PAD Challenge Two

I’m still a few poems behind, but I’m catching up. And I have to say, I’m not enjoying this as much as I thought I would be. Part of it is the prompts – they kind of suck. So, naturally my poems mostly reflect this. My vision of having thirty awesome poems at the end of the month is slowly fading away. Anyway, I have a couple that I’m not too embarrassed to share.

10. Write a taste poem

Choices

I stand before the menu board
so many choices
how can one decide?
Something different for a change . . .
there’s London Fog, sweet vanilla cream
with a hint of bergamot
or maybe a creamy, smooth Macha Latte.
Emperor’s Clouds and Mist offer
a gentle, smoky, earthy flavour,
while Peach Tranquility appeals
with its fruity goodness.
The mint and lemon of Lemon Majesty
would be a refreshing change,
as would the Honey Citrus Mint
with a touch of honey.
So many options,
so much to choose from.
I sigh, resigned,
and order my usual
a creamy, spicy, Chai Latte.
Why mess with success?


11. Write a power poem

I watch
safe behind the glass
hidden behind
the houseplants on the sill.
The yard is alive
with activity,
the birds facing off
with the squirrels
for the pleasure of
emptying the feeder.
Back and forth,
a swing and a miss,
chittering squirrels,
squawking birds,
but wait!
The chipmunk sneaks through
the line of defense,
up the shepherd’s crook
to the feeder
reaching the goal.
Power play!


12. Write a counting poem and/or a not counting poem

I’m counting on
warm summer breezes
the trees greening up
the garden emerging
soft summer nights.

I am not counting on
the endless grey
dismal rainy days
the cold creeping back
and wet snow on the deck.


14. Write a scary poem

The scudding leaves lead the way
the wind is chill, a hint of spray
from darkened clouds laying low,
truly ‘tis a night of woe.

The moon above’s no longer bright
as red begins to dim its light
and footsteps echo in the dark
while shadows dance and leave a spark.

I slow my pace as I draw near
the dark and ancient stone menhir
where waits the coven for the rite
to bring to all eternal night.

The bones are cast into the fire,
spirits shriek as flames leap higher,
hands are joined and words are said
to fill the mortal world with dread.

Dark spirits mass to watch and wail
and wait their turn to cross the veil;
the mortal world is ours this night
you cannot hide, you cannot fight.

Dark desires rule here now
it does not matter what you vow
you cannot stop what is to come
your only choice is to succumb.

PAD Challenge Sampling

I was a little late joining the annual Writer's Digest PAD Challenge  this year, but I’m pretty much caught up. And I figured it was the perfect time to revive my Wednesday posts by offering a sampling of these poems.

That being said, these aren't the greatest poems I’ve ever written, but they’re better than nothing. I’m not including all of them, but I am including the prompt Writer’s Digest gave for each given day. And away we go:

1. Write an F-title poem

Foolish Thoughts

Foolish thoughts fill my head
When I’m awake, when I’m in bed
They keep me entertained, it’s true
But I’ve got other things to do.
I’d banish these thoughts if I could
It really is for my own good
But foolish thoughts will oft persist
No matter how long is my list
So work can wait another day
And foolish thoughts can have their way.

4. Write a catch up poem

Like a hamster running on its wheel
Spinning, getting nowhere fast
I fall behind, and then catch up
But it never seems to last
I fall behind, catch up again
The cycle just goes on and on
Perhaps I need a bigger push
Before the catching up is done.

8. Write a what they never tell you poem
I wrote this one while hanging out with my granddaughter, so she may have inspired it a little

They tell you
not to be in a hurry to grow up
but they never tell you why
They tell you
to mind your P’s and Q’s
but not how to deal with those who don’t
They tell you
money doesn’t grow on trees
but not where it does come from
They tell you
eating vegetables makes you strong
but not what to do with that strength
They tell you
to be kind to others
but not what to do when others aren’t kind back
They tell you
“one of these days”
but don’t tell you which one
They tell you
lots of things
but leave out a lot of things too.

9. Write a breaking poem

I stand upon the path at night
and look toward the sky
the stars are fading with their light
the moon no longer high
the water’s calm, there is no wind
as to the shore I am drawn
I face the east, I may have grinned
to watch the breaking dawn

On National Poetry Month and Challenges and What Was I Thinking?

Remember back in November when my writing wasn’t going well and I decided to do NaNoWriMo? The idea being it would give my writing a much needed boost and get me back on track. And it worked ... for a while.

Unfortunately, due to a series of unfortunate events, over the Christmas holidays I kind of lost my momentum. And my motivation. So I thought, why not take part in the A to Z Blogging Challenge? This challenge has you doing a blog post every day for the month of April (except Sundays) following the letters of the alphabet. I’ve done it a few times in the past and it was a lot of fun - each day is a new letter.

But when I went to their site I discovered that they’ve changed the way they’re running it, which is their prerogative of course, but instead of a links list of participating blogs, you’re required to post a daily link either on their website, their Facebook page, or Twitter - or all three if you have the time and inclination. Which quite frankly, I don’t.

For my A to Z theme (it’s always easier if you have a theme) I was going to do poetry, seeing as April is National Poetry Month. More precisely I was going to do poetry forms, which I’ve explored with great enjoyment in the past, but writing an original example for each day’s form.

When I decided not to do the challenge I toyed with the idea of just posting my A to Z poems anyway, but a daily blog post seemed like a lot of work. I was all ready to just shelve the idea when I received an email from my best bud Jamie who was waffling over participating in a local poem-a-day seminar.

I goaded double dog dared encouraged her to participate and even suggested I’d be willing to match her poem for poem, never really believing she’d accept. ;-) But she did, and now we’re both writing a poem a day for the month of April. To keep each other honest, we’re going to email each other our poems on a daily basis and then post a week’s worth of poems on our respective blogs on Saturdays.

I don’t know who’s facing the bigger challenge: Jamie, who’s working from a specific prompt that’s sent to her daily; or me, who has to come up with an idea for a form. One year I participated in the Writer's Digest PAD Challenge where you write to a daily prompt, and it was indeed challenging. The only good part about it was you could post your poems any time, so if you fell behind it was easy to catch up. But that’s where I first discovered a poetry form called the Sestina, which I’d never heard of before and that sent me on my journey of discovery of poetry forms.

I started out writing poetry, and I’ve always felt that it gave my other writing a creative boost. I think Jamie will find that too. If nothing else, it’ll get us writing every day, right?

Don’t forget to check back Friday for the picture prompt for April, and then Saturday for the first week ‘o poems. :-D