31 October 2014

OctPoWriMo 31 - Halloween

Today is the last day of October and the last day of OctPoWriMo 2014. It's also Halloween. I'm skipping the prompt, because I talked about what this year's challenge was like for me yesterday.

Halloween

Masks disguising friends and strangers;
Everyone is someone else.
Candy given out to children;
Everyone is generous.


30 October 2014

OctPoWriMo 30 - The Day Before

This is the penultimate day of OctPoWriMo 2014. Tomorrow, I will write my last poem this month. This is the third year I have done this, and this has been my favourite year. The prompts were great this year; I think I passed on the prompt only 2 or 3 times. Today's prompt is perfect for the second-to-last day of the challenge.

The Day Before

I knew my life would change;
But I did not know how
The day before.

Nothing would be the same.
I saw it only faintly
The day before.

We never know tomorrow.
Today will always be
The day before.


29 October 2014

Give Up the Light

I finally did it. I've been saying for years that I am going to put together a collection of the poetry I've written about vampires and the like, and I finally did it, just in time for Halloween.

If you like creepy, spine-chilling verse, this is the book for you. There are tales here of love that reaches beyond the grave; there are terrifying, twisted, and even comical poems that are perfect for reading on a dark and stormy night with the lights out.

Add it to your Goodreads.

Purchase it on Smashwords.

Purchase it on Amazon: US | Canada | UK

See my other books on Goodreads.


OctPoWriMo 29 - All I Need

Today's prompt is our own personal love story. This ballad is dedicated to my husband Mark.

All I Need

Romeo and Juliet
Were really rather blind.
David and his stolen queen
Had no peace of mind.

Cleopatra never knew
The joy of growing old.
Lancelot and Guinevere
Made Arthur a cuckold.

You and I will never be
An epic tale of love;
I don’t care, for what we have
Is greater than above.

We don’t need poison, lies, and murder
For drama in our life.
All I need from you, my love,
Is to be your wife.


28 October 2014

OctPoWriMo 28 - For the Light

Today's prompt is hunger. I'm putting together a book of poems about vampires and other creatures of the night, so that's been on my mind.

For the Light

Now I hunger for the light;
As darkness gathers all around me
Here I stand in deepest night.

Once, this all was my delight;
Once, I thought that I was free.
Now I hunger for the light.

I remember day so bright
I sheltered ‘neath the rowan tree.
Now, here I stand in deepest night.

Sky of blue and clouds of white
Nevermore my eyes shall see;
And now I hunger for the light.

Only shadows in my sight
And the moon glows oh so faintly
While here I stand in deepest night.

I chose the night, became the fright;
Before me all shall flee...
And yet, I hunger for the light
As here I stand in deepest night.


27 October 2014

OctPoWriMo 27 - Sleep

I love and hate today's prompt. Sleep is something I have always spent too much time with—I used to be the teenager (and young adult) who would sleep past noon on my days off. For the past few years, though, I have not been able to sleep past 8am on any day, or I will get very sick: headachey and nauseated. On workdays, I get up at 5:30 or 6am, but I still need somewhere between 8 and 9 hours of sleep to function. Because of this, I go to bed no later than 9:30pm, but I'm still tired all the time.

One of my favourite songs is Riley Armstrong's Sleep. I took inspiration from this song for today's poem.

Sleep

So tired all the time—
I never get enough
Sleep.
Wake up; roll out of bed—
I want to go back to
Sleep.
Sometimes, it seems a waste:
I want to write, but I need
Sleep.
Early to bed, and yet
Morning’s too soon; I just want
Sleep.
Hold me close; take me.
I love you and I hate you,
Sleep.


26 October 2014

OctPoWriMo 26 - Never Fear

Today's prompt is fear. I wrote this in church this morning.

Never Fear

Guns and bombs and storms and quakes—
We hear of these and we all shake.
War and terror bringing fear,
All the bad news that we hear,
None of it should make me worry
For He will always walk beside me.
With His help, I will find
Power, love, and steady mind.
Within His shadow I can hide;
Beneath His wings I will abide.
I will never have to fear
For He will always keep me near.


