2024 Official DUP NaPoWriMo Challenge
18/30
The Unweakening II
To stiffen the resolve hadn't occurred
that I would have to strengthen this way
to rise inside the failure of slipping away
to feel it all crumble like sand
The inner void so receptive
as if all potentials were alive there
waiting for air to awaken them
giving in to imagined success
I wouldn't accept their denial
forcing the light into those corners
was the only option in this scenario
to simply refuse to let them die
61 uw
The Unweakening II
To stiffen the resolve hadn't occurred
that I would have to strengthen this way
to rise inside the failure of slipping away
to feel it all crumble like sand
The inner void so receptive
as if all potentials were alive there
waiting for air to awaken them
giving in to imagined success
I wouldn't accept their denial
forcing the light into those corners
was the only option in this scenario
to simply refuse to let them die
61 uw
#18
Tag
Warm summer's day
Outdoors with friends
Play tag, I'm it
Run through gardens
Cobblestone paths
Too young to sit
Carrying weight
Thrill of the chase
Trying my wit
Cut through the grass
Not watching where
Into black pit
Water above
Sunlight fading
Dark walls unlit
Glee to panic
Thrashing around
Life might acquit
Fear's encounter
My second time
Not yet close-knit
Breathing water
Not really
Choking a bit
Hands from heaven
Pull me out quick
Mom threw a fit
True punishment
Deep in my dreams
Never forget
Tagging with fear
Always on edge
Since I'm not it
Tag
Warm summer's day
Outdoors with friends
Play tag, I'm it
Run through gardens
Cobblestone paths
Too young to sit
Carrying weight
Thrill of the chase
Trying my wit
Cut through the grass
Not watching where
Into black pit
Water above
Sunlight fading
Dark walls unlit
Glee to panic
Thrashing around
Life might acquit
Fear's encounter
My second time
Not yet close-knit
Breathing water
Not really
Choking a bit
Hands from heaven
Pull me out quick
Mom threw a fit
True punishment
Deep in my dreams
Never forget
Tagging with fear
Always on edge
Since I'm not it
18/30
Selective Sharing
If we choose to be open books
Then be careful with oversharing
Because some things should be private
Otherwise some won’t be so forbearing
Must we publicize every aspect of our lives?
Is the need to be recognized really that bad?
Undergarments in the sun will have you on the line
And draw the worst criticisms you’ve ever had
Be more diligent, be smarter with your words
Be more selective with what you have and how to say it
Because in oversharing you will certainly be out of touch
And the disconnect will be worse no matter how you play it
67 Unique
101 Total
Selective Sharing
If we choose to be open books
Then be careful with oversharing
Because some things should be private
Otherwise some won’t be so forbearing
Must we publicize every aspect of our lives?
Is the need to be recognized really that bad?
Undergarments in the sun will have you on the line
And draw the worst criticisms you’ve ever had
Be more diligent, be smarter with your words
Be more selective with what you have and how to say it
Because in oversharing you will certainly be out of touch
And the disconnect will be worse no matter how you play it
67 Unique
101 Total
18/30
Gypsies/of/Eclipses
Emerald fields – Becoming a tower
Place
where: You
became
a
Dreamer
Dreaming of far-away lands
Desert sands taking stands in wild desert winds
Chiming rain upon symbolic leaves
Falling
from
eaves
of
trees
Telling you to: Believe in your dreams
***
How I love to hover
over
The
Butter-soft
Cover
Of waves in extensions
of
Cosmic Connections
***
How-each segment/sections/into nexuses & sects
Shimmering into Dominions of Suns
Where:
We
Will always/in/all/ways
Hoist the colors high – Ships into dark matter depths of eclipses
Gypsies/of/Eclipses
Emerald fields – Becoming a tower
Place
where: You
became
a
Dreamer
Dreaming of far-away lands
Desert sands taking stands in wild desert winds
Chiming rain upon symbolic leaves
Falling
from
eaves
of
trees
Telling you to: Believe in your dreams
***
How I love to hover
over
The
Butter-soft
Cover
Of waves in extensions
of
Cosmic Connections
***
How-each segment/sections/into nexuses & sects
Shimmering into Dominions of Suns
Where:
We
Will always/in/all/ways
Hoist the colors high – Ships into dark matter depths of eclipses
18/30
Puma
There's a staleness in the air
There's a stillness in the stare
The prey grazes unaware
There's a hunger for the hunt
There's an anger in the look
There's a danger for the want
In a darkened hillside top
Where the shadows start to drop
Kinetic begins it's pounce
An energy once stored
Now leaps it's way forward
The taste of blood in it's mouth
The puma drags back to it's den
There's still a hunger within
That'll never meet an end
For once the feast is gourged
The hunt begins once more
More bloodthirsty than before
Puma
There's a staleness in the air
There's a stillness in the stare
The prey grazes unaware
There's a hunger for the hunt
There's an anger in the look
There's a danger for the want
In a darkened hillside top
Where the shadows start to drop
Kinetic begins it's pounce
An energy once stored
Now leaps it's way forward
The taste of blood in it's mouth
The puma drags back to it's den
There's still a hunger within
That'll never meet an end
For once the feast is gourged
The hunt begins once more
More bloodthirsty than before
Anonymous
<< post removed >>
18/30
Homage to Modern Minstrel Philosophers - Contemporary Sage
My first encounter
with Natalie
was watching her
appearance
on a late night talk show
She sang so beautifully
in her sonorous,
silky alto.
