NaPoWriMo 2013: Day 17

Day 17

on APRIL 17, 2013

Hello all, and welcome to you on this seventeenth day of NaPoWriMo!

Today’s poetry link is to The Poetry Project at St. Mark’s Church. Founded in 1966, the Project has been at the heard of New York’s poetry scene ever since, particularly on the experimental and avant-garde side of things. They sponsor weekly readings, workshops, and the Poetry Project Newsletter, which presents polemics, reviews, and poetry. They have a number of audio recordings available online, as well as back issues of the Newsletter and much, much more!

Our featured participant’s blog for today is Flood Poems, where the poem for Day 15 is so wonderfully evocative of the 1980s that I’ve now got “Angel was a Centerfold” stuck in my head.

And now our (totally optional) prompt! Early on in the month, I asked you to write a valediction — a poem of farewell. Today, let’s try the opposite, and write poems of greeting. There’s lots of things you could greet. The spring? Your new stapler? A favorite classmate? An addition to the menu at your local cafe? The subject’s up to you — now get out there and say “hello!”

Ok... been a while, but thought I would try this one :-)

Welcome

by: Keith Dozier

*****

*****

Hello love,

Where have you been ?

I've missed you dearly,

Sweet old friend.

You've been in there ?

Inside all along ?

I didn't let you out ?

Well, that's just wrong.

I suppose love's no good,

If only kept in--

Needs to get out,

Be shared with our friends.

I'm so glad to have you,

I hope you like, 

Where I send you,

I'll send you lots of places,

And they too can lend you.

Better late than never,

Dear love,

Why'd I ever doubt ?

So much better to share,

So, to you-- Welcome out !

April PAD 2013 – Day 8

2013 APRIL PAD CHALLENGE: DAY 8

The April PAD (Poem-A-Day) Challenge is designed to help poets do one thing and one thing only: Write more poems! The process of revision may go on for weeks, months, and years later, but this challenge is all about getting that first draft. Please poem along with us–either in the comments below or silently at home.

For today’s prompt, write an instructional poem. Your instructional poem could list instructions. Or it could capture an instructional moment.

Here’s my attempt at an instructional poem:

“how to spin”

she watches the birds tweet
but can’t stand their singing
songs that sound so happy

while she in misery
twists into a bottle
like a miniature boat

assembled with tweezers
never touched never held
always left on display

*****

Now mine: (Keith)

How To Be Selfish

(Unhappy)

by : Keith Dozier

I will do what I want,

Whenever I want.

I'll be happy at your expense,

Whatever the cost.

I won't even consider,

All that could be lost.

I'll take what I want,

From anyone in my way.

I'll listen to nobody,

No matter what they may say.

I'll come out on top,

Everyone is below me.

No matter how shallow,

One may think this victory.

When all this has happened,

And, I'm feeling so empty.

I will be unhappy if I want to,

And nobody will tempt me--

To listen to a real friend

Who's been here before.

I'll be unhappy just as long

As I want to and more.

NaPoWriMo 2013: Day 8

Ottava Rima for the Eighth

on APRIL 8, 2013

Hello, everyone. We’re more than a week into NaPoWriMo. Whether you’ve been here since April 1, or have joined us more recently, I hope you’re enjoying it!

Today’s featured poetry link is PennSound, which hosts a vast archive of recordings of poetry readings. It’s very cool stuff — you can search by poet, by reading series, and they even have an internet radio station, for all-day poetry listening.

Our featured participant’s blog for the day is The Dukkha Files. The internal rhymes in the poem for Day 6 are really effective, and the language is very fresh.

And now, the prompt (again — the prompt is optional!). Because it’s the 8th, I thought we might try writing in ottava rima — an Italian form that, in English, usually takes the form of an eight-line stanza of iambic pentameter, with a rhyme scheme of a-b-a-b-a-b-c-c. The most famous poem in English that uses the ottava rima form is probably Byron’s Don Juan. If you haven’t read it, it’s wickedly funny! It’s really amazing how contemporary Byron’s language is — it’s like he’s your mean-girl friend just gossiping at you in verse. But unlike Byron, you don’t have to write an entire epic in ottava rima! Just eight lines will do for now. Happy writing!

