Poetry Competition Ends 30th April 2025 11:19pm
DU Official NaPoWriMo Challenge
5/30
Dress
I woke up late
And remembered
That I have to go
To the seamstress's house
For my measurements
Only ten days left
Before the closing exercises
Of our school
But instead of going to the seamstress
I spent the day doing the laundry
It's always like this
Every end of school year
We have to wear something
That is agreed upon by everyone
This year we decided to have something
Made from batik with no specific design or type
Since there was no specific
Type of cloth prescribed
Everyone chose their own cloth
I opted for a Thai songket
Instead of the traditional Indonesian batik
I find this stressful
With the graduation season around
All seamstresses are fully booked
And with many schools having their graduation in ten days time
It's hard to find a good seamstress that can accommodate my request
The other night, I went to four seamstresses
But they all declined to sew my cloth
Luckily an old seamstress is not fully booked
So I left them in her house yesterday
Last year we had filipiniana
As our attire for graduation
Most of us just ordered it online
Which is hassle free
In this part of the country
Graduation has become a day for teachers
To dress up and show their fashion style
Dress
I woke up late
And remembered
That I have to go
To the seamstress's house
For my measurements
Only ten days left
Before the closing exercises
Of our school
But instead of going to the seamstress
I spent the day doing the laundry
It's always like this
Every end of school year
We have to wear something
That is agreed upon by everyone
This year we decided to have something
Made from batik with no specific design or type
Since there was no specific
Type of cloth prescribed
Everyone chose their own cloth
I opted for a Thai songket
Instead of the traditional Indonesian batik
I find this stressful
With the graduation season around
All seamstresses are fully booked
And with many schools having their graduation in ten days time
It's hard to find a good seamstress that can accommodate my request
The other night, I went to four seamstresses
But they all declined to sew my cloth
Luckily an old seamstress is not fully booked
So I left them in her house yesterday
Last year we had filipiniana
As our attire for graduation
Most of us just ordered it online
Which is hassle free
In this part of the country
Graduation has become a day for teachers
To dress up and show their fashion style
5 of 30
NowHere
6am by the reservoir,
A maddening suffering in someones else’s hands.
The red-pearl chested robin, coy herons and Canadien geese flit and flock
above the warming grey water, utterly absorbed in a morning ritual silence.
A mile in, I place my bag down and remove a tripod and a pinhole camera.
The view of dark pine woods to the left and the sunrising
above the water to my right.
I calculate 48 seconds for the shot and hold the release.
The light reciprocates.
And for one of those seconds I think of your life.
For another, my own.
And another
on how tired I am of heartbreak
and how coldness still burns.
Breath out- A stringy mess so tangled.
Close the shutter, cover my eyes.
The tones within this image are important for me.
Details in the shadows, no blown highlights.
No pure black, no pure white.
But it will never be how I hope and imagined.
I will look and see
that I need to remove everything
Oh god, all of it
except one thing.
Then, I will be nowhere to realise,
I had it all the time.
NowHere
6am by the reservoir,
A maddening suffering in someones else’s hands.
The red-pearl chested robin, coy herons and Canadien geese flit and flock
above the warming grey water, utterly absorbed in a morning ritual silence.
A mile in, I place my bag down and remove a tripod and a pinhole camera.
The view of dark pine woods to the left and the sunrising
above the water to my right.
I calculate 48 seconds for the shot and hold the release.
The light reciprocates.
And for one of those seconds I think of your life.
For another, my own.
And another
on how tired I am of heartbreak
and how coldness still burns.
Breath out- A stringy mess so tangled.
Close the shutter, cover my eyes.
The tones within this image are important for me.
Details in the shadows, no blown highlights.
No pure black, no pure white.
But it will never be how I hope and imagined.
I will look and see
that I need to remove everything
Oh god, all of it
except one thing.
Then, I will be nowhere to realise,
I had it all the time.
5/30
Piem (Ode to the first 100 decimal places of pi)
Now...
I hope I write something to remind
brain and voice together (unaligned)
develop mnemonics for pi—
its decimals have passed by!
Digits make the odd, unending row
in totally haphazard order;
bravissimo!
So numerous,
humorous;
look, I recognise doubles -
a couple - advancing!
Say, "Enchantée!" "Delighted!";
the doubled nines a-bromancing.
Other decimals, to underscore,
undertake hijacks,
give lifehacks;
what, more?
Hello... wandering in now, threescore
figures indicate a lonely wait—
deactivate brains at hundred's ending.
