The Poetry Marathon

The Anointed One

Dear Anointed One,

I have given it much thought. I have decided to take your advice and vote my conscience.
I will not vote for someone who supports fracking
I will not vote for someone who is beholden to the corporate elites
I will not vote for someone who advocates for war
I will not vote for someone who perpetuates voter suppression
I will not vote for someone who orchestrates election fraud and disenfranchises voters.
Furthermore, I will follow my President’s advice
I will reject fear and cynicism.
I will not vote for the lesser of two evils; because that is still evil
I will not dismiss the power of the people
or stop having faith in the ability of third parties and independent voters
to crash your private party.

Sincerely,
Independent Voter

Farewell to Poets

Farewell to Poets

Staying awake all night.

Ready for bed with the morning light.

While others plan for Sunday,

A little swimming, a little play,

I will sleep, and dream, and probably snore.

Writing haibuns, please no more.

My head is blurry, my thoughts are weak

I have to, have to go to sleep.

Farewell, my fellow poets.

It’s been real; it’s been fun.

But, seriously, I’m done.

The Night Is For Sleeping

This is absolutely crazy
The night is for sleeping
But this is so fun!
I cannot sleep
Until my work is done!
Writing my imagination
Fleeing reality
Just for 24 hours
Is absolutely insane
but at the same time
I love it
It’s like playing a long game
So bear with me
In my crazy state
For I love to write poetry
Tired and hopefully not berate
For the night is for sleeping
And no other matter
Even if it’s fun
It does not matter
So excuse me now
I have two more pieces and I’m done
And I will sleep well
For this battle I’ve won!

Hour 24 – Prompt 24 – Being different

A major portion of people’s life is spent in communting
if the distance between their home and workplace is considerable

What they do during this time depends on their mode of travel
In local trains, the aim is to manage to reach your destination
In metro trains, people tend to listen to music or be on whatsapp
In cars, people take their calls or browse the social forums
In auto, the essence is to maintain your balance between jerks
In the free time, at work, people generally tend to talk and connect
At all times when I don’t need to give my hundred percent
Either at home or at work or where I need to lead the conversation
I tend to take a backseat and do what I do best – I think

Think about what? Are you wondering?
I think about the next poem to create and breathe life into

Out of the weeds

Write another one

The sun is up and shining

Then go back to sleep 

24

Others are not doing what I am not doing but sure wish that I was…

(Or do I?)

As I sit here and write all a~scribbly and quibbly

I hear from above all the humping and pumping, the screeches and screams

Of more kittens soon coming…

24 Firefly

A Firefly, one of the minutest insects

If not for its light, Never! would you even notice its existence

Similar to wasps, sans the light.

Mesmerizing to look at, especially after a bout of rainshower

Twinkling, lighting the dusk, the surroundings

Miniature lamps in the dark.

A puzzle actually, on where it gets its power to produce light

What’s the alluring light life span?

And not able to contain the enigma of the firefly

In an unprecedented fashion,

Trapped a lone Firefly to satisfy the curiosity.

But alas! Instead of discovering the undiscovered

The Firefly’s light started to flicker, diminishing the intensity

In a dying way, and with it its life was unceremoniously extinguished

Too much inquisitiveness not only kills the cat but also the poor Firefly.

Google was not consulted, various reading materials were of no help

and no efforts to asked around.

The only thing left is the lonely jar

where the Firefly perished, empty, dark and forlorn.

No amount of “I should have nots…” will bring back the life

of the poor Light Giver

No amount of guilt will justify the wrong deed

For the killer, the consequence of the act will be ignored

His world will continue to spin and he’s still in it.

But for the Firefly’s comrades, a grave loss

A mournful time, a pity

It should not have happened at all.

not making poetry anymore

unless you count

rap

spoken word

spoken word

greeting cards

middle schoolers writing haiku

people who actually make their livings teaching poetry

Open mic and online poets

and the family of those who “are a poet and didn’t know it.”

A long night

Its now just morning what a beautiful day,

The long night has finally gone away.

I can see the sun coming up again,

To greet me and meet me , to say Hello, friend!

I’m so glad you’ve come again this new day,

To hang out with me and go my way!

 

24

In the dark
sound moves
like a murmuration
of starlings, or dust
spiraling far enough
away to wonder if it’s
a person, the thin,
spinning column
until it collapses
and you know
nothing was there
but sand reaching up.
You imagined it.
Kevin swaying inside
that sound, and joni too,
waiting.