The Poetry Marathon

To the child who struggles

To the child who struggles:
    When I see the smile light up your face
    It makes my heart sing loud
    When you accomplish a goal in your daily race
    My hands start up clapping, proud.
    A bite of yogurt goes in your mouth
    A word like, “Hello!” is released by your tongue
    Colours, letters, numbers, shapes
    Are things you struggle with, but they’ll come!
    Your tiny little body has been through so much,
    But I am here to help you learn and grow.
    Never give up, you will be just fine
    Your courage and humour will help the flow.
Much love,
Your D

Dear Little Self Whose Mother Did Not Love You

It wasn’t you.

It wasn’t ever you.

You feel so lacking,

so somehow not enough.

Third child of five,

Lost in the crowd.

Invisible, just one more kid.

Stairsteps, I heard us called.

The Smart One, at least.

She did do that for you.

Not The Pretty One.

Not The Artistic One.

But The Smart One.

Hold onto that.

It will serve you well.

Hold on also to your books, little self.

They are your lifeline.

You will grow, little girl.

Know that you are worthy of the world.

Believe in the goodness of your dreams.

She was wrong, little one.

She was wrong.

Prompt 22 Hour 18

Dearest Sleep,

How I have missed you so. I hear your beckon in the wee hours. A familiar tone of rest and hope.

It won’t be long till we meet again. For I cannot survive this life without you.

 

Always missing you,

CC

 

 

Dear Brother cum Friend

I know I drive you crazy,
You too, sometimes are fussy…
To me, you still are my li’l baby

You know we both are choosy,
Cheer up and take it easy..
I am sorry, I say frankly!!
So do mummy and daddy!

No matter how much we are busy,
We’ll always make time for you silly!

It’s Your 21st, You’re lucky..
We’ll make you fell special, do not worry!
Now do not frown and don’t be angry…
Get ready and let’s party!!

You naughty boy,
We Love You,
Be Happy!

Coz You know……..
YOU HAPPY , I HAPPY!!!!

Love,
Anshu

Prompt 22/H18 Dear Mr. Man

Dear Mr. Man,

I hope this finds you well, up there in your high tower
Untouched by our unrest. Blessings and peace upon-

Oh, who am I kidding, let’s start again.

Dear Mr. Man,

How do you sleep at night?
You never do what’s good or right,
You blame it on the poor, whose life
Is already quite full of strife.
Do you truly expect me to pull myself out of debt
Without committing a crime, even if it’s just perjury
I would still go to jail.
I would still get a fine. That I can’t afford, unlike some that we know.
And what could I do about that? It just goes to show
You want the poor to stay poor, and the rich to get richer
You want everything to happen faster, quicker
Fuck regulation, you say with a grin
Is making this money really a sin?
Well, I’m sorry, dear sir, but you are quite wrong.
I only wish your convictions were just as strong
As the money that holds you up in your chair
5000 feet away from the people down there
You believe what you’re told, never arguing a bit
And quite frankly, dear sir, your opinions are shit.
Money talks you fat bastard, but that’s about it.
You don’t know a thing about life without cash
I’m pretty sure if you did you wouldn’t burn it to ash
Arbitrarily as a child, that’s all you are to me.

Sincerely,
A worker in a poverty-strewn city

Dear Sanity Hour 18

Dear Sanity,

We have reached that place again

The hours grow late

The words jumble into something

I don’t even understand

Each year when we do this

You question me and my motives

Last time you packed your bags

But you returned, I’m glad you returned

This time I see you in the shadows watching me

Seeing me banter back and forth

With the computer, the cat and

the snacks which have replaced my husband as my companion

I know its difficult

It always is when poetry and lack of sleep are involved

But I like to think we have come to an understanding

We need each other

And although I abandon you often

Especially in these creative endeavors

I do need you.

You get me through those long reality filled days

Try to understand

It’s only temporary

It isn’t permanent.

Poetry helps us keep our relationship

I need my space away from reality

From the day to day

We will get through this night Sanity

You and me

We will sleep in tomorrow

We will find our bearings together again

Just hold on a little bit longer

You won’t regret it.

Hour 18: A Memory

My first heart break I was told

Cry as much as you need but remember

Soon they will just be a memory

In that moment it seem a lie

But soon enough I’d moved on

And each young love was the same

New memories from young pain

But then you died

And the pain felt a lot older

I wasn’t ready for you to be a memory

To only remember hugs and laughter

But you keep my memories bright

Even through missing you

 

I’ve been noticing this year I am skipping a lot of the prompts… Hmm I must be very picky this year oh well. I am still here and still putting out poems and that is all that matters at 1am!!

Thinking

I’m sitting here

Trying to write something

The clock is ticking

And my head is spinning

Trying to be creative

But nothing is coming

My words are falling flat

I’m wondering if this is all I have?

EIGHTEEN (quatrains +)

I was a good girl till I turned eighteen.

After graduation, I turned loose, if you know what I mean.

Not so much “bad” but wild as a hare,

Staying out all night, drinking too much, never backing down from a dare.

 

Life was fun then, moreso than ever before

I turned off my inhibitions and dove in for more.

A different concert every night, a different couch every day,

I forgot the meaning of work, but not how to play.

 

Not sure how I made it through this time,

Living my life in no way sublime.

God must have a purpose for keeping me alive,

Because I did everything in extreme overdrive.

 

But man, what memories I have!

Connection

Most of our seniors are lonely

They’re craving connection

Affection

Or just plain interaction.

They live in these buildings

With people they don’t know

And we call it their home

But home is not just somewhere that you go

It’s the feeling of being safe and warm

It’s the people you call family

That urke and encourage you just the same

These homes we put the elders in

They’re lacking the human element.

So concerned with sanitation

But missing the key of sanity

Health is not hard to maintain

When the focus is on good relationships.