The Poetry Marathon

NAS Prompt 5   Peter, years later, receiving his last meal from a guard

The Guard says:  Here, (as he slams the bowl of over-aged olives down)

Your friends are telling people all around that you CHOSE the upside down cross.

You follow a dead fool and you choose like a fool.

I am much worse than a fool.

A fool at least stays true to one thought, crazy as it may be.

I was a cowardly liar — just once, but it haunts me forever.

The Guard says:  Yeah,  Marcus told us how you denied you knew him,

but we have you now.   You get to die the same pathetic death.

That’s going to prove something.  (snickering as he walks away from such a fool)

Thanks, God, for this food to quiet an empty stomach!    Why did I lie?

Jesus forgave me — he found ordinary guys, not a single prince amongst us,

watched us fail to listen,  watched us worry about who was first,

watched me lie 3 TIMES, He never lied to us, yet he gave me another chance.

How did he care enough to trust US to keep on teaching the world his better way?

How can I do this?   Oh, thanks for coming, Jesus!  You came to help me?  Of course.

By Nancy Ann Smith — an imaginary play of how it might have been.

NAS Prompt 4:  A Romantic Wedding

Romantic wedding brings family and friends, Buddhists and Catholics and others, together

Outdoor ceremony with September’s gentle rain cooled and refreshed, didn’t linger

Microphone announces  poets, flutist, readings, and we thank all guests for their part

And these two soulmates commit to continue appreciating, conferring, balancing, and

Not rolling eyes, or nagging or trash-talking about each other’s minor flaws,

Cooperating, coordinating, and co-facilitating today and throughout the future

Entrusting our lives and well-being to each other,  for each other, from this day forward.

by Nancy Ann Smith

Have I been fishing for compliments? casting out for my next position?

… On this stocked lake of an improved job market.

Like a well known published account, it has been like a long night of nothing in the nets.

Is someone on the shore telling me to try once more?

hmmmmm.

by Nancy Ann Smith

NAS  Prompt 2

I wake to a greeting: “Good Morning”

I am a happy and devoted Child of God,

and one of his gifts to me is a husband who greets me

with words in a tone that is pleasant.

Later the day, a friend seeks truth, “be honest”

“What would I do in her shoes?”

she is walking a sad road that is similar

but different to the road I’ve travelled

Feeling inadequate to give her strength

all I can do is describe the moments of hope

we felt at Hospice, when Mom’s time was dwindling

My friend trusts that she will also find those treasured moments

And at the close of that day,

In  the after hours of some instances of Grace,

and some wishes for do-overs,

I hear the promise of more challenges and chances tomorrow.

by Nancy Ann Smith

Underwater start

clean and fresh, loving welcome

joyfully Baptized

Haiku by Nancy Ann Smith

Prayerful poet — Hopeful job applicant too.

I have ideas that haven’t been tried

Substitute teaching earns paycheck and moments

worthy of writing down.

Fate tries to convince me, quit waiting for others,

write those stories, write those poems, Submit!

Be daring! spend that time on the keys!

Write!

by Nancy Ann in Wakeman, Ohio

Intro to challenge

How many masterpieces?

Maybe?  GO FOR IT!