Penumbra
My father the sun,
my mother the moon,
I was that edge
created by their union—
that category of child,
partially obscured,
who cast a lighter shadow.
Just as much of them
as either might have wished,
I learned to shed my own light
by tracing the patterns
of theirs.
“Comeuppance Rears Its Ugly Head–Again!”
I’ve an issue with these prompts that give us words that are obscure.
Any more weird words will be more than I can endure.
I yearn for words more ordinary so my poem can shine.
Shame on you for choosing words that stand out above mine
like a boil on proboscis or a zit on a smooth cheek.
A prompt word should suggest a theme, but never prompt an “Eeeek!”
A prompt word should strike lightning but not burn down all the trees.
Think before you prompt, dear friends. No more “comeuppance,” please!
* “Comeuppance” has been the prompt word for two of the four prompt sites I use in the past week and one suggested it twice, withdrawing the earlier prompt after I’d already written my poem, so I rewrote the line, thankfully, only to have the word pop up a few days later in another prompt site, then again in this one a few days later! Now, if you want to see “comeuppance” for a fourth time, click on the link for “obscure.” I hereby give the word its own comeuppance by means of this poem.
Prompt words today are lightning, issue, obscure and yearn. Illustration thanks to DP on Unsplash. Used with permission.
Click on photos to enlarge and read captions.
For Cee’s FOTD
Hopscotch
One foot, two feet, doing fine.
Do not stray over the line.
This childhood game of balanced action
far in the past, a mere abstraction—
a metaphor far from unique
for the balance that you seek
as you advance as you are able,
moving forward, sometimes stable
on two feet. balanced and steady,
resting there and getting ready
for that time when one foot only
rests on firm ground, feeling lonely.
One leg, balanced in the air
is enough to curl your hair
but two firm squares are there ahead,
so you hop up to them, instead—
balanced on one foot or two
in each adventure offered you.
So life advances, hop after hop
No choice except to never stop.
Prompt words today are forward, unique, ulotrichous (curly-haired), abstraction. Photo by Jon Tyson on Unsplash. Used with permission.
Been There, Don That!
I wouldn’t give a nickel, I wouldn’t give a tuppence
to save our expired president from his earned comeuppance.
His service contract’s over. He will not get another.
And hopefully Ivanka won’t, nor will her older brother.
They’ll no doubt muddle on in life, spending their father’s millions,
living on a credit line, maintaining they have billions.
A new guy’s in the White House and we hope he might
prompt a more irenic phase to save us from our plight.
He doesn’t shoot endangered species or found charities to plunder—
proof that future national elections need not echo our past blunder!!!
Prompt words today are muddle, service, comeuppance and irenic. (Irenice=prompting peace or reconciliation.) Image by Jose M. on Unsplash. Used with permission.
Click on photo to enlarge.
Isidro Xilonzóchitl and Greta McLain are painting this wonderful mural on a wall along the malecon in San Juan Cosala. If anyone else would like to help to contribute for the cost of paint and to recompense them a bit for their labor, I will match contributions up to the first $100 or 2,000 pesos. They’re working on it now, so come see the project as it happens!
This call for contributions is my idea, not theirs, as they have been funding the project themselves. If you have a venmo account, contribute at venmo@goodspacemurals or drop by the maelcon and drop your contributions off there.
I left my blog just before posting to go feed the dogs and cats. Then, an hour later:
(To read the story of why my poetry post was late today, click on photos to enlarge and read captions.)
For Cee’s Flower of the Day Challenge. See her post HERE.
lifelessons - a blog by Judy Dykstra-Brown 