Do slumbering integers, (lumbering, numbering)
simplify tricky pi, puzzling, perplexing?
The part annexing on three
may beat me!
O!
O mystery, fractional
vexing figures factional!
Piem (Ode to the first 100 decimal places of pi)
Now...
I hope I write something to remind
brain and voice together (unaligned)
develop mnemonics for pi—
its decimals have passed by!
Digits make the odd, unending row
in totally haphazard order;
bravissimo!
So numerous,
humorous;
look, I recognise doubles -
a couple - advancing!
Say, "Enchantée!" "Delighted!";
the doubled nines a-bromancing.
Other decimals, to underscore,
undertake hijacks,
give lifehacks;
what, more?
Hello... wandering in now, threescore
figures indicate a lonely wait—
deactivate brains at hundred's ending.
Do slumbering integers, (lumbering, numbering)
simplify tricky pi, puzzling, perplexing?
The part annexing on three
may beat me!
O!
O mystery, fractional
vexing figures factional!
5/30
universe in my hands
The stars bloomed
as the narrow rivulets streamed across
the terrain of my palms;
forming islands, peninsulas, chains...
whole map of my life
came alive...
"The high and low planetary mounts
on my mushy rosy manus
marked my characteristics;
planets, constellation
sun and moon
carved my fate",
once a palmist said...
but unaware that destiny lies
within our own hands
It's the neurons in my brain
and feelings in my soul
that decides my deeds
and take control
of the choices I make
changing the course of these
faint lines ...
Yes,
my universe lies in my own hands
universe in my hands
The stars bloomed
as the narrow rivulets streamed across
the terrain of my palms;
forming islands, peninsulas, chains...
whole map of my life
came alive...
"The high and low planetary mounts
on my mushy rosy manus
marked my characteristics;
planets, constellation
sun and moon
carved my fate",
once a palmist said...
but unaware that destiny lies
within our own hands
It's the neurons in my brain
and feelings in my soul
that decides my deeds
and take control
of the choices I make
changing the course of these
faint lines ...
Yes,
my universe lies in my own hands
5 of 30
Remain.
I don't need to ask
Feeling the burned out,
Frayed edges.
I know…
The closed mindedness.
The inability,
Amongst so much able mobility.
The frustration.
The lack of,
Autonomy….
The empathetic,
Blurring, boundaries.
The need to know,
The course towards,
Remindful grounding.
The anchor,
By which to reside,
Amidst the sea of drifting.
I see it,
In the weathered,
Sun bleached sails.
Hear it,
Calling in the warp and strain,
Of taught and tight woven grain.
I know it,
Yet here I remain.
Remain.
I don't need to ask
Feeling the burned out,
Frayed edges.
I know…
The closed mindedness.
The inability,
Amongst so much able mobility.
The frustration.
The lack of,
Autonomy….
The empathetic,
Blurring, boundaries.
The need to know,
The course towards,
Remindful grounding.
The anchor,
By which to reside,
Amidst the sea of drifting.
I see it,
In the weathered,
Sun bleached sails.
Hear it,
Calling in the warp and strain,
Of taught and tight woven grain.
I know it,
Yet here I remain.
#5
~OESHO- OMMO
celestial naked duskiness.. dotted
fleshy in bloodied red clotted erected buds ..
touched with golden tips
& blackened craving lips..
her powering in
sensualising form
Ommo~ Uma
spatially densing~dancing
asteroidal lighted Shakthi.. She
in search of
her other half her love .. in
mystically peacockish blueing hue
of the mountainous Kailash
earthen peaking form, in His
Himalayan abode
Oesho~ Ishwar
Him the Shiva..
in his ferocious hunting precision
thunderously drumming
his cosmic echoing percussion feet
to the tectonic abrading over
of this swimming Gondwana land
crashing up against the static
Asiatic chunk.. opens up
to a terrific risen
Everest-ing atop as pristine
peaking sacred glaciers .. these
sky-high Himalayan walls
slightly crack & crumble
as eternal springing origins
of Manasarovar - running down
as His holy perennial riverine
consort, Ganga.. carves out
in n-finesse serpentine lines
as His crowning Naga
serpent-form…
conspicuously draws
as silver streaked tributaries
over the barren lands.. now
flowers in His touch .. as
cropping civilisational plains
of an unimaginable fertility
She, the celestial Shakti
descends to His earthen call
in a syncing.. a wild vigilante
dance form.. the righteously
raging red, Rudra Thaandava..
