Polaroid
My memory
Fans the instant pictures
As the images develop . . .
Hayrack rides, teen lines,
Walking beans, riding ten-speeds
Cornfields, Westroads mall
The noon whistle
Friendship beads and
Skateland
Good Afternoon Catfish
Good afternoon catfish, surely you must’ve slept late
cause you didn’t touch a single thing I put on your breakfast plate
I threw it right at you, right in your bed a mouthful at a time
But you didn’t take any of it and that bait was USDA prime
It is well past lunchtime now, the perfect hour for a snack
I’ve packed some Vienna Sausages, got ’em right in my sack
They are the best kind, covered in delicious hot sauce
I just had a great idea that you’ll find out about with my next toss
I’ll dip one of those plastic lures right down into that sausage can
And I’ll send it right down to you, you whisker faced wise man
Maybe that will spark some life into you after your good night sleep
And you will pay me a little visit from the cold and muddy deep
Hour 8: ©️ H.J – “Steady”
Original, not prompted
2019: H.J ©️
https://official-authorhj.yolasite.com/media-gallery.php~ STEADY ~
The winds of change are ready,
to sweep off what is heavy,
To illuminate the known.In Justice,
I am your own.Holding steady,
as you trust this;
Folding steady, not to rush this.All I know is how to focus
on you –
And the gentle ease
of something true.
The Sound of Silence (Hour 7)
I hear the melodic notes and can’t help but cringe.
I can’t explain why.
When I hear the artsy, folksy tunes of today and yesterday,
I roll my eyes.
When I hear the upbeat, funky pop music of today and yesterday,
I shut it off.
When I hear the guitar riffs and power ballads of rock and roll,
I walk away.
Once upon a time, I had a song for every moment of my life.
A soundtrack of memories.
But now, I only want to listen to the sound of silence.
Silence brings me peace.
Resurrection
Hour 7
Resurrection
The landscape’s bleak if you see it that way. Guess that’s why everyone’s leavin’. Nah, it’s mostly cause there ain’t no jobs and I guess the kids just want somethin’ else.
I hear Walmart’s gonna put in a new store over by the ol’ Junction Store. It’ll probably put them outta business but you know Randall and Sarabeth lost Tim over in Afghanistan and Jayme turned out to have light feet and they lost track of him in San Francisco I think. So there ain’t no one to keep it goin’ and they’ve had enough I think.
I used to dream of getting’ out. Never thought I’d come back after Nam. But ya know that big ol’ world wasn’t that kind to me and when my folks couldn’t run the farm I hadda do something. Well here I am, just like them – livin’ on nuthin.
The truck’s beat to crap and the ol’ Chev’s on life support – just like me I guess. An ol’ codger who ain’t learned nuthin, ‘cept maybe I’d give you some advice. Haul your ass outta here, get yourself an education…and make sure whatever you do…it’s different.
Prompt 9, Hour 7
tomorrow is a party
_________________
thank you for your un-
assuming tune,
your quiet reminder
that even during
droughts of humanity
there are epiphytes –
coiled in their nests,
waiting; biding putrid
seasons to become
robust again. and
when we come
once more to spring
we will
step out,
donning our pearls
and new shoes.
Good times
A cool breeze
Guitar in the distance
and friends gathered round
Softly talking and laughing
About high school.
Sitting on the old wooden porch
Looking out at the tobacco fields
A dog in the distance sounding off in the heat of a chase,
He just might conquer.
Memories new and old, old love and new,
A peaceful feeling comes over me as i look back on my life
And i have to smile.
Prompt 10, Hour 8
The hour of the form poem is upon us. This hour is dreaded and beloved.
This year the form is the Sevenling. The creation of this form is attributed to Roddy Lumsden and it is based on the following poem by Anna Askhmatova.
He loved three things alone:
White peacocks, evensong,
Old maps of America.
He hated children crying,
And raspberry jam with his tea,
And womanish hysteria.
… And he married me.
The idea is that the poem has seven lines. Lines one to three should contain three connected or contrasting statements or list three details.
Lines four to six should contain three connected or contrasting statements or list three details.
The seventh line should serve as narrative summary, punchline, or a juxtaposition.
Sevenlings are often untitled and tend to be a little quirky and mysterious. To learn more about the sevenling you can go here.