2024 Official DUP NaPoWriMo Challenge
30/30
A Tiny Bit of Peace
Out of nothingness came light
I don’t know or understand it
Tentatively I tread forward knowing
There is a guiding hand, unseen yet felt
At the first sign of falter I’m skittish
Ready to run- away…far away
But the light, it wraps around me
I stay not fully grasping why
The concept eludes me because
I can’t touch it, or see it, only feel it
I’ve come to appreciate its presence
Hoping it won’t leave,
never feeling fully comfortable
65 u/w
A Tiny Bit of Peace
Out of nothingness came light
I don’t know or understand it
Tentatively I tread forward knowing
There is a guiding hand, unseen yet felt
At the first sign of falter I’m skittish
Ready to run- away…far away
But the light, it wraps around me
I stay not fully grasping why
The concept eludes me because
I can’t touch it, or see it, only feel it
I’ve come to appreciate its presence
Hoping it won’t leave,
never feeling fully comfortable
65 u/w
#30/30
Last Day
I could think of many things to write
Now that it's the last day of NaPo
I could write about some memories
That are popping up lately
Like that memory of dancing the Pangalay
In my silk batawi
When I was a little girl
But now I don't need to think more
And dwell on those memories
There will be a time for that
A time for sharing vignettes
Of my past life
My last entry doesn't have to be
Long or verbose
Just a little over fifty words would be enough
Today I can be complacent
For finishing the 30 days of NaPo
It's a feat that I can be proud of
A proof that I CAN if I think I can
For now I bid April goodbye
As I welcome the month of May
It was a wonderful month of writing
Last Day
I could think of many things to write
Now that it's the last day of NaPo
I could write about some memories
That are popping up lately
Like that memory of dancing the Pangalay
In my silk batawi
When I was a little girl
But now I don't need to think more
And dwell on those memories
There will be a time for that
A time for sharing vignettes
Of my past life
My last entry doesn't have to be
Long or verbose
Just a little over fifty words would be enough
Today I can be complacent
For finishing the 30 days of NaPo
It's a feat that I can be proud of
A proof that I CAN if I think I can
For now I bid April goodbye
As I welcome the month of May
It was a wonderful month of writing
30/30
to see tomorrow
I jumped
At the sound of the slamming door –
And for a second,
I almost turned away from the pistol
Aimed at me,
My answers apparently
Not yet enough –
“The courier sent me,” for starters –
A basement that can barely be seen
Unless you
Know what to look for –
Filled with guns and bombs and
Whatever wasteland ware you need.
But you also need to be known.
“She said the Courier told her about this place,”
Her pistol remained steady.
A low voice then spoke behind me,
“Really…vaultie?”
(The hairs at the back
Of my neck
Prickled.)
The woman in front of me
Raised one scarred brow
At whoever
Is behind me.
I do not dare to turn around.
A deep chuckle, this time,
And then –
“She's telling the truth.
Doc sent a message from Goodsprings.
I guess the vaultie already met Six.”
And then I was free.
Until I turned around and met
Hazel eyes in the low lights.
“Hi.”
He smiled.
“I know you.”
I blurted out –
“I mean, Doc told me about you, too.”
An hour
And we both were out of there,
My new companion
And I.
The radio plays on
With the same old songs,
The dangers still lurk,
And the roads stay as dark and
Barren as they were –
But now,
There are a hundred
Questions in between,
Some laughs and a million stories –
And,
Come tomorrow,
Another tomorrow I get,
I won't be alone.
to see tomorrow
I jumped
At the sound of the slamming door –
And for a second,
I almost turned away from the pistol
Aimed at me,
My answers apparently
Not yet enough –
“The courier sent me,” for starters –
A basement that can barely be seen
Unless you
Know what to look for –
Filled with guns and bombs and
Whatever wasteland ware you need.
But you also need to be known.
“She said the Courier told her about this place,”
Her pistol remained steady.
A low voice then spoke behind me,
“Really…vaultie?”
(The hairs at the back
Of my neck
Prickled.)
