Wednesday, March 26, 2014

NaPoWriMo, year 2! (2014)

I find myself eagerly awaiting the start of National Poetry Writing Month.  I only made it 9 days last time, but I think I've learned a lot about my writing process since then, I think I can traipse lightly through the whole 30 this time.  I am READY!  Well, not ready, but I feel confident. 

Incoming poetry! take over!

Saturday, April 6, 2013

NaPoWriMo Day 6: A Valediction

In other words, a poem of farewell.

Valediction for a lost encounter

Savory drizzle of a hot summer's eve
Crackled caramel bite of laughter
Wink of hazelnut gaze
Brazen moment of salty lips
The tip of my tongue in my teeth
You turn a corner
Stealing a future with your
Bittersweet shrug
And citrus smile.

Friday, April 5, 2013

NaPoWriMo Day 5: Cinquain

Cinquains!  Devilish invention.  Very precise form.  Here are three attempts (some sillier than others).


“Call”

It’s there
The thing I lost
The echo of lost songs
The pounding between blood and bone
Follow.

“Chateau La Rame”

Lightning
But smooth as silk
Uncurling heated toes
A sip at a time to start with
Drowning

“Informal Church”

Freedom
Lax on worship
Dazzled by rain and shine
Ensorcelled by the wide world
Content

Thursday, April 4, 2013

NaPoWriMo Day 4 Iain Banks starships

The prompt was to take a name from one of Iain Banks's starships and use it as a title.

 Prosthetic Conscience

 In memory of Roger Ebert

 Voice of reason, you barreled through life
One movie at a time.
You were the prosthetic conscience of a culture
The robot arm of choice
I shall miss the glint of Chicago Steele
The hiss and grind of your opinions
The whine of servos fueled by indignance
And the cowardice of ignorant men.
The gears are ground down now
Digits set to zero, the steam gone to vapor
Only the clouds know where you end
And the new story begins.

NaPoWriMo Day 3: A Sea Shanty

Prompt: write a sea shanty.

This is the "Long-Drag" form.



Show the Man Out

A fine day it was when we crashed in the bay
(Oh Rose Show the man out)
A tug pulled us in to the Lancaster Quay
(Open the door and show the man out)

I scrubbed my ship down and set her to drain
(Oh Rose Show the man out)
When out of the crowd their stumbled a swain
(Open the door and show the man out)

He fell to his knees and to my lady said
(Oh Rose Show the man out)
I’ll give you a kingdom for a night in your bed
(Open the door and show the man out)

Alas my fair lady was peeved by the crash
(Oh Rose Show the man out)
And sweetly informed me that she liked his dash
(Open the door and show the man out)

She took up his arm and she gave me a wink
(Oh Rose show the man out)
 And brought the swain into my ship for a drink
(Open the door and show the man out)
  
 “It’s big on the inside,” she said, “you can see”
(Oh Rose show the man out)
“It’s gorgeous, like you,” he said, twitching with glee
(Open the door and show the man out)

She drew him in further with her sauciest grin
 (Oh Rose show the man out)
“We don’t let just any fine gentleman in.”
(Open the door and show the man out)

I strolled on board after, my chest feeling tight
(Oh Rose show the man out)
But didn’t forget to put my ship in flight
(Open the door and show the man out)

The take off was rough on the swain I admit
 (Oh Rose show the man out)
And so was the railing that his noggin did hit
(Open the door and show the man out)

The shock broke the swain’s fine composure in half
(Oh Rose show the man out)
Along with his fine human-face-faking mask
(Open the door and show the man out)

Up jumped the fake swain to settle the score
(Oh Rose show the man out)
While I parked and carefully tilted the floor
 (Open the door and show the man out)

My lady and I shared a mad wistful grin
(Oh Rose show the man out)
She reached for the handle and pulled for the win
(Open the door and show the man out)

Out flew the swain, past the threshold to night
(Oh Rose show the man out)
A ship parked in orbit is a wonderful sight
(Open the door and show the man out)

"You do pick'em" I said and she gave me a kiss
(Oh Rose show the man out)
She said, "Alien killers just cannot resist."
(Open the door and show the man out)

Be watchful young sailor, be wary cruel men
(Oh Rose show the man out)
Play false and you’ll never be heard from again.
(Open the door and show the man out).

Tuesday, April 2, 2013

NaPoWriMo Day 2: It's a Lie




National Poetry Writing Month, Day 2 Prompt: Write a poem that is somehow a lie, or about lies


Leavened and grounded, sown and milled
Sweetened and spun, enlightened by grace
And good temperament.
Thickened, in the old way, thrust deep
Heated through and thorough
Released, and waiting.
It needs cooling, or else it crumples
What sweet joy upon the world
The promise of salvation
Iced with thorns.

Monday, April 1, 2013

NaPoWriMo Day 1: The Moon

National Poetry Writing Month, Day 1 Prompt: Slowly, silently, now the moon (first line prompt)

Slowly, silent, now the moon/
The slither, moist across the lens/
Celestial charmer, you beam at me/
Glazing me over while the sunlight/
Of distant planets fades. I'm blind./
The future and the past smeared over/
Your pearlescence is all I feel.