Recently, I connected with a couple of growing poetry groups on Twitter: Realistic Poetry and Samantha's Daily Wisdom Words. Both are awesome communities for casual and professional poets alike, and both frequently feature writing prompts.
Personally, I have not written any poetry in quite some time, but the prompts in my Twitter feed got me not only curious, but engaged as well. Of course, Twitter has its limitations when it comes to length, but like flash fiction, it challenges me to cut out words that are not needed.
Over the past few weeks, I have made it a point to participate in both groups, and here are some of the resulting poems, all written on the spot without any editing.
Transmission - Daily Wisdom word
The words hang in the air
suspended question marks
as I stare at a blank wall
avoiding your gaze
The words I ignore
unwilling to admit
the transmission has failed
and our understanding faltered
The words hang in the air
painful reminders
of what we used to be
but are no more
***
Altruism - Daily Wisdom Words
When I was
teetering
on the edge of
life and death
And you mourned
the loss
of the one you
loved
since the day you
said "I do"
our paths,
separate roads to perdition
crossed to be a
united path
to be whole again
through
altruistic care
You saved my life
and I gave you
back yours
***
These next two were based on a writing prompt from Realistic Poetry International - Domestic Violence / Sexual Assault
Domestic violence
A stand-up man
with nothing to stand up for
unable to love
more than one at a time
while the other two
shiver knowing
their turn will come
and the one loved yesterday
would be beaten today
Torn between devotion and fear
not knowing
which day it is today for me
***
Sexual Assault
With a knife against my throat
and hot breath on the back of my neck
the night turned from pleasant
to a nightmare
Discarded behind bushes
feet away from light
I sobbed
shaking like a hurt animal
on the edge of life and death
I rose stronger
never again allowing
to be a victim
***
Eternity - Daily Wisdom Word
A hand in hand
we walk along the shore
while slow moving waves
roll sand grains
back and forth
for eternity
In an antediluvian ritual
two souls connected
breathing in nature's rhythm
when time loses meaning
and all else ceases to matter
except emotions
we never knew existed
***
Sexual Assault - Realistic Poetry International
When I was young
full of hopes and dreams
looking up to you for guidance
You used your power
to take advantage of my body
When my tears dried
and the body aches faded away
the pain inside persisted
haunting me for years to come
as I blamed myself
until I learned to forgive
***
Vision - Daily Wisdom Word
Eyes blinded by glare
of all we are
supposed to admire
Vision blurred
yet on the periphery
there is a glimmer of hope
For beyond the pedestals
truth awaits patiently
for those who seek
more than what we are fed
***
Prose - Daily Wisdom Word
Prose - and why not
when all rhymes have been used
and all riddles solved
Prose - comforting
as the sheets of dusk
descend to wrap me in loneliness
Prose - an old friend
when the house is quiet
but I cannot yet sleep
Prose - always there
truths and lies
for the inquisitive.
***
Love on Father’s Day, an image prompt
Your hand
so small in mine
soft
unlike the calluses
I endured
carrying you this far
Past this broken bridge
a new life awaits
those who seek
more
than you can experience
here, in what we leave
behind
sorrows can remain
and past will be just that
a past
***
An image prompt of three staircases, with the middle one lit up
On their race to the top
many are blinded
by the bright staircase
enticing the runners
with its golden promises
and straight paths to success
Yet many move too fast
failing to spot
the inevitable drain
which swallows most of them
just as they are
about to take the first step
***
An image prompt sunrise over prairie
Though the sun rises
as faithfully as it always does
our moments together
are but shadows
of our former selves
blinded by the glaring light
And what we imagined
to be the sunrise
of our life together
are two shadow prints
forever framed
by our mutual nuclear annihilation
***
An image prompt - GIF feet moving on grass
Toes scratching at the grass
in motion yet stationary
you remain tied to your past
scraping at the earth
from which you were born.
The promises of better days
lie somewhere ahead
in the future distant
as the past you no longer recall
yet feel every time you breathe
Move, be free.
***
Labels - Daily Wisdom Word
Like discarded mess
in an old drawer
we're conditioned to conform
to some predisposed purpose
based on labels assigned
These labels come easy
yet are hard to remove
be it geek, rebel, punk
as we grow
the unfit labels tie us down
restricting true potential
Don't label us
Please!
***
Image Prompt, message in a bottle on a beach
message of thwarted love
tossed into the sea
Or a cry for help
from lips
that no longer breathe
I came upon you
while searching for peace
along a shore
amidst pebbles
seeking solitude
Shall I uncork the bottle
and read the words
that don't belong to me
Or leave
both of us be
***
Passion - Daily Wisdom Word
Torn apart
from within and without
consumed by emotions
I never knew existed
until I abandoned all
I knew before you
Only by severing ties
I allowed myself
to immerse completely
into you and all you gave
with relentless passion
I eagerly accepted
Trading my hell
for your heaven
***
If you are on Twitter, you can check out both groups at
https://twitter.com/Samanylize for Daily Wisdom Words https://t.co/4KiZLqY9JF
and https://twitter.com/RealisticPoetry for Realistic Poetry International
You can always find me on Twitter as well @MadDaysofMe
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