The woman in front of me
Raised one scarred brow
At whoever
Is behind me.
I do not dare to turn around.
A deep chuckle, this time,
And then –
“She's telling the truth.
Doc sent a message from Goodsprings.
I guess the vaultie already met Six.”
And then I was free.
Until I turned around and met
Hazel eyes in the low lights.
“Hi.”
He smiled.
“I know you.”
I blurted out –
“I mean, Doc told me about you, too.”
An hour
And we both were out of there,
My new companion
And I.
The radio plays on
With the same old songs,
The dangers still lurk,
And the roads stay as dark and
Barren as they were –
But now,
There are a hundred
Questions in between,
Some laughs and a million stories –
And,
Come tomorrow,
Another tomorrow I get,
I won't be alone.
30/30 !!!!!!
Perspective
I’ve chosen a life that constantly alters
But I always have as well
In the beginning I chose this way
So I could run from myself
Now I believe truly that each step I take is
Feeding my soul
Thinking more clearly
Dwelling in my body
Deciding that each experience
I’ve encountered is a lesson and a blessing
And as I’m packing my bags again
To live a different life
This time I can be sure of myself
To not give up the fight
Not let that old self whisper to me
That I do not belong
Because home is where I am
And now it’s safe and it’s warm
{75 unique words}
Perspective
I’ve chosen a life that constantly alters
But I always have as well
In the beginning I chose this way
So I could run from myself
Now I believe truly that each step I take is
Feeding my soul
Thinking more clearly
Dwelling in my body
Deciding that each experience
I’ve encountered is a lesson and a blessing
And as I’m packing my bags again
To live a different life
This time I can be sure of myself
To not give up the fight
Not let that old self whisper to me
That I do not belong
Because home is where I am
And now it’s safe and it’s warm
{75 unique words}
30 of 30
Theme 3: Attitudes of Life
april song 30—all my life (finale)
were all my days renumbered as the grains
of sand that on the ocean fringes pine,
i wonder what would be my remnant gains,
ere vibrant youth yields to life’s swift decline.
would all my paeans wither with the dawn,
to cadence like the sacrificial fawn?
were all my life the lyrics of one poem
—a ballad of engaging latitude—
whose metaphors compelled bright stars to know ’em,
would death accord a lither attitude
to destinies my journey must fulfil
before earth silence makes its final kill?
© cab♫
UWC 68
30/30
The Unweakening V
To go where wild things thrive
to accept their uncertainty as our own
becoming part of a whole effort
communing with every voice
Amidst the heaviness of constricts
carrying its weight to some destination
it all becomes useful work to endure
and see what emerges of it, understanding
That joy is naught without pain
and love though fleeting thrives in lack
and each one to the other is undone
so the pack we carry is heavy as we percieve
64 uw
The Unweakening V
To go where wild things thrive
to accept their uncertainty as our own
becoming part of a whole effort
communing with every voice
Amidst the heaviness of constricts
carrying its weight to some destination
it all becomes useful work to endure
and see what emerges of it, understanding
That joy is naught without pain
and love though fleeting thrives in lack
and each one to the other is undone
so the pack we carry is heavy as we percieve
64 uw
30/30
Finishing Line
One final poem
before resting my quill
allowing a moment
for my muse to refill
Thirty in thirty
quite a goal to meet
writing daily
no small feat
It was a challenge
of that I am sure
an accomplishment
not simple but pure
The finishing line
now in plain sight
signing off
with one last write
Removing my glasses
putting down my pen
until the next time
rhyme inspires again
Finishing Line
One final poem
before resting my quill
allowing a moment
for my muse to refill
Thirty in thirty
quite a goal to meet
writing daily
no small feat
It was a challenge
of that I am sure
an accomplishment
not simple but pure
The finishing line
now in plain sight
signing off
with one last write
Removing my glasses
putting down my pen
until the next time
rhyme inspires again
#30 of 30
And Finished
Upon reaching journey's end,
no sense of exhaustion or over exertion,
instead
Mild surprise at the distance travelled
and creeping realisation that
the finish line has been reached
with no need
to keep the pace any longer,
with idle thoughts
of what to do next
at a more leisurely speed
but this time
without the need for marked progress.