demolishing demons
in each tapping step.. their
dragonous fire eyes
unleashing destruction
over those nature-hunting
politic predacious giants.. to
those plotting gangrene minds
to those invisibly tiny yet
ubiquitously made to spread
bio-warfing pathogenicities..
a beautifully chaotic
yogic strumming bundle of nerves
in a forever smooth spiritual ooze
of an ecstatic pleasure~ paining
continuum .. the Kundalini
felt in their fusion
Shiva~ Shakti
hums
in their streamlined
musical breaths
..Om Hum om Hum
those stupefying demonic pains
from the perennial slavish abuse
of senses in burial & bodies
in rupture as until benumbing.. still
merely covering up these
chronic to brutal kills.. as
heavily silenced societal
living norms
as also, those small time
erratically heightening .. a
wanton drug of pain.. in a
a sweeping swollen. an
abominable spread.. transiently
scarring , these bitten hickeys
of many marooned messy
petechiae bled out pores.. from
skindeep hungering gluttony
of animalistic cannibalistic
sadistic hunts..
are no more there or in need now
only in feel, in each an
earthen elevated being
are His~ Her
as One form, in an intensifying
forever.. a divine ecstasy
of Power
of Purpose
of Love
*unique words: 258
~OESHO- OMMO
celestial naked duskiness.. dotted
fleshy in bloodied red clotted erected buds ..
touched with golden tips
& blackened craving lips..
her powering in
sensualising form
Ommo~ Uma
spatially densing~dancing
asteroidal lighted Shakthi.. She
in search of
her other half her love .. in
mystically peacockish blueing hue
of the mountainous Kailash
earthen peaking form, in His
Himalayan abode
Oesho~ Ishwar
Him the Shiva..
in his ferocious hunting precision
thunderously drumming
his cosmic echoing percussion feet
to the tectonic abrading over
of this swimming Gondwana land
crashing up against the static
Asiatic chunk.. opens up
to a terrific risen
Everest-ing atop as pristine
peaking sacred glaciers .. these
sky-high Himalayan walls
slightly crack & crumble
as eternal springing origins
of Manasarovar - running down
as His holy perennial riverine
consort, Ganga.. carves out
in n-finesse serpentine lines
as His crowning Naga
serpent-form…
conspicuously draws
as silver streaked tributaries
over the barren lands.. now
flowers in His touch .. as
cropping civilisational plains
of an unimaginable fertility
She, the celestial Shakti
descends to His earthen call
in a syncing.. a wild vigilante
dance form.. the righteously
raging red, Rudra Thaandava..
demolishing demons
in each tapping step.. their
dragonous fire eyes
unleashing destruction
over those nature-hunting
politic predacious giants.. to
those plotting gangrene minds
to those invisibly tiny yet
ubiquitously made to spread
bio-warfing pathogenicities..
a beautifully chaotic
yogic strumming bundle of nerves
in a forever smooth spiritual ooze
of an ecstatic pleasure~ paining
continuum .. the Kundalini
felt in their fusion
Shiva~ Shakti
hums
in their streamlined
musical breaths
..Om Hum om Hum
those stupefying demonic pains
from the perennial slavish abuse
of senses in burial & bodies
in rupture as until benumbing.. still
merely covering up these
chronic to brutal kills.. as
heavily silenced societal
living norms
as also, those small time
erratically heightening .. a
wanton drug of pain.. in a
a sweeping swollen. an
abominable spread.. transiently
scarring , these bitten hickeys
of many marooned messy
petechiae bled out pores.. from
skindeep hungering gluttony
of animalistic cannibalistic
sadistic hunts..
are no more there or in need now
only in feel, in each an
earthen elevated being
are His~ Her
as One form, in an intensifying
forever.. a divine ecstasy
of Power
of Purpose
of Love
*unique words: 258
5/30
What is This
When fingertips hover over the keys
Or twirl the barrel of the pen
Trying to force the expression
A frustration sets in
Even though the emotion lingers
The words are stuck at the dam
Suddenly
Like a gentle breeze coming through the door
A thought crosses the mind
A key word
Like a tiny spark of invention that makes you ask
What is this?
It’s the muse
Awakened
Gentle hands on your shoulder
Whispering
58 Unique Word
74 Total
What is This
When fingertips hover over the keys
Or twirl the barrel of the pen
Trying to force the expression
A frustration sets in
Even though the emotion lingers
The words are stuck at the dam
Suddenly
Like a gentle breeze coming through the door
A thought crosses the mind
A key word
Like a tiny spark of invention that makes you ask
What is this?