Now for my attempt:

Write, write, you must

by: Keith Dozier

********

********

Write a poem a day, they said.

You don't have to be Byron.

Whatever pops in your head.

Readers need new to try on.

It will keep the brain fed,

With words we rely on.

Do what you trust.

But, write, write, you must.

NaPoWriMo 2013: Day 7

Day Seven

on APRIL 7, 2013

Hello all!

Today’s poetry link is The Rumpus, where they are posting a poem each day in honor of National Poetry Month, as well as links to readings and other poetry events around the United States.

Our featured participants’ blog is Little Learner, who has been following the daily prompts with much aplomb! I’m so glad the prompts are working out so well for so many of you.

Speaking of which, here is our optional prompt for this, the seventh day of NaPoWriMo. I challenge you to write a poem in which each line except the last takes the form of a single, declarative sentence. Then, the final line should take the form of a question. With any luck, this will result in poems that have a sort of driving, reportorial tone, but with a powerful rhetorical finish. Let’s hope so, anyway!

Now... for my attempt at Day 7

Conquer Conquering

By: Keith Dozier

********

----------

Challenges greet us every day.

Sometimes they visit while we slumber,

Or just in the effort to get to sleep,

Challenges sometimes make us weep,

They make us stronger--

But sometimes weak.

We overcome- 

We defeat-

We rage on.

But sometimes we're tired

Aren't we ?

April PAD 2013 – Day 7

2013 APRIL PAD CHALLENGE: DAY 7

For today’s prompt, write a sevenling poem. Never heard of a sevenling poem? Well, it’s a 7-line poem (chosen because today is the 7th day of the challenge) that features two tercets and a one-liner in the final (third) stanza. My poem below illustrates the form. The first two stanzas should have an element of three in them that can either play off each directly, work as juxtaposition, or have no connection whatsoever. The final line should work as either a punchline, weird twist, or punctuation mark.

Here’s my attempt at a sevenling poem:

“sevenling”

she wanted most of all–
two hands, a good heart,
lips with soft words.

she found instead
two cats, an empty bed,
slips of former love letters.

her records always work.

*****

Now for Mine: (Keith's) ^ the above was by Writer's Digest.

Contribution

by : Keith Dozier

**********

You contribute to this earth-

Notes, lines or bars

In the symphony that is..

No matter how long,

Or how goes your song--

We all are instruments.

We want at least one to hear us, right ?

April PAD 2013 – Day 6

2013 APRIL PAD CHALLENGE: DAY 6

The April PAD (Poem-A-Day) Challenge is designed to help poets do one thing and one thing only: Write more poems! The process of revision may go on for weeks, months, and years later, but this challenge is all about getting that first draft. Please poem along with us–either in the comments below or silently at home.

For today’s prompt, write a post poem. Post could be short for post office–or traditional mail. Post could be a wood or metal post. Or post could mean relate to words like postpone, post-punk, or whatever.

Here’s my attempt at a post poem:

“post”

she checks in the morning
she checks at night

but she finds there’s nothing
no mail in sight

she wants him to write her
she wants his voice

but he left to spite her
it was his choice

Now.. here is mine (Keith Dozier).....

Posted: No Trespassing
by: Keith Dozier


Posted: No trespassing

Or at least that's my take.

Of the heart in your chest

You're afraid it will break.

Those signs make me leery,

Most times I go hide,

But, not this time,

I need you to invite me inside.

I can't promise to save you,

Or fix things unknown,

I can promise to be,

A place you call home.

We'll take the sign down,

We'll put up another,

That says WELCOME !

All my sisters and brothers.

Happiness lives here,

We share this place together.

We brave storms, welcome sunshine,

And all other weather.

NaPoWriMo 2013: Day 6

Hello, all, and welcome to the sixth day (and first Saturday!) of NaPoWriMo!

Our featured link today is the always reliable Verse Daily, where they feature a new poem every day. They tend to pick poems from recently published books so it can be a good way of finding new poets with new books that you might like!

