The Poetry Marathon

dawn

A cool moon keeps watch in the warm night.
Her shift is soon over, ready to pass the baton.
The golden god of the sky is starting his fiery climb.
The circles turn, a day begins, the heat is on.
Her shift is soon over, ready to pass the baton.
As she departs, the silences soon leaves with her.
The circles turn, a day begins, the heat is on.

Use the day until the last light’s spent.
As she departs, the silences soon leaves with her.
A cool moon keeps watch in the warm night.
Use the day until the last light’s spent.

#8 Colorado Garden

To have a successful garden in Colorado
You must repeat a series of actions
First, there will be enough sun,
so cross your fingers and hope for rain

You must repeat a series of actions
to grow and harvest vegetables in the dry sunshine
After crossing your fingers and hoping for rain;
you may give up and start dragging a hose around

So you’re growing vegetables for harvest in the dry sunshine
But, then you must protect them from pests
You started dragging a hose around for water
You may start dragging fencing, too

You must protect your beans and squash from pests
Like bunnies, deer, raccoons, and squirrels, too
You may start dragging fencing, too
Snow fence or dog pens. Hurry!

I like bunnies, deer, and squirrels, too
but I want to harvest something.
Snow fence, dog pens, post and wire
I just want to harvest something!

How Not To Please You

If washing dishes could be the best way to show love

Then how would you show hate?

I thought not saying I love you

Or touching you while in bed.

 

Then how would you show some hate?

Should I stop before I’m done?

Or touch you while in bed?

Oh it’s all so damn confusing.

 

Should I stop before I’m done?

I’ll never want to please you

oh it’s all so damn confusing

Should we try to talk this through?

 

I’ll never want to please you.

I don’t think it matters what I try.

Should we try to talk this through?

Or should I just go back to sleep?

 

Poem 8 — We Don’t Do Things Anymore

2pm

Shouts! Yells!
Hollering, happy sounds!
Introverted self flinches, then smiles
As family members clash
At the annual games of reunion
Where we hold a fiercely fun competition
Hoping to beat the cousin
Who always wins
But moreso we’re gathered to remind ourselves
That among our family,
We also have friends.

Darkest Fears

Paralyzed
Trapped by fear
Worry consumes me

My imagination gone wild
Tipped off the deep end
Creating scenarios
Each one worse than the last

I must get control
But that is the problem
My fears are a symptom
Of my need for control

Control and fear
They feed on each other
And so I resolve
To starve them out

Instead I surrender
Releasing control
Leaning into
Something greater than myself

Fears thrive in darkness
And as I step toward the Light
I feel them slip away
Back into the nothingness from which they came

The Light lifts me up
I reach toward freedom
Breathing a sigh of relief
And feeling renewed

#8 Unfurling

Stretching in the sun
Like a frond unfurling you grow
Each step building on the last
Slowly moving forward

Like a frond unfurling you grow
Sunlight adding energy
Slowly moving forward
To an unknown destiny

Sunlight adding energy
You hate the dull days
Dancing to an unknown destiny
Is always easier in the sun

You hate the dull days
Dancing the dance
Is always easier in the sun
Getting closer to your destiny

Dancing the dance
You perfect it in the sun
Getting closer to your destiny
Fully unfurled and grown

Hour 8 – Prompt 8 – Pantoum – “The tussle”

A mother’s voice calls out “Where are you?”
The child pretends, he cannot hear her
She comes out, worried, searching for him
She says, “There you are, why don’t you answer?”

The child pretends, he cannot hear her
She asks him “Did you finish your homework?”
She says, “There you are, why don’t you answer?”
He thinks, “I came to play, to escape these questions?”

She asks him “Did you finish your lunch?”
She asks him “What did they teach in school?”
He thinks, “I came to play, to escape these questions?”
He dusts his pants, shakes his head, and readies to answer

She asks him “Did they give any notice in school?”
She asks him “When did they say, exams will start?”
He wipes his palms, raises his head, and readies to rebel
He wishes to say “Don’t smother”; but knows her answer “I am your mother”

She asks him “What is the syllabus, for the exams?”
A mother’s voice calls out “Why are you quiet?”
He wishes to say “Don’t smother”; but knows her answer “I am your mother”
She comes out, worried, concerned for him

The Art of Conquering Fear

Hour Six – Doomed

More, more, more, more

More and more and more

and more

I am tired of all.

 

Goal, goal, goal, goal

Goal and goal and goal

and goal

Seems to be tall.

 

Soul, soul,soul, soul,

Soul and soul and soul

and soul

All of us are doomed

to fall

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