The Shaman arrives,
shape-shifted
from nurse to
healer.
Gently, expertly
the Shaman
guides Medicine
into place.
Medicine,
imbued with wisdom
from countless prayers,
knows
where to go
and what to do.
The great journey
of healing begins.
Inspiration: Written for a close friend starting chemotherapy
Art by Morten Bonnet
It is coming soon
Singulahilarity
Time of cosmic joke
Hold fast to your levity
Popcorn and Coca-Cola
Prompt: Write a future poem
They’re all the rage
teenie-weenie houses
designed by the
arty-farty types
most a mish-mash of
metal and glass
to keep out the
riff-raff I s’pose
livin’ small in
Hobson-Jobson Ranch
Prompt: Write a shelter poem.
He was certifiably insane,
that man in the window.
Blood was everywhere,
and I mean everywhere.
The mood and the air,
they were heavy, so heavy.
Hardly anyone talked,
except for that man.
He had witnessed everything,
and had things to say.
So many things that happened
day after day at the slaughterhouse.
Prompt: Write a violent poem and/or peaceful poem
Image credit: Trapped by Aditya Doshi – Source
Her eyes lit up
like a blown-out candle
Racing slowly
up the long descent
into the dark pit
She headed
toward the sky
Prompt: Write a message poem.
Image credit: Candle Smoke. Source
Caught in a rush of wind
it swirls and rises
then gently spirals
down toward the river
Another gust nudges it
over a rock
then another rock
and into the
cool choppy water
It swirls again
this time with
less grace but
still in harmony
with the flow
Once more it spins
joining with others
just like it
creating a colorful
carpet rushing over
jagged stones
Hours later
fifty miles farther
it comes to rest
torn and tattered
but fully alive
Prompt: A voyage poem
Back and forth
up and down
her little head moves
tracing the arc
of the rainbow
Staring intently
at each side
she cannot tell
Really
Where it begins
or where it ends
Day 1 Prompt – Beginning poem or ending poem
One by one
they arrive
Some invited
others not
Some sin-cere
others not
Some truthful
others not
Some naive
others not
One by one
they arrive
Wearing various
garbs
The writer
The speaker
The coach
The teacher
The mystic
The guru
Some bearing
gifts
with strings
attached
Some offering
things
to change
your life,
or theirs
Their life
Mostly their life.
Inspiration: Unethical Internet marketers, gurus
Carl Masters
replied
curtly
to all
their questions
He barely
concealed the
impatience
and
annoyance
he felt
truly felt
Carli Meadows
replied
sweetly
to all
their questions
She dared not
conceal the
eagerness
and
excitement
she felt
truly felt
24 hours later
Carl and Carli
got the news
Carl at $55,000
Carli at $45,000
For the same job
Because Carl was
quite disagreeable
and Carli wasn’t
Inspiration: “Do Nice Guys — and Gals — Really Finish Last?
The Joint Effects of Sex and Agreeableness on Income” (PDF)
With open ears
and open heart
the child embraces
enchanting tales
of yesteryears
and yesterdays
and amazing things
yet to be
stories to
grow up on
carving and
illuminating
his path
Inspiration: Letting Stories Breathe: A Socio-Narratology
by Arthur W. Frank
