NaPoWriMo ~ Day 30

At last, the final poem!  This has definitely been a challenge for me.  I can stop blogging for the next 31 days now, right?  I've paid my dues!  LOL!

THE LAST POEM

It’s ten o’clock in the morning,
the students are filing in.
I’d rather be at home alone,
my king-sized bed adorning.

It’s three in the afternoon, and
the classes are finally done.
I wish I could have spent the time
on something stupendously grand.

It’s ten o’clock in the night time,
the papers are still not complete.
I’m drowsing with this grading,
so please don’t expect a cute rhyme!


© 2013

NaPoWriMo ~ Day 29

LIMERICK #2

A tired young lady uptown  
sat drooping, her head hanging down,  
for when she tried 
hard to mimic the Bard,  
the bad rhymes they made her face frown.
© 2013

NaPoWriMo ~ Day 28

GUILT-RIDDEN
It eats away at  
the soul’s delicate fabric --
shredded, tattered...gone.

© 2013

NaPoWriMo ~ Day 27

(Based on an ongoing reflection on what love is, who loves, and how...and as you can see, I'm as befuddled now as when I first began to think on it!)

LOVE IS LOVE

You cannot prescribe,
like valium for the nerves,
the ways of love.

You cannot describe,
in facile metaphors,
the ways of love.

You cannot explain,
though theories abound,
the ways of love.

You cannot defeat,
in gladiator style,
the ways of love.


© 2013

NaPoWriMo ~ Day 26

(Sorry...this got posted on my other page here yesterday.)

STRANGER IN THE PARK
(Or "The Handshake")

He extended
an exceptionally large,
well-manicured  hand,
with long piano-player fingers.
If he’s an axe murderer,
he’ll be the only one
with such beautiful hands,
I thought.


© 2013

NaPoWriMo ~ Day 25

THIRST
 
He bent his head
and took her mouth
as though he were
dying of thirst
and she
was the well
in the desert.

© 2013

NaPoWriMo ~ Days 23 and 24

Day 23

(Instructions by the midwife to the grandmother once the baby is born, in the BBC period drama “Call the Midwife”.  The list below, in the senryu, represents the contemporary response to such a request.)

“SOMETHING WARM AND CLEAN”

Cotton onesies, blankets,
tiny socks for tiny feet,
mittens, and a hat.


© 2013

Day 24

RUNAWAY

She had run away,
disappearing from life
while she figured out
how to live for herself,

and not for children,
or a husband
she should never have married
and spent all her adult years with
till they parted.

A solitary tear escaped,
plopping
like a fat witness against her
onto the table.

© 2013

NaPoWriMo ~ Day 22 (Uh huh, late again!)

(What can I say?  I fell asleep?)

LIMERICK

There once was a girl in a city
who thought that her words were real pretty.
She essayed to compose
perfect rhymes just like those
of the Bard, in a once-daily ditty.

© 2013

NaPoWriMo ~ Day 21

HER MISSING HIM

Whisper-soft,
the feeling sidled
with silent tread
into her heart.

Clarion-loud,
it spoke its plan
to rest awhile
inside her heart.

Crystal-clear,
it marked its turf
in vivid hues
around her heart.


© 2013

NaPoWriMo ~ Day 20

COMPARISONS

Laughter is
like waterfalls
after rain.

Laughter is
like high tide
after low.

Laughter is
like sunburst
after storm.

© 2013

NaPoWriMo ~ Day 19 ( Yes, I know it's late!)

SPRING STORM

Shards of cutting light,
and thund’rous themes of drum rolls,
waken the darkness!


© 2013

NaPoWriMo ~ Day 18

GOODNIGHT POEM

I don’t know what to write about.
Perhaps the time of day
inhibits my inventive brain,
and keeps good thoughts at bay.

Whatever’s wrong, it’s too late now
to try to make it right.
I’m tired, and it’s very late,
I’ll just give up the fight!

