Observations from the field
buttons and banners, bumpers and yards that sprout
the uncanny side shoots of this strange season
rallies, stumps, town meetings, carefully orchestrated
surprise appearances – the hooting and chest thumping
part of the mating ritual for that bizarre subspecies,
Homo sapiens diatribis, the American politician
Posted in Poetry, Uncategorized
Tagged elections, poetry practice, poetry prompts, prompted poetry, Writers Write, writing practice
When I saw this prompt, I was reminded of a blog post I saw last week at Tarot by Tina. Each week, Tina, herself a writer, draws a card to interpret from a writer’s perspective.
The Queen of Swords
proclaims your creature
self to be mind as well as brain: remember
that squiggly organ is more than
the body’s maestro, and thought
greater than the sum of firing neurons
she decrees that your intellect serves
your whole person, a loyal retainer
vital as her own chief counselor
and as powerful, because you are
who you think you are
so who do you think you are?
I recently found a wonderful resource for writers in South African-based Writers Write. The site has all kinds of goodies and support for both business and creative writing, including prompts, quotes, book reviews, and courses. I signed up to receive prompts for each month via e-mail, and February’s list arrived yesterday.
Unexpected
the offhand comment is not painful
because formulated
without thought or consideration
the offhand comment is painful
because of astonishing
insight and precision
Posted in Poetry, Uncategorized
Tagged poetry practice, poetry prompts, prompted poetry, prompts, Writers Write, writing practice, writing prompts
This poem was inspired by an ICAD Challenge prompt from last week: draw a map. I’d include a picture of the card I created, but I like the poem better.
Reblogged from the Lexington Poetry Month blog.
Draw a map of the world
as it appears inside
the back of your skull
lines of sight that project
through your eyes
tattoo continents and oceans
with inky residue of blasted
dreams so you will not
be able to forget
the way home
Posted in Poetry
Tagged ICAD Challenge, Lexington Poetry Month, LexPoMo, poetry practice, prompted poetry, writing practice
I cribbed a prompt from my friend April, who’s participating in a photography challenge this month. (Be careful what you post on Facebook; you may end up in my poetry.) Today’s prompt was “release.”
Reblogged (and slightly revised) from the Lexington Poetry Month blog.
Letting go
some things seem to stick with a body
longer, the way a small bone
goes sideways in the throat to become
lodged
Posted in Poetry
Tagged Lexington Poetry Month, LexPoMo, photo prompts, poetry practice, prompted poetry, writing practice
I took a little break from copyediting today to glance back through my journal for something to post. This is from early April, using a prompt I signed up to receive via e-mail during National Poetry Month.
Outside
yet again she had been
weighed in the scales of friendship and found
wanting, though she did not
know why, she felt certain
there had been cues, unreadable to her
misfit understanding, arcane signals
she did not receive
correctly, so once more she stood
apart, watched the turning
rope and tried to decipher
how the others knew when
to jump in
Posted in Poetry
Tagged National Poetry Month, poetry practice, poetry writing, prompted poetry, writing practice
I’m dreadfully behind despite the fact that I’ve been working like crazy for weeks. How is that possible? Some factor in this equation remains hidden to me at present. If you have any insight or suggestions, please share!
In the meantime, dear reader, please accept this summertime trifle as a token of my appreciation.
Fresh produce
the cantaloupe of desire
sits ripe and round
on the counter, its curved
fishnet skin giving off
aromatic hints of creamy
flesh within
Posted in Poetry
Tagged cantaloupe poetry, poetry practice, produce poetry, summer poetry, writing practice
Reblogged from the Lexington Poetry Month blog.
The dry spell ends
it was raining most gloriously
soft, gentle, steady
and she wanted it to continue
all night long
Posted in Poetry
Tagged Lexington Poetry Month, LexPoMo, poetry practice, writing challenges, writing practice
My parents would have celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary this week had my father not died 26 years ago.
Reblogged from the Lexington Poetry Month blog.
Our 50th Year
there will be no party, no surprise
trip to Hawaii, no family photographs
it feels so hollow, this
anniversary, a golden clanging
bell with no clapper, like me
without you
Reblogged from the Lexington Poetry Month blog.
Sagittarius
She sits at the table, hands wrapped around fresh
coffee. Her fingers trace out of habit
the large red heart on the mug. Yesterday’s news
lies open to the amusements
page, a shared morning ritual now
suddenly solitary. She has finished
the crossword and scramble, laughed
too loud at the comics, clucked amazement
at Dear Abby. All that remains
are the horoscopes. Beneath her husband’s sun
sign she reads, “Your challenge is to explore
the freedom of commitment.” With a sharp
bark of laughter, she lowers the mug and draws the waiting
pile of divorce papers across the table.
Posted in Poetry
Tagged Lexington Poetry Month, LexPoMo, poetry practice, writing challenges, writing practice
The Daily Compost 