Anger
Devouring me
Limb by limb
This has to end
NOW
“Today, in gratitude for making it to Day 20, our (optional) prompt asks you to write a poem about a handmade or homemade gift that you have received.” Safe to say that with this #elevenie I digressed from the prompt at napowrimo.net today. The day brought fights, stress, anger, sadness, powerlessness, unsolvable technical problems, a really good conversation and some hugs.
WHEREIAMHEREIAMW A______________A L______________L L______________L S______________S T______________T O______________O T______________T H______________H E______ME______E L______________R E______________I F______________G T______________H O______________T F______________O M______________F E______________M STUCKINTHEMIDDLE
To my own surprise I made a concrete poem today, which was the prompt for day 9 on napowrimo.net: to write a “concrete” poem – a poem in which the lines and words are organized to take a shape that reflects in some way the theme of the poem.
Today’s prompy, on day 19, was to write a “walking archive” – the physical instantiation of a walk. Where I live, I’m lucky enough that I coould have gone out for a real walk (and I did, albeit a short one). But last year I spent about six months being immobile due a a broken foot (long story). So I mainly saw my own walls for a long time.
I never knew the song that inspired the poem had an official video. But here it is:
Your connection [encrypted] has sent you the following downloadable experiences:
1. Get out of bed unassisted *
2. Breathe unpolluted air **
3. Chew food ***
4. Stroke a living being ****
5. Experience the embrace of a past lover *****
6. Smell fresh bread ******
7. Hear your father/mother say the words you’ve always wanted to hear *******
* No extra installer needed
** Only works if your virus scanner is up to date
*** Install dentures plug-in if needed
**** After accepting the download, you can choose human or animal
***** Satisfaction not guaranteed
****** May contain traces of nuts and milk
******* No person received payment or anything of value, in exchange for their cooperation
Somehow this poem was inspired by the prompt at napowrimo.net: to write an ode to life’s small pleasures. It made me think of a friend of mine who suffers from MND (ALS) who wrote these words this week, straight from the heart:
“I am locked in bed until I am rescued at seven you lucky bastards that don’t depend on others to move or drink.”
I’d sooner call her a hippy than a rebel riot, so you hopefully understand that her choice of words was a cry of frustration. I made me realise how many simple joys we don’t notice, because we think they are normal and will be there forever.
Who else has been named both widow and maiden?
Who else has served kings and queens alike??
Who else was known as humane but cruel?
Who else? Tell me.
Who else?
Who else has been named both fanlight and razor?
Who else has served criminals and heroes alike?
Who else was a well known remedy to good and bad fortune?
Who else? Tell me?
Who else?
Who else has been used both as razor and neck tie?
Who else has served justice/injustice alike?
Who else was famed to be quick and painless?
Who else? Tell me?
Who else?
The prompt at napowrimo.net: “Today, I challenge you to write a poem that features forgotten technology.”. I’m happy that this technology isn’t used any more, and was surprised to learn that it was once considered humane. This technology was used from the middle ages until after the second world war. You can read about its (gruesome) history here.
Today’s poetry
was life itself
it needed no words
only my presence
The prompt today at napowrimo.net: “Rather than encouraging minimalism, today we challenge you to write a poem of over-the-top compliments.” Seems I ended up contrary, even though I WAS thinking about the prompt when this came to me. Sometimes using little words is the biggest compliment I guess…
Sunshine
Caressing me
On the sofa
I absorb its touch
Comfort
I had a day filled with frustration and anger. I didn’t want to write about it and I had no inspiration for today’s music prompt. So an off prompt #elevenie it is for now.
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April 14th, inspire me |
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scattered everywhere take two |
the ghost of I’m not good enough |
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you won’t like it |
you won’t like it |
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lost property, prompt not included |
fracture strength to the none |
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April 14th, inspired me |
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The prompt at napowrimo.net today was “to write a poem that deals with the poems, poets, and other people who inspired you to write poems.” After ample consideration, I realised that my biggest inspiration is #NaPoWriMo, and specifically the prompts and community at napowrimo.net.
The poem combines some of the things I learned and developed during 7 years of National Poetry Writing Month:
– The lines are a compilation of titles of poems (in this case all of them published on napowrimo day 14)
– The formatting is a table
– The poem is a cleave poemJust to be clear: I’m not claiming that I am my biggest inspiration 🙂 I’m just celebrating today’s prompt by leaning into 7 years of napowrimo inspired writing. I was surprised to find out that some of my favourite ones (The ghost of I’m not good enough, Fracture Strength and You Won’t Like It) were born on this very day.
Expecto Serotonin
The hardest spell
It needs joy to begin
Expecto Serotonin
Continued joy to win
To leave the dark hell
Expecto serotonin
The hardest spell
This may be the first time that I’ve managed a #triolet, the suggested form today at napowrimo.net: “For today’s prompt (optional, as always), I’d like to challenge you to write a triolet. These eight-line poems involve repeating lines and a tight rhyme scheme.”
I didn’t come up with “expecto serotonin”, it was a fabulous reply on Facebook when I wrote I wanted a Defense Against the Dark Moods class, just like Harry Potter has Defense Against the Dark Arts classes.
The beautiful wand in the picture was made by a wizard called My Son.
To be, or not to be a brilliant genius of humanity
That is the question
Some are born great, some achieve greatness
Some have greatness thrust upon them
Great leader, Great leader!
Wherefore am I your Great leader?
What’s in a name?
A Gardener of Human Happiness by any name would govern as wise
How sharper than a serpent’s tooth it is to have a thankless people!
Uneasy lies the head that wears the nation
Lord of All the Beasts of the Earth and Fishes of the Seas
Cry “havoc!” and let slip the dogs of war
To thine own guide be true
Earlier this month I stumbled upon a list_of_titles_used_by_dictators. I instantly knew I wanted to use them for a poem. Today’s prompt at napowrimo.net was “to write a poem in which one or more flowers take on specific meanings.” It made me think of Shakespeare. Then Shakespeare quotes became the starting point for this poem. Where the names have specific meanings, though they are not flowers
Unmarked
Abandoned puppet
Available for time-share
Alone
At last
I did kill
Time
Turns back
Gods left unattended
From napowrimo.net: “Today’s prompt (optional, as always) is another one from the archives, first suggested to us by long-time Na/GloPoWriMo participant Vince Gotera. It’s the hay(na)ku). Created by the poet Eileen Tabios and named by Vince, the hay(na)ku is a variant on the haiku. A hay(na)ku consists of a three-line stanza, where the first line has one word, the second line has two words, and the third line has three words. You can write just one, or chain several together into a longer poem.”
Unassorted stories 