© 2013

NaPoWriMo ~ Day 17

(A two-fer, because I couldn't decide which to choose.  These are, once again, found poems from two of my stories.)

CONTENTMENT

He felt the serenity
just like at Christmas --
all was right, then...
the boy belonged.
 
Now he'd met her,
the man was hooked.
Here she was,
still reeling him in.

FREE FALL

We fell.
A scream escaped
into the dark night air.
The stampede
and the thunder
returned
a split second
before we landed

© 2013

NaPoWriMo ~ Day 16

(In defense of my title, please note the third definition below:

"po·et·ics  (p - t ks)

n. (used with a sing. or pl. verb)

1. Literary criticism that deals with the nature, forms, and laws of poetry.

2. A treatise on or study of poetry or aesthetics.

3. The practice of writing poetry; poetic composition.")

POETICS

Some poems come in thunderclouds,
like grumbling, grouchy men
that roar and thud and thrash about
like lions in their den.

Some poems come on quiet feet,
like children sneaking in
to beg forgiveness for their play,
because they raised a din.

Some poems come on fairy wings,
like butterflies in flight
dance up and down the pretty blooms
that make the garden bright.

Some poems come on wisps of air,
like babies’ sleepy sighs
that puff out rosy lips and cheeks,
breaths of God in disguise.

© 2013

NaPoWriMo ~ Day 15 (Late)

THE PACKET

I opened it,
excitement whizzing through me
like bubbles.

The envelope was plain,
white, the name and address typed
in black letters.

I knew what was inside,
or so I thought, until I saw
the little picture book.

I touched it,
pressing my lips over
his gift.

© 2013

NaPoWriMo ~ Day 14

MUSICAL

To combat empty feelings
why not try this remedy?
Listen to some country songs,
some gospel and smooth jazz.

Round it out with feeling...
sing along with “Brown Eyed Girl”
shake  your boodie to the beat
of the “Boot Scootin’ Boogie” song.

Nod your head to Kenny Chesney,
“Don’t Blink” ‘cause time’s moving on,
Chuckle as Harry and Nat sing
“Mamma look a boo boo dey!”

Bebe, Cece, Alvin Slaughter
touch the spirit deep inside
where you wish for more than songs
to fill the aching void.

To combat empty feelings
why not try this remedy?
Gospel, country, rock and roll --
try music for the heart.

© 2013

NaPoWriMo ~ 13

LOVE IS YOU

She sat down to write
a letter in response...
a thank-you, as was right.

The words came slowly
upon the bright screen...
she didn’t feel worthy.

The tears flowed as she wrote,
knowing who she was...
“Thank you” ended the note.

She clicked “Send”, and read
the poem’s precious words...
“Love is you” it said.

© 2013

NaPoWriMo ~ Day 12

CAREFREE

Her lighthearted songs
give new meaning to the sounds
of happy childhood.

Her tuneful singing --
easy, effortless, joyous --
makes my heart sing, too.


© 2013

NaPoWriMo ~ Day 11

WARM

Warm
is plush,
soft,
striped socks
on chilly feet.


Warm
is thick,
hard,
strong hugs
round shivery arms.

Warm
is kind,
sweet,
tender words
to frozen hearts.

© 2013

NaPoWriMo ~ Day 10

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DAD!

His rheumy eyes
(the irises film-covered)
shine a welcome for me.
The number of his years,
that measures his time here,
is not
the sum total
of his true selfhood.
He is more than
eighty-six.

His trembling hands
(it’s growing worse)
try for a grip of pleasure.
The quality of his strength,
that measures his life here,
is not
the sum total
of his true manhood.
He is more than
a spent force.

© 2013

NaPoWriMo ~ Days 8 & 9

Yeah, I know...it's becoming a habit, this two-fer deal!  I can't manage to keep up with the "one poem per day" letter of the law (life happens, eh?), but at least I am keeping up with the "one poem for every day" spirit of the law!  So?  Bite me! 

Day 8

INSPIRATION

Peepers whistle and sing
springtime goodnight calls,
heralding another year...
another birth.