Lithely dancing
to the rhythm,
arms extended, undulating,
hands moving
in Hula or
Flamenco-like
motions.
A one sided romance
began to bud.
Dare I say?
I fell in love
with this free-spirited
songstress
and her captivating performance.
Her music teaches me
to pay more attention
to the human condition.
To do what I can to lighten the burden
of the downtrodden
Instills a deep sense of gratitude
for acts of kindness
and generosity
that rain on me constantly.
Reminds me to
cherish each moment
of every day
Elucidates the wonder of
each and every woman
compelling me,
as a father,
to introduce her
to my daughter
I feel humbled
to share the same age
with this captivating sage.
Unique word count: 99
Homage to Modern Minstrel Philosophers - Contemporary Sage
My first encounter
with Natalie
was watching her
appearance
on a late night talk show
She sang so beautifully
in her sonorous,
silky alto.
Lithely dancing
to the rhythm,
arms extended, undulating,
hands moving
in Hula or
Flamenco-like
motions.
A one sided romance
began to bud.
Dare I say?
I fell in love
with this free-spirited
songstress
and her captivating performance.
Her music teaches me
to pay more attention
to the human condition.
To do what I can to lighten the burden
of the downtrodden
Instills a deep sense of gratitude
for acts of kindness
and generosity
that rain on me constantly.
Reminds me to
cherish each moment
of every day
Elucidates the wonder of
each and every woman
compelling me,
as a father,
to introduce her
to my daughter
I feel humbled
to share the same age
with this captivating sage.
Unique word count: 99
18/30
The Divide
Blurred psychic lines, not of a conscience
My brain freezes over like December snow
I noticed his eyes, smile, curled hair
Brought him out of his skin, I climbed out too
We explored in conversation, exchanging blinks from across the set
Obvious or not, we felt the same. The air told us so
Scenes pass, I wished I’d been at that table too
Cut, and it’s done. We’re wanting something more
But it couldn’t come from me, for whatever reason. I wish I had the words
So I changed, said goodbye to the rest
He was gone, or.. I didn’t find him
Across the way I found later, as I passed the streets. Longing for a good time to say goodbye
But I drove, I froze again. A blizzard inside.
I just can’t stop thinking about it, why do I have this problem. A supernatural divide
That keeps me from moving out of this cold..
Cold world.
The Divide
Blurred psychic lines, not of a conscience
My brain freezes over like December snow
I noticed his eyes, smile, curled hair
Brought him out of his skin, I climbed out too
We explored in conversation, exchanging blinks from across the set
Obvious or not, we felt the same. The air told us so
Scenes pass, I wished I’d been at that table too
Cut, and it’s done. We’re wanting something more
But it couldn’t come from me, for whatever reason. I wish I had the words
So I changed, said goodbye to the rest
He was gone, or.. I didn’t find him
Across the way I found later, as I passed the streets. Longing for a good time to say goodbye
But I drove, I froze again. A blizzard inside.
I just can’t stop thinking about it, why do I have this problem. A supernatural divide
That keeps me from moving out of this cold..
Cold world.
19/30
A RUN-UP TO WW3?
