May 2020 Poetry Challenge - Are You In?

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  • Ms. Haiku
    Ms. Haiku Washington DC Posts: 7,371
    This is about baseball and COVID-19

    cardinal
    shakes without flying
    afternoon storm
    There is no such thing as leftover pizza. There is now pizza and later pizza. - anonymous
    The risk I took was calculated, but man, am I bad at math - The Mincing Mockingbird
  • Ms. Haiku
    Ms. Haiku Washington DC Posts: 7,371
    This month of poetry is harder than I thought. I had brain storms for poems the past couple days and the energy fizzled out. I'm still determined to keep at it. Oi!
    There is no such thing as leftover pizza. There is now pizza and later pizza. - anonymous
    The risk I took was calculated, but man, am I bad at math - The Mincing Mockingbird
  • justam
    justam Posts: 21,415
    edited May 2020
    Ms Haiku, I’m finding it hard too.  I have had days where writing would feel forced or artificial because of the dullness of being stuck at home. I have had days where the things on my mind are too dark for a poem.

    Perhaps I need to figure out how to write about dark topics?  I’ve been thinking about movies like Elysium and In Time and now this Snow Piercer ad I’ve been seeing.   All these movies portraying the dramatic gap between the poor and the rich.  I see them as a reflection of the direction our society is going and the rage that is boiling up from under the surface.  I don’t know how to write rage though...and I don’t like to project thoughts of a negative future for our country but the veil has been ripped off so much corruption since Trump has been in the Whitehouse.
    Post edited by justam on
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  • Ms. Haiku
    Ms. Haiku Washington DC Posts: 7,371
    justam said:
    Ms Haiku, I’m finding it hard too.  I have had days where writing would feel forced or artificial because of the dullness of being stuck at home. I have had days where the things on my mind are too dark for a poem.

    Perhaps I need to figure out how to write about dark topics?  I’ve been thinking about movies like Elysium and In Time and now this Snow Piercer ad I’ve been seeing.   All these movies portraying the dramatic gap between the poor and the rich.  I see them as a reflection of the direction our society is going and the rage that is boiling up from under the surface.  I don’t know how to write rage though...and I don’t like to project thoughts of a negative future for our country but the veil has been ripped off so much corruption since Trump has been in the Whitehouse.
    There is a true story and the truth of a story.
    I think you can switch out true/truth for rage. It can fit and write it when you are ready. You got it. I can see it. Be the writer of rage your unique way.

    My brain is on work, as many processes have changed recently. I'm still trying. I'll get there.

    Whenever I use the word "Try" I think of Yoda :)
    There is no such thing as leftover pizza. There is now pizza and later pizza. - anonymous
    The risk I took was calculated, but man, am I bad at math - The Mincing Mockingbird
  • Ms. Haiku
    Ms. Haiku Washington DC Posts: 7,371
    edited May 2020
    I wrote a poem when I was full of something negative. It may have been rage. I posted it on here in 2004 or 2005. Let me see if I can find it.

    Found it! There is no way I would have remembered this title. I posted it in January 2005. I was an advocate at a domestic violence treatment program. I couldn't talk to anyone about what I heard so I wrote poetry. This poem was completed in 1996.

    Natural Consequences

    My name is Chris and I am six. I learn
    my lesson with burning scars on my back.
    He reads the Bible and burns me because
    I forgot to hang my coat on the hook.

    A flick of the lighter and my arms flinch.
    My dad tells neighbors I'm medicated.

    My dad always said God is the Father.
    My dad always said I have to fear God.
    My dad always said he likes to scare me.
    I fear my Father so he must be God.

    If God smokes cigarettes then God likes Fire.
    Gasoline and His lighters do the trick.
    Now Father and I will burn together.
    Those sirens rejoicing our blessedness.


    Reading it again makes me anxious. I remember that the call that "inspired" the poem was horrifying and I couldn't shake it off for a while. I wrote the draft of this poem immediately after the call, and I read it at an open mic that evening. The MC looked at me as if I was crazy after I read it. That call kind-of shook me.
    Post edited by Ms. Haiku on
    There is no such thing as leftover pizza. There is now pizza and later pizza. - anonymous
    The risk I took was calculated, but man, am I bad at math - The Mincing Mockingbird
  • justam
    justam Posts: 21,415
    edited May 2020
    Wow!  Your "Natural Consequences" is dark.  I think the father you write about in the poem is scary.  That is something I have a lot of anger about too: people who harm children and animals.  Cruel people in general.  People like those monsters who recently killed a young man who was out jogging. 

    Good work Ms Haiku!
    Post edited by justam on
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  • justam
    justam Posts: 21,415
      (This is a light topic compared to the above.)
    May 14, 2020

    A useful dream
    I dreamt I was carrying a 50 lb backpack
    the other night
    in the dream, it felt like it was carried for my kids
    I couldn't put it down!
    walking miles of road,
    couldn't put it down
    climbing hills,
    couldn't put it down
    was there water for the family in there?
    was there food for the kids?
    why was I carrying it?
    I was getting exhausted, of course
    but I had to keep walking.
    (that was apparently my job in the dream)
    when I woke up,
    I realized it was all this weight
    carried under my skin
    I can't put it down.
    and it's been tiring me out for quite a while
    I'm going to think of that picture
    I need to think of that picture
    whenever I'm tempted to eat out of boredom
    or stay up too late for no good reason

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  • justam
    justam Posts: 21,415
    May 28, 2020

    I know you, but I don't know you
    haven't we all heard someone say that upon occasion?
    (when we do something another doesn't expect)
    or, I don't know you, but I know you
    haven't we all felt that upon occasion?
    (when someone we haven't met does something we understand)
    so I'll say today:  
    I don't know you, but sometimes I know you
    sometimes I understand what I see
    sometimes I love you
    you, a stranger and not a stranger
    you, a stranger and a friend too
    me, a separate person
    but also an open heart embracing others 
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