NaPoWriMo Day Three. Today’s prompt:

“This one is a bit complex, so I saved it for a Sunday. It’s a Spanish form called a “glosa” – literally a poem that glosses, or explains, or in some way responds to another poem. The idea is to take a quatrain from a poem that you like, and then write a four-stanza poem that explains or responds to each line of the quatrain, with each of the quatrain’s four lines in turn forming the last line of each stanza. Traditionally, each stanza has ten lines, but don’t feel obligated to hold yourself to that! Here’s a nice summary of the glosa form to help you get started.”

Here goes:

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“If suddenly
you forget me
do not look for me,
for I shall already have forgotten you.“

from If You Forget Me by Pablo Neruda

If no memorial service is held for me

upon my timely (or otherwise) demise,

that is fine.

My preference is to be

memorable — hopefully in a good way–

rather than memorialized.

If I’m forgotten altogether, that is fine, too.

I’ll have forgotten you, if slowly as my mind dims, or

in the event of an unfortunate outcome,

if suddenly.

---

But why speak of death?

There are so many other ways

to be forgotten.

I am not ashamed to admit:

I forget most people, places, and

happenstances that come my way,

so it is only fair–

if fairness is a thing–

that once our paths diverge,

you forget me.

---

Thinking out loud now,

though you’re not here to hear me,

perhaps it’s best to be forgotten.

Life is not about me, after all.

Instead, please remember

all things living, plant and animal,

whose demise we can stay,

or at least delay.

Look for these opportunities.

Do not look for me.

---

So many of us have forgotten our way,

or even our why.

We have forgotten our humanity, our decency.

These things I will try to remember,

and perhaps by remembering them

and practicing humility and kindness,

I will indeed become memorable.

Regardless, when I’m gone, please

allow me to slip from your mind,

for I shall already have forgotten you.