The media is gunning for World War Three
everyone’s at it, prepare for your fate
like pre- World War One propaganda, you see
Diplomacy’s rattled, you’ve noted of late
as those who want peace are labelled naïve
everyone’s at it, prepare for your fate
Most prefer peace…, though some still believe
war gives you peace, bring it on — count the dead
but peace-niks for peace are labelled naïve
Wars against labels have masterly fed
millions of corpses to fill up the ground
resting in peace — not so bad — count the dead
Hear propaganda, its warring-like sound
preparing your mind to swallow the line
millions of corpses at peace underground
Check out the factoids, the facts of the crime
it’s pre- World War One propaganda, you see
preparing your mind to swallow the line
the media is gunning for World War Three.
A RUN-UP TO WW3?
The media is gunning for World War Three
everyone’s at it, prepare for your fate
like pre- World War One propaganda, you see
Diplomacy’s rattled, you’ve noted of late
as those who want peace are labelled naïve
everyone’s at it, prepare for your fate
Most prefer peace…, though some still believe
war gives you peace, bring it on — count the dead
but peace-niks for peace are labelled naïve
Wars against labels have masterly fed
millions of corpses to fill up the ground
resting in peace — not so bad — count the dead
Hear propaganda, its warring-like sound
preparing your mind to swallow the line
millions of corpses at peace underground
Check out the factoids, the facts of the crime
it’s pre- World War One propaganda, you see
preparing your mind to swallow the line
the media is gunning for World War Three.
#19
Take it
Sometimes special moments catch you off guard
You’re boarding a flight
Flying away to another lifetime
A juncture is upon you
Which way do you go
What direction do you choose to head in
Sometimes in those moments
Everything changes
A new life path carved out in front of you
Ahead lies mystery, perhaps sanctuary
Perhaps scarcity, perhaps anxiety
The unknown can be a thrill to some
However It can be torture to others
I don’t know where I fall on that scale
But I do know I wanna take the dive
Deep dive head first into the unknown
As we can only ever move forwards
I’ve been told life’s not always a straight line
That it’s not… speaking from experience
But we can hold ourselves back
Try to keep the foot on the break
When the car already crashed long ago
How long do you stay in a heap
Crying in a corner, wrecked and weeping
How long do you tell yourself you’re undeserving
Unwanted
Unloved
How long do you hold onto dreams long lost
When do you admit the dream shattered
Glass all over the floor
No illusions here anymore
No more tears, no more torment
You’re flying in the sky
How can you be unhappy in the land where dreams are made
We begin to live a certain story
Start to believe what we’ve told ourselves
But that’s just not true and it’s simply not right
We can be whoever we want
At any point we choose to take it
Unique word count: 154
Take it
Sometimes special moments catch you off guard
You’re boarding a flight
Flying away to another lifetime
A juncture is upon you
Which way do you go
What direction do you choose to head in
Sometimes in those moments
Everything changes
A new life path carved out in front of you
Ahead lies mystery, perhaps sanctuary
Perhaps scarcity, perhaps anxiety
The unknown can be a thrill to some
However It can be torture to others
I don’t know where I fall on that scale
But I do know I wanna take the dive
Deep dive head first into the unknown
As we can only ever move forwards
I’ve been told life’s not always a straight line
That it’s not… speaking from experience
But we can hold ourselves back
Try to keep the foot on the break
When the car already crashed long ago
How long do you stay in a heap
Crying in a corner, wrecked and weeping
How long do you tell yourself you’re undeserving
Unwanted
Unloved
How long do you hold onto dreams long lost
When do you admit the dream shattered
Glass all over the floor
No illusions here anymore
No more tears, no more torment
You’re flying in the sky
How can you be unhappy in the land where dreams are made
We begin to live a certain story
Start to believe what we’ve told ourselves
But that’s just not true and it’s simply not right
We can be whoever we want
At any point we choose to take it
Unique word count: 154
19/30
The river
I am like a flowing river
and that is my motivation
i am mad for the setting sun
and bathe myself in the moonlight,
because I am like a flowing river
i have some dirty feelings
and some horny desires
which invigorates my body
i get hit by many stones in life
but I have controlled my speed
because I am like a flowing river
the person who unable to find himself
and a seeker of peace
flow with me
and attains immense happiness like a waterfall
because I am like a flowing river
i will satisfy the demand
well i meet the salty ocean
always looking at the sky
i thirst for its drops
he sees his reflection in me
and I shrank like a bud
because I am like a flowing river
i dream
a handful of stars
and to fill the darkness enveloped
in dark nights with light,
beyond the negative
I share my feelings and emotions with myself
I am transparent like glass
because i am like a flowing river
my eyes see many pictures of me
rising and falling in the waves of time,
standing in front of the ocean,
i leave my reflection,
I leave my shadow
and spread to the horizon,
i have developed myself
my body, my life, my laughter, my crying,
i am the cause of everything
because I am like a flowing river...
