The Poetry Marathon

As boots crunch a trail through the leaves of the beech,
And the ferns grow to sun that is just out of reach,
The fireflies dance like a lantern alight,
While their laughter disperses the silence of night.

The page opens to snow on a field: boot holed month, black hour/ the bottle in your coat half vodka half winter light./ To what and to whom does one say yes?

You stumble through the winter’s breath,
Ice cold kisses on rose red cheeks,
Footprints that lead not so much from where you’ve been as to where you wish you could return,
But winter is the month of no return,
The pine trees mourn the melting snow, like a blanket ripped away before it has the chance to warm your feet,
The taste of “yes” is in your mouth,
That vile, bitter word,
But all at once both soothing and sweet,
You will not let it slip from your tongue,
Not until you return to where you’ve never been,
Not until the winter learns to hold onto its icy limbs for eternity.

1. You’re counting the numbers on hopscotch squares:
   One two three jump, five six seven jump,
   You could never be patient enough to wait your next turn.
2. You’re counting the minutes until we are free:
   Ten minutes, nine minutes, eight minutes, seven,
   You could never race out of that room fast enough.
3. You’re counting the candles dripping wax on your cake,
   fourteen years, fifteen years, sixteen years old,
   You could never wait to add on another.
4. You’re counting the miles as they spread out behind you:
   100, 200, 300 miles gone,
   You could never wait to break free of this town.
5. I’m counting the days since they gave us the news,
   10 days, 11 days, 12 days dead,
   I wonder if you counted or if you just jumped,
   You could never work out when you ought to slow down.

There’s sleep still in eyes,
And it’s blurring your view,
But the sun’s started rising,
And the world’s rising too,
Blackbirds are singing,
To herald the day,
So throw back the curtains,
And be on your way.

Hi! I’m Erin, 19, and the wonderful Alora introduced me to this marathon. I live in Queensland Australia so the event for me starts at 11pm (because who needs sleep anyway?) I’m attempting the full marathon and hoping that I at least get one poem of quality out of it! I’ve had writers block for the past little while so am hoping that the themes we’re given can spark some creativity in me! I’m loving reading everyone’s introductions, some people are serious writers while others just want to give themselves a challenge, it’s wonderful!

I’m keen to be a cheer-squad for anyone that needs it throughout the marathon and I hope some of you will do the same for me!

x Erin

(Also, upon re-reading this post I’ve discovered I have a tendency to overuse exclamation marks)