Saturday, April 30, 2022

PAD 2022 Day 24: Hero Villain

 


This poem is presented in its rough draft form for the PAD 2022 challenge and will be revised. 


PAD Prompt: Hero / Villain 

Poetic Form:  Cadralore


"Life in a Moment"


1. He doesn’t understand why he hates

the boy. He knows it’s wrong, yet

his hands burn with a fire flamed

by everyone at school who feeds his ego

that is physically beat down when he gets home


2. He stands in the April snow, decades from their

last kiss. Broken from the loss of his life,

he has wandered to her door, unsure of what

happens next. He knocks and knocks. She

can’t answer because she has a new name.


3. She hears his voice, like a cyclone circling

across the coast line ruining a family

vacation. A game she learned on the driveway

with his love, that now storms through

her skills to win a medal and his approval.


4. She rages against a love that she never felt before.

The burning from the glass releases the gates

of remorse. Another two count goes down

in one motion. She lets the bar hold her up

as she dances to a song she doesn’t like.


5. Every choice we have now is because of the 

choices we made. We follow our hearts one time,

then choose what our minds think the next. 

Our fantasies mix with reality until we don’t know

if we are the villain or the hero of the moment.


Friday, April 29, 2022

PAD 2022 Day 23: Conspiracy


 

This poem is presented in its rough draft form for the PAD 2022 challenge and will be revised. 


PAD Prompt: Conspiracy 

Poetic Form:  Nonet


“Notification Conspiracy”


The notification says it’s time

to live life through other people’s

content. We feed ourselves by

consuming feeds through a

screen. Reality

no icon to

click. Life is

to feel

heart.


Thursday, April 28, 2022

PAD 2022 Day 22: Organism


 

This poem is presented in its rough draft form for the PAD 2022 challenge and will be revised. 


PAD Prompt: Organism

Poetic Form: Mondo


"Untitled"


Can we finally

decide that the world is a

garden needing our tending?


Sadly, I think we
are too obsessed with concrete
and glass to know true beauty.


Wednesday, April 27, 2022

PAD 2022 Day 21: Sound

 


This poem is presented in its rough draft form for the PAD 2022 challenge and will be revised. 


PAD Prompt: Sound

Poetic Form: Irregular Ode


“Ode to Music”


A minivan filled with voices,

Singing about Bruno

Smiles and laughter

As I hit a bad note

For decades music has filled my ears

And comforted my soul


As a child living with the other parent

bedroom in the unfinished basement

My little radio gave me lyrics

to dream about

instead of the darkness that filled the space

outside the doorway


The moon walk took me to another parent

While I learned to express myself

On cardboard

I felt like there was no stopping me

The break in the beats made me dance

My coin drop was word

I made poetry with my toprock verses

But I was known for my own suicide

Coming out of a windmill

to fall as if on a cross

It never hurt as bad as my unanswered questions of life


Another step-dad

Another genre of music

Grunge filled my college dorm

I knew why I never went home

Even as I screamed the question

“Why go home?”


New friends 

Shared that we all have unanswered prayers


In all genres

I found love songs

and had to hit repeat on heartbroken lyrics

Until someone found me 

and we had our song

had our dance

Then wrote a new family musical


My playlists are like photo albums 

that bring tears to my mind.

Snap shots of all this life has given

and taken from me


After fifty years music is a landslide 

that is music to my soul.


Tuesday, April 26, 2022

PAD 2022 Day 20: Six Words



 This poem is presented in its rough draft form for the PAD 2022 challenge and will be revised. 



PAD Prompt: Six Words 

Poetic Form:  Sestina


“What Happens Here, Stays Here”


The lights blind you from the dis-content 

of people’s lives. A grandma, pumping

a slot machine’s handle. Hoping to double

the jackpot of nickels. Desires guide

her to this moment when chance and fate meet.

But the owner is the one wearing a suit.


He holds the Jack in all suits.

He knows the hand should make him content.

Yet, the next draw could allow him to meet

the Joker. His veins pulse as hope pumps

through his thoughts. The dealer’s look guides

his voice while moving the chips to double.


The level of noise doubles

as a group, looking the nines, in suits.

The glasses and bottles in their hands guide

them across the crowded floor. Content

on ignoring those around them, fist pumps

ricochet as their lonesomeness meet.


They stand holding hands, waiting to meet

the witness, outside large pink double

doors. Even though doubt is pumping

through both of their hearts, he is in a suit

and her, a simple white dress. Life can be content

she hopes. He will let his insecurity be the guide.


He places his hands on the shoulder, guides

the wide eyed boy out a side door to meet

the supplier. Soon that boy will feel content

or so he believes. Not knowing the cost is double

after hit one. Addiction is not a simple suit

you remove when the ER performs a stomach pump.


She is wearing glitter and four inch pumps

Dreams of big screens and gold awards guide

her across the predatory stare of the suit

that promised a chance to shine and meet

her future behind the lens, but it is a double

exposure film. She’s shattered by the viewer’s content.


The lights burn with content, the neon pumps

through our double vision. Unhappiness guides

our troubles to meet the devil in a suit.



Monday, April 25, 2022

PAD 2022 Day 19: What's There


 This poem is presented in its rough draft form for the PAD 2022 challenge and will be revised. 


PAD Prompt: What’s There

Poetic Form: Gogyohka


“Trap”


The trap door opens

Then closes

Leaving us together

Nothing else to hold

So we call it love


Saturday, April 23, 2022

PAD 2022 Day 18: We BLANK


 This poem is presented in its rough draft form for the PAD 2022 challenge and will be revised. 


PAD Prompt: We BLANK

Poetic Form: Free Verse


“Fate Hates Us, We Don’t Stand a Chance”


Tarot cards

And crystal balls

Tell different stories

But they agree

That Fate is a jealous lover


She makes you believe 

That this life is a choice

We can make with our hearts

Or minds

Or some combination of

But she has a choice already made for us

Only she won’t tell what it is


We have to pay the price 

As she gives us the silent treatment

Or changes the mood in the room

With a single glance

Or a casual, “It’s fine”


Just when we think we can’t take anymore

She snuggles close

With an unexpected kiss

That tempts us with its passion

Tempts us to believe

To believe that we are all right

We draw her near

Breathe in the scent of flowers

From her hair

Heart hurting from the joy of the moment


Then we make the mistake

We move

We ask if she wants anything

She turns her head silently

The look says we should know


We don’t


And the temperature drops 10 degrees

Suddenly, it feels like Fate hates us

We don’t stand a chance