Hello, beautiful readers! Colleen's #TankaTuesday Poetry Challenge focused on writing a specific form of poetry this week. Colleen asked Sally Cronin to choose a form, and she chose the Butterfly Cinquain.
Last week, I wrote a Butterfly Cinquain for the #TastetheRainbow challenge. For those of you who missed it, this form is a nine-line poem with a syllabic pattern of 2-4-6-8-2-8-6-4-2. Colleen explains to us that it is technically not a cinquain but rather borrows the Crapsey Cinquain form and then reverses it. Since its form looks like a butterfly's wings, it was given the name Butterfly Cinquain.
This week, I've struggled a bit with how single-minded, closed-minded, selfish, and high-and-mighty some people in our world are and how they don't care how their words and actions affect others. It's made my soul feel heavy, and I've spent many a moment meditating on it.
As an Army brat, I was privileged to live in different countries on various continents because of my father's assignments. I experienced vastly unique cultures and loved them all. I met people from all walks of life, and each setting taught me something new and helped me grow as a person. Even within the USA, each state is unique and beautiful with its different food, music, accents, and landscapes.
Because of my experiences, I've made it my mission to take my son on road trips to every state in our country so that he, too, can understand and appreciate the beauty, wonder, and richness of each place. I want him to realize that people have different viewpoints and experiences which shape them into the people they are. I want him to understand and accept that there is no "one way" that fits all people.
So, when I started contemplating this week's poem, I started off with indignation, but I took a few cleansing breaths and chose to focus on spreading a message of diversity and wonder. Once I changed my mindset, two poems came to me. So, I hope you enjoy them both.
tasty rainbow
some sweet, some savory
each region tantalizes tongues
cuisine
as eccentric as the country
soulful, vibrant, sundry
delicious blends
flourish
wander
to the unknown
see life through new lenses
it's time to add spice to your life
travel
learn from cultures around the world
embrace diversity
open your mind
explore
I'd love to hear about some of your travels and what you've learned from them. Share in the comments below. :-)
