Poetry Competition Ends 30th April 2025 11:19pm
DU Official NaPoWriMo Challenge
I had to work a 16 hours yesterday, so I honestly forgot.
22/30
NaPo2025 Day 22
Stressed and looking for vacancy
in my headspace
as I brace myself for impact.
Backed into a corner
and this disorder of the mind
has me clenching my fist.
Tired of gritting my teeth
while I try to sheath my emotions
as the commotion in my universe
is at a versus with my serenity.
Forever me in the same thought
with lots of anxiety to feed my monster,
her appetite is insatiable.
23/30
NaPo 2025 Day 23
Yup, a piss poor attitude.
Gratitude none.
Done with this shit.
Quit the drama.
Pajamas are wearing me.
Knees scraped and bleeding
needing to finish this prayer.
Betrayer of myself.
Shelf of memories haunt.
Nonchalant words
heard leaving my lips.
Grip on to the insanity.
Sanity got swept away.
Stray wholesome thoughts
caught the storm and followed.
22/30
NaPo2025 Day 22
Stressed and looking for vacancy
in my headspace
as I brace myself for impact.
Backed into a corner
and this disorder of the mind
has me clenching my fist.
Tired of gritting my teeth
while I try to sheath my emotions
as the commotion in my universe
is at a versus with my serenity.
Forever me in the same thought
with lots of anxiety to feed my monster,
her appetite is insatiable.
23/30
NaPo 2025 Day 23
Yup, a piss poor attitude.
Gratitude none.
Done with this shit.
Quit the drama.
Pajamas are wearing me.
Knees scraped and bleeding
needing to finish this prayer.
Betrayer of myself.
Shelf of memories haunt.
Nonchalant words
heard leaving my lips.
Grip on to the insanity.
Sanity got swept away.
Stray wholesome thoughts
caught the storm and followed.
23 of 30
Natural Bridges - Scene 1
Gravel crunch, crunch, crunches
beneath your sandals
walking the ice plant framed path
that leads to the shore
feel the cool sea breeze l
caress your cheeks,
tousle your hair
descending the stairway
to the beige sanded beach
bifurcated by a flowing stream
fed by seawater at high tide
survey the dark green ocean waves
rolling in to meet the land
and marvel at the natural
rock Arc de Triomphe
rising majestically just off shore
seeming to support a bridge
to some mystical kingdom in the azure blue sky
Natural Bridges - Scene 1
Gravel crunch, crunch, crunches
beneath your sandals
walking the ice plant framed path
that leads to the shore
feel the cool sea breeze l
caress your cheeks,
tousle your hair
descending the stairway
to the beige sanded beach
bifurcated by a flowing stream
fed by seawater at high tide
survey the dark green ocean waves
rolling in to meet the land
and marvel at the natural
rock Arc de Triomphe
rising majestically just off shore
seeming to support a bridge
to some mystical kingdom in the azure blue sky
23/30
Ancestors
Last night I dreamt
my boys and I carried my father’s coffin
on the way to his final resting site
and when I accidentally tripped
his casket opened
and the man opened his eyes
looked at me and he asked “se acabo?”
(Is it over?)
I said “Yep, the party’s over pops
You gotta rest”
I woke up thinking about him
about his father too
how they died a before their time
how I didn’t find out more about my ancestors
62 Unique Words
82 Total
Ancestors
Last night I dreamt
my boys and I carried my father’s coffin
on the way to his final resting site
and when I accidentally tripped
his casket opened
and the man opened his eyes
looked at me and he asked “se acabo?”
(Is it over?)
I said “Yep, the party’s over pops
You gotta rest”
I woke up thinking about him
about his father too
how they died a before their time
how I didn’t find out more about my ancestors
62 Unique Words
82 Total
23/30
[NaPo2025—Reasonable Rhymes]
night flight
❝Those who are roped into bed at night often fall into
delusions of flight.❞—Gregory Maguire
she stirs the night
with wings of silent flight,
no slightest sound
to ruin the great respite.
tu whit tu whoo
pierces the atmosphere,
to die or do
the wise old owl's worst fear.
the firefly beams
and blinks its lightning streams,
to punctuate
the darkness with probate
for every breath
that saves itself from death,
its milky way
apportioned by its sway.
the milky ways
of bats the world amaze:
no mammal kind
like this can heaven find,
that dares to fly,
whose mammary glands, on high,
hunt their own food,
then home to feed the brood.
dragons are naught;
i cherish not the thought
an infidel
should come so far from hell,
to breathe its fire
to melt the souls of men,
darkness for hire,
hope a comedienne.
