NaPoWriMo Poem 6

masculinity & hero making

a whirling force
has been feeding him
the unusual tests

manhood locked in
the antiquated epic

a mad scientist
superhero
godfather

laughter is the first sign
of infection
poisoning

maniacal rantings
are a cautionary tale
passed down
for generations

the legacy of his family
blends saga & lore

a radioactive relic
he learns to accept his fate

Prompt: Pick up one of the books you are currently reading. Flip it over to the back of the book and write a poem using the blurbs and info on the back cover. I'm using the back of League of Somebodies by Samuel Sattin.

NaPoWriMo Poem 5

artistic license

the wronged women
bond in the forest
with the modern world

creating stories
taking characters
spinning tales around them

a feminist commentary
she tried to seduce
delightful blasphemy

specifically thinking
of the younger generations

empowering our characters
in offshoot tales

doubt intends to put us
in touch with the muses

Prompt: grab your favorite magazine. Make a poem using words and phrases from the editor's letter. I'm using the most recent letter from Supriya Bhatnagar -- editor of The Writer's Chronicle!!!

NaPoWriMo Poem 4

untitled

in Italy
there are ways to know
what to eat, what to drink, what to leave for poison
and all these roads be luminous
tender
waiting for you to consume them like
rice & wisteria

#dear twitter
somebody blew up america...
you don't miss your water
standing in the republic of poetry
your brutal imagination
singing grace notes
from the cables of genocide
captivity
black feeling black talk black judgement

the undertaker's daughter
wants to know about your
prayers like shoes
she's Leaving Yuba City
and unfortunately, it was paradise
but, then's elsewhere

not like american smooth talkers
they are missing you, metropolis
wanting to know about your lighthead
head off & split
burning the skin, inc

Prompt: Go to your bookshelf. Record the information on the spines of each book in one section of your shelf. Use those words to write a poem. Here's a photo of the section I'm using (of course they are poetry books!!) Here's the list I used -- in the order they appear in the poem:
1. Italy by Johanna Drucker
2. What to Eat, What to Drink, What to Leave for Poison by Camille T. Dungy
3. And All These Roads Be Luminous by Angela Jackson
4. Tender by Toi Derricotte
5. Rice by Nikky Finney
6. Wisteria by Kwame Dawes
7. #dear twitter by Mahogany L. Browne
8. Somebody Blew Up America by Amiri Baraka
9. You Don't Miss Your Water by Cornelius Eady
10. The Republic of Poetry by Martín Espada
11. Brutal Imagination by Cornelius Eady
12. Grace Notes by Rita Dove
13. From the Cables of Genocide by Lorna Dee Cervantes
14. Captivity by Toi Derricotte
15. Black Feeling Black Talk Black Judgement by Nikki Giovanni
16. The Undertaker's Daughter by Toi Derricotte
17. Prayers Like Shoes by Ruth Forman
18. Leaving Yuba City by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni
19. Unfortunately, it was Paradise by Mahmoud Darwish
20. then's elsewhere by Rebekah Lael Edwards
21. American Smooth by Rita Dove
22. Missing You, Metropolis by Gary Jackson
23. Lighthead by Terrance Hayes
24. Head Off & Split by Nikky Finney
25. Skin, Inc, by Thomas Sayers Ellis

NaPoWriMo Poem 2

creative combinations


skin reflects
natural goodness
     make a fist

found in nature
internal impurities
entice the senses
     knee over toes

we think before we blend
inspire yourself
organic
     parallel to the ground

work with whole, not parts
mirror health
work with body and mind
     eyes fixed to the horizon

experience the radiance
     rose petal hibiscus
     red clover burdock
     dandelion root
     honeybush

switch sides
pause up
     love as much as we do

My prompt: find one of your favorite food items that comes in a box, package, or wrapper -- use the text from it to create a poem. Here's a photo of what I'm using for my poem today.