25 October 2014

OctPoWriMo 25 - Unseen yet Alive

Today's prompt is magic, and one of my favourite poems is Leonard Cohen's "God is Alive, Magic is Afoot,' which reminds me of the blitz form with some variations. So I wrote a blitz poem inspired by it.

Unseen yet Alive

Magic is alive
Magic is believing
Believing in the unseen
Believing you can fly
Fly me to the moon
Fly, fly away
Away from all my problems
Away from all my troubles
Troubles follow me
Troubles help me see
See what is important
See the magic
Magic kingdom
Magic gathering
Gathering together
Gathering the hunt
Hunt for red October
Hunt the dragon
Dragon heart of fire
Dragon heart of flame
Flame that burns so brightly
Flame that lights the night
Night of wondrous beauty
Night of mist and shadows
Shadows reaching for me
Shadows flee the light
Light of wonder
Light of love
Love is all you need
Love is magic
Magic is afoot
Magic’s in the air
Air is all around us
Air, water, fire
Fire, water, earth
Fire, earth, water
Water falling softly
Water rolling waves
Waves of rolling billows
Wave goodbye
Goodbye to you
Goodbye to yesterday
Yesterday I heard the rain
Yesterday I knew the song
Song of love
Song of magic
Magic is alive
Magic is afoot
Afoot…
Alive...


24 October 2014

OctPoWriMo 24 - Critique?

Today, we were asked to think about reality TV competition shows, and how wonderful it would be to have one for poetry. My favourite is The Voice and, while I would love a competition show for poets, I really don't think we've thought this through. How many of you really want someone judging and critiquing your work? I would find it helpful, but I have a feeling that I'm in the minority. Which leads me to my poem today.

Critique?

Judge my writing; rhyme and metre;
Give me honest feedback.
Show me how to make it better;
I’m looking for a teacher.

Poets often can be thin-skinned;
We don’t take crit well.
Let me positively spin it:
We have a fragile shell.

I would rather be an artist
Who learns from others’ comments,
Who doesn’t feel that I’m a target
For all my work is flawless.


23 October 2014

OctPoWriMo 23 - Killed in the Line of Duty

If you follow the news, you probably have heard of the shooting on Canada's Parliament Hill in our capital city of Ottawa. It's terrifying, because things like this just don't happen in our "nice" country. But today, I want to focus on the man who stood guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. The post is an honour given to members of the Canadian military and reserves. The guards are ceremonial, and don't carry loaded weapons, so couldn't defend themselves by returning fire. Corporal Nathan Cirillo of the Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders reserve regiment was killed. RIP, Cpl Cirillo.

Killed in the Line of Duty

He guarded the tomb of the unknown soldier;
His name will be remembered.
A soldier, a father, an animal lover:
He left us too soon.


22 October 2014

21 October 2014

OctPoWriMo 21 - Fingerprints

Today's prompt is fingerprints, handprints, or footprints. We were asked to think about where we have left our mark.

Fingerprints

What have I touched as I walk through this world?
What has my life affected?
How many wonderful things unheard
I have never suspected?

When my time on this earth is done
I want to see them all:
The good and the bad, every one,
The big and even the small.


20 October 2014

OctPoWriMo 20 - Hurry, Hurry, Hurry

Today's prompt is late. As in, "better late than never," or the anxiety of being late. I'm usually the eager beaver who shows up to everything early, so I wrote about the anxiety of waiting for others, the ones who show up late.

Hurry, Hurry, Hurry

I admit I hate to wait;
I am often early.
Others who are always late
Cause me to feel surly.

And yet this life is way too short
To throw away on worry.
There is much of more import
Than hurry, hurry, hurry.


19 October 2014

OctPoWriMo 19 - Rain

Today, we were asked to write of rain. I loved this prompt since I adore thunderstorms. My favourite camping memory is sleeping in a tent in the middle of a thunderstorm.

Rain

Gentle showers coming down,
Droplets dampening the ground,
Lightning flashes all around,
Thunder is the only sound,
And now the earth is fully drowned.