© Copyright 2025 April 23
by Clyve A. Bowen♫
UWC100
23/30
Starlight
I call upon the stars tonight
They might be dead up there, but that’s alright
It takes a while for that light to fade, through space and time
How haunting to know, I am staring at relics of the past
But oh.. How beautiful the glow
And though they’ve passed away,
I pray they are aware they’ll burn bright for a long, long time when they’re black holes
Likewise, I’ll remain a twinkle in many eyes
However, I am eclipsing
Who cares? It’s a celestial show
They stop, they watch, they talk about it
And then you’re discarded, like so many other lonesome memories
If it’s love you feel, it’s light years away
For I don’t think I’ve struck your heart, or caught you dreaming of me
It is my starlight that keeps you coming
You don’t know what you’re doing
For I’m already gone.
Starlight
I call upon the stars tonight
They might be dead up there, but that’s alright
It takes a while for that light to fade, through space and time
How haunting to know, I am staring at relics of the past
But oh.. How beautiful the glow
And though they’ve passed away,
I pray they are aware they’ll burn bright for a long, long time when they’re black holes
Likewise, I’ll remain a twinkle in many eyes
However, I am eclipsing
Who cares? It’s a celestial show
They stop, they watch, they talk about it
And then you’re discarded, like so many other lonesome memories
If it’s love you feel, it’s light years away
For I don’t think I’ve struck your heart, or caught you dreaming of me
It is my starlight that keeps you coming
You don’t know what you’re doing
For I’m already gone.
24/30
INTELLECTUAL
High up on the mountain top
where the air is thin with people
but thick with conceptual springs, cold water
which wheedles down the slopes …
… some of them joining together into a narrative,
a peer reviewed paper read by eight people,
a TED talk watched by many if it passes the test
of not being ‘controversial’ or ‘problematic’ …
and the streams of thought fill a lake
where a conference takes place
far away from the subject matter
and where aspiring idea-phishers
dip to cool down on hot days
and then go home to their little boxes
with the air polluted by media radiation
regurgitating simplified versions of hill-side flowers
due to academic restraints to stay-in-line,
reduced enough to be misleading,
elicit emotional responses
and start wars.
INTELLECTUAL
High up on the mountain top
where the air is thin with people
but thick with conceptual springs, cold water
which wheedles down the slopes …
… some of them joining together into a narrative,
a peer reviewed paper read by eight people,
a TED talk watched by many if it passes the test
of not being ‘controversial’ or ‘problematic’ …
and the streams of thought fill a lake
where a conference takes place
far away from the subject matter
and where aspiring idea-phishers
dip to cool down on hot days
and then go home to their little boxes
with the air polluted by media radiation
regurgitating simplified versions of hill-side flowers
due to academic restraints to stay-in-line,
reduced enough to be misleading,
elicit emotional responses
and start wars.
24 of 30
view through their eyes
enough...
have patience with damaged souls
{...& aren't we all...}
be gentle with their handling
cast no judgment on their struggle
or how they move
their experience of life...
was not what the universe gave you
while you were...
...{perhaps}...
...better able to focus on your future
& thereby...to grow
they were striving to merely survive
please...
approach them with compassion...
because...
being touched by unclean hands
claimed with no consent
battered with no cause
...it leaves a permanent stain
soot scorched into emotional skin
like an eternally healing tattoo...
can't ever be washed away
it coats thoughts & perceptions
turns inward-facing views...
to hideous distortions
saturated with self-loathing
trust becomes a foreign concept
& every word & action is placed on a scale
weighing it against how they see themselves
...tainted...shamed...fractured...
it's a hard lens to reshape
some moments vision clears...a bit
others...
are peering blindly into darkness
...through a smoky haze
nothing beautiful in their gaze
so now...
I'm going to get more personal
...don't judge me by my better days
nor condemn my apparent fragility
I'm doing my absolute best
navigating a shattered landscape
today I might be an unstoppable beast
tomorrow...
...unable to get out of bed
I take the days as they come
one by one
I am...