(Unique words: 50)
And Finished
Upon reaching journey's end,
no sense of exhaustion or over exertion,
instead
Mild surprise at the distance travelled
and creeping realisation that
the finish line has been reached
with no need
to keep the pace any longer,
with idle thoughts
of what to do next
at a more leisurely speed
but this time
without the need for marked progress.
(Unique words: 50)
30/30
Island?
It's not worth the effort,
so never think that
we need other people;
experience has shown that
we can manage alone,
contrary to thinking
relationships are everything,
I choose to believe that
independence
trumps
interdependence
because
I am an island, just like in the song
so I'll stop thinking that
my social skills are broken.
it's just not true that
everybody needs someone
and this is OK:
I rely on myself
and can't honestly say
I need you.
[now read this from bottom to top]
Island?
It's not worth the effort,
so never think that
we need other people;
experience has shown that
we can manage alone,
contrary to thinking
relationships are everything,
I choose to believe that
independence
trumps
interdependence
because
I am an island, just like in the song
so I'll stop thinking that
my social skills are broken.
it's just not true that
everybody needs someone
and this is OK:
I rely on myself
and can't honestly say
I need you.
[now read this from bottom to top]
#30
Crushing Rituals
Intentionally isolated
Alone to my thoughts
Microdosing on you
Enough to remember
How the air lightens
Among your presence
From shadow's depths
Behind iron barricades
I recreate your essence
With a time portal ritual,
Tainted history, hostage
Drawing deep from past
My 'you' raises from ash
Decrepit in my conceit
While barely your image
It suffices my fantasy
Falling for my reflection
In your eyes, so hollow
I rip my heart in pieces
To perpetuate this love
Of you loving myself
Crushing Rituals
Intentionally isolated
Alone to my thoughts
Microdosing on you
Enough to remember
How the air lightens
Among your presence
From shadow's depths
Behind iron barricades
I recreate your essence
With a time portal ritual,
Tainted history, hostage
Drawing deep from past
My 'you' raises from ash
Decrepit in my conceit
While barely your image
It suffices my fantasy
Falling for my reflection
In your eyes, so hollow
I rip my heart in pieces
To perpetuate this love
Of you loving myself
30 of 30
Looking forward
And though it's taken 30 nights,
To walk across the desert sands,
I know,
I’ll walk some more.
These moments,
Flitting in the wind.
Are precious moments,
Memories and their habits,
Reformed within.
And for all the weight,
Unaired thoughts do raise,
And,
Their consciousness brings,
The spice dreams,
The living dreams,
The waking dreams,
These walks upon,
The unforgiving sands of time,
Place their threads in place.
Looking back and forth
Onwards and within,
I'm looking forward,
To trawling the words written in skin,
Taking my time,
And letting them,
Soak in.
Looking forward
And though it's taken 30 nights,
To walk across the desert sands,
I know,
I’ll walk some more.
These moments,
Flitting in the wind.
Are precious moments,
Memories and their habits,
Reformed within.
And for all the weight,
Unaired thoughts do raise,
And,
Their consciousness brings,
The spice dreams,
The living dreams,
The waking dreams,
These walks upon,
The unforgiving sands of time,
Place their threads in place.
Looking back and forth
Onwards and within,
I'm looking forward,
To trawling the words written in skin,
Taking my time,
And letting them,
Soak in.
