OFFICIAL DUP Glo/NaPoWriMo 2021 Competition

10/30

10/30

Erased

I turned to the ocean and spat
I stomped each shell
And kicked the sand
I prayed the sun would leave
So I could drown myself in marine layers
Alone, where none could see

I turned to my garden and uprooted
Every second of my labor. My sweat. My blood.
Plucking each feathery petal off their stems, I ripped their leaves last
I’ve had enough company

I turned to the mountains above
My sacred trees and murky lakes
I built a bed of stone and twisted twigs
Adorned with bark, needles, and layers of moss
Striking a match, I watched my memories rot before me

10 of 30

The king of troglodytes


black the saw
white the wire masticated,
emulated. the wren torn within,
he heathes from tawned leather and lifts
a song scolding the sky's soft skin

lands of emptied teacups
the umbered tarnish of burial soil
and collection plates

we lofty stall
at the moment to play along.
the risen king, the fallen saint,
the beaten choirboy protected
by lightening. Their bed of gorse,
their leafy fame.

54 unique words of 69 total

10/30

Tribute to the Duke of Edinburgh (Acrostic)

Duty and commitment so tied
Understanding, with a sense of pride
Keen of wit and sometimes rude
Ever keen to laugh at fools

Offered his all, regardless of strife
Fervour to stand, all his married life

Exemplary consort and husband too
Destined from the  shadows, to glow so true
Inventive and sharp, an award he did start
Needing young people, life skills to  impart
Bringing his best in the hour of need
Unstoppable, in his will to achieve
Rest on just laurels, the time has now come
Grant him the peace he has earned for so long
Honour his memory with sentiments strong

10/30


The Worst Love Song Ever!


I wish I could have loved you
The way you need to feel it

We’ve traversed the plank so many times
Salvation hanging in the balance

Your love always focused
I could wrap myself within its cloak

I wish I could have loved you
The way you need to feel it

Two smashed beings - never to be mended
Meant to be forever-destined to self destruct

I wish I could have loved you
The way you could have felt it.

If only I could tell you this
I can’t, it’s not who I am

As I slumber,
no rest will refresh me
My eyes will close
and I’ll see you
Restlessly
wishing-

I wish I could have loved you
The way you could have heard it


(54 unique words)

10 of 30

Accord

I trusted today,
A rope no greater than a cord,
Surprisingly,
I was met with an exhilarating accord.
I enjoyed the day,
It seemed more like play,
Suspended upon a prusik hitch.
The sun did shine and the mortar,
She stuck like an old vine,
She laid just fine,
Resting with the weathered stone.
So this day,
In the chill that goes hand in hand,
With sun warmed skin,
The thought sinks in;
I can smile at what was done,
Now no more water's getting in.

#10  of 30

The Winds Of Destiny


separate ways
acute differences
confusion and pain
broken dreams
lonely old nights

empty arms
desolate souls
forever searching
no miracle of love
for the heart this time

it's kinda crazy
what feelings can do
bringing obsessions
starting madness
in darkness

conquered sanity
reason slowly dripping
who will win
demons or angels
fate decides

Unique word count 53
Total word count 53

10/30

Anxiety is...

cognitive distortion.
uneasy, disquieted,
restlessness mind.

obsessive rumination,
racing thoughts—
suspicion (of what?)
sudden misgivings about... everything.

debilitating exhaustion.
despondency... will it ever end?

tattered nerves.
disorientation, the walls are different, suddenly
they speak another language.

queasiness, accompanied by cold sweat.
jittery, chattering teeth.

Anxiety is not—

excuse for error.  

11/30

Lessons in life part 8……Tamagotchi ghosts

The two babies that lived wanted a dog
so I bought them electronic pets.
Made up some nonsense about
if they could look after that
they could look after a puppy
just to delay the day really,
but of course, we still bought a bitch.

They soon stopped feeding them
forgot to give them exercise
no water for days, always an excuse
always me who stepped in
to pick up the shit, literally.

The puppy died at sixteen, a grand old girl.
The boys left home and all their unwanted crap,
I found the dead Tamagotchi’s
at the bottom of an assorted Lego box,
they where buried with memories
I thought I'd forgotten, I tried for hours
to revive her, but some things
are just programmed to die.

If I listen too hard, I can still hear the breathing
on nights when I can’t hold my breath any longer.

