Tag Archives: poetry

NaPoWriMo – Day 16

Posted on by The Read-e-ologist

I am cheating.  Rather than writing a brand-new poem, which is what we are supposed to do during National Poetry Writing Month, I am posting a poem that I wrote nine months ago.  Some friends wrote a book with a similar theme, so I dug this out today.  Also, on Day 9, the NaPoWriMo was “to write a poem that includes a line that you’re afraid to write. ” That line exists in this poem.

Reverse poem in which I reflect on my thoughts

My fear
Is bigger than
God’s love for me
“I want to run away.”
I will never again say
“I am free.”
Or
“I can stay here and be okay.”
I believe
Vulnerability is terrifying.
I no longer think
I am lovable.
I will never be good enough.
It is not true that
I am strong.
I am damaged goods.
Nobody believes
There is joy available for me.
Sorrow is my only option.
I used to think
I am strong enough to let down my guard.
I now know that
“I am broken.”
I will no longer say
“I can be whole.”

Now read each line in reverse order.

“I can be whole.”

I will no longer say

“I am broken.”

I now know that

I am strong enough to let down my guard.

I used to think

Sorrow is my only option.

There is joy available for me.

Nobody believes

I am damaged goods.

I am strong.

It is not true that

I will never be good enough.

I am lovable.

I no longer think

Vulnerability is terrifying.

I believe

“I can stay here and be okay.”

Or

“I am free.”

I will never again say

“I want to run away.”

God’s love for me

Is bigger than

My fear

 

 

NaPoWriMo – Day 15

Posted on by The Read-e-ologist

NaPoWriMo challenged participants  “to write a poem that incorporates the idea of doubles. You could incorporate doubling into the form, for example, by writing a poem in couplets. Or you could make doubles the theme of the poem, by writing, for example, about mirrors or twins, or simply things that come in pairs.”  So, I wrote this.  😉

Three Cheers to things that come in sets of tri

Three little pigs

And billy goats gruff

Three sneezes will do,

When two’s not enough

Petals, unfolding

To lure in the bees

Strands of a braid

That goes down to her knees

Two birds in the bush

Plus the one in the hand

Lines of haiku

Written freehand

Traffic lights

In red, green, and yellow

Sheets to the wind

Or just a little mellow

Steps in a waltz

Bones in the ear

Rings in a binder

To keep papers dear

Rings of a circus

Larry, Curly, Moe

Strikes to be out

It’s time to go

NaPoWriMo – Day 14

Posted on by The Read-e-ologist

Based on inspiration from NaPoWriMo2016 and The Daily Post, I have written a san san using the The Daily Post daily prompt “Suitcase”.  NaPoWriMo explains that the “poem called a san san means ‘three three’ in Chinese (It’s also a term of art in the game Go). The san san has some things in common with the tritina, including repetition and rhyme. In particular, the san san repeats, three times, each of three terms or images. The lines rhyme in the pattern a-b-c-a-b-d-c-d.”

Suitcase

The frame, atop the journal, in the battered suitcase,

Both holding memories of her old flame

Suitcased in Sadness, agony becomes nocturnal.

In her journal, a moment when his hands framed her face

Now she desperately wants to forget his name.

Then page subsides to leaf, so grief sank to rue,

Eternally framed, and stored, in her journal.

Like the suitcase, her heartanguish, a portmanteau.

NaPoWriMo – Day 13

Posted on by The Read-e-ologist

Because the number 13 is often considered unlucky, today’s NaPoWriMo challenge is to “beat the bad luck away with a poem inspired by fortune cookies.”  http://www.napowrimo.net/

Playing with the number 13, I decided to write a rondel:

  1. Poem consists of 13 lines in 3 stanzas
  2. Rhyme scheme: ABba/abAB/abbaA (uppercase letters are refrains)
  3. Usually 8 syllables per line

 

Fortun(ately)

images-2

 

Perseverance will bring you joy.

The time to be hopeful is now.

Time for pleasure you must allow.

Recreation you shall employ.

 

Whether you are  a girl or boy,

Live.  You must find a way, somehow.

The time to be hopeful is now.

Perseverance will bring you joy.

 

The truth reveals the Real McCoy.

You bring the world delight, and how.

Take the applause and take a bow.

A reminder from Illinois—

Perseverance will bring you joy.

NaPoWriMon – Day 11

Posted on by The Read-e-ologist

For Rachel

 

Beginning on the floor in child’s pose,

You curl up, comforting,

Before confronting

The barriers to your liberty.

 

Climbing to table pose,

Sitting back up to

Stir up the setbacks;

You brace yourself.

 

Transitioning to warrior pose,

Arms stretched wide

To knock on opportunity’s designer door,

Recently painted persimmon.

 

Rising up to mountaIn pose,

You stretch, leaving fingers lingering

To get a feeling of the glass ceiling

That once covered your hope.

 

Breathing in, ribcage expanding,

Reminding you of your strength.

As you exhale, a long breath of epiphany

Makes you realize that you were

 

never

in a box

to begin with.

NaPoWriMo – Day 10

Posted on by The Read-e-ologist

Our Hearts

We thought it would be wise,

But much to our demise, we’re wrong.

Expected to be strong enough—

Turns out that grace is tough to give.

We struggle to forgive

Knowing that we can’t live this way

And not sure what to say.

Let’s choose to change today and face—

Our hearts have been misplaced.

This poem is a Luc Bat — a Vietnamese poetic form that means “six-eight.” In fact, the poem consists of alternating lines of six and eight syllables. This poem is interesting in its rhyme scheme that renews at the end of every eight-syllable line and rhymes on the sixth syllable of both lines.

 

Misplaced

NaPoWriMo – Day 6

Posted on by The Read-e-ologist

IMG_4740

Encapsulated Embryos,

Mostly made of water molecules

And protein—

The recipe for life.

 

Done up, brown,

Dressed in Protoporphyrin—

Stylish, soulful specimens individually;

Captivating and charming collectively.

 

Varying in size and shade,

Parallel in nutrition and wealth

 

Six of one,

Or half a dozen of the other.

Disciples, with baskets of copper yolk

Standing at attention.

 

Microscosmic

Fruit of

Gallus.