Silent Struggle (Hour Fifteen, A Nontraditional Minute Poem)

SiLeNt StRuGgLe

 

For the first time in forever,

self-expression

is a struggle,

blocked by my mind.

 

Many truths need to be spoken.

I move my mouth

but hear no noise.

I’ve lost my voice.

 

Ev’ry word I want escapes me.

I can’t focus,

brain feels foggy.

Where is my muse?

 

Without words, I’m left with nothing.

They’re the one thing

I understand.

Worthless, I weep.

 

(A traditional minute poem is made up of 60 syllables divided between three stanzas. The four lines of each stanza will have a syllabic count of 8/4/4/4. Typically, these poems are written in strict iambic meter and follow a rhyme scheme of aabb, ccdd, eeff. This version, the nontraditional, eliminates the tough stuff like meter and scheme and works well whether you’re exhausted, like me, or just lazy — also like me!)

Miss Connections (Hour Fourteen, A Hall of Mirrors Hay(na)ku)

 

Miss Connections

 

The only thing

in this

life

I’ve 

ever been

any good at

is taking words

and turning

them

into 

a message

meant to motivate

most folks like

me and

you.

I’ve

shared so

many magic moments,

created countless connections,

all options

which

afforded

me such

a golden opportunity

to reach out

to the

broken,

letting

them know

they’re not alone.

 

(A hay(na)ku is a three line poem where the only rule is that the first line is made up of one word, the second line of two words, and the third line of three words. A reverse hay(na)ku is a three line poem composed in the opposite manner, so line one would be three words, line two is two words, and line three would be just one word. During the 2019 Poetry Marathon, I combined these two styles to create what I called the “mirror hay(na)ku”. This time, I have taken things a step further with the “Hall of Mirrors Hay(na)ku”, which is composed of five separate mirror hay(na)ku stanzas.)

Home for the Holi-daze (Hour Thirteen, a Nontraditional Minute Poem)

Home for the Holi-daze

 

Friends are the family we choose.

Bound not by blood,

loved “just because”,

let’s celebrate!

 

We gather ’round and bless the feast

before feeding

hungry faces.

Time for our naps.

 

We disburse and pick our places.

Turn on the game,

flip off the lights.

It’s Thanksgiving.

 

(A traditional minute poem is made up of 60 syllables divided between three stanzas. The four lines of each stanza will have a syllabic count of 8/4/4/4. Typically, these poems are written in strict iambic meter and follow a rhyme scheme of aabb, ccdd, eeff. This version, the nontraditional, eliminates the tough stuff like meter and scheme and works well whether you’re exhausted, like me, or just lazy — also like me!)

The Cheeky King (Hour Twelve, A Shadorma)

The Cheeky King

 

The king cried

out atop his throne.

“Let’s go, girls,Pick ‘n Pull!

Stuff emblems between your cheeks

once your bags are full!”

 

(A shadorma is a six line poem where the syllable count for each line is as follows: 3/5/3/3/7/5.)

Pickin’ and Pullin’ (Hour 11, A Haiku)

Pickin’  and Pullin’

pockets runneth over

bulging with hidden treasure

my guilty pleasure

 

(A haiku is made up of three lines with the syllable count of 5/7/5).

My painting- it hangs
On the wall above my bed
The first gift I ever got

(Hour 24/Haiku)

He’d heard all that was to be said
Mulling over the thoughts in his mind
Walking past posted bills
On stained haphazard walls
How sad it was that no one saw
The long trek home
Each step heavier, heavier

(Hour 23)

He’d heard all that was to be said
Mulling over the thoughts in his mind
Walking past posted bills
On stained haphazard walls
How sad it was that no one saw
The long trek home
Each step heavier, heavier

(Hour 22)

to sleep on soft bed
pillows surrounding my head
drift off into sleep

(Hour 21/Haiku)

Candlelight flickering
Feathery wings flitter fast
Drawn to flame means death

(Hour 20/Haiku)