It’s the muse
Awakened
Gentle hands on your shoulder
Whispering
58 Unique Word
74 Total
5 of 30
Spring forwards, if falteringly
Post daylight savings, and the Sun has returned here.
Although the warmth and weather
turn and switch direction of decision
as whether to come or go.
A chill breeze still blows
as lingering fingers of Winter,
despite bright sunshine all around
yet lacking blaze and substance.
Making for an awkward yet optimistic
sense that things will improve
not just by current looks, but also to knock upon the heart.
(Unique Words: 60)
Spring forwards, if falteringly
Post daylight savings, and the Sun has returned here.
Although the warmth and weather
turn and switch direction of decision
as whether to come or go.
A chill breeze still blows
as lingering fingers of Winter,
despite bright sunshine all around
yet lacking blaze and substance.
Making for an awkward yet optimistic
sense that things will improve
not just by current looks, but also to knock upon the heart.
(Unique Words: 60)
5/30
A Peek Into My Mind
Everything is planned
But something goes wrong
Breath
Try again
Backup plan in motion
Shit
That’s not working now either
Think of alternatives
No
No
No
Breath
Nothing is feasible
Do something else
Reel back in and complete something
Another hiccup
Another u-turn
Trying to stay on course
As planned
Breath
But everything seems to not be working
And all alternatives are not viable
Fuck
I’m stressed
Chill and breath
Pivot to anything else that might remotely bring you back down
Breath
Something fun maybe
Now choose something
But it’s hard
Choice paralysis
Breath
Don’t explain to anyone because it will just sound like you are complaining
You are on your own
I’m exhausted
Time is running out in the day
I have so much to do
And I’m tired of changing plans when I hit a roadblock
It’s happened way too many times in a row today
A Peek Into My Mind
Everything is planned
But something goes wrong
Breath
Try again
Backup plan in motion
Shit
That’s not working now either
Think of alternatives
No
No
No
Breath
Nothing is feasible
Do something else
Reel back in and complete something
Another hiccup
Another u-turn
Trying to stay on course
As planned
Breath
But everything seems to not be working
And all alternatives are not viable
Fuck
I’m stressed
Chill and breath
Pivot to anything else that might remotely bring you back down
Breath
Something fun maybe
Now choose something
But it’s hard
Choice paralysis
Breath
Don’t explain to anyone because it will just sound like you are complaining
You are on your own
I’m exhausted
Time is running out in the day
I have so much to do
And I’m tired of changing plans when I hit a roadblock
It’s happened way too many times in a row today
5/30
[NaPoWriMo - 2025 Collection] Flowers from Thoughts
[ . . . ]
I. The Greeks
[ . . . ]
iv. Fleeting Beauty of Youth:
Wind Flower
Delicate white Anemone
Wind Flower of purity
transformed by ichor,
into a crimson poppy
a tendril heart of ebony
As Adonai, mortal god
of the hunt, annual florals
lie upon petaled sheets
marooned by blood
entering eternal sleep
Aphrodite, goddess
of love, her heart impaled
by Eros's arrow, wept
in everlasting grief
over a resurrection flower
now wilting upon her temple altar
. . .
[NaPoWriMo - 2025 Collection] Flowers from Thoughts
[ . . . ]
I. The Greeks
[ . . . ]
iv. Fleeting Beauty of Youth:
Wind Flower
Delicate white Anemone
Wind Flower of purity
transformed by ichor,
into a crimson poppy
a tendril heart of ebony
As Adonai, mortal god
of the hunt, annual florals
lie upon petaled sheets
marooned by blood
entering eternal sleep
Aphrodite, goddess
of love, her heart impaled
by Eros's arrow, wept
in everlasting grief
over a resurrection flower
now wilting upon her temple altar
. . .
5/30
Urn
You are in
A space between spaces
A face in a sea of faces
A drought in a desert
Anticipation of waiting
Ashes to ashes
Just dust off the weather
Settling to settle
Grown of growing
Knowing the unknown
Rows of rowing
Built the building
Stories of stories
Ignorance ignoring
The bottom lowering
In such a case
Flower in the vase
Human; remains
Surviving the age
In an age of rage
In a place of hate
In a cage of space
You are in
Urn
You are in
A space between spaces
A face in a sea of faces
A drought in a desert
Anticipation of waiting
Ashes to ashes
Just dust off the weather
Settling to settle
Grown of growing
Knowing the unknown
Rows of rowing
Built the building
Stories of stories
Ignorance ignoring
The bottom lowering
In such a case
Flower in the vase
Human; remains
Surviving the age
In an age of rage
In a place of hate
In a cage of space
You are in
5 of 30
Awkward Anniversary
Celebrated for over thirty
years
flowers, gifts, cake, candles, and song
now moved out, moving on
estranged are we
after sharing our lives for so long
nearly a third of a century
Now that she's gone but not not gone
our dissolution not carved in stone
still she visits our home
bonding with our adult kids,
living under my roof
toward me silent and aloof
pretending I'm invisible
Happy birthday to the lady,
formerly known as sweetheart.
