Third Day MVICW Conference

 

 

The morning session for Martha's Vineyard Institute of Creative Writing Writers' Conference was titled, "The Masks We Want". The session was about writing persona poetry. We had to list four historical figures and four fictional characters as the first step. Through other steps we decided on one of the eight figures.  I ended up writing from Yoda's point of view just before Luke arrives on Dagobah. Again, these poems were done during the open writing time, so they will probably be revised later.

“Train or Not Train”

Tired, I am

Hmmmm

Unsure, I am that I can train the son of Anakin

For years a lightsaber I have held not

Ready to fade this crude matter is

Too young, yet too old is he

Tainted his mind is

Of this war

Between soldiers it is not

Hmmmm

For the Force he must have courage for

Past the emotions he will have to find his way

Hmmmm

Tired, I am

Responsibility to fill, I know I have

Do what I must, I will

Train, I will

A path, I will show

Tired, I am

Hmmmm

A Jedi or his father’s side choose he must

Hmmm

A disturbance in the Force, I feel

Arrived he has

Train, I will

Train, I will

Hmmm

Tired though, I am

Poetic Form 6: Blackout Poetry

Poetic Form #6: Blackout Poetry

A Blackout poem is created by using a marker to a remove words from text, like a newspaper, until a new poem is discovered.

Poetry Challenge Day 1: New World

To the Old Man Gardening During the Pandemic 

It is April 1, 2020

This is no joke, though

It’s late morning 

I am walking for the ninth day in a row

You are sitting on a yellow bucket

sleeveless black puffer jacket 

dark button-down work shirt

brown pants

and a black flat cap on your head

The lines on your face shows the years like a tree stump

The trowel in your hand moves slowly

    clearing away dead leaves

    turning up soil

A few purple tulips dot the garden

By summer your garden will be in full color

    but for now

there is work to be done

We nod hello, quickly

I’ve got earbuds in

 and a black hoodie on

I don’t know your age

    but you are old enough to have gone through the Great Depression

two world wars

Black Monday

9/11 

And now this moment in history

As I turn the corner

heading home

I wonder how many times you’ve seen the sky fall?

How did you deal with each fear?

What losses did you endure?

I do not resist the urge to look back

You are moving the yellow bucket a few feet to the left

    bending down you clear more dead debris

    working the top soil for the flowers to come

I smile

as I consider how much of your old world

is just the same as this new world