OctPoWriMo 6 - Blazing Light

Today's prompt is about freedom and courage. What would I do if I were brave? I took longer than usual to think about this one, finally settling on the villanelle form and using two of my favourite songs—Rachel Platten's Fight Song and Sarah Bareilles' Brave—as inspiration.

Blazing Light

I am filled with blazing light,
Igniting words like tidal waves;
I will stand my ground and fight.

Banish fear, take back the night:
Do not tell me to behave;
I am filled with blazing light.

I speak, I sing, I shout, I write—
I’ll be silent in my grave.
I will stand my ground and fight.

This is no time to be polite;
I find the strength and I am brave.
I am filled with blazing light.

If I dare, I might incite
A flood of others, rushing waves.
I will stand my ground and fight.

We demand the wrongs made right,
The slaves are freed, the children saved.
I am filled with blazing light;
I will stand my ground and fight.

OctPoWriMo 5 - My Heart has Always Known

Today's prompt asks us to write about love and relationships. As always, I must write about my husband Mark. I actually cannot remember the first time we met, and sometimes it feels like I've always known him. I've tried to capture that in a triolet.

My Heart has Always Known

I can’t recall a time before
It seems my heart has always known
We two are halves of but one soul
I can’t recall a time before
Without you I was never whole
With you I am so much more
Nevermore to be alone
I can’t recall a time before
Without you I was never whole
It seems my heart has always known

OctPoWriMo 4 - Embrace the Darkness

Today's prompt is magic. With such a broad, open-ended field to play in, I decided to limit myself with a strict form. I settled on the Kyrielle Sonnet because I love sonnets.

Embrace the Darkness

Welcome to the time of year when
Spirits wander in broad daylight,
We all embrace the darkness, and
Magic thrills us all day and night.

The sun is losing all his hold;
He no longer has any right
To prevail o’er all as of old.
Magic thrills us all day and night.

We glory in macabre and grim,
In spooky and weird we delight.
Cobwebs, spiders—ghoulish is “in.”
Magic thrills us all day and night.

Welcome to the time of year when
Magic thrills us all day and night.

OctPoWriMo 3 - Call My Name

Today's prompt asks us to think about what makes us not want to write, what makes it difficult to sit down and create. There are so many things in life that can make me busy, take my attention, that I started to get overwhelmed just thinking about it all. I had to take a step back and I realized it all boils down to what I make time for, and then it just came to me. So, here's a haiku about what distracts me and takes up my time.

Call My Name

Work, tv, and books
Call my name, demand my time.
And yet, I must write.

Image by George Hodan from PublicDomainPictures.net 

OctPoWriMo 2 - We are Returning

Today's prompt asks us to write something inspired by a favourite movie or music video. I chose something that's kind of both: the Misty Mountains Cold from The Hobbit (click the link and scroll down to read the lyrics and watch the music video/scene from the movie). I read the book as a child, watched the movie(s) as an adult, and have always been inspired by the story.

I did something a little different with the poetry form today, something I have done in the past and really enjoy: I made up my own. Today's poem is a bit like a villanelle, a bit like a ballad, but all my own thing. I hope you enjoy.

We are Returning

The mountain is on fire;
Our home is burning.
Blood is in the air;
My heart is yearning.

Now years and years have gone:
Uncounted turnings.
And every single moment
My heart is yearning.

Today we stand as one:
The dragon spurning.
Blood is in the air;
We are returning.

Far over the mountains
We are returning
To caverns deep and old,
The dragon spurning.

We leave ere break of day—
My heart is yearning.
Today we stand as one:
We are returning.

The mountain is on fire;
We are returning.
Blood is in the air;
My heart is yearning.

OctPoWriMo 1 - Clouds

Today is the first day of OctPoWriMo 2015, and today's prompt is clouds. I've decided to write an acrostic about the different types of clouds, and I've attempted a bit of rhyme as well.

Clouds

Come and watch the clouds with me.
Light and fluffy cirrus—lie back and float away.
Oncoming storm: we watch it grow, filling all we see,
Uncaring cumulous, huge and dark and grey.
Darkness falls: silent, cold, and bleak;
Stratus creeps across the sky, ending day.

International Literacy Day

Grammarly

For me, the ability to read is a privilege I often take for granted. I learned to read when I was four years old and read my first novel at seven. It was Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery, and I loved it. Today, I devour everything written I see. Reading is a great pleasure for me, and I cannot imagine my life without it.

However, there are millions of people around the world who cannot read (32 million adults in the US alone) and, as today is International Literacy Day, I believe it is appropriate to promote awareness of this.

Being able to read and write is more important than ever in our world of smartphones and computers. It can quite literally change lives.

For information on how you can get involved and help out the cause, check out First Book and Reading is Fundamental or talk to your local librarian.

Because everyone deserves the chance to read.