Unique words: 66
Awkward Anniversary
Celebrated for over thirty
years
flowers, gifts, cake, candles, and song
now moved out, moving on
estranged are we
after sharing our lives for so long
nearly a third of a century
Now that she's gone but not not gone
our dissolution not carved in stone
still she visits our home
bonding with our adult kids,
living under my roof
toward me silent and aloof
pretending I'm invisible
Happy birthday to the lady,
formerly known as sweetheart.
Unique words: 66
5/30
Oil
Anoint the sacred white candle
Light the precious flame
Fill the air with sweet incense
Consecrated ritual of love
I am divinely divided, essential
One part to three parts rosehip
Love potion number eleven
Feel the holy imbibing of the divine
Altogether, we become one of two
Separate, but entertained within
Limbs supine and supreme ancients
Fulfilling prophecy as above, so below
Oil
Anoint the sacred white candle
Light the precious flame
Fill the air with sweet incense
Consecrated ritual of love
I am divinely divided, essential
One part to three parts rosehip
Love potion number eleven
Feel the holy imbibing of the divine
Altogether, we become one of two
Separate, but entertained within
Limbs supine and supreme ancients
Fulfilling prophecy as above, so below
5/30
Baby Bear Frolick
Tee willy, ti tummy, too tea!
The bear was stuck in a tree,
verklempt – clicky clack –
he just wants a snack!
Tee willy, ti tummy, too tea!
Tea willy, ti wally, tee tum!
The bear was seduced by a hum
– Skadiddle, skadaddle –
he’s caught in a straddle.
Tea willy, ti wally, tee tum!
Fa la, fiddle fo, fiddle fee!
The cub was stung by a bee.
He wanted some honey
in his baby bear tummy,
Fa la, fiddle fo, fiddle fee!
Ho ho, fiddle fo, fiddle fa!
The cub was saved by his ma.
With a swat to the bum,
he was off at a run.
Ho ho, fiddle fo, fiddle fa!
So, if you’re asleep in a tree
and wake face to face with a bee,
don’t go after the honey
you silly bear dummy!
Tee willy, ti tummy, too tea!
Baby Bear Frolick
Tee willy, ti tummy, too tea!
The bear was stuck in a tree,
verklempt – clicky clack –
he just wants a snack!
Tee willy, ti tummy, too tea!
Tea willy, ti wally, tee tum!
The bear was seduced by a hum
– Skadiddle, skadaddle –
he’s caught in a straddle.
Tea willy, ti wally, tee tum!
Fa la, fiddle fo, fiddle fee!
The cub was stung by a bee.
He wanted some honey
in his baby bear tummy,
Fa la, fiddle fo, fiddle fee!
Ho ho, fiddle fo, fiddle fa!
The cub was saved by his ma.
With a swat to the bum,
he was off at a run.
Ho ho, fiddle fo, fiddle fa!
So, if you’re asleep in a tree
and wake face to face with a bee,
don’t go after the honey
you silly bear dummy!
Tee willy, ti tummy, too tea!
#5/30
On the final minutes of gig day
This here is a makeshift poem –
I’ll grab me some words and I’ll throw ‘em
on a page just to say that I did it.
Before midnight I have to submit it.
I’m exhausted, this day was so busy;
spent hours of it in a tizzy
preparing my rock ‘n roll show
and getting myself in the flow.
What a joy! My kids came along,
and they danced to so many songs.
Now I feel that my life is complete:
I’m a mom AND a rock star – how sweet!
On the final minutes of gig day
This here is a makeshift poem –
I’ll grab me some words and I’ll throw ‘em
on a page just to say that I did it.
Before midnight I have to submit it.
I’m exhausted, this day was so busy;
spent hours of it in a tizzy
preparing my rock ‘n roll show
and getting myself in the flow.
What a joy! My kids came along,
and they danced to so many songs.
Now I feel that my life is complete:
I’m a mom AND a rock star – how sweet!
