The Poetry Marathon

17 – An Ugly Freeform Sextet Haiku of a Senseless, Needless, Hopelessness

You left the gun down. He picked it up and shot her. Now, they are all gone.

You left the gun down. He picked it up and shot her. They’re changing his name.

You left the gun down! YOU LEFT THE FUCKING GUN DOWN! YOU left the gun down! YOU!!!

You left the gun down. He shot her tiny pink face with four year old hands.

Now, they are all gone, because you left the gun down, and he picked it up.

You left the gun down. We’ll never see them again. You left the gun down.

Nectarine

During a golden summer like honey dripping from a spoon,
The nectarine tree dropped plump beauties into our hands.
After a long afternoon of swimming, nothing tasted better.

The nectarine tree is gone with disease and rot.
Now avocado and kumquat grow.
While it’s not the same – it’s still good, you know?

(Hour 16) 13.30pm-14.30pm. PROMPT, Journey, literal or metaphorical

3 word game poems

1.
road trip

We start off at the airport
Angry as a hungry raptor
Still feeling pretty parro
& something of a prat
Aspirin offered with a tap
We murmur out our ta
Followed by one long a

2.
procession of the seasons

In the middle of winter
The cold is on a winder
The dog wants to wander
But I must be his warder
Making him bark harder
I feel like a pooch harmer
Hit dogjoy with a hammer
For now we must just hummer
Cos it will soon be summer

3.
The Boatless Goat

Dad wasn’t really thinking
the day he bought the goat

For he would not cross the river
Despite our best attempts to goad

He would not move for money
He cared even less for gold

We offered sweet hay & grass green
Even with lilies we tried to gild

But still the ornery billy wouldn’t budge
as if his feet were gilt

Bill refused dad’s protestations
refused his every gift

It’s fair to say by this time
tween dad & he was developing a rift

Till finally mum showed up
paddling a homemade raft

THROUGH MY WINDOW

THROUGH MY WINDOW

 

When the morning calls me to start my day

And I find my desk full of work and woe

I know that across the stone covered way

Sweet Bud and Rosie are saying hello.

 

I find that their spirts will comfort me

Through the beautiful setting where they lay

I know they watch me and they’ll always be

Around to chat silently ‘bout my day.

 

The trees around Hampton cradle their hearts

While sunsets sing many great memories

Of the times we shared before they did part

Their presence tagging along with the breeze.

 

Cherished and loved and now missed by their kin

Visit dear spirits till we meet again.

 

Reaching

The stars, like fireworks,

brilliant to watch but

undoubtedly

painful to the touch

Cody

Cody

 

It’s been a week since we talked and I waited

for my phone to light up with a blink, and with one

tap and a flick we’re connected. I want to say

 

When can we talk again? But I can’t

be reached. My phone is out of service.

But even if it wasn’t, I know it wouldn’t ring.

Right of passage

Arrival to a destination unknown,
departure from the familiar comforts of home
we see many unfamiliar aspects
of other people’s lives
yet we tarry onward
to experience new things.

Passage into unfamiliar territory
is exhilarating, new destinations bring high expectations without disappointment.

Reaching the highest form of satisfaction upon arrival is key to a successful jaunt wherever you may go.

Hour 16: Maybe

Maybe

I always thought we’d finish this road together

But as the years turn

More certainties become maybes

Your ring is melting on the horizon

A tear drop of molten gold

 

You say it’s time to part ways

You grow apart like the branches of a bough

Maybe this was always in the DNA of the tree

Maybe we could have read it in the leaves

Or in the way the hawk screech scrapes the sky

Maybe from his circle he sees how it will pan out

 

If you’re happier, then I suppose there are other paths

If you’re lonely, then I suppose there are other types of together

And if you’re leaving, maybe there are other destinations 

They just are not ours anymore

Prompt 21, Hour 17

Use one or more of the following images as a jumping off point to write a poem.

Will

Will be standing there
Without fear
When it comes
Will stand on truth
Without worry
When done
Will stare darkness in the face
With the light
Will wait patiently and will be
Alright
Will dance through the depths of despair
Will laugh at the danger
No cares
Will live and will love
Right there
In the world
On the word
prepared