Every Day Is a Poem Read online

  for Marlee Grace,

  my soul mate in the work of poetic healing

  When it’s over, I want to say: all my life

  I was a bride married to amazement.

  —MARY OLIVER

  Contents

  INTRODUCTION

  CHAPTER 1BE IN AWE OF EVERYTHING

  EXERCISE FOR FINDING AWE

  Close Your Eyes and Point in Any Direction

  WRITING PRACTICE

  How to Make a Poem Out of Awe

  POETIC MINDSET TIP

  Your Awe Can Be Connective

  CHAPTER 2MAKE MEANING

  EXERCISE FOR MAKING MEANING

  Pick Up a Commonplace Object and Give It Meaning

  WRITING PRACTICE

  Create Your Personal Mythology

  POETIC MINDSET TIP

  Keep Your Meaning Up to Date

  CHAPTER 3EXPLORE YOUR PURPOSE

  EXERCISE FOR EXPLORING PURPOSE

  Discover the Purpose of Your Favorite Writers

  WRITING PRACTICE

  Create a Poem of Purpose

  POETIC MINDSET TIP

  Hold On to Your Purpose All Day Long

  CHAPTER 4SHARE YOUR ANSWERS

  EXERCISE FOR SHARING

  Read Aloud to Others and Share Your Work

  WRITING PRACTICE

  How to Edit Your Work for Sharing

  POETIC MINDSET TIP

  Let Accessibility Be the Inspiration in All Communication

  CHAPTER 5USE YOUR SENSES

  EXERCISE FOR THE SENSES

  Heighten and Appreciate Your Senses

  WRITING PRACTICE

  Bring at Least One Sense into Every Poem

  POETIC MINDSET TIP

  Sharpen Your Senses and Hone Your Awareness

  CHAPTER 6USE YOUR PAIN

  EXERCISE FOR MAKING PAIN USEFUL

  Find the Source

  WRITING PRACTICE

  How to Write a Healing Poem

  POETIC MINDSET TIP

  Your Pain Is a Seed for Growth

  CHAPTER 7USE YOUR MEMORIES

  EXERCISE FOR MEMORY

  Think of All You’ve Done and Let It Wow You

  WRITING PRACTICE

  Create Your Timeline

  POETIC MINDSET TIP

  Learn How to Appreciate the Past

  CHAPTER 8USE YOUR JOY

  EXERCISE FOR JOY

  Make a Ritual of Joy

  WRITING PRACTICE

  Write a Celebratory Poem

  POETIC MINDSET TIP

  Find Joy Everywhere

  CHAPTER 9LISTENING TO THE POETIC UNIVERSE

  EXERCISES FOR LISTENING TO THE UNIVERSE

  How to Take Care So You Can Hear It

  WRITING PRACTICE

  What Are You Asking For?

  What Path Is Already Open?

  POETIC MINDSET TIP

  The Power in Making Poetic Mantras

  CHAPTER 10PERMISSION TO BE A POET

  EXERCISES FOR BEING A POET

  Give Yourself the Tools

  WRITING PRACTICE

  Find a Routine and Show Up for It

  POETIC MINDSET TIP

  Everything Is a Poem;

  Don’t Worry About the Outcome

  CHAPTER 11RESOURCES AND RECOMMENDED READING

  AFTERWORD

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  POEM SOURCES

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  ALSO BY JACQUELINE SUSKIN

  ABOUT SOUNDS TRUE

  COPYRIGHT

  introduction

  I am doing something I learned

  early to do, I am paying attention

  to small beauties.

  —SHARON OLDS

  How do humans deal with the heavi ness of everyday ft living? How do we keep going when everything is so hard, sad, and infuriating? We’re surrounded by hate, injustice, death, and destruction—how do we sift through the anguish and enjoy being alive?

  MY ANSWER IS,

  POETRY.

  What would it be like to find inspiration everywhere you look? It’s a sacred challenge to mine the wonder out of every day, out of trauma and pain, out of the mundane. This is what poetry does for us. No, it isn’t a magic wand that vanishes all atrocity. But it does make humanity reappear; it brings beauty out of the shadow, back to the surface, making it accessible. Poetry is a guide, a teacher, providing reminders on how incredible it is to be alive at all, even when it hurts.

