NaPoWriMo Day Ten: Signal Limerick

My car just wouldn't go
She rode sluggish and slow
Signal Gas; I tried it
For my car's new diet
Because other gasoline's blow!

heidi
written 4/10/14 for



I'm so happy! Today's prompt was to write an advertisement-poem in the spirit of the old Burma Shave ads. And y'all may have noticed that I love Old Time Radio shows, and one of my favorites was Signal's The Whistler. They held limerick contests, and the listeners would send in their submissions for free gas and having their limerick read on the air. Thanks to Mad Kane's weekly Limerick-Off, I feel up to the challenge.  So everybody join in:

Signal, Signal, Signal gasoline!

Your car will go far

With go farther gasoline!

 

NaPoWriMo Day Nine: Story From Soundtracks

He wanted everything now.
His rule was impatience...

He hurried through life
A servant to his immediate desire.

He was unaware the instant Karma struck,
Deposing this oblivious king

"Tut! Tut!" Clucked the old women
laughing behind their knitting.

He kept dictating missives encouraging speed
and never noticed no one complying.

If anyone had taken the time to warn him
of his bad reputation...

He would not have taken the time
to listen.

As he wrapped himself within himself,
the people lead him to the ring.

"My Bell will signal the start of combat.
Prepare to defend yourself, sir!"

And still he hurried on within himself
ignoring his own peril.

Once slain, he was too distracted to die.
Yelling angrily to the sound of people's joy...

"Get back to work!"

heidi
written 4/9/14 for



Okay, so technically, I am posting this on the tenth, but I started it around 11:30, so I am counting it as a poem for the ninth. :) Today's prompt was to use the first five songs on a random playlist. Out of all of my songs on my iTunes, this is what popped up.

Instant Karma: John Hiatt
King Tut: Steve Martin
Bad Reputation: Half Cocked
Ring My Bell: Anita Ward
Joy: Harry Nilsson

Also, I felt rather prose-y tonight.

NaPoWriMo Day Eight: He Wades Through Bullshit

I.
He wades through bullshit, like the con
     Of found wallets and pyramid schemes
What he wants is to remove what's on
     Claiming that you fulfill his dreams
And once you're done, you meet the dawn
     With insight- he's not what he seems

II.
One excuse or more, one date or less,
     Spews forth from his lying face
Now that he has had what's in your dress
     He's in search of a newer lace
To use his word for new conquest
     Like the astronaut wooing space.

III.
My words seem harsh, I realize that
     and, in truth, Beauty's not so bad.
Romantics, I think, were better at
     writing of a pot and severed head
imprisoned wives' fireside chats
     and reanimating the dead.

heidi
     after George Gordon Byron
written 4/8/14 for



Today's prompt was to rewrite a classic poem. I chose She Walks in Beauty, and I am a little worried that I may be guilty of heresy. Also, I took some liberties with the form (as usual).

 

NaPoWriMo Day Seven: Life's Blood

strong dark
sticky sweet wet
obliterating all
other desires, this heaven's bliss
sweet tea

heidi
written 4/7/14 for



Oh my sweet Cinquain, had you thought that I would forsake you? Never! Only your ease and dependability could help me meet today's challenge: to write a love poem to an inanimate object. What in the whole universe is more deserving of a love poem than sweet tea?

 

NaPoWriMo Day Six: Winter's Goodbye

I have enjoyed the chill
of this year's winter

the cold, white light
the unexpected Alabama snow

I think I am alone in
wishing it here a little longer

the oaks in my yard are beginning the transformation
from brown to dark green

the azaleas confetti bright pink and white
the camellias explode in red

the branches of the Japanese magnolia
stretch out their blooms

I feel overwhelmed leaving winter's stillness
and entering spring's frenetic pollen

the light breezes stirring allergens
heralding the months of 90 to 100 degree summer

so I sit and stare at the grey skies of
winter's goodbye

contemplating the trees contentment
as the seasons come and go

envying them that.

heidi
written 4/6/14 for



Today's NaPoWriMo challenge was to look outside the window and write down what you saw and use those words as a word bank. I am sitting almost on the floor next to a high window, so what I saw was mostly sky and oak trees as we move towards warmer weather here in Alabama. I tend to wilt in hot weather, so I have really enjoyed this winter, and haven't braced myself for the HOT that is Tuscaloosa in the summer.

Anyway...here are my observations:

trees branches leaves grey sky stillness light breeze brown dark green white

Since it's Sunday, why not take a swing by NaPoWriMo and check out the links to the participants' websites? Click on the button above. (You're welcome!)

 

NaPoWriMo Day Five: Ignoring Peace

mourning the time spent
berating myself for not being THE
perfect (fill in the blank) that day.

pissed for letting my life slip away

acknowledging and ignoring the fact- staring
me in the face- that I am walking through

the same asshole steps of yesterday's
beat-me-up march...afraid of the window

that is before my eyes
leading me to a peace not yet closed.

heidi
     after Eusebeia Philos

written 4/5/14 for



I'm late tonight because today is my sweet girl's birthday and we have spent the day at the lake. Happy birthday my sweet Aoife <3 !

Today's prompt was to write a poem in the style of The Golden Shovel by Terrance Hayes. You take a poem (he used Stevie Smith's most awesome We Real Cool) and use the words of that poem as the last word of each line of your poem.  Since all of my favorite poets are the bloggers I read, I knew immediately that I wanted to use a poem by Eusebeia Philos (although I didn't ask his permission and I hope he doesn't get pissed at me because I kind of like what I came up with...). If you are neither reading his blog nor following him on Twitter, then I feel kind of sad for you because his work is masterful.  Click on his name to read his poem, Yesterday's Window, which is the poem I used, and then hang out to read some more of his work. He is very aware of the wonder in every day.






 

NaPoWriMo Day Four: Someone Needs A Nap

sweet little boy
angry over a lost toy
cries on floor

heidi
written 4/4/14 for



Yay! Today's prompt was to write a Collum Lune! It's like it was written just for me.  And I managed to not write about medicine. Double yay! It helped that my son was lying in front of me upset because he lost his Kitty Softpaws doll. If you see her, please let us know where she is. We need to put a bell on her; she gets lost a lot.
 

NaPoWriMo Day Three: Charmed

specifically chosen chemicals
must be consumed before noon
lest gremlins arise

heidi
written 4/3/14 for



I am beginning to feel a little like a one note asshole here. I did sort of work in the NaPoWriMo prompt to write a charm...sort of...and look, a Collum Lune! Last year I spent the first week writing Cinquains, hmmm. Also, Blogger is not letting me comment on my posts, so that's been frustrating.

Maybe I shouldn't write these post poem comments when I'm feeling grumpy...

 

NaPoWriMo Day Two: How I Think Now

my head emptied
of nasty negative self-talk
now echoes quiet

heidi
written 4/2/14 for





So, after 43 years, I have been diagnosed with ADHD. They said that I have been able to compensate for so long because I'm smart. Now, I have started taking medicine for it (see yesterday's very similar Collum Lune). Maybe I'm not as smart as I used to be. :)
 

NaPoWriMo Day One: Methylphenidate

the magic pill
clears my head of demons
leaves lonely silence


heidi
written 4/1/14 for


I am getting a late night start to the month of poetry. I think I have channeled all of my creativity into cooking lately. Not so great for the blog, but man, is my tummy happy. So, I am starting with a little Collum Lune. I love these things.