The Poetry Marathon

Toss and Turns

It was so hard for me to sleep.

If the Creator had not created in us the ability to fall asleep, the world would have been filled with sleep junkies: Men and women and girls and boys who are permanently high on the severe dose of sleep deprivation and yet they cannot sleep.

That is torture. I guess that must have been what insomniacs experience every night. The inability to conjure sleep can be due to several reasons, I learnt. But none of them is in my system.

Neither do I drink wine nor gin; mineral water nor soda water; Umqombothi https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Umqombothi nor Sapele water.https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Sapele_water

Mercy found me. I do not need any substance to lull me into a deep sleep. Are there other underlying reasons why I could not find my sleep? https://www.helpguide.org/articles/sleep/sleep-disorders-and-problems.htm

Maybe. Anyway, I am not in the mood to explore those reasons. But, pray, why couldn’t I find my beauty sleep? I did not understand why.

I tossed.

I turned.

I tossed.

I turned.

I sought that elusive perfect spot on my sheets. My bed creaked under my little weight because of the anger with which I tossed and turned. My spouse was quite oblivious to my plight.

She was fast asleep.

Envy enveloped me. I wished it was the runaway sleep that had found me.

My mind was racing. My brain was in a marathon. It was really hard to find the elusive sleep. Gosh! What have I done? Have I sinned? What was happening?

Oh, God, please I need my beauty sleep.

I need my beauty sleep.

I need my beauty sleep.

My mind screamed persistently.

I lay me down and sleep and awake because the Lord sustained me.

I whispered a verse in Psalm 3. My mind was focused on the verse and I must have repeated it a million times before I slipped away.

My spouse stroked my cheek gently until I was awake. She reminded me about the Poetry Marathon.

Oh, I smiled easily as the flood gate opened.

I have been consumed by the thoughts, the preparation and the expectations of participating in my first Poetry Marathon.

Hmmm, so this is why it was so so hard for me to sleep?

 

Moonshadow – hour 10, prompt 10

If moonshadow were following me in the gloom

i dare not think of what doth loom

nor turn my head to see the ghoul

or else my limbs would freeze, and who’ll

be there to aid, to help me flee

the shadows caving in on me

a nightmare I can ne’er escape

one that plays on and on, and scrape

my knee in falling into thorns

moon’s shadow it has now borne

a sinister darker reflection of it

and underneath thee, I do sit

cowering at its murky slime

shuddering in the mist and grime

the shadow reaches out with lies

its gnarled hand touching, blinding eyes

and then alas, it muffles mouth

my screams are mute, north, east and south

I startle then, awake, and spy

my pillow’s the shadow

summer heat is the why

I awoke in a sweat

and did not dream-die.

– Sandra Johnson

 

 

Microscopic Differences – Poem #9#

One race
A human race
One people together
Each different but all equal
DNA connects us
Looks may differ
Yet same

(Eintou format)

Intro 2020

Hello! I’m delighted to be a part of this poetry (half) marathon and am looking forward to devoting so much time to writing in one stretch and reading your words as well! Best wishes for the day.

Introduction

Hello! I am S. Rupsha Mitra  a student from  Kolkata, India. This is the first time I am participating in the Poetry Marathon and I am too excited. I wish everyone all the best and hope it will fun .

 

Ripples – Poem #8

Our friend-circles surround us
Overlapping each other
Forming endless sub-circles
Until we are vibrating,
Resonating, all things good

Intro…

Hey everyone! Gah. It is a little more than 5 hours before the marathon starts and I’m wide awake….

And… I’ve only just realized, I have neither created an introduction post or joined the Facebook group.

I hope this isn’t a foretelling of how this year’s marathon experience will go for me…

Anywho… I am a second year returning marathonist and I am called Kim. I perform my poetry in art form, under the name of Special K  and thanks to the world closing, I have been able to perform all over the world, via the wonderfully fabulous Zoom.

I’m a mom to kids, who have a tad bit more attitude than I care for at the moment (yay… teenagers) and to a 4 year old who still thinks I’m the greatest thing ever to walk this earth.

I do other things, but I should probably save those things for possible poem topics later.

Wishing everyone the best of luck and see you all at the finish line!

Uninvited Guest – Poem #7

Blue-eyed tomcat in silver tabby coat
He simply stood and stared, as if I knew
Not much to really decipher, I guess
A silent, staring cat – wants to be fed?
I always had extra pet food dishes
Almost forgot about Irene’s wafer
I crumble it up into the dry food

Before she left to visit family
Irene gave me a wafer for my guest
“Now this is for the uninvited guest!
Who will come visit you on Christmas Eve.”
Not being Catholic, I took her word
It was getting late, almost Christmas Day
She said nothing about his outer looks

So he’s a cat wearing a tabby coat?
An angel of God, she told me later
Said he would look like us, not like a cat!
How does she know he was not an angel?
My self-image is often a tabby
Besides God loves endless variety
Don’t Catholic priests bless the animals?

Introduction 2020

Hello all! I’m Courtney. I’m 20 years old and have been writing since I could pick up a pen. This is my second time participating in the poetry marathon and I’m super excited. I’m definitely coming in more prepared than I was last year, having an alarm for every hour and designated snack times. I think this is a wonderful exercise and cannot wait to come out of it with 24 new pieces of writing. I’m hoping to submit some pieces to the anthology this year and fulfilling my dream of being a published author.

Hello From Del

Well, here it is. I am excited for the adventure to begin. I’ve wanted to do it in the past, but it wasn’t the right time. I believe this is it.

It is my first time attempting the marathon, so I’m going for the 24 hrs. Only praying the storm and lightning crashing outside do not crash my computer.

So, I’m a grandma of five, mom of three, and a wife with a husband who understands the craft. I’m a snowbird from Flordia in the winter and travels to Michigan in the summer to enjoy my precious family.

I love writing poetry as a way to bless others. This challenge hopefully will be the same. I am working on a devotional book and my goal is to weave the poems yet to be created within the upcoming devotionals.

So, ready, set, go… off to bed

,

and see you in the morning!