Esther Spurrill Jones's Blog, page 21

OctPoWriMo 15 - Dream

Today's prompt asks us to imagine what we would do if we could do anything we wanted. "What is your wildest dream?" I have way too many dreams to boil it down to one poem, so I just wrote an acrostic about dreams.


Dream

Diving in: sink or swim;
Reaching out, I know I’ll win.
Everything that I can be
As I try, I will see
My dreams become reality.

OctPoWriMo 14 - Today

Today's prompt asks us "What is on the bridge between yesterday and tomorrow?"

Today

Between yesterday and tomorrow
I find my present:
Today.

OctPoWriMo 13 - Love Will Be

Today's prompt asks us to write about risks we are willing to take, and suggests using the blitz form. This is one of my favourite poetry forms, so I had to take up the challenge. Instead of writing about risks I might/will take, I wrote about a risk I took seven years ago: on September 1, 2008, I asked my best friend if he wanted to be my boyfriend. This year, we celebrated our sixth wedding anniversary. So that risk worked out well, I think. ;)

Love Will Be

I had waited
I had dreamed
Dreamed of love
Dreamed of forever
Forever I would be with him
Forever we would love
Love is patient
Love is blind
Blind to signs that all could see
Blind to feelings, leaving fear
Fear of rejection
Fear of being open
Open up my mouth
Open up my heart
Heart so full of love
Heart so full of hope
Hope like a tiny flickering flame
Hope that flared at his response
Response that fulfilled my every wish
Response set my heart ablaze
Ablaze with feeling
Ablaze with joy
Joy that never yet has waned
Joy that took me to the church
Church with friends and family
Church where we became one
One flesh
One soul
Soul mate was just a word before
Soul mate is my husband now
Now we have woven our lives together
Now we are one soul in two bodies
Bodies that once were separate
Bodies that yearn to touch
Touch my heart
Touch my hand
Hands entwined
Hands so strong
Strong and able to keep me safe
Strong, yet gentle
Gently holds me
Gently gives his best
Best lover
Best friend
Friends we are
Friends we will always be
Be together
Be forever
Forever
Together

OctPoWriMo 12 - A Thanksgiving Haiku

Today is Thanksgiving Monday in Canada. Here's a haiku about thankfulness.

A Thanksgiving Haiku

I thank my God for
Life and love and everything.
He fulfills my needs.

OctPoWriMo 11 - Under Your Hand

Today is Thanksgiving weekend in Canada, so instead of using today's prompt, I wrote an acrostic about what I'm thankful for.

Under Your Hand

There is so much I
Have to be thankful for:
All my
Needs are met, and there is unlimited
Knowledge at my fingertips.

Yes I
Own all I need. I live
Under Your hand.

OctPoWriMo 10 - I Hide

I am the type of writer who rereads, edits, and rewrites everything several times. I believe in polishing and reworking something until it is perfect. Now, there's nothing wrong with that, and I believe that most of my rough drafts need that in order to shine. Like a diamond pulled from a mine, a rough draft needs to be cut and polished before being set in a ring or necklace and shared with the world.

Having said all that, I decided to give "wild writing" a try. In todays' prompt, Morgan Dragonwillow suggests that we try to turn off our brains and just write from the deepest part of ourselves. I wasn't able to exactly stop thinking, but I think I managed a stream of consciousness free verse. I listened to the Piano Guys and just allowed myself to feel. And I didn't rewrite it. This is the raw, unedited words I threw down as I listened.

To get into my headspace, play the video while reading.


I Hide

There’s a fire burning deep within my soulA raging infernoBut I let no one seeThe deepest part of meA storm of ice and flameThis is who I amBut I care too much what others thinkAnd so I hide

OctPoWriMo 9 - Opposing Forces

Today's prompt is the symbolism and duality of the elements, earth, fire, air, and water. I wrote an alliterative 4-stress (Tolkien's favourite form) for this because it just seemed to want to be that.

Opposing Forces
WaterIt’s cool and calm and captivatingThen rushing, roaring, raging wild
EarthThe solid strength of sturdy stoneTurns murky, muddy, a dusty mess
FireA cheery warm, crackling comfortOr a scorching, searing, stinging blaze
AirA soughing, susurrating secretBut a tornado, tempest, typhoon, gale

OctPoWriMo 8 - Bug Misplaced

I'm not following the prompt today because something happened to me last night that I just can't get out of my head, so I had to write about it.

Bug Misplaced

Taking a sip of ginger ale
Should not be a source for chilling tales.
Into my glass a beetle had slipped;
Heedless, I lifted it to my lips.
Instantly feeling something off,
Gagging and spitting, I gasped and coughed.
Twelve hours later, I still can taste
The awful awareness of bug misplaced.

These things are all over my house right now, and they're driving me crazy. Google tells me they're Boxelder bugs and they're generally harmless. But who wants bugs in their house—or in their food and drink?! For those wondering, I did spit it out and it was dead. I'm not sure if it drowned in my ginger ale or if I killed it.

OctPoWriMo 7 - My Career

Today's prompt is to write about something that we wouldn't change, maybe a decision that seemed wrong at the time but in hindsight is the best thing. I decided to write about the job I have that I applied for on a whim and now love.

My Career

I went on a whim
Never done something like it
Now it’s a passion

OctPoWriMo 6 - Blazing Light

Today's prompt is about freedom and courage. What would I do if I were brave? I took longer than usual to think about this one, finally settling on the villanelle form and using two of my favourite songs—Rachel Platten's Fight Song and Sarah Bareilles' Brave—as inspiration.

Blazing Light

I am filled with blazing light,
Igniting words like tidal waves;
I will stand my ground and fight.

Banish fear, take back the night:
Do not tell me to behave;
I am filled with blazing light.

I speak, I sing, I shout, I write—
I’ll be silent in my grave.
I will stand my ground and fight.

This is no time to be polite;
I find the strength and I am brave.
I am filled with blazing light.

If I dare, I might incite
A flood of others, rushing waves.
I will stand my ground and fight.

We demand the wrongs made right,
The slaves are freed, the children saved.
I am filled with blazing light;
I will stand my ground and fight.