Retrospective - NaPoWriMo 2021 - 4. Week Four

Retrospective – Week Four

#22

My new religion is taking daily walks,

Seeing the earth renewed by rain, snow, sun,

Desperately trying to find some semblance of renewal

In myself

#23

Unblemished surface

Shattered by the leaping shark

Hidden in the depths

#24

Stop!

Get out!

You aren’t welcome here!

I am not a failure

Inadequate

Lazy

Or ugly,

As much as you try to convince me otherwise.

I have no more room for you in my life,

So shout all you want,

My fingers are in my ears

And I’m singing at the top of my lungs,

I am worthy.

#25

Falling stars penetrate

Earth’s blood-brain barrier,

Landing in writer’s minds.

#26

Sometimes when things are going well, the daredevil squirrel of worry suddenly leaps from the back of my head to the feeder of doubt, spraying seeds everywhere, scaring away the bluebird of happiness, and replacing it with the magpie of deception. The trickster bird cackles as it leaves behind shiny things, trying to distract me from writing, working, living… anything productive. Oh look! A squirrel!

#27

This morning the sun stood right at the end of the road and waited for me.

We walked together in silence along the river’s edge.

The sun had a grand time riding the gentle waves like a silver surfer,

Until they got bored and decided shadow-puppets were more interesting.

“Don’t you get tired of doing the same thing every day?” I asked the leaf-shaped spot of light.

“Each time I awake, the world is different. It’s hardly boring.”

“There has to be times you don’t feel like shining.”

“Clouds and eclipses may try to obscure me, but I am always there, behind them, waiting to bring stability to an unstable world. No matter what happens, I will rise.”

“Why?”

“Because the world needs hope.”

#28

Letter to my Future Self

Written on the eve of my fiftieth birthday.

I’ve spent the first fifty years learning.

Endless academics – three college degrees, plus countless continuing education.

Trying to solve the puzzle of social skills,

Navigating the muddy waters of sexuality and not liking what I found.

Battling demons intent on keeping me down,

Instead I persevered,

And conquered them.

Or at least beat them into submission.

I’ve learned how to be a good friend,

And how to be a bad one.

I’ve learned how to be me and stand up for myself.

My fervent wish for my future self,

Is that I’ve put all I’ve learnt into practice,

And lived my life to the fullest,

Content,

Unashamed,

Loved.

#29

To my Readers

I don’t know you,

But you know the pieces of me

I put into each story or poem.

Character quirks,

Favorite food,

Experiences…

They connect us all with gossamer threads

Binding us in friendship.

#30

Left Behind

Unemployment numbers are dropping

As venues and businesses reopen,

And vaccines are administered,

Even though numbers continue to fluctuate

And even explode in some places.

I’m still at home,

Waiting with Schrödinger’s patience.

Prompts:

22. Construct a New Religion Write a poem that, in metaphor and perhaps with humor, describes a “new religion” you were called upon to create.

23. Learning to Swim (again) Prompt: Write in your own or an imagined narrator voice a poem somehow about water and parents… Perhaps a father or mother teaches a child to swim. Perhaps the adult child judges the less capable parent swimmer. Have the poem say something about the depths as well as the surface. Have it say something that goes beyond just learning to swim.

24. Guests Let your poem have something to do with guests: real, imagined, or metaphoric; welcome or unwelcome; ones that bring presents or ones who intrude or overstay their welcome.

25. Unprompted

26. Epigraphs for Ted Kooser’s Birthday— April 25 To honor Ted on his birthday, let’s bounce off his words. Use one of the following quoted snippets as an epigraph or perhaps as opening words and go from there.

27. Another epigraph

28. Letters Prompt Write today’s poem as a letter to someone or something…perhaps to an object, perhaps to an abstraction.

29. To The Reader Address your poem to a reader while avoiding being presumptuous. Perhaps describe your ideal reader; maybe accept there will be no reader.

30. Patience Today’s poem will somehow reference the quality of patience. What is it? When is it needed?

Another April comes to its close... this is the sixth consecutive year I've completed NaPoWriMo.  I find it cathartic to write these poems every April.  This year's offerings were particularly emotional for me.  I thank every one who joined me on this journey.  A special thank you to Aditus for his input.  These are better because of him.  Please leave a reaction or comment.  I love hearing from readers.