  The poetic mind is a grateful one; it’s a mind that celebrates the miracle of being. The poetic mind is moody, and it digs its heels into these moods, pulling out the best and worst of feelings in the name of discovery, in the name of the shared human condition. The poetic mind shines a light on its uniqueness and its specialized way of coping with grief or anger. The strength of this mind is that it can turn any experience into one of worth, into something meaningful, into an answer or a gift of clarity.

  When Allen Ginsberg wrote Howl, he tuned into the travesty of America in 1955, exposing the nuance of mental illness, connecting the dots between this sickness and the state of the country:

  I saw the best minds of my generation destroyed

  by madness, starving hysterical naked,

  dragging themselves through the negro streets at

  dawn looking for an angry fix . . .

  This poem became an anthem as it brought out a new language to describe something so dark, painful, and prevalent. That’s why Howl still sticks with us. Like all influential artworks, it displays a mind in touch with the greater picture, a mind that is willing to overflow with gratitude and wonder, while at the same time remaining skeptical and critical of society, war, and greed.

  Similar in reach, Mary Oliver’s famous poem “Wild Geese” remains impactful as it explores a universal permission to move through pain into awe by way of curiosity, acceptance, and a celebration of the intricate details that connect us all. Her words help us circle back to our innate imaginative power, a human quality that is available, all-inclusive, and reliably healing:

  Whoever you are, no matter how lonely,

  the world offers itself to your imagination.

  This is my purpose as a poet, to write reminders that help us identify with our place in the universe, on this perfect planet that we call home.

  I’ve always been a poet, filling notebooks with cryptic verse before I really even knew how to write properly. It’s the way that my brain processes my experience. I even got a degree in poetry. From 2009-2019, my project Poem Store was my only job, and it enabled me to write more than forty thousand poems for strangers. I set up with my typewriter at private and public events, writing for patrons who chose a subject and a price in exchange for a unique poem that I wrote on the spot.

  This practice allowed me to explore the human condition in a way that I never dreamed possible. I’ve heard humanity’s deepest secrets and traumas, I’ve listened to the most wonderful expressions of love and elation, I’ve witnessed intense confusion and beautiful awe—only to translate it all into poetry. When my customers saw themselves on the page, something happened. My words offered a reflection, a moment of deep knowing, and I provided written proof that they weren’t alone, that they were seen and heard. This work is transformative and healing for people, and that’s how I’ve been able to make my living as a poet in the modern day. My work fills a place in people’s hearts, where there is a longing to be understood.

  No matter where I am, no matter the demographic, no matter what part of the planet, everyone always asks me to write about the same subjects. They’re all grieving over the same types of loss, celebrating the same kinds of pleasure, and longing for the same versions of love, devotion, and direction. My purpose is to decipher their feelings a
nd reinforce their depths with poetry.

  But outside of Poem Store, I still keep a dedicated daily writing practice. I continue to fill journals with rambling thoughts. I make myself turn the light on in the middle of the night if I have an idea to scribble down in a bedside notebook. I’m constantly working on a project and have six published books. My poetic mind never stops, and I notice how it bleeds into my nonwriting life as well.

  I can walk down the street and appreciate the greatness of the world even if I’ve had a hard and emotional day. When it’s difficult to be alive, I immediately look for the meaning that is intertwined in the hardship, and thus, the problem becomes my teacher. And when I feel an empathetic overload listening to the news on the radio, I find myself looking for the larger picture, the things that help me believe change is possible, that humanity has a chance, that hope is a bright light we all carry, and that I can tend to it with my craft as a poet.

  I continuously turn to poetry for help. Mary Oliver’s writing saves me when I feel too far from the forest. Wendell Berry’s work rescues me when I feel disconnected from my intentions as an artist. Poets provide a new set of eyes that bring spark and magic into even the worst tragedy or most sluggish of slumps, marveling at the whole of creation and its wildness. Now more than ever, in a political climate where everyone’s input is crucial, poetry can help us respond and express a call to action in beautiful and potent ways.

