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Once, Just Once.

 We have all experienced a host of things 'just once' across our various lives. The poem presented below grew from a list I compiled in my writer's notebook concerning things I have only experienced once. 

My initial quest was to create a list of things and then see what emerged. I did not know, at that time, a poem would rise up and out of my list. 

Lists are important to writers/ poets. They stimulate thinking and ideas, and each listed item holds potential as a future writing topic or focus.

Our 'Once' lists are not only fun to create, they can reveal hidden treasure...

Once upon my time

Once,

Just once,

In a lifetime

-My lifetime to be exact

I bought a small red car,

-because it was all I could afford

I had my haircut in Mooloolaba,

-a somewhat spontaneous act

Owned a cat named, Alice

-who suffered strange fits

Bought a goat herder’s hat on the recommendation of George Harrison

well, through an advertisement to be accurate.

Visited Halifax Nova Scotia and met a girl who hailed from Ballarat.

Lost my way in Hue, not far from the Perfumed River

-Won a poetry competition in, St Lucia.

Sang The Tennessee Waltz with Denise Drysdale

-Was struck by a driverless car,

And accidentally set an emu on fire.


I am overjoyed in knowing

I have exulted in hearing morning birdsong

-particularly, the joyful carolling of magpies,

Too many times

To count.

Alan j Wright



It is Poetry Friday once more and our host this week is Ruth Bowen-Hersey @ There Is No Such Thing As A God-Foresaken Place. Ruth presents an ode to Autumn amid chaos, confusion and thanksgiving celebrations. Check out Ruth's Autumn Ode...


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Comments

  1. KatApel - katswhiskers.wordpress.com26 November 2021 at 19:46

    Oooh. I can see why Ruth loved your ending best. If she knew how beautiful Australian Magpies sound, she'd love it even more! (But that emu...???!?!)

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    1. Alan j Wright27 November 2021 at 10:46

      Creating an ending that challenged the notion of once and also celebrated simple pleasures was always waiting for at the end of the poem. I knew that, but I still had to rummage around and find it. The emu story is set to be revealed at next year's ALEA Conference in Darwin when I present my keynote address. A bit of a tease...

      Delete
  2. Linda Mitchell26 November 2021 at 22:17

    Ha! Struck by a driverless car?! I hope you mean one of those toy remote cars and it was only your toes. Fun poem and a wonderful prompt. To think of things I've done or seen once....hmmmmm you've got me drafting already. Thanks!

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    1. Alan j Wright27 November 2021 at 10:50

      Unfortunately, the driverless car was a real one, and it was big compared to 11-year-old me. It totally wrecked my bike and wounded me. Glad you liked the poem, Linda, and I'm equally pleased it has sparked your thinking as well.

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  3. Denise Krebs27 November 2021 at 01:51

    Alan, what a treasure. It seems there are some very interesting things that you did once. Some you happily did only once I'm sure, like lighting an emu on fire. The ending is great, as it reminds us to hold dear all the everyday things we experience. Lovely! Like Linda I'm drafting already.

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    1. Alan j Wright27 November 2021 at 14:07

      Good to know your pen and mind are exploring this realm of 'once' Denise. You're right, everyday things deserve our consideration. Joy resides there. Pleased you enjoyed my poem.

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  4. Janice Scully27 November 2021 at 02:11

    We would all have totally diverse one time experiences, wouldn't we? I'm curious about your time in Hue. Were you in the war, by any chance?

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    1. Alan j Wright27 November 2021 at 14:13

      The diversity of our personal experiences is a glorious thing to behold, Janice. I was not in Hue during the war. I have been to Vietnam twice in recent years as a tourist. The second time, we took a month to travel from Sapa on the northern border all the way to the southern border with Cambodia at Chau Doc. While in Hue, I got lost one evening returning to our hotel. A wonderful trip nonetheless.

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  5. Linda B27 November 2021 at 02:27

    Each one brings a question & perhaps another poem/story! I had to search to listen to your magpie - love the chortle! I love our magpies, too, but they do not sing, just sport that longer tail! What an inspiring list, Alan. Yet, I, like the others, want to know about that emu! Happy Weekend!

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    1. Alan j Wright27 November 2021 at 14:17

      Ah, that is the value of list like poems Linda. Layered stories to unpack and unpick. As I told Kat, I am including that story in my keynote address at next year's National Conference for ALEA. It will be filmed, I suspect, so it will be available for viewing after that.

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  6. Mary Lee27 November 2021 at 06:16

    I agree 100% about list-making. And now I'm off to discover what I have only done once. (I guarantee there are no accidental emu fires, but I'm with the rest of the crowd, waiting anxiously for THAT story!!)

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    1. Alan j Wright27 November 2021 at 14:20

      Good luck with your list, Mary Lee. It's an exercise that brings some degree of delight and a sense of longing and nostalgia as well. Emu story is coming, but not until next year...

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  7. Heidi Mordhorst28 November 2021 at 00:48

    As entertaining as your list of "just onces" is, the real deal here is the gratitude for those numberless repetitions of something joyful. Wonderful.

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    1. Alan j Wright29 November 2021 at 09:08

      You have arrived at the heart of the matter, Heidi. Glad you liked it.

      Delete
  8. Carol Varsalona29 November 2021 at 15:43

    Alan, i enjoyed your once upon a time list with some very interesting experiences.

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    1. Alan j Wright1 December 2021 at 09:30

      Thanks Carol. I suspect everyone has some interesting one off experiences...

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  9. Jone30 November 2021 at 12:57

    This makes me think of my own once upon a time list. Such gratitude and joy in these lines.

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    1. Alan j Wright1 December 2021 at 09:32

      Ah Jone, you must delve deeper... Thank you for your kind remarks.

      Delete
  10. Sally Murphy30 November 2021 at 15:05

    I love this - and of course want to know more about some of those onces - perhaps only a fellow Aussie will be excited that you sang with Denise Drysdale! Your ending is perfect - as I read it I could actually hear the magpies who are carolling near my window.

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    1. Alan j Wright1 December 2021 at 09:36

      Thank you Sally. Glad you appreciate the DD reference. What synchronicity with the magpies! I'm glad my musings sparked your curiosity. List poems need a surprise ending, so it pleases me that readers like yourself note the change.

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  11. Michelle Kogan1 December 2021 at 15:19

    What a fun and intriguing poem Alan, I liked seeing your draft that you started with too. Loved hearing about the magpie song, so I looked one up, they have a marvelous gurgling sound, thanks!

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    1. Alan j Wright2 December 2021 at 15:59

      Thank you for your remarks, Michelle. I'm also glad you appreciated the preliminary list from my notebook that helped launch the poem. Your thoroughness in seeking out the magpies and their melodic carolling is admirable research and testimony to your commitment to being a curious learner...

      Delete

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