glopowrimo

soundscape

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a trumpet of a day —
the blue sky humming
the green crackle of grass
the chime of a small white butterfly
dancing to the drumbeat
of yellow sunflowers —
and after the red song of sunset
blazes over the horizon
i listen to the sighs
of the deep black night

 

 

 

 

 

©A. D. Joyce, 2017

NaPoWriMo Lessons Learned

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The first time I tried and completed the poem-a-day challenge for the month of April was in 2011. I compiled the poems I wrote that month in an e-book called “30 Poems, 30 Days: Inside a Poet’s Mind.” Along with the poems, I explain some of the reasoning and even the mechanics behind creating the poems. It’s a fun, interesting read available at Amazon.
What I learned then, and during the next 3 consecutive Aprils, is that the poem-a-day challenge is both easier than you think and harder than you think. Pacing is everything and though we poets are sticklers to details, there is no need for perfection in order to complete the challenge (if you want to stay sane, that is). For me, i learned to do away with my censor and just write. I can always revise my work in May!
©A. D. Joyce, 2017

concurrent events

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the story is centuries old
the land-raped
government-corrupted
children of africa
are laid waste to starvation
kidnapped
exploited
strewn lifeless across dirt roads
bulleted and bled out
their innocence is not lost
simply subjected to indifference

the recently poisoned
breathless
convulsing
children of syria
for whom we would
sacrifice our own
in military aid
are equally as precious

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

©A. D. Joyce, 2017

layers upon layers

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a residential enclave
in the urban landscape:
birdsong instead of fire engine sirens.

traffic noises come from parents
pulling in and out of driveways
taking kids to school
then going to work.

a woman who lives
on the corner of the block
feeds the strays, and sometimes,
even on a cold spring night,
piercing the darkness,
cats scream bloody murder
in the name of love..

©A. D. Joyce, 2017