Poetry Book - 1. National Poetry Month 2017 - Part I - Prose Poetry and Dream-Write

National Poetry Month 2017
Part I - Prose Poetry and Dream-Write

Prompt: Prose Poetry. Prose Poetry is an example of a hybrid genre of writing. Prose poems occur when someone writes prose using poetry techniques. Prose contains narrative and does not follow any set rhythm, while poetry is rhythmic and image-based. Prose poetry is anything that combines these elements into a single piece of writing. Prose poetry is poetry that is not written in verse and contains other poetic attributes, such as rhythm and metaphors.

Prompt: Haibun. Haibun is a prosimetric literary form originating in Japan, combining prose and haiku. The range of haibun is broad and frequently includes autobiogtaphy, diary, essay, prose poem, short story and travel journal. A haibun may record a scene, or a special moment, in a highly descriptive and objective manner or may occupy a wholly fictional or dream-like space. The accompanying haiku may have a direct or subtle relationship with the prose and encompass or hint at the gist of what is recorded in the prose sections.

Prompt: Tristich. A tristich is any strophe, stanza or poem that consists of exactly three lines. Tristich Parallelism in Hebrew poetry is an early example of this form, the first verse of the book Lamentations being a prime example.

Prompt: Parallelism. A common literary feature of Hebrew poetry. Words of two or more lines of text are directly related in some way. Another feature that is sometimes included within the idea of parallelism is the use of several words or a series of words to refer to the same thing for emphasis.

Prompt: Dream-Write. Write as many words in exactly one minute. Repeat the exercise several times. Pick interesting words, phrases and images. Now write slowly. Ask questions: what else can you say about x? What does x remind me of? What would y say about x? Pick interesting words, phrases and images lay them out ‘poem-like’, expand on that skeleton.

Prompt: Prose Poem

“Woe betide you,” the prophet said. “Nature's wrath will come upon you. The waters of creeks and rivers will rise, and also the waters of streams and oceans. The waters will flood the land and there will be no end to the waters. All creatures and men will drown in the waters, except of the ones who God will save. Woe betide you, people of Eden, you have become vain and proud. Woe betide you, you have turned away from your creator and this will not go unpunished. Nature's wrath will come upon you.”

The prophet was laughed at.

Atlantis was a place full of pleasures and wonders, an island beneath a golden sun. The people looked young even in their old age and they did not know pain and suffering all their life long. The climate was mild even in winter. The season on the island was everlasting spring. The summers were warm but heat did not torment the people. They lived under an amiable and graceful sun. The island prospered and flourished. Fruits and vegetables grew in the vast plains, wine was cultivated and cattle herded.

The Atlanteans set out to explore the world. The ages went by and Atlantis became a powerful nation. Their island, however, remained their home and their center. Here the capital was erected, a splendid city, large and wide. The houses were big and many floors high and made of an elsewhere unknown material. More and more cities were erected on the island and since they couldn’t stretch on the ground, the houses and towers stretched to the sky. The skyline could be seen from afar from a ship that sailed from the main land to the western island.

Atlantis became a myth already in the times of its existence. Many heard of the wonderful place in the western ocean, beyond the pillars of Hercules. Rumors spread of the beautiful island under the ever graceful sun. People spoke of the paradise and called the island the garden of Eden. Many set out to seek the wondrous land, but only a few found the gates to the garden.

Nothing lasts forever, however, and people over time change to the worse when they get used to endless pleasures and wonders. They desire for more, and desire turns into greed and this leads to shameful vices and deeds. The Atlanteans greedily reached out for more, more land, more power, and more slaves to serve them.

The gods watched them for a while. Silently, they observed the change of the people. The gods hoped that insight and circumspection would finally gain the better of them. However, the gods were mistaken. And when all hope was gone, the first of the gods rose and held up his scepter.

The gods have all power and the humans have none. They think they can rule and dominate others, but only as long as the gods do watch. We have no interest in the petty affairs of the humans. Nonetheless, we are watching them. Enough is enough! They are full of evil and the time has come we erase all evil from the Earth. Listen, I have taken a decision. A flood shall sweep away all humankind.

And thus it did happen on Earth.

