April Musings - 29. NaPoWriMo 2019 Week Four

NaPoWriMo Week 4

Poem #21

TBI

“I’d like to talk to you,” she says

And stands closer than is socially acceptable, grinning.

“Okay, but please watch your personal space,” I reply

And step back.

“How was your weekend?” she asks and closes the gap.

I hold out my arm to indicate the appropriate distance,

And retreat again.

“It was good, thanks for asking.”

Even though it’s Wednesday.

“Are you here for me?”

This time, I sidestep away.

“No, sorry. Have a nice day.”

“I’d like to talk to you,” she says

To my retreating back

And follows until I close the door.

Poem #22

Cats are not liquid,

Cats are shapeshifters,

Conforming to whatever vessel they occupy.

Cats are not solitary,

Contrary to popular belief.

Cats are not meek,

Cats are born with the hearts of lions.

Cats are not indifferent

Cats offer purring comfort when needed most.

Poem #23

Introvert

A sea of people ebbs and flows

Throughout the room,

A crescendo of inane conversation,

Now engulfing the table covered with

Hors d’oeuvres and dips

As a lone albatross sits in the corner

Cross-legged

Observing

Riding the tide

Until it’s socially acceptable

To fly away

Poem #24

Certainty strides confidently across the room,

Makes eye contact with doubt,

Then turns left instead of right.

Poem #25

There’s no ancient Chinese wisdom here

Or deep, profound thoughts.

Just sarcasm

And cat memes

And Americanized fortune cookies with the words

“in bed” added at the end.

Prompts used:

Poem 21: This is based on an individual where I work who has a traumatic brain injury. People with TBI can have significant deficits in social skills. I hate walking away from this person when she approaches, but it’s really the only way to get away because she doesn’t pick up on social cues and doesn’t have the short term memory to remember what she learns in therapy.

Poem 22: Poem by Negation: Let your poem make its point through negative statement. Tell what is not or tell what you are not.

Poem 23: The Loneliness Prompt: Write your poem about loneliness or perhaps about sweet solitude.

Poem 24: Write a poem dealing with certainty and/or doubt. How can you be sure of something you believe and yet keep it or you from calcifying? Is there something exciting out on the raggedy edges called Perhaps? What sorts of certainties stifle curiosity? What sorts of sureness make life livable? Go anywhere with this.

Poem 25: Reading Ancient Chinese Poetry: So often English-speaking poets mention their influences from ancient Chinese poets. Talk about reading Chinese poetry or about having so far neglected to read such. Perhaps imagine yourself an old Chinese poet drinking rice wine, wandering high mountain trails to visit poet friends on other mountains. Or you might simply bounce off a line from one of these poems. Go anywhere with this.

I decided to split the remainder of the month in half, so weeks 4 and 5 will contain five poems each.  Aditus receives my eternal gratitude for his input on my poems.  They are most certainly better for it.   Thanks to all for reading, reacting, and commenting.