Poetry Partners #10
‘I am a poem’, by Chris Reilley of ‘Christopher Reilley Poems’
I am a poem. I am more than a collection of random words. I am much more than meter and rhyme. I was wrestled from magic, fixed into place, and spun like candy floss into being. If I can live one day, one single day before moving down the list of poems like me that wish to exist, I will have meant something. If I can relay to you, and you and you, something different, something other, in a way you not only understand but feel - I will have succeeded. If I can become; deep meaning in every line, taught to future poets, loved by one an all I will have triumphed. And win or lose, pass or fail, I will happily break down into words to be wrestled into shape for the next poem at the top of tomorrow's list.
- Christopher Reilley: http://chrisreilleypoems.blogspot.com/
A cleave poem by ben Alexander of ‘The Skeptic’s Kaddish’
if I am alive, then | perhaps I am a poem | |
writing | itself | |
without any thought toward an end | hoping for relevance, which | |
is hard for me to fathom and | will always be limited by my ability | |
to actualize, for I want | to express myself in flowing words – | |
perhaps, impossibly, to transcend life | while somehow remaining down to earth | |
floating through time and space | even as my body gradually falls apart | |
like a soul that let go | in the attempt |
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!
List of Poetry Partners
- Murisopsis
- Judy Dykstra-Brown
- Jennifer Patino
- Mike L. Utley
- Barbara Schaefer
- Ron Rowland
- Cheyenne MacMasters
- Rae Cod
- Eric Erb
- Chris Reilley
- Jim-
- Selma Martin
- Vidah (Chavi)
- varityteller
- Quaranjavirus
- Kunjal
- Coco
- Lov Verma
- bodypositivefemme
- Steven S. Wallace
- Shay Simmons
- Constance Bourg
- C. L. Barton
- Madamchryzl
- Sangeetha
- Jo
- Audrey Duff
- Gillena Cox
- Yasmin
- Martha Anewa
- Malalai Khan
- Adam Taylor
- trE
- Cindy Georgakas
- paeansunplugged
- davidatqcm
- Orion Foote
- Susi Bocks
- Mister Bump UK
- Kate Blake
- Freddie Omm
- kittysverses
- enchantedwords
- Saint Gaona
- Alan Steinle
- Karina Lutz
- Sarah David
- Beka Tucker
- Maria L. Berg
- Colleen M. Chesebro
- Jane Aguiar
- Jan Beekman
- royalpalmtree
- Marian
- M Jay Dixit
- Ken Hume
- Naa Lamiorkor Boye
- Reena Saxena
- Bridget
- Ash Evan Lippert
- Freya Pickard
- Harshi
- LaMon Brown
- Nomad
- Vedran Markovic
- The.Richard.Braxton
- Kim Whysall-Hammond
- Jeff Flesch
- hutschi
- Ami (Gypsie) Offenbacher-Ferris
- Anca
- douryeh
- enchantedwords
- Kerfe
- Puvanesvari Rajan
- MistyBlue
- Henry Mworia
- Anna Smit
- Larry Trasciatti
- Sarah Cope
- Filipa Moreira da Cruz
- Robert J. Jr.
- Rosemary McMahan
- Iswar Kar
- Mapule Somo
- Anne Morrigan
- George Ellington
- J. P.
- Christine Bialczak
- Shalini Kathuria Narang
- LaToya Williams
- Maitreyee Telang
- Amelia Michelle Nicol
- A. J. Wilson
- Nick Pipitone
- Myrna Migala
- Kathy Labrum McVittie
Love both of these!
🧡 Thanks, Marion! 🧡
-David
I enjoyed your guest poet and the poem was very good and your poem was beautiful. What a unique and lovely style of writing. Pretty amazing. Great work. Hugs, Joni
🤗 Joni 🤗
❤️🤗🥰
Wow! What a creative concept. Beautiful words with a lot of feeling. Writing is much more than just grouping words together. It’s technical as well as emotional. Now where does one find so much diversity. Awesome! 🙂
❤ Terveen ❤
I loved this cleave poem 🙂 Really great! And btw, when’s open link night again..?
This coming Thursday
Oh so its once in two weeks? 🙂
yep – exactly
ok! 🙂
brilliance in your words and delivery of the form David! 💖
❤ thanks, Cindy ❤
pleasure!💖