Our featured participant’s site is ab chaos poesis, where A Quinlan and Alan Kleiman are posting their NaPoWriMo efforts. I really like A Quinlan’s poem for Day Five, with its shades of Mr. Rochester’s mad wife.

And now, our (completely optional) prompt for the day! This might seem like a bit of a downer, but I challenge you to write a valediction. This is a poem of farewell. Perhaps the most famous one is John Donne’s A Valediction Forbidding Mourning, which turns the act of saying good-bye into a very tender love poem. But your poem could say “good-bye” (and maybe good riddance!) to anything or anyone. A good-bye to winter might be in order, for example. Or good-bye to the week-old easter eggs in your refrigerator. Light or serious, long or short, it’s up to you!

Let's start with good-bye

by: Keith Dozier

Let's start with good-bye,

No need to cry,
I'll tell you why.

Sometimes people's part

In our story is over.

We have no choice,

But moving on - 

Take the time to recover.

I'd love you to love me,

Just for the heart

I have for you,

That'd be a start.

We can get past

Broken hearts.

I've done it before.

Let's look past our window

For a new open door.

It's ok to hurt,

It's ok to be broken--

For a short time and then,

No more words need be spoken.

Be ok.

I'm still cheering

For you to succeed.

In love and life--

Hoping you get what you need.

Let's not dawdle

When we diddle,

Have a caudle,

But, let's not piddle.

We're fine, we got this..

We're going to go on.

Grab the horns of life,

Ride it out- have some fun !

April PAD 2013 – Day 5

For today’s prompt, write a plus poem. Plus can mean a lot of things, and even the act of addition could equate to subtraction.

Ok here is mine:

Less equals plus, sometimes
by: Keith Dozier

Sometimes less is quite a plus,

Like when the seats are small

On the city bus.

Sometimes minus is better than plus

It wins big purses at Augusta.

I don't think Tiger has won 

With a plus twenty four

At The Masters, it's best

to have a negative score.

Problems- well problems,

We don't won't to upsize.

We'd all like as few,

Down to zero, I surmise.

Now regarding financials,

We'd rather be in the black,

Than in the red.

And, that one is a plus,

Doesn't need to be said.

But poems -- like this one,

Shouldn't take long to be read

So let's not keep adding to it,

And quit while we're ahead !

NaPoWriMo 2013: Day 5

Cinquains for Day Five

on APRIL 5, 2013

Hello to all of those coming back, and to those of you joining us for the first time!

Before we get started, a little public service announcement. I’ve had some inquiries from folks trying to find their sites in the ever-growing participants’ list. I’m working on getting a “search” feature built into the site, but in the meantime, the easiest way to find your site is to go to the participants’ list, and use the drop down buttons in the upper left-hand corner to (1) sort the list alphabetically and (2) display all the sites on a single page. At that point, it’s a matter of finding your blog in the giant alphabetical list. A bit inelegant, perhaps, but workable.

And now, our link for the day! The Poetry Foundation maintains about one jillion podcasts relating to poetry, and they’re adding more all the time. You can hear just one poem. You can hear a lecture on a poet. You can hear an interview. I’m particularly fond of the recordings of old readings — I heard one by William Carlos Williams that was Capital-D Delightful. Check out their many podcast series, and maybe download a little something different for your next walk or long car ride.

Our participant’s site for the day is StumbleFumbleGrumble, which is what I do half the time when I get out of bed in the morning. Anyway, the sea shanty for Day 3 is very funny! It seems like a lot of you enjoyed the sea shanty exercise. Hooray!

But now we have a new prompt to deal with! Because I am a rather obvious person at heart, I challenge you to write a cinquain on this, the fifth day of NaPoWriMo. A cinquain is a poem that employs stanzas with five lines. Each line has a certain number of accented or stressed syllables, and a certain number of overall syllables per line. In the “American” cinquain, a form invented by a woman with the highly unfortunate name of Adelaide Crapsey, the number of stresses per line is 1-2-3-4-1, and the number of syllables is 2-4-6-8-2. So the first line would have two syllables, one stressed and one unstressed. The second line would have four syllables, two of which are stressed, and so on. This kind of accent/syllabic verse can be a bit frustrating at first, but it’s useful for learning to sharpen up your language!

