A Cleave poem
| I fell in | love with | |
| the city of my birth, but my | deep commitment to | |
| family could not | provide support enough to | |
| get me through that period of | those | |
| difficult days | that most required it | |
| because I was alone. so, I sucked it up, as | was my father’s way, which | |
| he would have done, and which | I found hardest to emulate | |
| during that period… | throughout the long years | |
| his beloved city sternly taught me | of painful growth and courage |
How to read a Cleave poem?
Simply:
- Read the left hand poem as a first discrete poem.
- Read the right hand poem as a second discrete poem.
- Read the whole as a third integrated poem.
Let’s write poetry together!
When it comes to partnership, some humans can make their lives alone – it’s possible. But creatively, it’s more like painting: you can’t just use the same colours in every painting. It’s just not an option. You can’t take the same photograph every time and live with art forms with no differences.
–Ben Harper (b. 1969)
Would you like to create poetry with me and have a completed poem of yours featured here at the Skeptic’s Kaddish? I am very excited to have launched the ‘Poetry Partners’ initiative and am looking forward to meeting and creating with you… Check it out!
The Skeptic's Kaddish 🇮🇱 
Oh I loved this Cleave poem David!..How interesting to read it as suggested first and then in its entirety. It flowed in every way, which as you know, I love and captured your turmoil and hard times so beautifully… Bravo! I really like this form!
❤ شكرا لك ❤
Afwan illek kaman 🙂
💞
This was beautifully captured David of your years and so well formulated in the form 💖💖💖
🤗😘 Cindy 😘🤗
Wow! So thoughtful!!
💙 Kaushal 💙 – thank you, kind Sir!
😀
David
Your Cleave poems are a WOOOW, Wow…!
💚 Lauretta 💚 – very kind! thank you.
-David
I love this style of poetry. I might try it in December. Great poem by the way.
🤍 Molly 🤍 – it’s really grown on me too. Thank you!
-David
You are brilliant at cleave poems David. Kudos!
❤ much love, Suzette ❤
thank you,
David
A pleasure, David. Peace
This is a very moving tribute to your father and a reminder that often actions speak louder than words. (K)
😍 Kerfe 😍 – thank you so very, very much.
-David
This format seems to have become second-nature for you, David. It just flows so effortlessly and flawlessly. It sort of seems like playing three games of chess simultaneously, but somehow each half and the whole all work out seamlessly. A tip o’ the cap to you, sir! *tips cap* 🙂
🧢 Mike 🧢
❤
David
loved this one especially!
✨🙏✨ Kunjal ✨🙏✨
This is an amazing poetic form. You have mastered it well. I am enamored!
❤ you're very sweet, Jan ❤ – thank you so much!
Sincerely,
David
Sad… but still, you learnt to have courage then, which many would find really hard.. its a tough lesson of life 😦 But nice cleave poem, it sounded really good!
Btw, here’s my haibun submission for DVerse:
hey, aren’t you supposed to be studying for your exams, Veera? 😉
I’m done with studies! Fifteen chapters ain’t so difficult to finish, and its stuff I’ve been studying since three years ago 😀
🤪 I guess we’ll have to wait to see what your marks are!
I suppose we will…and its gonna be goood…. 😉
aah – breaking the mind’s habits, I like it.
❤ ❤ Barbara, thanks! ❤ ❤