I feel peace today. How to achieve this feeling?
Challenge 18: “First, find a poem in a book or magazine (ideally one you are not familiar with). Use a piece of paper to cover over everything but the last line. Now write a line of your own that completes the thought … Now move your piece of paper up to uncover the second-to-last line of your source poem, and write the second line of your new poem … Keep going, uncovering and writing, until you get to the first line of your source poem.”
It sounds much more complicated than it was. My poem was Peace by Henry Vaughan from my old study book English Poetry (which I obviously never studied in full since this poem was totally unfamiliar to me). It is also available online here.
How to achieve peace
My life, my cure.
I am the one that always hears the signs
the only one that can keep me safe.
I am to stay away from shooting ranges,
my fortress and the easy ways.
I am the rose that cannot die.
If I do it, the peace will grow.
If I don’t do it
if I die for his sake
succumb to pure love
my soul will be awakened
and he, a benevolent friend,
will rule and manage the beauty
of the one who was born on the farm
in peace and only with a smile for riches
while the noise and dangers stay above it.
The wars rage elsewhere
while he, the winged one, keeps guard
far away where the stars end
where there is a country for my soul.
Mexi Movie the Third (closed) 
A lovely poem. It is hard without the other poem next to it to see their relationship, but I, too, didn’t print the other poem because I feared copyright infringement. I guess the secret is to print up the other poem so you can see them side by side. But, on the other hand, the important thing is the poem that comes from the technique! Love yours.
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Yeah, I supposed providing the link is enough for the curious. Also, I might not wish for everybody to see their relationship first thing because the first thing I had to do was eliminate God to see what remains. 😉 Thanks!
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I like your ending better than the original. Really.
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Ahh, thank you, Jan. I browsed my old study book and found this poem that didn’t ring any bells and didn’t have any underlined passages to work with. I know why now – not my preferred style.
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After I read Jan’s comment, I HAD to go and compare the original to yours!
My favourite – I am the rose that cannot die.
IF I was going to try and write a poem, I would attempt this type of exercise. It’s very interesting to see where it leads you. I’m starting to really appreciate the complexity of this month of poetry!
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True, Joanne, complex is right! I didn’t expect anything like it. Go go go, do it, just for fun. 🙂 The first unknown poem that you hold in your hands, do it! You know well how good it feels out of comfort zone. 😉 Remember to start at the bottom and don’t read it first! And thank you!
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Great … now you’ve challenged me by appealing to my need for pushing my comfort level! Well played, Manja 😆
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Hhahah, that’s what I did, didn’t I? Hihihi
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That’s an interesting assignment. You did that well
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Ahh, thank you, Dan. The first poem I did was a mess. This was my second attempt and I’m quite pleased.
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That sounds hard.
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you can not die…you just said that 🙂
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I have, haven’t I? 😀 That will be written on my tomb. 😉
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hahahaha…perfect 😂👍
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I like your version much better, especially the last four lines. Your poet prowess is growing!
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Ahh, thank you, Maggie! I’ve been having heaps of fun and it doesn’t feel like work at all.
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