Peepers whistle and call
to every springtime heart,
arousing fresh, new hope...
fresh, new desire.

Peepers whistle each year
as springtime rolls around,
announcing youthful life...
virgin joy.

© 2013

Day 9

RAIN-WASHED

Earthy scents arise,
misty, cleansing air exhales
winter’s last, stale breath


© 2013

NaPoWriMo ~ Day 7

BEFORE DAWN
(SUNDAY MORNING)

The room is dark,
the silence absolute...

save for the sounds
of the distant train
down by the river,
and the grating snores
of men sleeping
in the other rooms,
and the surprising ping
of the computer
down the hall,
and the increasing buzz
of the clock radio,
and the soothing songs
of the morning birds,
chanting their matins...

save for the sounds
of life.

© 2013

NaPoWriMo ~ Day 6

(The following poem is a reconstruction of sentences from a story I am currently writing.)

SENSUAL OVERLOAD

A caramel-filled confection in her fingers,
she was an exotic bloom 
among the pale lilies
with her copper-colored skin
and delicious curves.
He wondered
what her naked body would look like
in the moonlight.
He could see,
so clearly,
the passion she held inside her
like a beacon.

Savoring the mellow flavor on his tongue,
he felt the sharpness of her regard
like a scalpel on flesh.
She pierced him
with her bright-eyed stare.
His blue eyes were blazing,
and yet so dark
they were almost purple.
He wanted to whimper
and roar
at the same time,
passion welling in his chest.

© 2013

NaPoWriMo ~ Days 4 & 5

(Yes, I know it's late, but I fell asleep last night.  So today, it'll be a two-fer, so I can get back on track.)

Day 4

CABINET MEETING

The meeting ended quickly, for a change.
Agenda items hurriedly reviewed
To make it so the people sitting there
Could scurry off without being too rude.

The reason that the meeting was curtailed
Was simple -- he had not been there!
His nasty attitude, ill-tempered remarks
Did not inflame the still quite noxious air.

© 2013

Day 5

VICTORIES

Some victories come small,
like patches of blue promise
‘twixt swollen thunderclouds.

Some victories come slow,
like gravid rain clouds giving way
to beams of golden light.

© 2013

NaPoWriMo ~ Day 3

REPRIEVE

If silence is golden,
then my luck has changed,
today I was giv’n a reprieve.
The meeting was ended
before it got started – 

so lovely to not have to heave!

But my luck is spotty
at best — it’s been proven!
We’ll see what tomorrow will bring.
Till then, I had better
prepare my defenses –
oh, why won’t the fat lady sing?

© 2013

NaNoWriMo ~ Days 1 & 2

Day 1
So I've decided, for reasons of sanity and insanity both, to write one poem a day for the month of April, which is National Poetry Writing Month -- yep, go to the head of the class if you figured out that that is what "NaPoWriMo" means!  I've cheated...the first one I've posted here was not written today, though it was written this year.  I promise not to cheat again!  If you'd care to join me, let me know...I'd love some company!

DISMAY

Staring out at the newly-made
winter wonderland,
I see the emptiness of my day
without you.
I feel the melancholy tugging
on my heart.

Thinking about how we came to be
such friends,
I wonder how I’d make it through
without you.
I guess life would be vastly altered now
if you left.

Trying to stem the aching tide
of sadness,
I tell myself to be okay
without you.
If I have to handle one more loss,
it’ll break me.

© 2013

Day 2

CALM AND STORM

Outwardly at peace,
an inner raging batters
my beleaguered soul.

 

© 2013

Dismay

Staring out at the newly-made

winter wonderland,

I see the emptiness of my day

without you.

I feel the melancholy tugging

on my heart.

Thinking about how we came to be

such friends,

I wonder how I'd make it through

without you.

I guess life would be vastly altered now

if you left.

Trying to stem the aching tide

of sadness,

I tell myself to be okay

without you.

If I have to handle one more loss,

it'll break me.

 

© 2013 Teri B