More Poetic Therapy.

More of my take on the Poem a Day prompts at Robert Lee Brewer's poetry blog at http://www.writersdigest.com/editor-blogs/poetic-asides

If you're looking for light and laughter, today's not the best day to visit here, so just click on somewhere else in blogland and check back with me another time. :-)

April 21, 2012

For today’s prompt, write an under the microscope poem. By that, the poem could be about something actually under the microscope–like single-cell organisms or leaves–or it could be more like “being under the microscope” in other people’s eyes.

(not enough) OXYGEN

I pinned the carcass in the wax-filled box
nose wrinkled, averse to killing even a bug
eighth grade project, doing the minimum for the grade
having seen enough death in our home
enough decay in the demise of hope
enough to steal a small girl’s smile
to keep us captured for a while
till you led us to be set free

but things meant for harm just made us seek
a different way to be so we
turned our backs on imprisoned breath
no more holding back instead we’d give
oxygen to those we loved

I carried the pictures to the funeral home
clenched teeth hard against my trembling lips
one more project of specimens gleaned
from your twenty photo books
where you kept the cards and memories
of those you loved and who loved you back
I chose the most of you and he
who found your smile again
but I love the one of you and me
sitting on the steps when I was three
two girls back when our lives were new
and I wish I could be your oxygen
and have you and not just
photo specimens.

***********

April 22, 2012

For today’s prompt, write a judging poem. This is a poem that could be judging others, or it is a poem being judged. I realize there is the opportunity for feelings to get hurt with this poem–so please be mindful of language, subject matter, and personal attacks.

 MISSING HOME.

I judge myself for living on
when you so recently have gone
I judge myself for taking breath
when yours is silenced now in death
I judge myself for staying home
for not just picking up the phone
that Friday when I never knew
I’d not again be seeing you
I judge myself for having health
for being strong, for illness’ stealth
taking you and not myself
I judge myself I judge myself
I judge the way I’ll never hear
your laughter smiling in my ear
I judge the way you’ll never know
you were my lighthouse
always
guiding me
home.



Skimmer's Recap: just missing my sister.