...what I am
eternally healing
view through their eyes
enough...
have patience with damaged souls
{...& aren't we all...}
be gentle with their handling
cast no judgment on their struggle
or how they move
their experience of life...
was not what the universe gave you
while you were...
...{perhaps}...
...better able to focus on your future
& thereby...to grow
they were striving to merely survive
please...
approach them with compassion...
because...
being touched by unclean hands
claimed with no consent
battered with no cause
...it leaves a permanent stain
soot scorched into emotional skin
like an eternally healing tattoo...
can't ever be washed away
it coats thoughts & perceptions
turns inward-facing views...
to hideous distortions
saturated with self-loathing
trust becomes a foreign concept
& every word & action is placed on a scale
weighing it against how they see themselves
...tainted...shamed...fractured...
it's a hard lens to reshape
some moments vision clears...a bit
others...
are peering blindly into darkness
...through a smoky haze
nothing beautiful in their gaze
so now...
I'm going to get more personal
...don't judge me by my better days
nor condemn my apparent fragility
I'm doing my absolute best
navigating a shattered landscape
today I might be an unstoppable beast
tomorrow...
...unable to get out of bed
I take the days as they come
one by one
I am...
...what I am
eternally healing
24/30
[NaPoWriMo - 2025 Collection] Flowers from Thoughts
x
Banafsajiyya
Violet
Intense phthalo, plum
undertones, tyrian purple
vibrant, disc-like leaves
growing like grass
with violet or white flowers
Exceptionally sweet aroma
attracting gatherers early morning
dew, wet with wonder, plucked
from the soil for essential
oils and healing poultice
effective against tumors
a soporific to loosen joints
mixed with seeds of gourds
or almonds, permeating
the air as banafsajiyya
Cooling and cleansing
eaten in salads, syrups
and even cleaning
supplies, calming the nerves
with its meandering fragrance
[NaPoWriMo - 2025 Collection] Flowers from Thoughts
x
Banafsajiyya
Violet
Intense phthalo, plum
undertones, tyrian purple
vibrant, disc-like leaves
growing like grass
with violet or white flowers
Exceptionally sweet aroma
attracting gatherers early morning
dew, wet with wonder, plucked
from the soil for essential
oils and healing poultice
effective against tumors
a soporific to loosen joints
mixed with seeds of gourds
or almonds, permeating
the air as banafsajiyya
Cooling and cleansing
eaten in salads, syrups
and even cleaning
supplies, calming the nerves
with its meandering fragrance
24/30
Zombie
Written on the eternal storm is my destination
I've been writing these poems for what seems like forever
scribed on the stars so they won't be forgotten
printed on flower petals so others could read them
Lately, I began writing them in the comment section
of Rob Zombie's merch and concert page
And oddly enough, someone took notice
I was invited to answer some questions
and told if the answers blew them away
They might get sent to Mr. Zombie himself
With a chance to co-create with the man
Nervously I answered the queries
balking at what could be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity
My thoughts, as they often do, turn to self-doubt
Under pressure to write is something completely different
which gives me even more respect for Zomb.
I've recorded my thoughts on trees
So the sentient beings would remember me
so that the grass would know I was there
so that the clouds that form would storm
In the eternal scorn
With my poetry raining down on the people
Zombie
Written on the eternal storm is my destination
I've been writing these poems for what seems like forever
scribed on the stars so they won't be forgotten
printed on flower petals so others could read them
Lately, I began writing them in the comment section
of Rob Zombie's merch and concert page
And oddly enough, someone took notice
I was invited to answer some questions
and told if the answers blew them away
They might get sent to Mr. Zombie himself
With a chance to co-create with the man
Nervously I answered the queries
balking at what could be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity
My thoughts, as they often do, turn to self-doubt
Under pressure to write is something completely different
which gives me even more respect for Zomb.
I've recorded my thoughts on trees
So the sentient beings would remember me
so that the grass would know I was there
so that the clouds that form would storm
In the eternal scorn
With my poetry raining down on the people
Hidden Echinoderms
if I wanted to research a Firefly Family Flight
beyond today’s current events
happenstance,
I might discover a DNA line
bioluminescence individuals
choosing safety, secretive wonders beneath
a gentle maturation of shine.
Gardens of bright star-like flora
Pollinated via aquatic Fire Flies?
Why not (me) !!!
