Hi everyone.

This November I will be presenting to you a month of daily poems as memoir, little ditties to tell you about my day or my thoughts during the day, whatever.  Of course I hope you enjoy them, but it’s ok if you don’t.  Just move on to the next blog in your list.

Day ten is: “For today’s prompt, write a character poem. Your character could be fictional or nonfictional, well-known or obscure. Plus, you get to decide whether to write in third person about the character or actually become the character in first person. Have fun with your characters today.”

The man.
Did he shoot Liberty Valance?
Is he from La Mancha?
Or is he the one
who sailed around his soul?

Or just the man
with a smile,
patting our heads
while he takes away
our freedom.

Hi everyone.

This November I will be presenting to you a month of daily poems as memoir, little ditties to tell you about my day or my thoughts during the day, whatever.  Of course I hope you enjoy them, but it’s ok if you don’t.  Just move on to the next blog in your list.

Day nine is: “For today’s prompt, write a direction poem. Up, down. North, south, east, west. This way, that way. There are so many directions available, including the type of directions that are more like instructions. No matter what direction you take today, I hope it’s poetic.”

No end in sight

going nowhere fast
as the world
hurtles on
in directionless
circles

Hi everyone.

This November I will be presenting to you a month of daily poems as memoir, little ditties to tell you about my day or my thoughts during the day, whatever.  Of course I hope you enjoy them, but it’s ok if you don’t.  Just move on to the next blog in your list.

Day eight is: “For today’s prompt, write a sentence poem. Of course, poets can take this prompt wherever they feel compelled, but by sentence poem, I mean that you should write a poem in one sentence. Note that I didn’t say one line, though a one-liner is completely fine if that’s all the room you need to write your poetic sentence.”

Perchance

I woke this morning
and remembered
I was still dreaming.

Hi everyone.

This November I will be presenting to you a month of daily poems as memoir, little ditties to tell you about my day or my thoughts during the day, whatever.  Of course I hope you enjoy them, but it’s ok if you don’t.  Just move on to the next blog in your list.

Day seven is: “Once we make it through today, we’ll be finished with the first week of this challenge. Yay!  And as luck would have it, today is the first Two-for-Tuesday prompt. Write to one prompt, both prompts, and/or combine them:

1. Write a big poem, or…
2. Write a small poem.

Remember: These prompts are springboards to creativity. Use them to expand your possibilities, not limit them.”

Just right?

The question is not
how to write a big poem
or
how to write a small poem.

The question is
can a poem be both big and small
at the same time?

Is this some kind of Schrodinger’s poem?

Hi everyone.

This November I will be presenting to you a month of daily poems as memoir, little ditties to tell you about my day or my thoughts during the day, whatever.  Of course I hope you enjoy them, but it’s ok if you don’t.  Just move on to the next blog in your list.

Day six is: “For today’s prompt, take the phrase “Better (blank),” replace the blank with a new word or phrase, make the new phrase the title of your poem, and then, write your poem. Possible titles might include: “Better Watch Out,” “Better Late Than Never,” “Better Luck Next Time,” and/or “Better You Than Me.” Better get poeming!”

Better Watch Out

Who me, cry?
I wouldn’t even shout
over the rooftops
clattering along the snow line,
nose red in the cold.

Why?
I’ll tell you why.
Someone is coming,
Coming to a fireplace near you
Hope you’ve behaved.

If not,
Best brick up the chimney
Or hide the cookies and milk.
Keep the man out of your business
And just go to bed until next year.

Hi everyone.

This November I will be presenting to you a month of daily poems as memoir, little ditties to tell you about my day or my thoughts during the day, whatever.  Of course I hope you enjoy them, but it’s ok if you don’t.  Just move on to the next blog in your list.

Day five is: “For today’s prompt, write a book-based poem. The poem could be focused on the actual story of a book or be written from the perspective of a character. Or any other interpretation you can devise.”

Progress

What happened to piles of books
on bedside tables
overflowing onto
floor flooding
onto carpet under
bed

What happened to shelves of books
lining walls
towering above
facing like paintings
colours blending on beckoning spines
worn

What happened is progress
piles of books becoming
lists in readers
shelves emulated in
electronic formats
but

You can read at night
without a light
until, at least,
the electricity goes out
and your battery
dies

Hi everyone.

This November I will be presenting to you a month of daily poems as memoir, little ditties to tell you about my day or my thoughts during the day, whatever.  Of course I hope you enjoy them, but it’s ok if you don’t.  Just move on to the next blog in your list.

Day four is: “For today’s prompt, write a catching poem. People can catch a ball, a cold, a fish, or a fever. It’s possible to catch a line or someone’s drift (or meaning). I hope everyone catches fire today with poetic inspiration.”

Oh, the things you can catch

Literally

A ball
A mouse
A frisbee
A minnow
The person falling backwards in a trust exercise

Then again

A falling star
A breath
A lover’s eye
A break
The latest movie at the cinema on date night

Hi everyone.

This November I will be presenting to you a month of daily poems as memoir, little ditties to tell you about my day or my thoughts during the day, whatever.  Of course I hope you enjoy them, but it’s ok if you don’t.  Just move on to the next blog in your list.

Day three is: “For today’s prompt, write a problem poem. You could present the problem in your poem. Or maybe make the problem the title of your poem and either expand on the problem or attempt to solve it. If the poem itself is giving you problems, don’t be afraid to lean into that.”

There’s no parking!

Circling endlessly
no parking in sight,
Take another round.

Down one lane
up the other.
Is that a place?

If only people
parked between the lines.
Do they not know why the lines are there?

Around again, stress building.
And finally realize
parking further away
would have been faster.