Here’s an example to get you going:

Deep Winter

At night
when I drive home
in snow like falling ice,
the crystal air becomes a road
of stars.

— Elizabeth Bodien

and now to my poem... hmmm, never heard of this much less tried it:

(I hope I was at least close to what is requested (format-wise))... content is a little morbid, bit not really... it's really about living !! :-)

Not today, death

by: Keith Dozier

I will

get up and go

no matter what the cost,

it's either go or shrink to fit,

my death.

No death

you will not win

as long as i have breath

I'll do the very best i can

today.

Someday

In the future,

a dead man may get out

just not today i won't let him

escape.

April PAD 2013 – Day 4

2013 APRIL PAD CHALLENGE: DAY 4

The April PAD (Poem-A-Day) Challenge is designed to help poets do one thing and one thing only: 
Write more poems! The process of revision may go on for weeks, months, and years later, but this
challenge is all about getting that first draft. Please poem along with us–either in the comments
below or silently at home.

For today’s prompt, take the phrase “Hold That (Blank),” replace the blank with a word or phrase, make the new phrase the title of your poem, and write the poem. Possible titles include “Hold That Thought,” “Hold That Space,” “Hold That Poem,” or whatever else holds your attention.

My poem:

Hold That Happiness

by: Keith Dozier

Hold that happiness,

It's ok-- you can.

Choose happiness and good things--

The beach and the sand.

Guilt be damned,

For just feeling good,

No need to question,

If you're misunderstood.

So, you're lucky,

Every single day ?

Grab two handfuls of that,

Run, dance, 

Sing and play !

Take your time,

Enjoy it,

Absorb it

Savor it. 

Share it..

Embrace it.

If you are happy,

Do not feel shame.

I'll bet if you share it,

You will double the same !

Hold that happiness,

Hold loose or hold tight,

The thing is to hold it,

But also share like a light.

Hold on....

NaPoWriMo 2013: Day 4

Our prompt for today (again — totally optional!) is a little odd, but here goes. Recently, I read an articleabout the Scottish science fiction writer Iain M. Banks. His books often have spaceships in them. And those spaceships have extremely odd, poetic names. Like:

Prosthetic Conscience

Irregular Apocalypse

Unfortunate Conflict of Interest

Gunboat Diplomat

Very Little Gravitas Indeed

A Series of Unlikely Explanations

Just Another Victim of the Ambient Morality

Jaundiced Outlook

Frank Exchange of Views

Lightly Seared on the Reality Grill

Falling Outside the Normal Moral Constraints

Abundance of Onslaught

Refreshingly Unconcerned With the Vulgar Exigencies of Veracity

A Fine Disregard For Awkward Facts

There’s a whole twitter account devoted to tweeting Iain-M-Banks-like names for spaceships. So your challenge for today is to write a poem with a title drawn from one of these spaceship names. Feel free to pick a genuine Banks, like the ones listed above, or to take one from the twitter. And if you think of your own Banks-like spaceship name title, feel free to use that! The poet Barbara Guest wrote an essay warning poets about starting from the title, but while I’ve found that a wonderful poem usually finds its right title, I’ve also found that the right title can easily lead to a wonderful poem!

Happy writing!

Ok... My poem :

Lightly Seared on the Reality Grill

by: Keith Dozier

We don't stay in the kitchen long

Anymore.

We've learned to absorb,

Analyze, deal,

much faster than before.

So much coverage--

Of every bad thing,

We've become numb,

To all but the worst of things.

It might seem sad,

To become this way.

Dealing with reality

Awful events day after day.

Surviving emotionally..

We shut down to deal,

We'll take our days,

Lightly Seared on the Reality Grill

April PAD 2013 – Day 3

I'll be OK.
by: Keith Dozier

I wish you'd go away--
Don't come back,
I'd want you to stay.

I want you to leave
Me alone.
Yes, that's it...
That's what I want.

I never want you
To touch me again--
Like that... no that...
I want this to end.

I want to bid you adieu
Take a break from love
And cut my losses too.

I'm sure that I can't,
Love you anymore--
Than I do right now--
This very moment
What a powerful feeling,
I just cannot own it.

