In the wonderfully helpful book Poemcrazy by Susan Goldsmith Wooldridge, on page 153, she states to describe what catches your eye. Capture it—things you bought, found or were given. In my case, I’ve chosen to capture something I have created.
Hunger
Juicy cherry tomatoes,
Black olives,
Thinly sliced pepperoni,
Little, creamy, white cheese wedges,
Crunchy cucumbers,
Tangy purple onion chunks,
Zesty Italian dressing,
Two or three tablespoons will do.
April 19
Compassion
No words.
No questions.
Friend of Aquarius, Pisces, Libra.
Protector of the stars in the sky, guardian of the dawn light.
Seeking that which is running on empty.
Organized for war, will answer the call, tried and true.
Sensitive and powerful throughout all seasons and symphonies.
Creators of peace and a hundred thousand welcomes.
Never languishing on either shoulder, wings up.
But tears will fall freely in any graveyard.
Weary but well-doing is my angel.
April 20
Friendship
How To Make A Friend
Introductions are imperative. There is no need for alpha or beta, just a general sense of fun times and trust.
Spring is for grilled cheese, harmonious singing, and trusting the process—learning to listen, cheer, and cry.
Summertime is the best for trampolines and camp songs.
Autumn is the perfect time to create new memories, inside jokes, and quirks.
Winter is full of the gift of laughter and new resolutions of kindred spirits. Thank you for being my forever friend.
April 21
Influence
InFluence
With encouragement, a superb confidence.
A friendly bridge before a roaring fire.
A black mystery nothing except judgement.
And presto, a natural flair,
a million copies.
He tried.
He tried.
He asked so many questions.
Then he met and married her.
If you haven’t guessed by now, I love writing poems. They calm my thoughts, and blackout poems help me find the right words and ignore the rest.
This is one more stab at blackout poetry. I don’t need to understand it. I don’t want to overanalyze it. It can just be.
April 22
Adventure
We bought our tickets a month in advance.
Overpaid for a thirty-minute taxi ride in Euros.
Arrived an hour before opening.
First through the turnstiles.
We didn’t know what to expect.
We visited Pompeii on a beautiful day in November.
There was no danger of lava, only clean Italian air and a soaking rainstorm.
A perfect day.
A perfect adventure.
April 23
Grief
Saying goodbye again.
Every day a memory floats up.
A tear falls down.
In a hurry, but it’s always there.
Covering everything.
Catching the light.
Scattering in the wind.
Bittersweet.
Saying goodbye again.
For my poetry challenge this month, I focused on positive core values I want to live by. There is opposition in all things, though. I can’t fully appreciate happiness if I’m unaware of sadness. If there is hunger, there is abundance. If we have conservation, we have destruction. Values have opposites. I have experienced love and acceptance, and I have also traveled through sadness and loneliness.
Grief is there.
Have you heard the expression ‘Grief is Like Glitter’? Glitter is hard to get rid of; it’s always there. I miss those who have gone before me. They are still remembered; they shine in my thoughts and memories.
April 24
Tradition
I make an effort every year to reread my favorite books, especially Emily of New Moon. My tradition is never daunting and always enlightening. Here is a poem I wrote about my love of reading Emily.
She reads the book
five times in as many years.
In history class during the Civil War battles.
Through geometry circling back to her favorite lines.
Before school, during school, and after school.
But no Prince Edward Island appears.
Only the urge to write and read all over again.
April 25
Fun
Shell Silverstein is the king of ryhme. My favorite poem from his massive collection is Nobody. I often recite this poem to myself while I’m at work and it’s a particularly hard day.
What I love most about this poem is the juxtiposition. At first, it’s a somewhat depression lyric, but then we realize that Nobody is actually somebody.
And, in my humble opinion the master of silly, fun poetry would be Mr. Lewis Carroll, aka Charles L. Dodgson. I recommend The Walrus and the Carpenter.
And, finally I have included for today, my own rhymer, entitled A Wish For You.
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