The path 100% NEW
Yet conquering fearful of
the unknown love
thriving in an abundance of
anonymity
Starfish tried to evolve as they WANTED IN
Crabs and other Mollusks too.
Most with no skeletal investment
succeeded their desire to be
& be in
Knowing only the BRAVE and courageous
ever be able to SEE, actually see
those who remain the Stars within
the Deep Underground,
In the deep end of the pond
wish ‘em well
(no pun intended)
if I wanted to research a Firefly Family Flight
beyond today’s current events
happenstance,
I might discover a DNA line
bioluminescence individuals
choosing safety, secretive wonders beneath
a gentle maturation of shine.
Gardens of bright star-like flora
Pollinated via aquatic Fire Flies?
Why not (me) !!!
The path 100% NEW
Yet conquering fearful of
the unknown love
thriving in an abundance of
anonymity
Starfish tried to evolve as they WANTED IN
Crabs and other Mollusks too.
Most with no skeletal investment
succeeded their desire to be
& be in
Knowing only the BRAVE and courageous
ever be able to SEE, actually see
those who remain the Stars within
the Deep Underground,
In the deep end of the pond
wish ‘em well
(no pun intended)
24/30
Human Nature
After many years of using social media
I have observed human behavior
That is both good and bad
I have read a lot of inspiring stories
As well as negative ones that reeked of toxicity and negative vibes
Some users are not responsible
And post things just for clout
Digital content creators are mushrooming everywhere
It seems creating content for facebook
And other apps is the easy way
To earn a living
Regardless of its value
Followers who lack discernment
Fall prey to these creators' contents
Encouraging them to go on posting worthless things for entertainment
Is being evil rooted in our psyche?
Are humans more inclined to follow
The path of evil
They find pleasure in bullying
I can see a moral decline
And disregard for modesty and humility in social media
Humans are becoming sheeps
Easily swayed and led astray
With all the freedom people enjoy
In social media
They forget that there's a life outside the virtual world
A reality that has to faced and swallowed
No matter how bad and ugly it is
Human Nature
After many years of using social media
I have observed human behavior
That is both good and bad
I have read a lot of inspiring stories
As well as negative ones that reeked of toxicity and negative vibes
Some users are not responsible
And post things just for clout
Digital content creators are mushrooming everywhere
It seems creating content for facebook
And other apps is the easy way
To earn a living
Regardless of its value
Followers who lack discernment
Fall prey to these creators' contents
Encouraging them to go on posting worthless things for entertainment
Is being evil rooted in our psyche?
Are humans more inclined to follow
The path of evil
They find pleasure in bullying
I can see a moral decline
And disregard for modesty and humility in social media
Humans are becoming sheeps
Easily swayed and led astray
With all the freedom people enjoy
In social media
They forget that there's a life outside the virtual world
A reality that has to faced and swallowed
No matter how bad and ugly it is
24/30
don't leave me...
where are you, my darling?
you no longer visit me in my dreams...
i tried searching you among the stars
but all i could find was traces of your fragrance
lingering amongst the stellar streams.
where have you gone, my sweetheart?
are you hiding behind the lovely moon...
i enquired but it only assured me
saying you would return soon.
night is my refuge
cos it's then when i dream
and meet you soul to soul
in the spiritual celestial beams.
i miss you...until my sanity parts
your memories deeply
embedded in my heart
i live by those intangible fragments
of your voice
...your face
your touch
your laughter still echoes in the crevices
of my mind
yes...yes dear
i'm corroding day by day
my soul is becoming brittle
without you i'm just a relic
you were my life
but now
you are far, far away
i can't wait to cross over
and be with you forever
but till my time comes
please be with me in spirit.
don't abandon me
your loss i still feel in my bones
don't leave me, my baby
be with me when i slumber
it's my plea...
you know i love you earth and beyond
one day we'll unite
like two balls of stardust
colliding into each other
your particles and mine
will become a homogenous mixture-
inseparable
in love and love...
twirling in a cosmic dance
until we become one
with the
sacred void.
don't leave me...
where are you, my darling?
you no longer visit me in my dreams...
i tried searching you among the stars
but all i could find was traces of your fragrance
lingering amongst the stellar streams.
where have you gone, my sweetheart?
are you hiding behind the lovely moon...
i enquired but it only assured me
saying you would return soon.
night is my refuge
cos it's then when i dream
and meet you soul to soul
in the spiritual celestial beams.