  The poetic mind is the root of change. We’ll always look to poets for the beginnings of true transformation. Poets are the caretakers of the human condition, the brave ones who speak out to instigate solutions to the larger problems of the heart and intellect. Everyone’s voice matters, and when the society we live in shakes us into fear and heartache, the answer is to tune our collective poetic mind and call forth the newness we need. Poetry is not a dusty book on the shelf or a forgotten pastime of passion long dead. No, it’s alive and well, at the forefront of resistance, and it thrives in the heart of activists everywhere.

  You can be a casual poet, jotting down moments of inspiration, putting words to your most tender feelings, using pen and paper as an outlet for your rage, joy, and amusement. You may not realize it, but you’re doing this already. This is the way we communicate now—we text, we comment, all in a condensed language that gets to the point quickly, that synthesizes heavy ideas in an efficient way, giving us quick doses of linguistic lessons that are accessible and easy to digest. Poetry helps us with focus and awareness; it inspires us to see beyond outward appearance, to find truths that are waiting to be revealed.

  In this book, I’ll show you some of my favorite aspects of poetry, from writing practices to pathways of expression and inspiration, alongside reminders that we all have the ability to create a mindset that weaves grandeur and import out of an otherwise difficult and often overwhelming existence. I’ll suggest ways to use poetry as a tool for finding clarity and for feeling relief. This work offers up a habit of looking closer. It helps ignite curiosity about the smallest details, and it guides you to make a written document of splendor.

  You can begin anywhere by following my directions from start to finish, or by flipping through and trying out some exercises and prompts. Maybe you’ll enjoy the section on mapping your past and mining your memories, or perhaps you’ll prefer to begin by indulging your senses. See how it feels to focus on awe in any moment. From the process of grieving the loss of a loved one, to the healing of a broken heart, poetry is a tool we can use to understand and appreciate all aspects of life.

  Wherever this book leads you, its main goal is to settle you into a place of reverence, shifting your perspective so that you can use words to explore the wonder of being alive.

  These are very uncertain times. Poetry

  won’t cause brutality to vanish. But it might

  act as a healing tool, a soothing aid, or a

  transformative outlet.

  Accept my invitation, and find that you have permission to be a poet in every moment. You have a relevant voice that we all need to hear, and your mentality can rest in a poetic place that will only enrich you, one gorgeous thought at a time.

  chapter 1

  BE IN AWE OF EVERYTHING

  And awe suddenly

  passing beyond itself. Becomes

  a form of comfort.

  —DENISE LEVERTOV

  When I zoom out on my life, I’m in awe of everything. It isn’t just the tiny details that wow me; it’s the way that they somehow fit into the giant fold of the universe. This fitting together, this wonder of small and large, this is the heart of poetry, and you can exercise it anywhere, anytime.

  I fell in love with the word awe about eight years ago. I’m not sure how it came to me, but suddenly I found myself with three letters strung together that perfectly describe my most familiar state of being.

  The common dictionary definition of awe is “a feeling of reverential respect mixed with fear or wonder.” It’s that “reverential respect” that I’m so often filled with when I take in our world. I like that fear is in there as well, not because I walk around afraid of the majesty that is life, but because it hints at the presence of death woven into the fabric of our impermanent existence. Our wonder is attached to the fleeting nature of our reality.

  The fact that it could all be gone at any

  moment, that all of our experience is tangled

  up with so much pain and loss, is part of why

  it’s so amazing to rejoice in every offering

  that life throws our way.

  AWE IS THE

  CENTERPIECE OF

  ACCEPTANCE.

  If we allow ourselves to practice awe in any situation, conjuring up a deep reverence for all things, we never miss the splendor or the importance of the moment. Awe is what allows me to meet life with my eyes open wide. It’s my ever-growing admiration for the complexity of human understanding, and it’s often my source of joy or pleasure in otherwise seemingly monotonous or trying times. Awe can also act as a verb. I can be awed by something. Awe is an active thing, it’s coming at me from all angles, and it helps me accept the ephemeral nature of being human. Awe is an opportunity, and if you acquaint yourself with it, it becomes infinitely abundant and accessible.

