Be Like Water, My Friend ~ Poems About Adapting

John is a poet and short fiction writer who enjoys collaborating on stories with other writers, and partaking in challenges.

Inspired By a Word Prompt "Adapt"

It is good to have our friend and fellow writer Brenda Arledge back to writing her "Word Prompts Help Creativity" series. My muse has been lacking motivation recently, and the return of Brenda's weekly word prompts have helped kick her out of a state of procrastination.

These poems were written in response to "Word Prompts Help Creativity ~ Week 52 "Adapt." The title poem also used a famous quote by the great martial artist Bruce Lee and is actually an expansion of his words. The other is a short acrostic poem titled "ADAPT."

You must be shapeless, formless, like water. When you pour water in a cup, it becomes the cup. When you pour water in a bottle, it becomes the bottle. When you pour water in a teapot, it becomes the teapot. Water can drip and it can crash. Become like water my friend.

— Bruce Lee

Be Like Water, My Friend

You must become shapeless

And formless like water.

Don’t just follow on

Like a lamb to the slaughter.

When into a glass

Some water is poured,

The glass it becomes -

Adapt to that law.

Likewise a bottle

If filled to the brim.

Shapes all the contents -

The water within.

If you fill a pot

With water for tea,

Water forms a teapot -

Though you may not see.

Water can drip,

And water can crash.

Adjust like the water -

Resisting is brash.

We cannot direct the wind, but we can adjust the sails.

— Dolly Parton

A ship floats and flounders

On the sea’s choppy waves.

Don’t be a shipwreck

To a watery grave.

We can’t change the wind,

But sails we can adjust.

Adapt to conditions,

Don’t just live on trust.

Always strive to evolve,

From change don’t refrain.

Don’t hide from the storm -

Instead, dance in the rain.

Be like a river

Meandering along.

Just go with the flow

Like a soothing song.

Water sustains us

From birth ‘til the end.

Be fluid and adapt -

Be like water, my friend.

Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass. It’s about learning how to dance in the rain.

— Vivian Greene

ADAPT

Adaptability is not imitation, it is assimilation.

Different situations require unique approaches.

Ability to adapt to change is called intelligence.

Plot twist! When situations change, yell that and move on.

There will always be change. Get used to it!

Adaptability is not imitation. It means power of resistance and assimilation.

— Mahatma Gandhi

© 2022 John Hansen