt:

This prompt challenges you to find a poem, and then write a new poem that has the shape of the original, and in which every line starts with the first letter of the corresponding line in the original poem. If I used Roethke’s poem as my model, for example, the first line would start with “I,” the second line with “W,” and the third line with “A.” And I would try to make all my lines neither super-short nor overlong, but have about ten syllables. I would also have my poem take the form of four, seven-line stanzas.

I have always found Emily Dickinson’s poem “Hope is the thing with feathers”, particularly close to my heart. So I’m following the structure of three stanzas of four lines each with ‘abab’ ‘cdcd’ ‘efef’ rhyming scheme. Also taking the first letter of each line as used in Emily’s poem below. I also centred my poem around “hope” 🙂

Here’s the poem by Emily Dickinson:

–

“Hope” is the thing with feathers –

That perches in the soul –

And sings the tune without the words –

And never stops – at all –

–

And sweetest – in the Gale – is heard –

And sore must be the storm –

That could abash the little Bird

That kept so many warm –

–

I’ve heard it in the chillest land –

And on the strangest Sea –

Yet – never – in Extremity,

It asked a crumb – of me.

---

Poem: The cloak of Hope

Hope, I feel in the warmth of the Sun

That scatters vivacious hues every day

And even around, when there’s none

All you need is, faith in today

–

And hope, I feel in the gentle breeze

As it softly nudges every part of me

The swaying in rhythm of the leaves of trees

The incessant crashing of waves at sea

–

I breathe in hope

As I look up to Him,

Yes I know, there’s a slope

It only recuperates my faith in Him!

–

©Vandana Bhasin

05.04.2021