John Watt Poet Haibun

Notes About The Poem

My Statue of Liberty

I once behaved. Followed all the rules. Understood what was "normal". My parents taught this, teachers demanded this, principals enforced this. Ministers expected it, society reinforced it, friends tested it, professors challenged it.
Then, poetry became my statue of liberty.


following the rules
and behaving normally
no longer appeals

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Funom Makama June 29, 2020 at 2:08 PM A huge huge congratulations on your high placement. You deserve it. John Watt June 29, 2020 at 3:36 PM Thank you for your very generous, Funom. Hope is all is well, my friend ~ John

Kim Rodrigues June 26, 2020 at 10:58 AM Congratulations, John! John Watt June 26, 2020 at 11:32 AM Thanks Kim! God bless your day and enjoy your weekend! ~ John

Aditi Mishra June 26, 2020 at 6:19 AM Back to congratulate you on your win John. I knew this muse will rise like the Statue of Liberty. Keep writing and inspiring dear friend. Happy to see it placed first. God bless you :) John Watt June 26, 2020 at 11:34 AM Thank you, my friend. Your comments and poetry inspire me as well. God bless you ~ John

Andrea Dietrich June 25, 2020 at 2:27 PM I am so glad this got a first placement. I loved it since the first time I read it. Congrats. John. John Watt June 25, 2020 at 3:13 PM Thanks for the second visit and the great comment, Andrea. Very inspiring to me.

Gershon Wolf June 25, 2020 at 1:18 PM Wh..e..tt's dat boat fowlla'ing de R-r-r-ools, Djzhon?! Hey, hey! Congrats on your win in Line's contest! Light and Truth, Gershon John Watt June 25, 2020 at 3:10 PM LOL! Thanks for the smile, Gershon! I do try to follow the rules when I'm driving my car...

Sam Kauffman June 25, 2020 at 11:21 AM Ah, the rebel emerges like "wild thing" from Major League! Poetry does set us free in so many ways. Congratulations on your first place win my friend. Grace and peace to you! John Watt June 25, 2020 at 12:13 PM Sam, you have such a knack for weaving baseball references in to your comments - I love it! Thanks for the kind affirmation, my friend. Grace and peace, indeed.

Paul Callus June 9, 2020 at 3:23 PM This is very creative, John, and you were certainly not hampered by the 40 words max rule! Nowadays values seem to have lost their value!! Regards // paul John Watt June 9, 2020 at 5:38 PM Paul, I appreciate the comment and kind words. ~ John

Funom Makama June 8, 2020 at 8:06 PM craft in wittiness, you've said it in the best way ever. Beautiful lines, deep thoughts John Watt June 8, 2020 at 10:13 PM Thank you for your kind words, Funom. I hope you are doing well. ~ John

Emile Pinet June 8, 2020 at 1:45 PM Imaginative wizardry with the pen as you describe the virtues of poetry by coloring outside of the lines, well done my friend, Emile. John Watt June 8, 2020 at 3:39 PM Thank you, my friend. Your words always carry a lot of weight with me. Incidentally, thank you for sponsoring the Ninette contest - there were several wonderful winning entries to enjoy. ~ John

Caren Krutsinger June 8, 2020 at 6:08 AM You have nailed the present America in so many ways my friend. Well done. Nicely penned haibun, and they are never easy. John Watt June 8, 2020 at 1:04 PM Thank you for the positive feedback, Caren. I agree with you about the difficulties of this form, for writing in prose doesn't come easy to me. Have a great Monday. Hugs ~ John

Malabika Ray Choudhury June 8, 2020 at 5:50 AM Wow! Love the poem, John. So much depth! can relate to the feeling. John Watt June 8, 2020 at 11:38 AM Thank you for the positive feedback, my friend! Always nice to hear people can relate. Blessings, Mala ~ John

Eve Roper June 7, 2020 at 11:26 AM Oh, I like. Good luck in the contest, should place well. Hugs eve John Watt June 8, 2020 at 2:49 AM Thanks you, dear one. I'm so glad you liked it. Hugs ~ John

Anne-Lise Andresen June 6, 2020 at 2:12 PM - A statue to be proud of ... your personal freedom in words and thoughts, John :) - hugs // Anne-Lise :) John Watt June 6, 2020 at 3:40 PM Thank you for the visit and kind words today, Anne-Lise. It means a lot to me. Hugs ~ John

