NaPoWriMo - Day 14

 Day 14 - write a poem that delves into the meaning of your first or last name.

Ed The Dog Voted* 

I asked myself, quite mystified, "Why they'd call me that?"
Dogs are fun and cute and all but I prefer the cat

And who is Ed? As I recall we never owned a dog
Perhaps my age is clouding me and memory needs a jog

I scoured the school library; Could it be a book?
I read so many as a child - won't hurt to take a look

All my leads were empty, my patience running thin
This brain of mine was tired and my head began to spin

I'd hoped for something really cool, a grand and stately name
but "Ed the Dog Voted"? I thought was pretty lame

Confused and sad I asked my folks, resolved to end my pain
I smiled at their answer...dyslexic mixed up brain ;)

-Lisa

(*Lisa is a traditionally feminine name with roots in Hebrew, German, Greek, and English. Regardless of the language, Lisa's meaning is spiritual; the name is said to mean "devoted to God")

NaPoWriMo - Day 13

 Day 13 - write a poem in the form of a news article you wish would come out tomorrow.

I would like to read that COVID would disappear and that would be the easiest but I don't want to take the easy way out...

The Morning Sun

No news is good news
upon this we all muse

But what if it read
that we could get ahead?

That no more bees would die
That songbirds ruled the sky

That oceans wouldn't rise
That leaders ceased their lies

That people got along
that line-ups weren't that long

That sickness went away
That kids felt safe to play

That homeless found a place
A warm and sheltered space

That air was clean and clear
That life was free from fear

That dreams indeed come true
it all comes down to you

-Lisa

NaPoWriMo - Day 12

 Day 12 - write a poem using at least one word/concept/idea from each of two specialty dictionaries: Lempriere’s Classical Dictionary and the Historical Dictionary of Science Fiction.

Dormancy Disturbed

Our resolve - remain steadfast
        for the duration
            however long

into the cold sleep
    of the dreamless we slip

deep and undamaged

oblivious to to world

hiding in what we thought
    was a protected secure harbour

encased and safe

Notus had other plans - with warm breath
even and relentless
he woke us 
    before our time

melting our icy mantle
    exposing us before we were ready

then that fickle wind
    altered course
        leaving us without shelter

we watched
as one by one
    companions succumbed

when Boreas surprised us
before we could retreat

leaving ossifed remains
                        of all we knew

-Lisa

*Notus, the south wind, called alfo Au-fter. / Boreas the north wind
*cold sleep n.a form of suspended animation in which the subjects are kept at very cold temperatures

NaPoWriMo - Day 11

 Day 11 - write a two-part poem, in the form of an exchange of letters. 

Dear Cat,

I would be forever grateful

if you ceased leaving hairballs on the carpet
The cleaning costs are piling up
Maybe consider the linoleum next time?

Also, would it be possible
for you to keep my favourite rug
free of fur
for at least a day after I vacuum?

I am more than a food machine
so a little gratitude
would go a long way

Finally, please take an extra second
to bury what you leave
in the litterbox - it smells

Regardless, I do love you 
and would never give you up

Your faithful servant,
Owner

Dear Servant,

Whatever..
Nope..
Thanks for the dry tasteless kibble..
I do that on purpose..
I know..

Aloofly,
Cat

NaPoWriMo - Day 10

 Day 10 - I deviated from the prompt... I went with just the junk drawer and what was in it - do we really need all that stuff?!?!?

Essentials of over consumption

Batteries
for when I need a charge
when most things 
are rechargeable
A - B - C - D 's of
"just in case"

Glasses
for when I need to see...
1.0
1.5
2.0
it depends on how close we are

Earbuds
to hear louder
but remain private
embarrassed by my taste in music 
I'll never tell..

.

The essentials pile up
I may need them one day
I keep a lot
of needless things
You never know
when they'll come in handy
usually the week after
you throw them out...

-Lisa

NaPoWriMo - Day 9

Day 9 - write a poem in the form of a “to-do list” of an unusual person or character.

Travel Checklist

• Double check the route

(Did we fly east 
or west of Pittsburgh
on the way south?)

• Stay in formation
• Take your turn in the apex
• Stay even!

(No one likes a lop-sided V)

• Arrive early always

(even if there's no open water - 
we'll wing it.. get it? "wing" it??)

• Look sad and hungry

(some kind-hearted soul will chuck some bread our way...
if we don't hiss too much)

• Don't hiss too much
• Poo everywhere

(they expect it - the more the better)

• Hog the sidewalk

(do-not-give-way-to-anyone!)

• Hiss if they try to pass

(oh yeah - no hissing)

• Take your time crossing the road

(if we have babies we can pose for pictures)

• Lay many eggs
• Hatch many babies
• Wait until the last possible day to fly south

(remember we're stubborn)

• Stay west of Pittsburgh 

-Lisa

NaPoWriMo - Day 8

 Day 8 -  read a few of the poems from Spoon River Anthology, and then write your own poem in the form of a monologue delivered by someone who is dead.

This was a tough one and it was even sadder how quickly the poem almost wrote itself. Last week I found out a former student of mine had died of a drug overdose. He had pulled himself out of addiction and had finally gotten his life on track, but it was too much for him to take.

So Close

I tried so hard
The beasts sought me out
time after time after time

We battled them together
Sometimes you took point
other times
I held you up with one arm
desperately fending them off with the other
As hard as we fought
they were too powerful
their draw too alluring

You lost
and I was lost without you

In emptiness
I persevered
I got clean
knowing you would have been proud

But it wasn’t enough
Although I won
the demons were always there
mocking me
taunting me

And I missed you so much…

The victory was shallow
undeserved
and scary as hell
I needed your strength

So I came home

-Lisa