18 October 2014

OctPoWriMo 18 - Slowly Spinning

Like yesterday, today's prompt is found poetry. Most specifically, newspaper blackout poetry. I have no newspapers, so I took a screenshot of a story I wrote and blacked it out in Paint.




17 October 2014

OctPoWriMo 17 - Sweet Music

Today's prompt was about found poetry: collected words from newspapers or magazines, magnetic poetry, etc. I elected to use the online magnetic poetry kit. I found it quite a challenge as a lot of the words given are erotic in some way, and I had other plans. After a bit of playing and moving tiles around (and a lot of clicking on the "More Words" button, I am satisfied with the result.




16 October 2014

OctPoWriMo 16 - I Never Miss

Today's prompt is "Once upon a time..." (The beginning of a story, not the television show.) We were asked to tell a story with a poem, so I was going to use the ballad form since it lends itself so well to epic tales. However, this particular story wanted to be a sonnet. So a sonnet it is.

I Never Miss

Once upon a time there was a girl
Who knew no equal on the battlefield.
She lived for battle singing in her bones;
Before her, almost anything would yield.

A foe defeated sent a man to kill her:
An archer who had never missed a shot.
He made a different call and then he joined her;
Together, they unwound the villain’s plot.

Now, they take out all who come against them;
They never shall be parted until death.
Two warriors against the world they stand
Until the day they breathe their final breath.

When others ask him how he stole a kiss,
He smiles and only says, “I never miss.”


15 October 2014

OctPoWriMo 15 - Almost

Today's prompt asks us to think about the word halfway. This led me to the word almost, which some have said is the saddest word in the English language. I think it depends on your point of view.

Almost

Halfway up or halfway down?
Halfway there or halfway gone?
Not good enough or close enough?
Almost.

I’m almost there.
I almost won.
I’m almost done.

Almost.


14 October 2014

OctPoWriMo 14 - Cheese

Today's prompt offered several quotes from poets past. I chose G.K. Chesterton: "Poets have been mysteriously silent on the subject of cheese." I did actually write a trochaic tetrameter that mentions cheese before, but I decided to throw together another one today.

Cheese

I have written of cheese before;
I will write of cheese again:
Cheese and bacon—I want more!
Whoops! My diet’s down the drain.
Cheez Whiz? Never! Icky stuff.
All my dairy must be real.
Now I guess I’ve had enough,
Just until another meal.


13 October 2014

OctPoWriMo 13 - Palate Palette

Today's prompt is colours. I believe that all (or nearly all) of us are at least a little synaesthetic. You may not physically taste a colour when you see it, but if I was to say that something 'tastes green,' you could probably guess what I mean. I don't have extreme synaesthesia myself, but I find the senses overlapping in my thoughts and in my writing. So I decided to play with that, and also with the homophones 'palate' and 'palette.'

Palate Palette

Red is fire
Hot and sweet
Cinnamon and cayenne

Yellow’s sharp
Warm and tart
Cheeses, bread, and lemon

Green is gentle
Cool and fresh
Celery and cabbage

Feel and taste
Hear and smell
See and know
Colours


12 October 2014

OctPoWriMo 12 - Desire

Today's prompt is desire. I wrote this in church this morning.

Desire

Deep within me burns a fire,
Everlasting, strong desire.
Surrender to the raging flame,
I will never be the same.
Rain and wind inside my soul,
Ever storming, ever whole.


11 October 2014

OctPoWriMo 11 - The Other Side of Love

Today's prompt asks us to write about "creating a better world for children."

The Other Side of Love

All life is of value
No matter age or size;
You can see the wonder
Reflected in their eyes.

Before you were considered,
The Father knew your name.
He will never leave you;
He loves us all the same.

Anyone who injures
A child of God above
Will learn, to their dismay,
The other side of love.


10 October 2014

OctPoWriMo 10 - So sick

I am so sick today. I spent the whole day in bed, but then I really didn't want to miss a day of poetry, so I put together a haiku. I didn't follow the prompt.

So Sick

My head is floating
I spent the whole day in bed
So sick I can’t breathe