Silent One June 6, 2020 at 8:10 AM Poetry became my statue of liberty ... Great line John Watt June 6, 2020 at 3:41 PM Thank you SO. Grateful for the read and remark ~ John

Regina Mcintosh June 6, 2020 at 5:47 AM Wonderful poem, dear friend. I enjoyed it and hope it is a winner. Bless you with love, Gina John Watt June 6, 2020 at 3:42 PM Thank you, Gina. Let us not take our liberty for granted, when so many do not enjoy what we do. Appreciate you and your kind words ~ John

Poet Destroyer A June 6, 2020 at 1:49 AM Wow, in that case I should return to my sanctuary. I love this... i just do. John, I wouldn't mind feeling the liberty of not being normal. Enjoyed, LINDA John Watt June 6, 2020 at 2:14 AM It's great to see you back, Linda. I hope you are well. I just noticed you posted your first poem in two years here at Soup. I'm going to have to go over there for a read! Thanks for the nice comment, and take good care ~ John

Michelle Faulkner June 5, 2020 at 1:14 PM Our First Amendment right to freedom of speech can not be taken for granted, there is more than one way to think and be, and free expression is vital to a free society... John Watt June 6, 2020 at 3:15 AM Where would we be as a nation without the First Amendment, it really defines our DNA and identity. So true what you say about free expression, Michelle. Poetry is our bullhorn. Thanks for the thoughtful visit, my friend.

Jhinuk Mukherjee June 5, 2020 at 9:30 AM Wow. It's such an honest piece of writing. "Then, poetry became my statue of liberty" it's heart touching and should be etched in gold. A strong entry for the contest and I'll be more than happy if it comes on top. Love Jhinuk John Watt June 6, 2020 at 3:14 AM Thank you for the kind word. Honesty, as in the vulnerable, self-exposing kind, is essential to good poetry, a trait I still am learning and aspire to with each new write. Grateful for your presence here at Soup, and your comments and poetry, my friend ~ John

Eileen Manassian June 5, 2020 at 5:16 AM Beautiful poetry...You've used the haibun so well to bring this poem to a grande finale. The picture is also so...appropriate. Makes one think about the depth of the words. Blessings. John Watt June 6, 2020 at 3:12 AM Eileen, I am so glad you came by and graced my page with your kind words. This is a new form for me, but I can see its appeal. Blessings to you, my friend

Rhonda Johnson-Saunders June 4, 2020 at 11:38 PM I love this, John! I may steal it for myself,, but I promise to give you credit...to my faves. xx Rhonda John Watt June 5, 2020 at 12:04 AM Ha, thanks for the heads up. You are so kind to read and leave behind your bread crumbs of kindness, Rhonda. Have a blessed day, my friend ~ John

Connie Marcum Wong June 4, 2020 at 8:34 PM To thine own self be true to quote Mr. Shakespeare! I so agree John. I loved your Haibun and the picture of our statue of Liberty. Beautiful! I hope Line loves it too. xxoo John Watt June 4, 2020 at 11:18 PM Connie, thank you for the kind words and wishes. Aloha hugs ~ John

Andrea Dietrich June 4, 2020 at 5:14 PM Yessss. That's what I'M talkin' about!!! Love the direction you took this one. John Watt June 4, 2020 at 6:37 PM Glad you and I are on the same 'page', haha. Appreciate you leaving your supportive comment, Andrea.

Aditi Mishra June 4, 2020 at 1:41 PM Love the thought. This resonates with the frequencies of my mind so well! When you reach your limits of being normal, the dam breaks and wonders happen in following the unconventional roads. Glad you wrote it. Best wishes for the contest :) John Watt June 4, 2020 at 6:36 PM I'm so glad you resonated with this, Aditi. I mean, I do believe in following laws; that's what keeps us civilized and safe. But some rules of conventionality just seem random, or like one class telling another class how to behave. Poetry can set us free from those expectations. Thanks for the comment ~ John

Swetha Vangaveti June 4, 2020 at 12:21 PM And I feel this is true!! And yeah!! Break the rules! LOl! Have a great day. John Watt June 4, 2020 at 12:31 PM Glad you feel the same way! Thank you for the fun comment, Swetha. It's nice to meet you ~ John

Richard Lamoureux June 4, 2020 at 7:08 AM I like it! It makes for a far more interesting life. ;0) John Watt June 4, 2020 at 11:03 AM Glad you liked it, Richard. Poets tend to color outside the lines a bit, don't we? ~ John

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