NaPoWriMo #30 - What the Poem Writes

National Poetry Month Prompt #30 (From ReadWritePoem) - Free Day (and farewell)
        Today is the last day of (Inter)National Poetry Month and the Read Write Poem NaPoWriMo Challenge. The prompt today is a free day — you are free to use any prompt you have not yet written to from those provided this month, or you can write, and share, whatever you like today.
        Congratulations to everyone who took part in the challenge! For those of you who wrote a poem every day this month, tomorrow we will post instructions for submitting work for the Read Write Poem NaPoWriMo Challenge anthology.
        We also want to announce that Deb Scott — who served on Read Write Poem’s administrative team — and Carolee Sherwood and Jill Crammond Wickham — who were part of the site’s creative team — have started a new poetry community. The three will share poetry prompts and other poetry-related content at Big Tent Poetry. Their writing lineup is comprised of many fine poets, including several contributors to Read Write Poem. We hope you will check that site out and see what’s going on under the big tent.
        Thank you all for taking part in Read Write Poem, and for taking the Read Write Poem NaPoWriMo Challenge this year. Read Write Poem was intended to help poets share work with one another and learn more about poetry. We hope you will continue on that path. Or, in short, we hope you will all poem on — wherever poetry takes you.

What the Poem Writes

if our days were filled

with thoughts and inspiration -

creative candy -

many poems would write themselves -

celebrations of our lives

©Bridget Nutting, 2010

I can't believe this is the end of the month.  I jotted my poem on a piece of paper as I was a captive audience in meetings most of the day.  That combined with working with students to get their grades up before midnight last night prevented me from returning to post my poem.  Many thanks to everyone who has put so much of themselves into orgainizing and participating in this entire month.   I will hold you in my heart.

Blessings to you all!

NaPoWriMo #29 - Read All About It

National Poetry Month Prompt #29 (From ReadWritePoem) - Front Page News.
        For this prompt, choose your favorite newspaper or online news provider. Jot down five to ten headlines that jump out at you and without reading the articles, select elements from each headline to create a new event about which your poem reports.


Read All About It

If you can believe it,
Police unable to confirm woman’s claim.
Boobquake –
Cross cultural education –
five times worse.
Time for a doctor’s visit –
Design from the heart -
Secret Life; Motherhood drives moms to drink.
Too risky to call ET.
Who’s responsible?
A random talk on Wall Street –
The bang is back.
Living the dream –
Family first.

©Bridget Nutting, 2010

NaPoWriMo #28 - Before You

National Poetry Month Prompt #28 - Intuition
        Take a moment to remember a breakthrough moment in your life or a “freeze-frame” moment from long, long ago. An “a-ha” or an “epiphany” moment or a moment that has a story yet to tell.

        Let’s prepare to write a poem using our intuition intentionally today. Write this prompt on your page: “When I remember my “a-ha moment” from my past, I understand the place I am meant to go with my words and poetry today is … ”
        Restate the prompt as you free-write and don’t write a poem yet. Instead, go about your business of the day purposefully not writing a poem.
        Notice surprising turns of phrases you hear. Listen to people who say things to you that seem especially surprising, lyrics to songs. Eavesdrop intentionally. Wait for at least 2 hours and then write your poem from the words your intuition and your free-writing gave you.

Before You

before there was you -

when I was young and alone

I dreamed you would come

my knight in shining armor -

saved by never ending love

©Bridget Nutting, 2010

I always knew my "prince" would come.  That "knowing" sustained me through many turbulous times and gave my the strength to resist others along the way who would be prince.

NaPoWriMo #27 - Begin Each Day

National Poetry Month Prompt #27 (From ReadWritePoem) - Let Someone Else Take the Lead.
        Take a word that’s part of you — your name, your birth month, your favorite animal, your guiding principle. Write that word vertically down a page and use the letters to start the lines of a poem. When you’re done, you’ll have an acrostic poem. (Though the prompt could be as simple as “write an acrostic poem,” the word sounds scary this late in the month. This prompt is designed to ease you into the final stretch. Don’t stress too much about the word you choose. NaPoWriMo is just for fun. Are you having fun?)

Begin Each Day

Begin each day in
Reverence for all existence.
Indelible memories of nature’s
Dance permeate my waking dreams - a
Glorious testament to our creator’s
Eloquence… a celebration of his
Technicolor playground for our souls.

