Grappling with words

Photo credit:   M. Bednar

always
there is the pace & urge

framing is factor
where to focus, what to blur

a wisp, a thread is all I can get
as often your wings propel you

into a distance where I can't follow 
I perch still, listening

to a scratch, flint, tremor
I know lies just below the blue-sliced dawn

during summer
you are mighty heron, thrilling for hunt

during autumn
you are red maple leaf, dazzling in sundown 

during winter
you are lace-moon, quivering above my window

in spring,
you are hail storm, unleashing on my pages

grit, fury, tenacity
you tell me, I will find you

always
Say of me:   You are mine.*


* Line from Hilda Hilst, I come from Ancient Times


Posted for the Imaginary Garden for Real Toads - Word List by M - Play It Again
and Poets United - Thanks for the Visit ~

Inside//Outside my Head

This poem lives outside my head
It strikes at the edges & wallows
in unfinished business, cusps &
in between, backspaces & deleted words

It enjoys rowdy street crowds
and music blaring from the young man
tapping his fingers on keyboards as if
he's in a concert instead of subway stop

Sometimes it jogs early morning alone
in the beach or park, lost in its verses
unmindful of time, who comes nosing close
like an eager puppy waiting for a treat  

Some nights, it sips margarita & refuses
to rhyme, preferring to tango & sway to
hot salsa music & restless feet, until 
shoes & restraint are forgotten in the mix

It collects broken & forgotten things
as if they are treasures instead of junk 
During winter, it presses its cheeks
against my shivering bones, croaking  
'Here's the kerosene, light that fire!'

Posted for D'verse Poets Pub - OpenLinkNight - Thanks for the visit ~ 
picture credit:   here

Of wings

You stand at the edge of the field  

Like an eagle inhaling the moment

Of dewdrops in the winter darkness

Under your feet, a garden grows  

Shrubs, vines and flowers  stretching

With each footfall, sure of their direction

Above your sky, a magnificent castle rises

Turrets strike out gold, silver and copper lights

With each spire, an architect’s dream becomes true

Before you, a forest speaks your language.

The moon tide is calling.  A flare leaps like a

Signal from a distant mountain top.

Close your eyes and fall. 

Posted for:  D'verse Poets Pub :   Creativity

Awakening

           

                                                   Yellow-frayed memory

                                                   Cutting deep wounds

                                                   Black inferno

                                    Twisting sky                               

                                    Into backward time relapse             

                                    Dripping melancholy

                                                  Gather them all  

                                                  Ink and pen, cloud seeds  

                                                  Verses, red    

                        Stories, orange           

                        White escape

                        Revitalizing spirit

                                                 Awakening eyes

                                                 Magical

                                                                journey

Posted for Imaginary Garden with Real Toads :   In 35 words

and Poetry Jam:  Magic

picture credit:   here

Doubts

doubts are like blue dust

covering your skin and face,

dead gold fish on bowl 

~0~0

dust off the doubts in

your mind, your words will sparkle,

even at the dark

~0~0

seeds of doubt
wrapping  fingers, hands, 
blank pages

Posted for Haiku Heights - Prompt is Doubt.    This is part of the National Poetry Writing Month - Day 4.  


Picture credit:   here

On being productive

the arm trembles
the hand falters

in a second, or a minute,
fear and doubt creeps in.

the ball slides off
you miss the shot
even before it leaves your hand.

this is what happens
if you don’t practice your craft
or play on a regular basis.

you lose your touch,
and sense of rhythm.


so
  write
          play
                compose
paint
       sing
            cook
                    doodle
                              draw

everyday if you can.

even a short 5 minute writing
or composing a sentence will lead
into a verse or story.

in  touch with your spirit,
you will be more productive than ever.

Posted for Theme Thursday:   Prompt is produce. 

I was listening to my male officemates talk about sports and an athlete missing the shots or not catching the ball.   No matter how good you are, if you missed a game or didn't play in the field for some time, your play will not be as good as when you are playing all the time.      

picture credit:   here 

Personal Challenge - Poetry Writing

Thanks to everyone who visits my blog ~ 

I have set a personal writing challenge for myself.   After getting encouragement from my son who is into poetry (Street Poetry), I decided to try my hand in composing and writing short poems.

I have not written poetry for the longest time so it is a bit of challenge to coax my writing muse out and give her the free rein.   I set the following goals for myself:

10 entries - poems about Love 

10 entries - poems about Life

10 entries - poems about Friendship

I hope to hit my goal on or before the end of May.    

I also set up another blog just about poetry but it is set to private so I can freely draft and compose my thoughts.   You might asked where my inspiration comes from and what do I do to  let my imagination run free.    

I chose these 3 topics because they are the most popular searched topics on poetry.   They are general enough to start with, and with my life experiences, I think I can write something about it.   

Next, I listed down random titles or topics concerning each category.    It is amazing what titles I can think of regarding Love, Life and Friendship.     Next, from each title, I randomly choose one, and just started writing about the title.     I usually play with words and phrases, so it is fun just letting my fingers write the words as it pops in my mind.   Sometimes, when I am done with a poem composition, I revise the title to fit my post or I come up with a different story altogether.

So far, I have about 10 compositions in draft, so it seems that the word prompts from the working titles are working.    To also get ideas, I read stories.   I don't read the poems of others at this point, because I want to develop my own style of writing.   Original content to me is important because it is what readers are looking for.     It is also the same when I started blogging,  I didn't read other's blogs until on the 3rd month when I was more confident of my style and presentation.   I didn't want to be intimidated by how well others are doing but after a while, I wanted to compare my style and improve on it.   That was when I started reading and commenting on the blogs of others.   

On the subject of improving my craft, my son encouraged me to join a forum or community about poetry so I can post my work and get feedback about it.   I have signed up for this, but I haven't yet posted my work.    I think I need to get pass my fear of negative feedback from others about my work.    Of course, I am my worst critic...  I don't post it until I have polish it enough to give it its unique message.     I am also careful not to overdo the editing part - it will never be perfect but if it is good enough, then I publish it.     

If you are into poetry writing, let me know what works with you.         

Hope everyone has a good weekend ~