The water swept over and flooded the lands. The sea levels rose in almost no time. Ice sheets melted and long and heavy rains began. The world drowned. All humankind drowned in the waters and the island of Atlantis sank beneath the water within one day and one horrible night.

The waters finally settled and the rains calmed down. Humankind had ceased to exist except of a few righteous men, those good and honest. Humankind was scattered all over the planet and no man knew of the other. The Earth lay silent, bare and plain, renewed, erased of the past and readied for a new future.

The work is done, the first god said. And now let’s make a new start.

Bare lay the lands
The rivers ran dry
He spoke to him ere the set of sun

Rain did not fall
No cloud in the sky
No man in the field and under the sun

Withered the trees
The cattle did die
He tilted his head at the sinking sun

Fulfilled the prophecy
Seven years went by
Period of the drought under a blazing sun

Watered the garden
The time draws nigh
God the Lord is my shield and my sun

It was the end of an era. Ajaar looked out at the ocean that stretched as far as the eye could see. The sea and the sky blended into one on the horizon. The sea was rough and the waves hit hard on the cliffs.

“So be it,” Ajaar said and then dropped the ancient ring into the sea.

The ring was lost and gone was the magic of fire.

Ajaar wrapped his cloak around his body. His look was directed at the beyond world.

“So be it,” he said. “All things must pass and all things will come to an end.”

The ring had brought ruin and destruction and it was good that the sea had swallowed it. Ajaar cast one last look at the rolling waves and then he returned to where he had come from. He returned to the land beyond the horizon that was out of sight and out of reach for any human man. Ajaar disappeared from one moment to the other. However, Berengar had caught a glimpse of him.

Cycle of seasons
The cosmic way of the world
Trace the path given

The rain storm had lasted five days and five nights. The ground had turned into mud and the deer had fled the wood and moved farther up the mountain. The chapel, however, stood untouched by the rain. Not a single drop had fallen on the ancient building that stood amidst white and red roses and kept the secret of the days of old. The chapel was a holy place full of mysteries and wonders. Few had ever found the place. They saw a meadow, green grass and a daisy here and there. The chapel was hidden from the eyes of the average man as was the law of the elders. The monk Gregorius had built the chapel in response to a dream that he had dreamed in three nights in a row. An angel had spoken to him and in his dream had led the monk to the place by the wood and had told him to build the chapel and wait there for the prophet that God would send to speak the words of truth and wisdom. And it had all happened like the angel had said. The prophet had sought refuge in the chapel on Easter Monday at twilight when Gregorius was in the chapel and silently prayed to God.

The flowers blossom
The sun has called them to rise
The days get longer

It must not be revealed to the public for it is more shocking than what Darwin said. He said that men descended from ape-men. People were shocked but adapted to it. People reconciled it with their religious writings. This is the point. It didn’t disturb the natural order of things. Humans are superior to ape-men. And only God is superior to man. Imagine aliens created Man. This idea would disturb the natural order of things. Imagine Man would become inferior. Imagine what this view would do to the people. Society is a fragile structure. And the natural order of things is just a man-made conviction. It sounds like an antiquated view perhaps. Mind you, we’re beyond the Middle Ages.

This is doubtful.

Not living a lie, not bowing to others,
Not doing and saying what they want

I know what happened and
Why it can’t be revealed
But they chose to forget instead

I never told anybody of
The nagging voice in my head
Ignorance is no excuse

Lives were lost and lives were ruined
They declared them heroes
But they were not

Not living a lie, not bowing to others,
I simply don’t want to deal with their shit

Desperate attempts to hide
Themselves and their motives
It made me feel angry
It made me feel sad

The cut, the gap
The distance between us
It made me feel cold
And so much detached

My own wormhole tunnel
It saddens me most
I won’t leave a wise word
On a tombstone

Desperate attempts to hide
Themselves and their motives
I leave them to themselves
Amongst their ruins

A day in silence
The cat was sleeping
I heard no cars in the streets

Out of a sudden
Passing a sealed door
A lady in black, cold and severe

“I’m the Duchess,” she said
“Fading like a flower,
ancient, undead, old in the vault.”

Earth freaked out
Much ado about nothing
The cat meowed and I ruffled her fur