Robert Lee Brewer’s Poem-a-Day prompt: “For today's prompt, write a nerve poem. Some folks are nervous; others have some nerve; still others seem to get on everyone's nerves. We all have a nervous system, and well, my nerves aren't wracked worrying that everyone will figure some way to poem out of this prompt.”
Maureen Thorson’s NaPoWriMo prompt: “write a poem that contains the name of a specific variety of edible plant – preferably one that grows in your area. . . . In the poem, try to make a specific comparison between some aspect of the plant’s lifespan and your own – or the life of someone close to you. Also, include at least one repeating phrase.”
Okay, curtal sonnet, both prompts, but no repeating phrase. Enjoy!
The Dandelion Wars
Dandelions dot my lawn, mosaic
of bright yellow blooms swaying in the breeze
threatening explosions of windborne seeds.
What nerve those dandelions have, to take
over my green expanse, promise to seize
even more land. What to do? Eat the weeds!
Harvest dandelion roots, leaves, flowers.
The whole plant, except the milky stems, is
edible. The leaves can spice your salads.
Make tea with the roots. Vile thieves, your hour
is here. Vengeance indeed!
—Draft by Vince Gotera [Do not copy or quote . . . thanks.]
Image by NoName_13 from Pixabay
And here is Alan's take on the two prompts. Nice use of repeating phrases!
Sweet Potato Villanelle
A nerve aligned between the moon and sweet
night air (a waning moon), the waiting slight
potato slip, plowed earth beneath your feet,
the last of late spring’s hard-edged frosts complete,
plow in the day and wait to plant at night.
A nerve aligned between the moon and sweet
potato slip—an impulse—forces meet
and splice, the furrowed earth and just the right
potato slip. Plowed earth beneath one’s feet—
too early yet to go unshod, some sleet
fell just two weeks ago—can set aright
a nerve aligned between the moon and sweet
turned earth, the season’s rhythm, and the beat
of one’s involuntary heart. Delight,
potato slip, plowed earth beneath one’s feet,
the waning moon, the body souled, complete
as cycled harmony, impulsive light,
a nerve aligned between the moon and sweet
potato slip, plowed earth beneath one’s feet.
—Draft by Thomas Alan Holmes [Do not copy or quote . . . thanks.]
Ooo . . . gotta love a good villanelle. Tasty!
Friends, won’t you comment, please? Love to know what you’re thinking. Thanks!
Ingat, everyone. ヅ |
Posts
1 comment:
Two great spring poems! Vince, I've written several dandelion poems over the years. They definitely inspire mixed emotions. My shortest one was this brief haiku:
dandelions
all over
again
I wrote a poem in form for day 17 too, but it's a form I sort of invented.
Post a Comment