day 5

For today's prompt, write a metamorphosis poem. This is an excellent opportunity to use metaphors and/or show changes in a season, person, animal, plant, or whatever. (Hopefully, everyone won't turn themselves into Kafka-esque roaches.)


I see a film of myself when I was in sixth grade
a classmate's parent shot
bright white blonde
just in the corner there
(I remember that shirt!)
I walk around the other kids to go somewhere

where was I going,
little one, (so little then, really?)
and who am I sitting with there now
who was at home?
how was it going then?
were the lights on
or all off, all of them?

the wires burn and must be unplugged
rewired. taped. the next film, rethreaded.

in the play - there I am -
a goblin dancing stiffly in a poorly
spray painted black box
back in the shadows. Now I remember.
I never would have. Proof there flickering - little arms akimbo.
"I'm always a cow or a neighbor," I complained
Not central, ever it seemed, and yet looking back now
she is darling

running at the kickball
still hearing the sound of the solid connect
now when it is still perhaps
not too late

to see that she is sweet, fine
and to cheer her on
to see that she was not
even then
in any way
invisible

day 4

For today's prompt, write a containment poem. There are a lot of ways to contain things: Jails and prisons contain people; zoos and aquariums contain animals; and closets contain our clothes (and other "baggage"). Your poem can be about the actual container, the containment of things, or even the attempt to break free of containment. Of course, any other creative interpretation is encouraged as well.



No wonder I feel so trapped
I don't want to write of it
but it is my world
this single vein it seems
grown a thousand times it's size
pushing against all that has been
what has contained me

no room for that
stone or bone contains
stubborn material
fights back

the single vine, vein at some point
pushes the brick from the wall
the moment to its history

Ruins

What will they do
when I explode
and leave what?: jelly, plastic toys, leaves and
leaves
some photos

some words
at which you can not possibly guess

the significance

of little value to you contained
of less,
not

day 3

For today's prompt, write a location poem. The poem can be about a location, but it doesn't have to be. It could also just incorporate a location into the poem (like a love poem in Paris or something). This poem could also state your feelings about location in general.


Vermont

I can only see hoar frost
the place I want to be
waking warm
leaning my large warm face to the window
early to study - my, the mathematics
of individuation
crystalization
still stretching
a filagreed handprint
of the mad woman wind,

or a her anyway, who came to the glass
and touched it:
"Woman-child, woman-child,
Sister. This is how it feels
to be cold in the earth."

A horse with a heavy winter coat
steps into the visible and is,
through the crystal spicules
dark blue in an icy blue predawn.

Winter blessing.
Quiet.

I would like to wait there again
for the sun to rise
to illuminate the ice-articulate hand print left
my awestruck mind
and make us each
for just that moment
a golden hand of god.

2010 November PAD Chapbook Challenge: Day 2

And just like that, we're already into our first "Two for Tuesday" prompt in which I give two options for the prompt. You can choose either of the two prompts or even write both if you feel up to it. We got off to a great start yesterday. Let's keep at it.

Here are today's prompts:

1. Write a "ready to start" poem. Yesterday's poem closed the door or turned the page on the past events. Time to start looking forward.
2. Write a "not ready" poem, or even "never ready" poem. Sometimes, we're just not ready for the things that come our way.



Ready to take my head off and throw it in the street
Ready to have the next pickup run over it
Ready to headless grope and find what is in there
Metal yellow serrated
golden razor

my hands bleed
and my life begins to bleed
rivulets i will set sail on
down this is not a poem
its just a headache
that is everywhere

don't know what to do.


...only publishing this as i'm supposed to everyday.
not a poem. . not a good day. i'm ready to have it over with.

2010 November PAD Chapbook Challenge: Day 1

For today's prompt, I want poets to take one step back and write a "closing the door" or "turning the page" poem. Feel encouraged to get creative with today's prompt (and the other 29 prompts--for that matter), but here's how I interpret this prompt: a poem that looks at where a person (or animal or thing) was and finds resolution with the fact that things won't be that way again.


wow. don't know if i can do this. i am sooooooo sleepy today. will just shoot cut print. here goes.


Good that it doesn't have to be a door
to close
to indicate it is time
to close
that the door no longer opens
into my life

Goodbye
Move on

Connections (once true?) swing on hinges that creak a bit
like memory
in memory

the blue eyes, oh
the jacket on the back of the chair
the mandolin
honey
honeycomb

this is not what i expected to write
not the door(s) i expected to close
but I must admit
aid
not be sorry for the formal silence
that fills this frame

goodbye to
maybe all but one

the latch doesn't catch

the door could be opened
with an inquiry
just one request
to come in
and see
the other changes
I've made
to my invisible home