i miss you...until my sanity parts
your memories deeply
embedded in my heart
i live by those intangible fragments
of your voice
...your face
your touch
your laughter still echoes in the crevices
of my mind
yes...yes dear
i'm corroding day by day
my soul is becoming brittle
without you i'm just a relic
you were my life
but now
you are far, far away
i can't wait to cross over
and be with you forever
but till my time comes
please be with me in spirit.
don't abandon me
your loss i still feel in my bones
don't leave me, my baby
be with me when i slumber
it's my plea...
you know i love you earth and beyond
one day we'll unite
like two balls of stardust
colliding into each other
your particles and mine
will become a homogenous mixture-
inseparable
in love and love...
twirling in a cosmic dance
until we become one
with the
sacred void.
#24
I Took my Inner Child Out for Coffee
I took my inner child out for coffee
But I ordered a tea
She laughed because she thought we
Would be drinking black, muddy coffee
Like papa
But as we sipped on peppermint
She smiled because mama would be so proud
She asked me what it was like
To live her dream
And I was puzzled
At some point
No one really asked her
What she wanted
She became a fly on the wall
To her own existence
When Papa & Mama moved
No one answered her million questions
I’m sorry I didn’t give you a voice sooner
But because of you Ive had adventures far and wide
Picking up any snakes or toads I could find
Because of you I learned how to be silent
In times that saved me
You were so smart to
You have saved me
From apathy
And you have always lived with a full heart
Even when it hurt us
And you have traveled the world and
Helped everyone you could along the way
And now you don’t have to survive
In a world of silence and submission
I’m fighting for a better one
I’m still fighting to become you, again
I Took my Inner Child Out for Coffee
I took my inner child out for coffee
But I ordered a tea
She laughed because she thought we
Would be drinking black, muddy coffee
Like papa
But as we sipped on peppermint
She smiled because mama would be so proud
She asked me what it was like
To live her dream
And I was puzzled
At some point
No one really asked her
What she wanted
She became a fly on the wall
To her own existence
When Papa & Mama moved
No one answered her million questions
I’m sorry I didn’t give you a voice sooner
But because of you Ive had adventures far and wide
Picking up any snakes or toads I could find
Because of you I learned how to be silent
In times that saved me
You were so smart to
You have saved me
From apathy
And you have always lived with a full heart
Even when it hurt us
And you have traveled the world and
Helped everyone you could along the way
And now you don’t have to survive
In a world of silence and submission
I’m fighting for a better one
I’m still fighting to become you, again
24/30
Eerie
Wishing you here
to enjoy your journey
to the stars
Planning your business
dreams of helping anyone
in need through natural means
Only mother nature would
provide what was necessary
for a clear and present fix
How funny life is
And how sad reality can be
Remember me to the moon
And the stars
let them know you’ve
cleared a path for me
When we can resume
the friendship we forged
on planet earth
59 uw
Eerie
Wishing you here
to enjoy your journey
to the stars
Planning your business
dreams of helping anyone
in need through natural means
Only mother nature would
provide what was necessary
for a clear and present fix
How funny life is
And how sad reality can be
Remember me to the moon
And the stars
let them know you’ve
cleared a path for me
When we can resume
the friendship we forged
on planet earth
59 uw
24 of 30
My anger can be like the Rain
My anger can be like the rain
of a storm.
Viciously pelting down,
uncaring in its assault
uncaring to how sad
or how hurt
it can make you.
Pouring and pounding down
soaking you to the quick
so that there is a chill throughout
and that the pain
strikes at the vulnerability within.
It can be the type that drags you down
with its heaviness,
making weary and tired
a sense of uncomfortable weight
expressed from reserves of frustration,
as water from a breached and broken dam
making for a wound that lasts longer.
(Unique Words: 64)
My anger can be like the Rain
My anger can be like the rain
of a storm.
Viciously pelting down,
uncaring in its assault
uncaring to how sad
or how hurt
it can make you.
Pouring and pounding down
soaking you to the quick
so that there is a chill throughout
and that the pain
strikes at the vulnerability within.
It can be the type that drags you down
with its heaviness,
making weary and tired
a sense of uncomfortable weight
expressed from reserves of frustration,
as water from a breached and broken dam
making for a wound that lasts longer.
(Unique Words: 64)