#30
The void
I talk to you
Indiscreetly
Incompletely
With this rhyme
I’m talking to you
Through vibrations
Sound waves
And a mime
You’re calculating
You’re converting
And converging
To the why
I’m suffering
Suffocating
Synthesising
Deep inside
___
I’m in desperate need
I need all your help
Can’t handle all of this
Worldly pressure
I beg I need to leave
I’m trapped and being squashed in
I all of a sudden feel
Like death
What on earth is this place
What and where am I now
I need to leave this place
Disappear
I do not like this world
Oh no now not at all
Who and why am I right now
It can’t be real
___
Please come and let me leave
Please come and make me go
Need to get out of all
Of these places
If I push back hard against this wall
With all of my weight
Can’t I for a minute forget or
Remember
Sorry but I’m leaving now
I’m taking off
Going home again
But forever
I’m taking shape at last
Taking true form again
Look I’m coming through
The void
Unique word count: 109
The void
I talk to you
Indiscreetly
Incompletely
With this rhyme
I’m talking to you
Through vibrations
Sound waves
And a mime
You’re calculating
You’re converting
And converging
To the why
I’m suffering
Suffocating
Synthesising
Deep inside
___
I’m in desperate need
I need all your help
Can’t handle all of this
Worldly pressure
I beg I need to leave
I’m trapped and being squashed in
I all of a sudden feel
Like death
What on earth is this place
What and where am I now
I need to leave this place
Disappear
I do not like this world
Oh no now not at all
Who and why am I right now
It can’t be real
___
Please come and let me leave
Please come and make me go
Need to get out of all
Of these places
If I push back hard against this wall
With all of my weight
Can’t I for a minute forget or
Remember
Sorry but I’m leaving now
I’m taking off
Going home again
But forever
I’m taking shape at last
Taking true form again
Look I’m coming through
The void
Unique word count: 109
30/30
CAT x 2
Cat needs
Because cat is bred
Sometimes it’s a fresh
Bowl of bonito flakes
At 6 am
Sometimes it’s a jump
Into your lap
While you are typing
Sometimes it’s a bite
On your calf to remind you
Play with me
Cat is wild
Yet a pet
Cat will sleep
—
Cat kneads
Because cat is bread
Sometimes it’s a sweet
Curled up and warm
Cinnamon roll
Sometimes it’s a plump
Springy full of fluff
Loaf
Sometimes it’s a long
Crusty stretched-out sour
Baguette
Cat is simple
Yet complex
Cat will rise
(59 uw)
CAT x 2
Cat needs
Because cat is bred
Sometimes it’s a fresh
Bowl of bonito flakes
At 6 am
Sometimes it’s a jump
Into your lap
While you are typing
Sometimes it’s a bite
On your calf to remind you
Play with me
Cat is wild
Yet a pet
Cat will sleep
—
Cat kneads
Because cat is bread
Sometimes it’s a sweet
Curled up and warm
Cinnamon roll
Sometimes it’s a plump
Springy full of fluff
Loaf
Sometimes it’s a long
Crusty stretched-out sour
Baguette
Cat is simple
Yet complex
Cat will rise
(59 uw)
30/30
Pathway/s/of/Dark/Metanoia
Architectural structures – Alignments paradigms of poetry
Shadow/s/ stretching/ – Fields emerald breath/ing: Breeze
Fluid cosmos – A pouring forth in the back & forth of: Waves
Perhaps we shall be reborn in profound inspections of introspections
Sounds - Breezes leaving eaves
Leaves
Secrets
as
Sacred locations
***
Every verdure in nature as: Place to possibly
Potentially
Breathe last breath
Metanoia as flash – Fl/ash as brash interconnectedness across
Cold universe in verses of lostness and vastness
Found
Finally
In
The
Finality: Cloaked in sulfur
&
Smoke: Invoked – Evoked
Pathway/s/of/Dark/Metanoia
Architectural structures – Alignments paradigms of poetry
Shadow/s/ stretching/ – Fields emerald breath/ing: Breeze
Fluid cosmos – A pouring forth in the back & forth of: Waves
Perhaps we shall be reborn in profound inspections of introspections
Sounds - Breezes leaving eaves
Leaves
Secrets
as
Sacred locations
***
Every verdure in nature as: Place to possibly
Potentially
Breathe last breath
Metanoia as flash – Fl/ash as brash interconnectedness across
Cold universe in verses of lostness and vastness
Found
Finally
In
The
Finality: Cloaked in sulfur
&
Smoke: Invoked – Evoked