11/30

thanks, she takes after god

she’s a powerhouse of 4 foot fuck all
electricity jumping through her veins
extending such a distance from her frame
with all the joy, without excuse
she walks in confidence
she walks in compassion
she plays in goddamned stars
and instinctive intelligence

lives life like a song, this girl
soul pouring out of fingertips into creation
reads the subtext under your small print
has already learned the truth is underneath

she knows the value of fortitude, attitude
self-possession
says yes or no or sorry, means it
cups her world in sturdy little hands
eyes unfazed
kid was born with a face that said
she’d done this before

bright orange daisies remind me of her
sunshine bouncy bob-cut
freckle spackled nose
her fuego burns righteous
and quick and logic
and problem, what problem
‘cos anything can be fixed
with some kind of currency

she walks in couch cuddles and cupcakes
in notes and morning cups of tea
speaks every love language fluently
she walks in beauty
stands brave for those afraid to speak
pretty tall for her 4 foot fuck all
can’t wait to see what she does with the world
this time

10/30

Knowledge Is Power, Poetry Is Law

I stand before you
The over-seer of all
The coup de gras of what’s true
The answer to every call
I exist beyond the mortal realm
Where time has no speed
Space and gravity will overwhelm
The weakest link with much greed
I have foreseen the distant future
And witnessed much destruction
Heard the cries from the Earth’s stupor
So I come to you with instruction
Lay down your feeble rights
And harken upon my words
Put an end to these pointless fights
Kill off your hatred like mocking birds
Redirect love into your souls
Pick up your pens and paper
One month of poems is Napo’s goals
You are your only savior
Do this in a timely fashion
And you’ll be praised with Ooh’s and awe
Stay steadfast with passion
Knowledge is power, poetry is law

10/30
These Moments

I live for these moments
The days that all we do is work
But we still manage to laugh and smile
Although we have to be productive
We get to do it together
No matter how much we have to get done
Or how many hours we have to spend working
At least we can see each other
And pick each other up when we are getting discouraged
Then we get to take breaks
And have more fun
Listening to music, getting food, or just talking
These are the moments that I love

10/30

1984

my third-grade
third-floor classroom;
it’s twenty past lunch,
I’m late...again;
I still have to yet to ask
because my lips are afraid,
but I finally say it ~
what I know
my teacher wants to hear:
May I please leave
for my other class,
Ma’am?
she waves me off
without ever looking up;
I run the whole way

room 302,
in an old brick building
thirty-two steps beyond
the sun-baked playground;
I’m past due by over
half an hour, and yet
kind, moss-green eyes
soften, seeing all the way in;
it somehow comforts  
the constant sting of being
so constantly awkward;
I don’t know how
she knows,
I just know that  
she does

Ms. Munsterman’s shock
of rebellious-cropped
wavy red hair
smelled of sandalwood
and solid self-worth;
the fragrance of freedom ~
a curious composite
of scandalous divorce
and cashmeran
kissing clove cigarettes,
smoked in secret
somewhere
in the teacher’s lounge;
the glue which bound her
to my fondest memories

her gravelly voice
read with smooth confidence,
enunciating each sound
perfectly from between
bronze-orange lips with
unabashed affection
for character inflection ~
it sought and soothed
my hypersensitivity
to the unrelenting
stimuli around me;
I loved her honestly
for this gift

The Lion’s Paw taught me
how to escape this world
alongside two orphans
with a stolen boat,
but it was she who taught me
how to come back and tell
the tale honestly
when the adventure
is over, and also
why it’s so important
to come back at all  

#10

Cult of Personality

What would be more dangerous?
If you knew my address,
 birthdate,
   various government numbers
You could track me down,
take all my money,
 leave me without material comfort,
but you still wouldn’t know
Who
I
Am.

Would it put me at risk to tell you?
I’m Luna Lovegood
Spider Man
Michael Scott
Arwen
Willy Wonka
Captain Kirk
and Qui-Gon Jinn
all rolled into one.

Would it make me vulnerable?
To say I’m also Orange,
a Capricorn,
a Turbulent Campaigner,
an Alchemist,
an Apostle,
an Empath,
and a Sexual Four-wing-Three.
If you know what all that means,
perhaps you could pick apart my psyche,
predict my every move,
know me better than I know myself…
…or so the test-makers would like you to believe.

However,
I just did it --
and I’m really not that scared.