The Updise, or: Creativity forms verses

Sangeetha & David’s new poetry project

Once upon a time, two poets who’d never met in person began writing verses back and forth over the Internet. Their first project took them some nine months: a 100 verse Hyakuin.

Once they’d completed their first oeuvre, they continued their journey together; Sangeetha came up with a fun idea. Beginning in January ’22, they took turns selecting poetic forms beginning with the letters of the alphabet (A through Z) and wrote poems to one another using those forms.

Upon completing that second project, Sangeetha suggested they go through the alphabet once more but in their new series, for every letter of the alphabet (A through Z), they would select not only a poetic form but also – a keyword for each poem.

Eventually, they completed their third series and decided to embark on a fourth towards the end of 2022. This time, taking turns, they would create their own poetic forms for every letter of the alphabet (A through Z), and exchange poems, as they’d done before.

For ‘U’, David created the ‘Updise’ form.

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U: Updise

I. David’s Gogyōka

Would I could write poems all day;
For each who makes a living by writing,
Millions of others do not;
Writing fundraising proposals
Is what I do to survive.

II. David’s Gogyōka reversed

Is what I do to survive
Writing fundraising proposals
Millions of others do not
For each who makes a living by writing
Would I could write poems all day

III. David’s Updise

Is what I do to survive
Somehow lacking?
Writing fundraising proposals
For social service programs brings meaning.
Millions of people do not
Daily get paid to do what they love.
For each who makes a living by writing
Is blessed by Lady Luck, n'est-ce pas?
Would I could write poems all day
To express my deep gratitude.

I. Sangeetha’s Gogyōka

As equations evade solutions 
Mind is drawn into a world of patterns
Parsing perfect circles for clues
As I scramble around the rules
Geometry of the universe looms

II. Sangeetha’s Gogyōka reversed

Geometry of the universe looms 
As I scramble around the rules
Parsing perfect circles for clues
Mind drifting into a world of patterns
As equations evade solutions

III. Sangeetha’s Updise

Geometry of the universe looms,
Infinite thoughts and words tessellate;
As I scramble around the rules,
A poem begins to take shape;
Parsing perfect circles for clues,
Around each pause, a rhythm patiently waits;
Mind drifting into a world of patterns,
Picking and choosing, weaving a tale;
As equations evade solutions,
Boundaries dissolve...Behold! A new creation.

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Updise?

Three steps:

1. Write a poem of five lines (a Gogyōka) about something that challenges you;
2. Reverse the order of the lines of the poem you’ve written;
3. Insert a new line immediately after every line from the original poem to turn the new poem into an encouraging, positive piece.

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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!