Introducing: An Ode to Random Objects Project

I miss writing poetry… so here we are. Back on the proverbial horse without ink or pen, but armed with fingertips trotting on keys. The decision to start a poetry project made up of daily odes to random objects is inspired by the practices of celebration, mindfulness, and creativity - all coping skills we need to either downregulate anxiety or upregulate depression, which just about everyone experiences at some point. Imagine a world without celebratory events, awareness, and innovation. Sounds dull and shallow to me. Why celebrate random objects? I love festivals that celebrate cool (see: yummy) things: poutinefest, maplefest, blueberryfest… There’s dogfest, mudfest, ducktapefest, and plenty more obscure festivals around the world that make my spine tingle with excitement. What a genius idea to gather communities around the love of some - thing. Still, North Bay needs a shadfly festival inspired by our seasonal flying crunchy bugs. Come up with some sort of shadfly-inspired signature sweet and the people will flock I’m telling you. Enough prose, more verse… Let’s kick off this written celebration of random objects with poem numéro un:

Ode no. one: a Lamp

Without clear understanding

You warm perceptions

with gritty shaded teeth

A cold damp room is dim until

Sun touches vastly

Shapes into seeing

Still your figure sits dependable

Curving with sheer interest

Damned personalities shadowed

Patient by day

But buzzing dark until at last

Good glory!

You work wondrously

Light my eyes with a satisfying flick

Soft white blue hues golden too

Visible and unseen at once

Your kindly function is permission

To open weary eyes

Create in the clouds

Of a brightened bedside

Author: Renée Michaud