Many moons ago I received these metaphor dice from my friend Taylor Mali. I was/am supposed to give feedback. I JUST put them together today. I will send feedback after I see what we come up with. The pix didn't turn out well but I'm including them anyway, so you can see how I came up with the prompts. Your choice of three. One or all.
1. A broken heart feels like an old guitar case.
2.The future gentle blessing.
3. Happiness is a duct-taped couch on the back porch in summer.
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ReplyDeletea distant dog bark
echoed in the darkness
the breeze cooled
sweaty brows
a sigh escaped
satisfied souls
that worked all day
resting now
in sweet recline
on the old recliner
patched ‘n’ worn
hidden by fragrant wisteria
on the porch
surrounding half
the house...
Pretty picture, good job of painting it.
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ReplyDeletein the attic
he opened the old
guitar case
the instrument
still shiny inside
just like when she
played her tunes
and sang her songs
now...gone
leaving him with
bits and pieces
of hurt and pain
that memories cause
Sure, nice interpretation, sad tale.
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ReplyDeletemaybe it’s the flu
she thought
and worried heartily
mother would kill her
and dad would whoop
her half to death
but she’d had her fun
and deserved to die
if only, if only
she’d denied herself pleasure
and stayed away from him
but love talk and
her beautiful eyes
disguised and clouded
clear reality
sleep washed her free
morning came
and the blood on her sheet
saved her soul
her blessing
...period
Woo hoo! Whew! nice job too.
DeleteI like all of these, but the third one really clicks,
ReplyDeletethank you, Tad...
DeleteI like all of them too. I'm so glad the prompts worked. I wasn't sure if random dice rolls would work, but it's better than I could have anticipated.
DeleteHappiness is a duct-taped couch on the back porch in summer.
ReplyDeleteThis couch is so old
the layers of duct tape
holding it
together shred
when I sit too hard.
It was new when I held
new babies
rocked and nursed them,
the flowered fabric
far too bright for my taste.
My eyes gazed
out transversely
across the backyard,
watched songbirds land in trees
near the pond.
Now my children
have children and I
have grown old. But I can't
bring myself
to trash the couch,
colors so faded
I only see the duct tape.
But I can still
watch the songbirds
in trees near the pond.
Sweet.
Deletethis is amazing!!! I think that the metaphor dice are a great idea!!
DeleteNicely done and cute too.
DeleteHEARTS
ReplyDeleteThey don’t break, you know,
not even metaphorically.
Take this one for example
(yours, we’ll call it): like
an old guitar case
it can get battered,
slammed around in transit
shipping labels plastered over
earlier labels, other destinations,
some peeling off. Or it’s kicked
under the bed,
stuck in the back of a closet,
buried under laundry,
ripped comforters,
gardening equipment,
fertilizer. Scratches and dents, sure,
lots of them. Gouges and
cigarette burns and
stains of all sorts of liquid. You’ve
even gotten mad and kicked it
yourself now and then, but that just mostly
left bruised toes. But open it up
when you’re ready, and that
Martin D-25 is still there, that
Gibson Everly Brothers model,
that Guild flat top, that National steel,
just the way you left it. Pick it up.
It needs tuning, but the finish
Is cherry, and the tone is sweet.
Wow. This is totally awesome, the imagery is astounding. I think I'm going to start using the metaphor dice more often. They also have a blank side. I'll have to get the crew to help me come up with some phrases.
DeleteMasterful as usual.You sure can mix a metaphor and come up with a lovely fruit salad.
DeleteThis is really imaginative and enjoyable! I live the imagery!
ReplyDelete
ReplyDeletethe duct tape
old and dirty
peeled away from the back
of the couch
covering tears made by
children rough housing
growing up
my tears well up
as i remember the house
filled with laughter
kids all kissed goodbye now
emptiness rings loud
in my ears
the summer breeze
lifts leaves that would have
been played in
the old swing
creaks on the tree
i pet the duct taped couch
like an animate being
feeling for remnants
of dreams
The last 4 lines are so moving, and the whole poem is so very evocative of a time that was, and no longer is except in memory.
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ReplyDeleteI carried
the guitar everywhere
when she was alive
she sang
while I played
her voice
so like Janis
and my heart would fill
with pride
the case ripped in corners
like my aching heart
the color faded
like my memories
remembering only the
laughter
and the fun
misty moments
and wonders of love
Lovely and sad.A beautiul expression.
DeleteA Broken Heart
ReplyDeleteThe heart that breaks no longer sings in tune
an unstrung guitar, a baying at the moon.
It howls its grief aloud or silently
beside a strange receding sea that once
flooded to fullness. Now the empty sands
bear witness to its lonely longing for
what once was and now is no more.
It seeks the broken case for when it sang
a lively tune made bright for dancing
and alas now that it's silenced can no longer
be contained within that case but
spills itself through every crack and tear
that leaks the sadness through it. Yet
still more pours forth until the heart forgets.
Great take on the prompt. I am so happy the metaphor dice worked out so well.
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