April 25 Poem - The Funeral

write a poem with an event for a title:

The Organist's Funeral

A visiting chorus he didn't like the sound of
sang works he wasn't fond of, and an organist
he didn't approve of accompanied.

His ashes were buried permanently in a town
couldn't wait to get out of...

-- Mistryel Walker

Video from Wed. Night Poetry on YouTube

Just wanted to give a plug to new channel on YouTube. I was getting so many videos of other folks reading their poems on my thePuzzledDragon channel, that it seemed logical to make another one for those videos. I mentioned it in a previous post. You might also check out the subscriptions page, as I have subscribed that channel to lots of poetry channels on youtube, both slam and academic, local and international. Lots of great stuff to be found there.

April 24 Poem - Location, Location, Location

Write a travel related poem.

Location location location

Bowed down with a pondfull of cold rain
the tent collapses on top of us, blue nylon
covering all: bugs, formerly dry socks and boots,
two unpacked packs, open sleeping bags ,
four blistered feet. We prop the arching poles,
don dripping panchos, struggle to stretch
a flapping tarp at the proper angle. Soaked
and weary, we shiver in the dark roar of the storm's
wind rushing up the ravine we are camped on
the edge off

-- Mistryel Walker

April 23 poem - Preparation's End

write a poem of regret:

Preparation's end

Mr. Buzz - with his careful stripe suit and
showroom of grand pianos - asked me to teach
voice in his music school in 1973.
Fresh from three years music study
(three not four)....I declined. This was just the start...
I've made a life-time study of self-doubt detours:
on other paths, watching the second choice
half-succeed at jobs I thought
I wasn't good enough to take...
Does a flower appraise its petals?
What difference would it make - it
cannot stop itself blooming...
Only a human being is stupid enough for this.

-- Mistryel Walker

Bent Pin: Nature Poems by Polly Brody

Nature poems and bird photos by Polly Brody are up on Bent Pin.  Follow this link to take a look


UPDATE: Bent Pin closed in November of 2009. The Bent Pin Archive and Index are moving, albeit slowly.... to:

http://bentpinquarterly.blogspot.com   Note: the author index now at http://bentpinquarterly.blogspot.com/p/author-index.html is part of the archive

April 22 Poem - Thankless

write a work related poem

Thankless

windows turn from yellow-peach
to black, don't bother with blinds
don't drown in razor coffee just
keep grinding out copy
think, type fast as you can
calves tucked under, body wriggling
in a roller chair, in a tiny cube.
think, edit, make a call,
nuture six stories all at once,
one last quote, double check the math
by midnight you file and swear.
Nap on the orange vinyl couch
Tomorrow, both sides call
You make them sound wrong, they say.
so this time, you did it right, pissed off both sides....
Every day another test.
Go home, sweat in your sleep.
in your dream every one is swearing:
"GOD DAMN MEDIA"

-- Mistryel Walker

April 21 poem - Forecast

haiku, poem about the haiku

Forecast

tight spiral green ferns
uncurling near the stone wall
hard frost tomorrow

On forecasts:

If we knew what was coming
would we set out anyway?
Follow the map until we
sail off the edge of the known world
and make a brand new map?
Let the revisions begin.