A couple of weeks ago, I was given this assignment in one of Darlene Frank‘s writing classes:
Write a poem following the instructions of poem 15 in the worksheets of Wed April 1 2026.
15. Clarissa Pinkola Estés https://www.instagram.com/p/CGXmdK7Bbw_/
How to Write a Poem
Climb to the top of the tallest tree.
Step onto the branch you fear
will break beneath your weight.
Let it break.
Write your poem before
you reach the ground.
————————————————————————————
Ed’s Poem: Poesy while falling
branches break, twigs claw me
as I,
fa
ll
ing
wonder:
in what tempo, feetly cadence
do they snap and snag
while I hum and haw
trying
oh-so-hard to
imagine
something
poesyish———-
aha! got it:
how to write a poem?
without being too clever
like usually?
scribbled
just in time…..
before
boomph
I land,
_______grounded_______
Note mid-tumble smart-ass haiku