I will fall, I'll fall, I'll fall
Won't I ?
Would I be ok ?
If I fell real hard ?
I don't think so.
Not in my cards.

I'll be better,
When you get out.
Now go quickly,
Stop milling about.

I'm gonna be fine.
I won't even fight.
I'm gonna be ok
If you leave, right ?

NaPoWriMo 2013: Day 3

Band on the sea/ Melody
by: Keith Dozier

We float on this drink,

And we drink, drink, drinnnnnkkkk,

On this float...

The ocean, the ocean....

The world's largest moat

Trying... we're trying

Our best to survive...

With Captain Morgan

And Jack, here... 

I'm surprised ......we're ALIVE !

The band plays.....

Ropes are our strings

Barrels , our drums

Playing bagpipes

With our thumbs

And hands clasped tight

Let's all Hummmm

Let's have some more rummmm..

Beating on barrels of beer

Like a drum, drum, drummmm

Come on hummmm

Or sing along......

With 1- 2-3 bars of this....

4 -5- 6 bars of that....

Off key

Or just a bit flat.

We just don't CARE !!

We said .. We just don't CARE !!!

Let's all Hummmm

Let's have some more rummmm..

Beating on barrels of beer

Like a drum, drum, drummmm

Let's all Hummmm

Let's have some more rummmm..

Beating on barrels of beer

Like a drum, drum, drummmm

Just come on....

Might as well drink.....

I mean ..(hiccup)... sing.....

We've nothing but time

And sea....

And Melody

What... Melody is here ?

Where ?

http://www.napowrimo.net/

NaPoWriMo 2013: Day 2

I Don't
by: Keith Dozier

I don't want you,
To come around here,
Anymore.
I don't want you,
To hold me tight,
Like you've done
One Thousand times before.

I don't want you,
To look at me that way,
Like I am the only man,
And this is the only day.

I don't want you,
To understand,
The things I lay on you,
With zero demands.

I don't want to wake up,
And you are holding my hand.
I don't want to walk with you
On the beach-- in the sand.

I don't want you
To love me
Like you do.

I don't want you,
To say you love me,
When you look me
In the eye.
I don't want you
To love me.
I don't lie...
Very well --
Do I ?

http://www.napowrimo.net/

April PAD 2013 – Day 2

Many phases of light
by: Keith Dozier

In a sea of stars

She's a swimmer.

Even when her light's

Reduced to but a glimmer.

Don't worry... she's not gone anywhere

Still in the same place..

Always out there.

Some nights she's half there,

Others she's a sliver.

But given time, she--

Will shine again- deliver

She will be full again,

And will be glad to show it,

She may even show in daylight

Just to make sure you know it

Some nights she's barely

Shining on you..

Patience- you'll see,

She will become new.

Shhhh, she speaks:

If I'm not giving enough light,

Hang with me.

That will change..

And probably soon

Even when you don't see,

I'm still here..

I'm the moon.

April PAD 2013 – Day 1

Uninvited
by: Keith Dozier

Ushered in, uninvited,
You make yourself at home,
I no longer fight it.

Out of the blue,
The green and the red,
The yellow, the black,
With tough love,
You attack.

The words were all there,
Just never together,
At the same time,
At the same where.

I didn't invite you,
But I'd never ask you to go,
Can't imagine my life,
If I didn't know,
The joy and peace
And hope,
That you bring..
With the words
That do spring

NaPoWriMo 2013: Day 1

How'd the moon get up there ?
by: Keith Dozier

Slowly, silently, now the moon
Stops speaking to me for a few,
But not before he says:
Hey, thanks for the view !

But I--- what..?
Shhhhh, he says... Thank you
For putting me here.
But, what. I say...
Shhhh, again... See the one you hold
so tight and so dear ?
She believes with all her heart,
You are the one who put me here.

Thank you, moon
For shedding some light
On things of great import.
Helping me see --just how right
She is.

And, just before I say goodnight, moon..
Before my eyes do close.
I'm happy-- very happy,
That you like the location I chose.






http://www.napowrimo.net/2013/04/it-begins/

The Purple Shed (Original story from 1990-ish)