Blinded by the Pattern
Front room blinds
Lines and ever more lines
Perfect symmetry, vertical, straight
Setting sun squeezes through, says it’s getting too late
Too late for punishing gym workout
Too late for art workshop
Pajamas
I don’t care
I’ll sit here in my chair
Imagining pushups and treadmill
Feign guilt at missing tonight’s yoga (I’m so ill)
Wish giddyap would trump inertia
Blinds help me stay blind to
this pattern
© 2014 Amy Barlow Liberatore/Sharp Little Pencil
Image courtesy of WikiCommons, thanks to photographer Petrolli, who graciously uploaded the file for all to use! License can be viewed HERE.
Victoria C. Slotto is the bartender at the dverse Poets Pub, and her prompt was ‘patterns.’ This poem is called, I believe, a triquain, relative of the cinquain. My syllable scheme for each stanza was 3 – 6 – 9 – 12 – 9 – 6 – 3. Thanks to the Toads for turning me on to the form, even though I didn’t participate in their take on it!!
I spend many days watching various arrays of sunlight as they stream through the venetian blinds. By the time I’m done pondering their endless lack of diversity (!), I find it’s simply too late to go out. My new therapist suggested replacing “should” in my mind (as in, “I should go to the gym”) with WANT TO (“I want to go to the gym”). It helps me, honestly! She also said (and I love this), “Stop ‘shoulding’ yourself.” Get it? Got it? Good.
Peace, Amy
Sharp Little Pencil 
Jonathan Caswell
Reblogged this on By the Mighty Mumford and commented:
POETRY’S FORCE OF EXPRESSION EMERGES AGAIN!
brian miller
ha. i have dreams of working out…one day…
i think i would much rather sit and appreciate the simple lines
of the blinds…and the light flowing through them…
not get up go to the gym…i will if you will…smiles.
yelena
oh i can relate! considering both venetian blinds and shoulding self. loved this, Amy.
lynndiane
Amy, such honesty and humor…I like that, and your use of the form fits so well. Agree those “shoulds” gotta go!
ann chin
Thank you for your words. I cry for Michelle, and I like to tell her that it is OK to cry. I empathise with her as I lost my own little baby. You are doing a great job. Thanks for reading even though the title doesn’t attract most people, but it has attracted you and that it enough.
readerwil
Don’t close the blinds completely! I don’t know why but somehow it feels wrong. I know somebody who always draws the curtains in her frontroom, which makes her world very small and dark.
Thanks for your comment. Good luck with the blinds! As for the gym: well I hate gyms, so I would always find an excuse not to go. Ha, ha…;)
Wil, ABCW Team
flamblogger.blogspot.com
Thank you so much for visiting my blog. I have visited yours a number of times before but haven’t commented. I think I was trying to figure out where you were coming from. Your blogs are interesting and sometimes complex. But now knowing some of your background, I feel i know you better and see some of why you’re a complex person. That’s meant to be a compliment, by the way! i like the honesty in your poem about blinds..
Gabriella
I’d tend to agree with your therapist. It is hard to make a habit out of things you do not want to do. I enjoyed the humor and honesty in your poem too.
Mary
Perhaps pull up the blinds altogether, so you see only the light and not the ‘old patterns.’ I do like the idea of replacing ‘should’ with ‘want to.’ Ha, I am off to the gym this morning!
Björn Rudberg (brudberg)
Yes.. there are those patterns that really can feel impossible to overcome.. but the “want to” is a perfect advice.. don’t let the patterns become a prison. Great use of the form.. I enjoyed that one too.
Gay Reiser Cannon
There’s a peacefulness in observation that’s good for the soul – move workouts to morning and save the afternoon sunsets for yourself. Lovely poem. I like the patterns of light that seemed to send shafts of contentment into your soul.
Victoria C. Slotto
You’ve captured one of those things I love best–that “certain slant of light” coming through the blinds. Lovely poem and form.
georgeplace2013
Wish giddyap would trump inertia… I hear ya. But, boy the days when I do feel great are really great : )
Sumana Roy
fun read Amy…
Bodhirose
Good one, Amy. I’ve whiled away many an hour admiring how light enters a room and spent many days in my pajamas. There’s something to be said for us “meditative” types but also for overcoming that lack of “oomph” to get motivated and DO something…but I’m not going to “should” on myself!
http://vivinfrance.wordpress.com
I understand that exercise is good but thinking about exercising is almost as good! Not exercising at all or not even thinking about exercise is bad.
Sara v
Amy, excellent patterns and wordplay. Sometimes we have to give into inertia, though it sounds like the sadness is sitting on the edges of this poem. Thank you for joining in poetic exercise, always good to hear from you– Hugs and Love
Susan
“Wish giddyap would trump inertia”
yeah, but then, there are the blinds, endlessly fascinating.
kaykuala
Blinds help me stay blind to
this pattern
Often times one invariably finds solace in things all the while are there but not realizing it. It is an interesting disclosure Amelita! It is only those who are sensitive in nature who can gain through having this talent! Great write!
Hank
grapeling
‘should’ is a dangerous word, yes? oh, it looks like the buttons are up for the crosswalk, but don’t know if they work yet (haven’t seen any pedestrians). peace ~