
KEEPING CHRISTMAS

I really enjoy taking part in the National Poetry Writing Month 30-day challenge. The idea is to write a new poem every day for 30 consecutive days. I’ll have to admit that I usually don’t manage to write 30 brand new poems during that time, but I do manage to write a lot. It’s great fun. Some years I’ve used the national prompts that are listed on the site I’ve linked to below. But other years, I’ve gone my own direction entirely. One year, I did only cinquain and wrote a new one each day.Â
This year I’m probably not going to work with the prompts because, frankly, I’m not sure I can stay with the program for the whole month this time. Other things are challenging my time and attention. But I’m at least going to jump in and get started. If you are a poet — or even if you’d just like to try your hand at poetry for the first time — you might want to check out the host site for the NaPoWriMo challenge at this link:
Let’s get started and have some fun. My poem for day 1 is below, and in since I’m almost to the end of the day already, I’m taking the easy way out and resorting to cinquain — but at least I’m offering 3 stanzas. 🙂
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CAUGHT BY SURPRISE
It’s here!
NaPoWriMo!
It caught me by surprise.
But I can trust my old standby:
Cinquain.
It’s short,
And sometimes sweet.
But when my syllables
Don’t add up right, I get a bit
Stymied.
Today
I’m doing fine.
I’m finding words that fit.
So my verse for day one I can
Submit.
Patterns
Make life seem right.
The varied parts should fit
And compliment each other to
Bring peace.
Alas,
It’s almost June.
And that means summer’s here.
Can’t stand the bugs and heat, so let’s
Skip it.
But wait,
I’ve had a thought:
If I delete three months,
It could throw off the universe.
Oh, gee!
All right.
I will admit
I should not mess with time.
So I guess I’ll just grit my teeth
And sweat!
I am
So frustrated!
Normal things take longer.
Technology does not work right.
Bummer!
I tend
To think the cause
Is lock-down atrophy.
I find I yearn for simpler times
Long gone.
“Brace up,”
I tell myself.
And sometimes I obey.
But sometimes I, instead, just take
A nap.
INVITATION
The sea
Beguiles me so.
It’s hue, its scent, its song.
Its movements that caress my soul.
I go.
Mushrooms:
They are a treat
In almost any dish.
But I don’t know how to hunt them
Safely.
😦
It’s been raining here for two whole days, so I thought it was only fitting that I write about rain. Since I’m in a poetic mood, I decided I’d give myself a little workout and do one haiku, one cinquain, and one simple iambic pentameter verse about that subject.
HAIKU
Everything is gray.
Rain hanging like a curtain.
No sun peeping in.
CINQUAIN
Raining!
Again today!
I just have to complain:
All is gray and wet and dreary!
Boring!
IAMBIC PENTAMETER VERSE
Another boring day of endless rain.
We don’t need this much water every day.
Sunshine is now a fading memory.
The birds won’t even come out now to play.
I know some tribes have dances that they do
To bring the rain when grounds are parched and bare.
I wonder if there is another dance
To end the rain and turn the weather fair.
Portals
Wait before me.
I stand before closed doors
But do not let that hinder me:
“Open!”
Behold,
The doors obeyed.
And now I stand in awe.
I see what possibilities
Await.
So now
I must decide:
Will I cross the threshold?
Will I accept new challenges?
I will!
~~~~~
Reaching
Beyond the scope
Of my understanding
To find the substance of my life:
It’s God.
Ahhh, gee!
I’ve had no views.
No visitors today.
But I wrote no new verse for them:
My fault.
photo: Terry Valley, Visions Seen Photography
~~~
Easy.
Sounds good to me.
I like things effortless.
Avoiding all that causes strain:
Lazy.
graphic by A-r-e-s @ pixabay.com