Losing Track

It’s Quadrille Monday at the DVerse Poets virtual pub! This week’s word is track. Also written for FOWC: Medal.

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We always, always kept track of grades,
Mine we always As, 
Except for one B+ 
In an AP Physics class --
That's another thing,
I took six APs --
And in academic decathlon 
I won seven medals.

And what do I have
Left of it now? 

Believe it or not, I did write something happy today, this morning. Maybe I’ll share it later. Maybe I can even try to write a second quadrille. In the meantime, here is my quadrille, based on my dumpster-fire of a life, in which all of my previous achievements have burned to invisible ashes.

The moral of this story is, if you did badly in school, none of it matters anyway!

Photo by cottonbro on Pexels.com

A Very Punchable Face

For DVerse’s Quadrille Monday. Our word is punch, and we write a poem in 44 words. Also for FOWC: Beginner.

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Out of nowhere depression says,
"I'm gonna kick your ass,"
And even after years I feel a beginner
As it gets stronger, I'm outclassed.

For a day I'm down on the ground,
But I'll punch it in the face
Next time it comes around.

Not sure how poetic the phrase “I’m gonna kick your ass” is, but at least there was rhyme. The monster does seem to be getting stronger; even though I know lots of “coping skills” now and have friends and even medical help, I just can hardly handle it these days…

Sharing this image from the DVerse post:

Where does strength come from?

This is a poem I wrote today, which I am sharing with DVerse Open-Link. We are going live today, so I intend to read this aloud. Not sure if I like the ending. It is hard to end poems well, at least hard for me to do so, so I am interested in feedback (and also wanting to use Fandango’s one-word for today 🙂 ).

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Strength comes from loving.
Strength comes from sitting with others in their sorrows,
Without attempting to convince them of better tomorrows
Just sitting, being a comfort in their crying.

Strength comes from crying.
Being what society says is strong for too long,
Finally admitting that times are terribly trying
Such that it seems a curse just to be living.

Strength comes from living.
Strength comes from loving, sitting, crying, trying.

Photo by Kat Smith on Pexels.com

Embracing a Wealth of Words

Many thanks to DVerse Poetics for the fun prompt. Follow the link to discover a bunch of beautiful words. ❤ 🙂 I was going to wait until tomorrow to write for this, let alone post, but the words just needed to put themselves together into something resembling a poem. Let’s consider this a work in progress. 🙂 The prompt was to use at least 3 of the words featured in the prompt, but I embraced the challenge, or rather, multiple words embraced me and begged to be included.

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This is a Danish word — I didn’t know that English had borrowed it! Since I’m currently learning Danish, I had to include it!

Not sure what to write,
Words burble out of my brain: 
Several speak to me directly,
Like a susurrus in a dream,
Wanting only to find the right space,
Their home, their ikigai --
I feel forelsket with these.
Again, don't know where they're going,
Only that I am aliferous 
And novaturient, finding 
New wings with which to fly.

My Favorite

A repost of my favorite poem I’ve ever written, for MLMM’s Sunday Confessionals, also shared with the link-up at Poets and Storytellers United. Linking with DVerse Open-link on 8/18/2022, so I will be reading it aloud.

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“Call Me Hagar”

I feel alone, connection’s far tonight,
I see no smiling star tonight.

Even the moon has forgotten its light.
Shrouded, it makes the sky dark as tar tonight.

My mind sees a battlefield near:
What emotions will I need to spar tonight?

Depression, restlessness, fear, anxiety?
What demons come to wound and scar tonight?

Yet hope alone, even now, can fight
The darkness; complete despair I’ll bar tonight.

In the midst of these anxieties God sees:
I sob in God’s arms. Call me Hagar tonight.

Need

No need for an expensive gift, nor anything 
Wrapped in pretty paper (though
Bubble wrap's a plus), just
Wrap me in a loving hug, and hold
Me close. At most I'll need
A small chocolate treat, and then
I'll hear your heart's speech easily. 

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My quadrille for DVerse’s Quadrille Monday, and the word of the week is “wrap!” I tried to write something on the fun side. 😊 I don’t mind gifts (or chocolate!), but hugs are my favorite. 

Sweets from 2018

Hide No More

DVerse OLN is live today, and I will be reading this poem, written a couple of days ago. I’m excited to get to take part again; usually I’ve been working while it’s going on! By the way, I am grateful for each person who has offered a “speaking place” for me. I never forget such kindness. ❤

Emotions need a speaking place
A speaking, speaking, speaking place
Where they can find a caring face
Where they can be expressed. 

If there are secrets unconfessed
Some shame-drenched secrets unconfessed,
Perhaps that leads to moods depressed
Perhaps that needs the light.

Emotions hidden from all sight
So hidden, hidden, from all sight
Must be brought out from endless night
Must be brought out, released. 

Emotions need a speaking place
Must be brought out, released. 

Celebration of the Small

DVerse is back from its 2-week break, so let’s celebrate by writing quadrilles! 😀 Nice way to keep one’s mood elevated. 🙂 It’s a pretty happy day.

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A celebration needs no birthday cake
(Although some sort of food or drink is best),
From sadness let us all take needed breaks,
A treat or happy movie for some rest.
Let’s celebrate little accomplishments:
Each day deserves a little recompense,
Find lovely moments.

My “little accomplishment” is going to work and also writing this poem. What is yours? 🙂

Here’s some smiley-face pancakes, made in March 2020!

A Bizarre Eulogy

I recognize the work this marker did,
Helping to color all the dino-cats,
With its quite useful hue of grayish-green.
So sad since I that hue’s decline have seen:
I’ll miss that marker, but it’s work is done.

At least it’s been used up, did not dry out,
Fulfilled its purpose, a good marker-life.
For people perhaps that could be a guide,
To find their purpose and to live it well —
To do what one was born for, fear aside.

The picture I colored that inspired me to write this poem, a tribute to my dying marker

I endeavored to write in blank verse for this one. Linking with DVerse OLN, before DVerse goes on summer break. 🙂 

A Better Transgression

At DVerse, yesterday’s Poetics prompt was about peer pressure. Although I wanted to write a longer and more personal piece, that’s not happening yet, and it might be too personal for this blog, anyway (“too personal for this blog??” Who knew there was such a thing?). Instead, here is a five-line poem I wrote last night, based on a Bible verse that was in my reading.

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Conform not to the culture which surrounds:
To find one’s way, transgressing o’er its bounds
May be the better choice, to remain true
To what a human ought to be and do.
Integrity will furnish solid ground.

 

A sunflower beginning to open —
I took this photo about 2 years ago