For today’s prompt, write a what he said and/or what she said poem. Maybe he or she said a rumor; maybe he or she gave directions; or maybe he or she said something that made absolutely no sense at all. I don’t know what they said; rather, each poet is tasked with revealing that knowledge.
Original Robert Lee Brewer Post
She said I'm not afraid to die
ReplyDeleteI've been there before and only
found peace and darkness. There
was no light to walk to and no
angelic voices to call me to the
other side. Just the peace of the dark.
No,it is not death she fears but the
pain she must suffer on the journey
that will end this life and set her free.
It's the waking up so nauseous
and in such severe pain she cries out
please let it end and let it be now.
No, she said there is a reason I must suffer
a reason the end is so cruel and unforgiving
yet I may never know the why of it.
And in the end I won't care why but only
that the suffering ends and my eyes close
to the peaceful darkness that will end it all.
Sad poem, and I can feel it. I will save all my poetry critique for next month. I want us to go back through them all and edit!
DeleteSad and beautifully written! I could feel the final bliss and the agony that takes you there...I loved it so much I read it several times...
DeleteI like the idea of the peace of darkness. Many find that idea scary. I find it kind of comforting. Pain not so much.It's funny how we won't let our animals suffer but for us humans, there is a another standard. Hospice care though is all about having the patient not suffer.
DeleteI didn't, and don't, intend to write ALL "kid poems" for these 30 days but these last two subjects really did seem to lean toward those. Another draft. Maybe next month we should go back through these and edit.
ReplyDeleteCrash! Our mom’s favorite vase
in 1000 small pieces
on the floor. Rose petals, thorns
scattered among broken shards.
"She did it! It’s her fault! Hers!"
My brother Joe shouts out loud.
"He did it! It’s all his fault!"
I can yell louder than Joe.
Mom stands so still, doesn’t say
a single word. Why won’t she
yell? It’s time for her to yell.
We stop, wait. And wait. And wait.
Joe looks away first, picks up
a single shard, another.
I get a trash bag, the broom,
dustpan. Mom still a statue,
arms folded, she watches us,
her eyes cold and hard as ice.
Why won’t she ask who did it?
I can tell her it was Joe.
I glare at him, look at her.
remember we were running,
chasing each other around
the house, laughing, not looking.
The shards cleaned up, red roses
stand tall in another vase,
mom still hasn’t said a word.
I look at Joe, he at me.
We take a breath together,
"It’s my fault," I say, Joe says,
same time, same words, same thought. Mom
smiles, says "Thank you," walks away.
Terrific scenario and very well written. I like the way you can end a poem with your little twists.
DeleteThis makes me wish I had a brother or sister. the fun of playful conspiracy and the shy confession! Nice!
Deleteand poor Joe is always your victim. lmbo! I like the way this builds to the end where mom's simple response of thank you reminds us that telling the truth is sometimes all that is necessary. I really like this one.
ReplyDeleteI don't remember which was my first "Joe" poem. "Chocolate Bunny" I think. But as I wrote more "kid poems," aiming for a book, Joe seemed to pop up in some of them, so I decided to make it deliberate.
DeleteYou laughed--
ReplyDeleteYou told me so, surely,
An awful idea, you said.
Yet now,
Even you could not fully
Scars, hurt, nightmare
Raging as a fire
Or perhaps you do,
But to ask....
And awful idea,
I tell myself.
And cry.
I like this, the way it plays both sides, starting with laughing and ending with crying. BTW, in the last stanza, I assume you mean "An awful idea," not "And".
Deletemake me wonder what they told you - what the awful idea really was....
DeleteHe Told Him That He Loved Him by Linda Rivas Bole
ReplyDeleteHe told him that he loved him
in every single way.
The other said, “I love you, too
but, I’m sorry, I’m not gay”.
Tears filled the eyes of the first
his heart so big and hurt.
He’d given up his secret,
now he felt like dirt.
He’d ruined everything
and scared away his friend.
He said, “do you hate me now,
is this the very end?”
Of course not, my brother dear!
Your honesty I do admire.
We can always be so close
without the fleshly desire.
We play a good game of chess, you know,
and at scrabble we both excel.
What would I do without you?
We think alike so well!
This is beautiful! it really touched my heart. beautifully expressed with so much love and emotion.
DeleteCute... I like the end where you get concrete with the things they can do together best.
DeleteTHis is a beautiful expression - I knew a fellow who was attracted to strait acting men. He'd be their friend for a long time without telling his secret. And repeated (in those days) everytime he revealed himself he was shut out and he did suffer so much from these rejections. Not of the love but the rejection of him as a breathing human just as good a friend before as after his confession.
DeleteConsequences
ReplyDeleteShe said
"I'm going to march and get arrested."
I said
"Oh Really,"
"And what will that prove?"
She said
"Corporations have too much power,
"we'll show them people count."
I said
"Did you vote in the midterm elections?"
"No" she said.
"It's a free country I don't have too."
I smiled sadly.
Later I donated her bail money
to the League of Women Voters.
--- Mar (Mistryel) Walker
LMAO!! This explains some of my views I've been trying to come to terms with. I know that when I was a teen I would have been more impressed to marching and getting arrested than, say, working as a lawyer for the Children's Defense Fund.
DeleteThis doesn't seem very poetic to me. It was just what was on my mind. Maybe rewrites would be a good thing!!!
Deleteso much truth in this one and I know too many people like the young woman you describe here. They complain about how things are and when you ask do they vote of course not! good job on this one.
Deleteyes Mar, the final line tells it all. I really enjoyed this poem. It fit the theme very well and it was very well written. It said a whole lot in a few well aimed words! Good job!!
DeleteHe said, "You don't belong here,
ReplyDeleteYou were supposed
to do this a long time ago,
not all these days later."
and she said:
"Well,better late
than NEVER!"
and I'm happy to say
that that was that!
Apparently I had to write this in order to get on with this project. It's definitely a throw-away poem but maybe now that it's gone I can do something else.
ReplyDeleteHe Said, She Said
She said, I love you.
He said, me too.
She said, Can you help me with the dishes?
He said, That’s your job. I’m tired.
She said, Does this dress make me look fat?
He said, Yes.
She said, Can you watch the kids tonight?
He said, I’m going out with the guys.
She said, I love you.
He said, Me too.
She said, Oh, I get it now.
He said, Huh?
She said, Goodbye
He said, I’ll never understand women.
©Priscilla Anne Tennant Herrington