Farewell (For Now)

NaPoWriMo Day 30
Poetry form: English Quintain

We meet again under a new sky; 
We live and love and laugh before 
once more we have to say goodbye. 
We part with a promise of an encore 
like waves returning to the shore.


Image Credit: Barefoot by Nicole Poeppl

Ad Meliora

NaPoWriMo Day 29
Poetry form: Tercet

The diffused gleam of jaded dreams 
like a siren call upon our desires deep 
to sink again in their harrowed streams. 

We walk on towards better things 
trailing the hummingbird of hope. 
Onward, intrepid on rainbow wings. 

We live to die another day and begin 
with a fated end. Till then we spend 
our hours fueling the fire held within. 

Why settle for being the fallen fruit 
when we can sprout, lush and green? 
Again, we will grow; we will take root.


Image Credit: If I would go away would you follow me by Hülya Özdemir

My First Person

NaPoWriMo Day 28
Poetry form: Free Verse

I was a little older than six 
when you came to us, 
ruddy cheeked 
with a shock of curly hair, 
tiny fingers that wrapped 
around my pinkie 
and squeezed 
happiness into my heart. 

You were (and still are) 
the epicenter 
of the world forever changed. 

To be honest, 
my childhood began with you. 
I don’t have any memories 
of being anyone 
before I was your sister. 

I know you will say 
that’s just because I’m dumb. 
That’s not the case, idiot. 
Mom always tells me 
that I was a lonely child, 
neither sad nor shy, 
just content playing by myself. 
I choose to think 
I was waiting… for you 
to join the fun. 

And what fun we’ve had! 
Making up dance routines 
to our favorite songs; 
Smuggling snacks to bed; 
Adding new levels 
to invented games. 
Remember “Sleep, Sleep”? 
Competing to see who 
could pretend to sleep 
without moving the longest –  
I’m sorry I tricked you, boo. 
I knew you would drift off 
and I’d be able to read in peace. 
You caught on soon though 
and I had to think of other ways 
to keep you still. 

So I began reading to you 
from books I loved, 
stories and poems,
of adventures so epic

they called the magic to the skin  
and you listened, 
tickled pink. 

You listened, enthralled,  
to the gibber jabber 
I came up with on the spot, 
often asking for more. 
To this day, you listen 
and pay heed 
to every word, 
every notion 
like it is really worthy 
of your attention.


Image Credit: Illustration by Júlia Sardà

Sleep

NaPoWriMo Day 27
Poetry form: Choka

If you let me sleep
I will not ask to be free.
I will don the chains
you insist are not a leash.
Allow me to drop
deeply, slowly, in rapture
without the plummeting end.

If the long tunnel
must bait me with the promise
of light ahead while
its long shadow weighs me down
I need to lie here
and rest before I accept
the white untrue hope.
If tomorrow must arrive
and I have to greet
the blue rascal with a smile

let me say goodnight for now.


Image Credit: Pushing Up Daisies by Lily Padula

Sunday Afternoon

NaPoWriMo Day 26
Poetry form: Blank Verse

The squall rousted the last of the roses,
a flutter amongst the mango blossoms.
The storm billowed with savage abandon,
a waterfall cascaded down the wall.
Lightning graffiti scrawled across the sky,
charcoal thunder rattled the fogged windows.

I held her trembling hand and stroked her back
as she leaped at the sound of every crack.
We breathed in rhythm — a steady tempo —
in-out, in-out, our tempest ritual.

He came to report a discovery
of roe while cleaning the rohu for lunch. 
Spicy fritters added to the menu —
swift improvement to inclement weather.


Image Credit: Gif from Ponyo

Half-Baked

NaPoWriMo Day 25
Poetry form: Enclosed Rhyme

Have to forage for words that I can weave
into cogent verses that sound sublime.
Try to hatch a suitable scheme to rhyme,
strain my murky ideas through a sieve,
count syllables – my secret pauper’s peeve.
Must stop watching this TV show and climb
out of bed. Holy smokes! Look at the time!
I need to start writing now, I believe.


Image Credit: meh meh meh by Lim Heng Swee

Papaya

NaPoWriMo Day 24
Poetry form: Epulaeryu

Bottom heavy, firm to touch,
summer flushed round cheeks,
pleasantly pitted. Stripped nude,
swerve curve, mellow flesh
deseeded. Cubed, served
papaya.
Sweet!


Image Credit: Papaya by Jordan McDowell