The river
I am like a flowing river
and that is my motivation
i am mad for the setting sun
and bathe myself in the moonlight,
because I am like a flowing river
i have some dirty feelings
and some horny desires
which invigorates my body
i get hit by many stones in life
but I have controlled my speed
because I am like a flowing river
the person who unable to find himself
and a seeker of peace
flow with me
and attains immense happiness like a waterfall
because I am like a flowing river
i will satisfy the demand
well i meet the salty ocean
always looking at the sky
i thirst for its drops
he sees his reflection in me
and I shrank like a bud
because I am like a flowing river
i dream
a handful of stars
and to fill the darkness enveloped
in dark nights with light,
beyond the negative
I share my feelings and emotions with myself
I am transparent like glass
because i am like a flowing river
my eyes see many pictures of me
rising and falling in the waves of time,
standing in front of the ocean,
i leave my reflection,
I leave my shadow
and spread to the horizon,
i have developed myself
my body, my life, my laughter, my crying,
i am the cause of everything
because I am like a flowing river...
19/30
Always A Rose Tinted View
when looking
in ocean blue eyes
want to drink thirstly waters
beyond my fill
yearning
like a lost puppy
inside doing actobatics
feeling akwardly
teenage again
where i am
totally ongue tied
sleep evades
as thoughts swirl
you bring
colourful visions
inspiring the artist's pallette
capturing summer's
vibrancy on canvas
beautiful flower
blooming petals
opening towards sunlight
white amonst red fields
beauty never tires
tthrough an unrequitted
heart...
Unique Words 68
Always A Rose Tinted View
when looking
in ocean blue eyes
want to drink thirstly waters
beyond my fill
yearning
like a lost puppy
inside doing actobatics
feeling akwardly
teenage again
where i am
totally ongue tied
sleep evades
as thoughts swirl
you bring
colourful visions
inspiring the artist's pallette
capturing summer's
vibrancy on canvas
beautiful flower
blooming petals
opening towards sunlight
white amonst red fields
beauty never tires
tthrough an unrequitted
heart...
Unique Words 68
19/30
Words
it’s the burden of being an artist -
we try desperately to express
a particular emotion
or invoke an expected response;
words are a finicky medium,
we can only play with them
so much before the emotion is lost;
If we don’t play with them enough,
we lose the interest of our audience;
So in that sense,
we pour out in a moment of pure emotion
and our words often fail to be adequate;
but there have been times
when I think I’ve pulled it off -
It’s like standing back from painting
and realizing that I’ll be damned,
it really does look like fruit lol
Words
it’s the burden of being an artist -
we try desperately to express
a particular emotion
or invoke an expected response;
words are a finicky medium,
we can only play with them
so much before the emotion is lost;
If we don’t play with them enough,
we lose the interest of our audience;
So in that sense,
we pour out in a moment of pure emotion
and our words often fail to be adequate;
but there have been times
when I think I’ve pulled it off -
It’s like standing back from painting
and realizing that I’ll be damned,
it really does look like fruit lol
19/30
Did the mods send a sand worm ?
I couldn't get this poem to the rocks
out of step I turned and ran
no thumpers to call another idea,
already drowning before the day began.
My sacrifice needs to be quick,
these wet words will be left to bake,
falling into fluidised desert,
a thousand teeth untouched.
A giant sand slide deep inside,
I survived three days speaking worm.
As the cave walls rippled
I offered poems instead of prayer.
The Mod Gods heard my offering
the giant muscle wall convulsed
spewing my poetry onto day twenty.
The city has listened to its warning.
The mental block has repented
and here I sit in the shade of my stanzas
I wont complain, for I know another worm
could easily eat everything I write.
Did the mods send a sand worm ?
I couldn't get this poem to the rocks
out of step I turned and ran
no thumpers to call another idea,
already drowning before the day began.
My sacrifice needs to be quick,
these wet words will be left to bake,
falling into fluidised desert,
a thousand teeth untouched.
A giant sand slide deep inside,
I survived three days speaking worm.
As the cave walls rippled
I offered poems instead of prayer.
The Mod Gods heard my offering
the giant muscle wall convulsed
spewing my poetry onto day twenty.
The city has listened to its warning.
The mental block has repented
and here I sit in the shade of my stanzas
I wont complain, for I know another worm
could easily eat everything I write.
