Today's Poem: "Of Our Free Existence" by Pamela Hobart Carter
- FLAPPER PRESS
- Aug 27
- 2 min read
By Flapper Press Poetry Café:
The Flapper Press Poetry Café continues its series called TODAY'S POEM, highlighting one poem per article—that's right, just one—from poets from around the world.
Read our SUBMISSION GUIDELINES for TODAY'S POEM and send us your work for consideration to be published in 2025! Of course, you are always welcome to submit more of your work through our regular submission process as well. You can hit the link at the bottom of the article to read our regular guidelines. We'd love to see your poetry!
Today, we feature the poetry of Pamela Hobart Carter!
Pamela Hobart Carter grew up as a landed immigrant in Montreal. When she returned to the U.S., she earned two geology degrees and became a teacher. Earth at Perihelion (MoonPath Press), her new collection, was 2nd runner-up in the 2025 Sally Albiso Poetry Book Award. Of her four chaps, two were Yavanika Press mixed-genre winners. She loves living in Seattle near mountains and water. Visit her online at: playwrightpam.wordpress.com
Of Our Free Existence
Is it hard to be a good animal—
that is, of the human kind?
Decency asks us to learn aspects unnatural—
for example, not to trammel
upon the poor, the tired, or the blind.
Is it so hard to be a good animal
that only the tempest-tossed are tranquil,
only the exiles pay any mind?
Decency does ask us to learn aspects unnatural.
After all, we are born wild, irrational—
true, sometimes gentle. Always unrefined.
But is it so hard to be a good animal,
to rein in behaviors vengeful
or ferocious? Not to bite or hell-bind?
Decency asks us to learn aspects unnatural—
to open the golden door—let in the sustainable,
the rain, the food, the sunshine.
It’s not hard to be a good animal.
Decency asks us to quell just a few aspects natural.
From the poet:
Thematically, I wanted to think about the animal behavior aspect of our positive interactions and governance in "Of Our Free Existence." I leaned into "The New Colossus" for language around honorable governance, hoping the presence of some of its words would supply irony and philosophical connection. Formally, I leaned into my favorite poem, "One Art," to make a villanelle. Strictures of form appeal to me so much that I often make up a rule or two for myself when I'm writing a poem, but I seldom venture into rhyming. Rhyme is hard. When I had a couple of lines to work with, I listed all the rhymes I could think of as a bank for the rest. Finally, I wanted an assertion of our capacity to be good to each other.
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