My message to the prophet. And other poems

It's National Poetry Month! Come celebrate with us!

Happy National Poetry Writing Month!

To celebrate, I’m posting a poem a day over on my Instagram page.

But more importantly, my three poetry besties¹ and I are hosting weekly poetry prompts so we can ALL be poetry besties!

This past week our prompt was “Take Counsel.” Inspired in part by this cute quote from the Mormon prophet: “Never take counsel from those who do not believe.”

Here is my poem response to that prompt:

Dear Prophet

You don't know me, but I know you.

You don't know me, but I've written your name in purple gel pen, underlined it, bullet pointed your words and tried to apply them to my life.

You don't know me, but I poured out your words, slurped them up and regurgitated them to rooms full of women in Iowa and in Utah.

You don't know me, but I've spent hours of my life looking into your eyes through pixels on a screen determined to obey you.

You don't know me, but what if you did?

What if we could rewind and play Freaky Friday with our lives?

What if it was you who watched broadcasts of my speeches your entire life?

What if from the time you could write, you were writing down my words twice a year? 

What if you were teaching my wisdom to rooms full of men?

Only no. That is not how the movie would play out. 

If I were given a podium, I wouldn't force people to listen, take notes, memorize and teach my words.

If I had a pulpit, I would bulldoze it. 

I would replace all pulpits with circles.

I would replace all answers with questions. 

I wouldn't want people to listen to my wisdom, I would want them to listen to their own.

You don't know me, but I know me.

After years of receiving your counsel, I give it back,

Take it.

I much prefer my own.

---

I compiled some of your responses to that prompt here.

This week’s prompt is black out poems! You know those poems where you take a quote and black out sections to make something new?

Here’s an example I wrote today in the Trader Joe’s parking lot using a quote that some Young Women’s leader framed for me many years ago:

Here’s my version:

If you want to play along- email your blackout poem to celestemdavis@gmail.com or message me on Instagram- I’ll form a collection and share them on Instagram.

I’ve got fun plans to sit down with my patriarchal blessing this week and reclaim it via black out poetry.

Join me?

1. Brinn Bagley, Emily Lind and Brandi Moon.