©Bridget Nutting, 2010

NaPoWriMo #26 - The Face of Love

National Poetry Month Prompt #26 (From ReadWritePoem) - Get Scrappy
        It’s getting late in the month, and finishing NaPoWriMo is going to take every bit of resourcefulness you have. Jill Crammond Wickham reminds us about the bits and pieces of poems we may be carrying around.

        Today, before you start writing, you need to do some digging. Dig through your backpack, purse or desk drawer and find a scrap of poem written on an old envelope or bank deposit slip. Unearth an old journal or notebook.
        Find a poem that you started, or perhaps one you abandoned. Read it through. Highlight the lines or phrases that please you. Do not cross anything out (yet)! You now have two choices: finish the poem or take the parts you like and begin a brand new piece.
        If NaPoWriMo has you a little crazy, there is a third option: take the parts you don’t like and use them to inspire a new poem.

The Face Of Love

the lines on your face

provide a map of our lives –

proof of happiness –

a testament to sorrow –

a record for tomorrow

©Bridget Nutting, 2010

National Poetry Month Prompt #25 (From ReadWritePoem) - First Things First
        Keep an ear out for the first sentence (or even word) that is said to you after you read this prompt. (Poetic license: If the first few words are exceptionally boring, wait for the first uncommon or peculiar one.) Take that word/sentence — it could be “mango” or “exemplar” or “have you ever been to this Ethiopian restaurant?” — and build a poem around it. Maybe you have deep thoughts on mangoes or a narrative of heartbreak and spicy injera from the restaurant mentioned. Trust in fate.

 

Battle of Wills

 

Silence has replaced the din

Of everyday living.

Darkness has silenced the light.

The clock ticks on.

The dog grumbles as he rolls over.

The prince snores –

a cacophony of night noise

plays on.

An intruder waits, silently,

to attack.

Muscles twitch, then seize…

Burning tendrils race to grip extremities,

laughing at over-the-counter remedies…

He begs for the treasure…

Take me on vacation…

I’ll still be here,

You just won’t care.

Come on…you know

You want to!

I resist…

Oblivion unwanted.

He taunts me; his will is strong.

Silent screaming continues.

I arise – not wanting to disturb the prince.

I creep down the hallway

in darkness.

Our battle of wills continues.

Time passes slowly.

“Come back to bed, baby!”

Battle din masked his arrival.

“I didn’t mean to wake you,” I sigh.

He takes my hand

and leads me back.

“It’s OK…It will all be OK….

As long as we’re together.”

His warmth quiets the intruder

As I melt into his arms.

I sleep.

©Bridget Nutting, 2010

NaPoWriMo #24 - The Siren's Lair

National Poetry Month Prompt #24 (From ReadWritePoem) - Find a Phrase
        With words like codswallop, it’s clear that Read Write Poem member Marie Gauthier means business! Now is not the time to let your NaPoWriMo work ethic slack.
        Clichés, idioms, what-have-you. As points of inspiration, you might think they’re dead in the water, but that’s a load of codswallop. Time spent investigating word origins is never time wasted.
        So for today’s prompt, travel a while on The Phrase Finder website until you find the phrase or phrase origin that most interests you.
        There are no hard and fast rules. The Phrase Finder has phrases from the Bible, from Shakespeare, phrases coined at sea, something for every taste. Take some notes, do a free-write or three, and see where a little word exploration takes you.

The Siren’s Lair

Beware ye, young men,

Of the siren’s lair

Sculptured bodies

And flowing hair,

Songs sang sweeter that the rarest bird

Don’t believe the lies you’ve heard

She’ll sing the songs you want to hear.

She’ll tell you you’re the greatest;

No one else is as dear…

Your body will be her playground,

You’ll go places you’ve never been.

Her games will be so exciting,

But you’ll never, ever win.

Finally, when she tires of you,

And it’s time for her to go,

Beware the final deed she does -

She’ll relieve you of your soul.
So, listen to the stories, son,

Of men and ships and whales,

But heed the siren and her lair…

Thereby hangs a tale.

©Bridget Nutting, 2010

(Image borrowed from the internet.  "Thereby hangs a tale" - From Shakespeare's "As you Like It.")