Category: Making Verse

NaPoWriMo – April 2023

Today is Day 1 of the National (also Global) Poem Writing Month of 2023. This implies challenging oneself to write poems and verses daily for 30 days. So, as I kick off day 1 on my blog, here is the official NaPoWriMo site link and also the prompt inspiration they provide. I am hoping to cover all of these book cover designs during this challenge.

And here’s our own prompt (optional, as always) for the first day of Na/GloPoWriMo. They say you can’t judge a book by its cover, but they never said you can’t try to write a poem based on a book cover — and that’s your challenge for today! Take a look through Public Domain Review’s article on “The Art of Book Covers.”

The Moon is me

The Sun inspires and speaks of brightness and ambition but I am always drawn to the Moon because of its transient quality and the ability to shine through the darkness. I see in it a reflection of human life – the indomitable spirit to attain glory even when destined to cyclic highs and lows. The Moon is me; it is each one of us. Here is an ode to resilience.

Moon rising from behind the clouds. Image generated using dream.ai.

In the swirling, shifting caramel of dawn
Goodbyes of the Full Moon awaken me
With gentle caresses; in silver disguise
Strings of glimmer blaze past the drapes
In to a space where sleep plays truant
Yet, again.

Moonstruck, I gaze at the sparkly face
Shimmering in the celestial expanse
My friend of many slumberless nights
I wonder how you waltz through it all –
The waxing and waning, here today
Unseen tomorrow!

Do you tremble when pieces dissolve
Or when the dark side overtakes you
How do you tiptoe through desolate fear?
Sailing on stormy clouds; only to evolve
From Night’s blue veil, in splendor whole
Perfection galore!

Amazed, I ponder over your dire destiny
Patiently cradling oblivion and agony
You’ve known fawning painters, poets;
How do you concede to Time’s sly games
Embracing both radiance and gray shades
Always with eternal grace!

Unseeing Spring

A row of red and white Dahlia

I sat there on the iron bench
Amidst the large concrete pots
Overflowing with seasonal flowers
The evening sun shone
On my tired face; for a moment
I looked up from my phone
Pausing the search for a cab
And the frantic need to be home

All around me, I could see
Hunched shoulders, quick footfall
Towards the exit gate.
And what for?
To run away from the fatigue
Of a hectic day at work
Or to rush into another con call
With an unending to-do list

I sat there rooted in silence
Aware of the breathing
Of the weary and their worry
I wondered where all this leads;
Why we never stopped to see
The radiant blooms of Spring –
Wilting sooner than ever
In the heat of our distress

Magenta and white flower bed

Ambition

#SenseWrds is a #writing #prompt that challenges the #writer to not include the given prompt words. Here is my take on the three words – flickering, abandoned, and gate. #VisualArt is generated using Wombo Dream AI.

#SenseWrds 551 #WritingPrompt

There is a portal
Betwixt now and tomorrow
It beckons me with flashes
Of inspiration and aspiration
I want to cross-over
I want to proceed
Where visions of triumph
Are truer than ever will be
Then, I catch the glimmer
Stand still and wonder
What black hole allures me!

Gaslighting

‘Gaslighting’ is Merriam-Webster’s word of the year 2022. The #DrugVerse #DarkLines prompt 672 seemed well-suited to write on the theme.

It burns and sizzles
This potion you infuse
It chars my veins
All that runs through them
Is a clammy, creepy venom
Shooting up my starved brain
Conjuring images of disdain
Bringing to life all my fears;
I crumble as black fumes
Encased in gloomy thoughts