  Wherever you stand at any moment, whatever the situation, you can drum up a large dose of awe to get you through. Awe is appreciation. Awe is curiosity. It gets you to look closer, to lead with patience and compassion, awareness and intrigue. There is no shortage of fascination in the human spirit. We were born to ask why. We are here to make up our own answers. This is the poetry of being alive.

  How can we be in awe of things that are horrific? Awe is not married to the light. We can be in awe of darkness. That feeling of breath leaving the body as you gasp in horror while watching the news, that’s awe. All things hard or soft are amazing. This amazement comes from our ability to keep asking how and why. What’s this all for? Where did it begin? Our stories continue to change as we ask more questions and look closer. We once thought the earth was flat! Our awe and wonder asked us to dig deeper, to find more, to know more, and to share it. As we roll in orbit around our burning sun, we know that nothing is certain, and it’s our awe that keeps us interested in the great mystery.

  In Awe

  I hear the jackhammer in the distance.

  Someone is making something with skill and strength!

  I see a single palm tree, leaning in thirst. How has it lasted?

  It seems to have the face of an old woman in its bark.

  The breeze carries the scent of saltwater

  and I tune into four different bird calls at once.

  One is a hummingbird. I can hear it!

  The crows wake me up. It’s spring and all

  new growth can’t help but point toward the light.

  EXERCISE FOR FINDING AWE

  CLOSE YOUR EYES AND POINT IN ANY DIRECTION

  When you open your eyes, what’s the first object you see? Is it a street sign
? Is it a tree? Is it a photo of someone you love? Is it a sandwich? Whatever it might be, I ask you to be in awe of it.

  How do we wake up the awe inside of us? Start by asking yourself who, what, why, where, when, and how. Who made the street sign? Who first touched it, who cut its shape, who designed it, who decided what it means? What kind of tree is it? What do you think about the color of its leaves? What feeling does it inspire inside of you when you see it? Why do you have this photo of someone you love in a frame? Why are they so important to you? Where did you buy the bread for this sandwich? Where did the wheat grow that the farmer used to make the flour? When did you last think about farmers and the fact that our food grows from the ground? How do you feel when you focus on the specifics that make up the world around you? A poem exists in this list of wonder. All of these questions and particulars add up, and the sum is poetry.

  Drinking Water

  I stand in the kitchen at night and revere the water.

  I know it’s a continuous traveler—down the drain

  into the creek, rising into ether, moving toward the river,

  the coastline, into the enormous ocean and back again.

  I consider its archaic loop

  as moonlight abruptly floods the room.

  I worship the moon, marvel at illumination

  so devoted to a cycle, so steadfast

  it decides which way the swells should form

  and guides the tides like a mother ushers

  her child’s legs into a garment.

  Now I feel earth’s orbit and sense

  the magnitude of the universe,

  only to turn off the tap and sip

  from an unadorned clay cup.

  WRITING PRACTICE

  HOW TO MAKE A POEM OUT OF AWE

  Take out your journal, get situated at your desk with your computer, or write in this book—whatever’s most comfortable for you. When you sit down to write, focus on something that inspires awe. Maybe it’s the vastness of our oceans, or perhaps it’s the small dragonfly on the kitchen windowsill. Start here, and let all of the questions you have about this subject matter come to the surface. Write each thought, no matter how disjointed. Let it be a rambling list of imperfections and delightful attributes, an inventory of the unknown below the ocean’s surface, a catalogue of fascination that arises just by looking at the dragonfly’s wings. You don’t need to try very hard to find something to write about. The source of your idea might be a subject truly commonplace. It could be the pitch in your neighbor’s laugh, the way your front door is shaped with a curve of quality redwood, or the giant brilliance of the moon rising. Let awe find you in a singular detail. Attach this mighty feeling to a string of thoughts, and then write about it all freely. Fill up at least a page, and don’t worry about editing just quite yet. This loose paragraph of inspired language could end up a rough draft for a poem. Awe is meant to overflow, and if we let it arrive on paper, we’ll be able to see it all around us that much more clearly.