16 - Setting

For today’s prompt, write a poem about (or at) a food establishment. You could pick on a chain like Taco Bell or McDonald’s, sure, but maybe there’s a local favorite–or some special dive. Heck, maybe that place where you took your first date or got your first job. Have fun with it, and if you need to do a little research, go out for something to eat.

Depuy Canal House

There were these places that we - all -
were happiest.

This old restaurant, old canal house,
in rural upstate new york where you could peer
down, good-looking, beautifully dressed, young and delighted - like one
of many levitating, framing angels in a rococco painting
upon the cooks
good-looking, busy with the pomegranates,
preparing wild mushroom soup, with pomegranates,
or stuffing the full bodies of radiant, glinting rainbow trout
with some unbelievable ingredients that grew
just out that sloped wooden door there

We were happiest there.
She was proposed to there -
a diamond in lieu of the mock turtle soup
the diamond that would be stolen off her limp hand
years hence

good years hence
some bad

but in any story the scene must be set
as a bookend for the return home

or

in contrast to the climax
light before darkness
the measure of things
the height of hope and bounty from which
the protagonist
falls.

15- words

For today’s prompt, write a poem with at least four of the following eight words:

1. flat
2. ring
3. lavish
4. vessel
5. paper
6. blacklist
7. gaudy
8. tooth

On the back of the paper I drew the guy with the missing tooth

that I always draw because there is a time, always, 

when the drawing looks flat and poor and I am no vessel

for the great spirit of art that has failed to descend

to draw a golden ring around me

to lavish upon me

specialness

a gift

no, the man is flat

and poor

barely looks like a real man at all

he looks more real

better drawn

without his front tooth

I move on to

another page.

Day 13 - Last ....

For today’s prompt, take the phrase “Last (blank),” replace the blank with a word or phrase, make the new phrase the title of your poem, and then, write the poem. Possible titles include: “Last Word,” “Last Card Catalog,” “Lasting Impression,” “Last Train to Duluth,” and so on.

The Last From Me

Though I obsess over them - 

what will they be

when will they be?  

soon? - 

the last look, the last word,

the last meal, the last day,

the last memory

I don't remember many

I just remember the last thing I remember

but not the actual last thing - the last laugh, the last hug,

the last easy time.

I remember telling her,

"I'm so mad at you."

and knowing that that was the last thing she heard

from me.

I don't know what to worry about

about the dead.

I was mad and death fell like a hatchet

and split my life from every tendril

of its story - almost.

Some things continued to grow.

The last anything barely matters.

The living tendrils grab onto whatever they can hold

and hatchets fall where they will.

Day 12 - Silly

For today’s prompt, take on one (or both) of the following prompts:

• Write a serious poem. Or…
• Write a silly poem.

oh.  running today.   the only thing to do is write a limerick.

There once was a teacher named Laura

who was late flying out the doora

the shit sycamore ball

that had just happened to fall

just before sent her right to the floora.

boom.

off i go.

Day 11 - Defensive

For today’s prompt, write a defensive poem. The first thing that springs to my mind is getting defensive about an accusation, which may or may not be true. The next thing I think about might be people or animals defending themselves. Or defense in sports. Or defense in the court room. Or well, there’s a lot to defend in this world.


Defensive

I'm not a bad person.  I'm not a bad person.
I'm not a bad person. I'm not a bad person.

How many times did she say this?
How did it loop in her brain?

It was this judgement she feared, I think,
- what do I know -
more than anything.

You're not a bad person
if you can't cry for help.

You're not a bad person
if you can't put it down.

You're not a bad person
if you live precariously
at the edge of all blackness.

You're not a bad person
if you fall.  And keep falling.

And have no hope of not
falling.

You're not even a bad person
if you're dead.

You're just dead and that's why
everyone is upset with you.

Day 10 - emotion something

For today’s prompt, pick an emotion, make it the title of your poem, and then, write your poem. Possible titles might include: “Happy,” “Sad,” “Angry,” or well, there’s a universe of emotions out there.  

not feeling this one too much, but I'll try


 Scattered

It is fundamental to my being,
if I admit it.

My mind darts like a hummingbird
like a startled silver little flint of a fish

There is this flower  there that
and a sound that changes everything around me

yes I flit
I dart

I seek
I flee

Every moment the world 
I find is brand new.