Return of the...

On this final day of Na/GloPoWriMo 2020, we are challenged not to write a farewell poem, but one of something that returns, as I will to this blog at the same time next year. Until then, happy writing and enjoy!

Dandelion

Even if I pull your roots

from the earth,

you'll appear elsewhere –

yellow heads gazing up

and soft white puffs 

bobbing on the breeze

I could pick your delicate seeds

before they spread,

but you anyway manage 

to appear elsewhere

So, I'll leave you be

to tell the time with each

blow of my breath,

to spread your joy

so you may appear elsewhere

Andrea Vermaak © 2020

Man's best friend

On this penultimate day of Na/GloPoWriMo, our prompt is to write a poem which acknowledges a pet. As I no longer have any of my own, I shall write one to my sister's dachshund, Lilo.

Queen Lilo

Her majesty would rather lie in,

enrobed in fleece blankets

upon a giant pillow

When Queen Lilo does rise,

her nose emerges before paws,

her head before body

She refuses to walk on wet grass,

but will weave between plants,

hunting lizards and birds

Yet, will sit on your lap

with wide, innocent eyes –

it's her right as queen of the household!

Andrea Vermaak © 2020

A room somewhere...

Today's prompt is two-fold. First, we are to read Martha Dickinson Bianchi's (Emily Dickinson's niece) description of her aunt's room. The Emily Dickinson Museum then prompts us to write a poem in which we describe a bedroom from our past.

Safe haven

A shade of winter morning

caressed the walls,

a beach-coloured carpet underfoot

and denim curtains drawn open

to welcome the sun

Posters of teenage dreams 

clung to once empty spaces,

and music lifted the downtrodden

while I stayed up late 

in the silence of my haven –

listening, reading, writing –

away from outside world

Andrea Vermaak © 2020

Review

Our challenge today is "to write a poetic review of something that isn't normally reviewed."

Online catch-up

It was good to see your faces,

be they two-dimensional,

sometimes blurred 

or frozen in place,

and our conversation

b r ok e    n on occasion

It is good to know 

that you are just moments away

without the drive

or flight –

the journeys we so want to take

It is good that we can still catch-up

over coffee and cake,

though we can never 

steal a taste of each others' treats

But it was good to see your faces

through the broken connections

and blurry lenses

of a new world

Andrea Vermaak © 2020

Time

Today's prompt is to write  poem based on our responses in the given "Almanac Questionnaire." My answers and the poem to follow:

Almanac Questionnaire

Weather: Cloudy, but warm
Flora: Inca lily
Architecture: Tuscan
Customs: I'm not big on customs
Mammals/reptiles/fish: dogs, cats and lizards
Childhood dream: To live in the mountains
Found on the street: 20c
Export: Fruit and wine
Graffiti: on Edinburgh's streets ("Down with London rule")
Lover: Whahahahahaha
Conspiracy: Is China trying to sink the world's economies?
Dress: Black swing dress with white polka dots
Hometown memory: Riding bicycles in the street
Notable person: Passenger (Mike Rosenberg. He is notable to me)
Outside your window, you find: a herb box
Today's news headline: "SA's COVID-19 death toll hits 87, infections rise to 4546"
Scrap from a letter: "eat marshmallows on the moon" (from a birthday card)
Animal from a myth: dragon
Story read to children at night: Little Red Riding Hood
You walk three minutes down an alley and you find: a view of a sunset
You walk to the border and hear: silence
What you fear: needles
Picture on your city's postcard: the Union Buildings

Never the same

Will I ever walk the streets of Edinburgh again,

trying to hide a smile at her graffiti,

shouting "Down with London rule"?

Will I ever ride a bicycle again

like when I was a kid

or dance again in

my black swing dress 

with the white polka dots?

Will I ever get to live in the mountains,

eat marshmallows on the moon,

or meet a dragon?

The world looks different,

yet –

the herb box beneath my window,

my salmon pink Inca lilies,

and the silent sunsets

remain

But

it will never be the same

Andrea Vermaak © 2020

How's the weather?

Today's challenge (and it certainly is a challenge), was developed by Hoa Nguyen, a poet and teacher. We are to use James Schuyler's poem Hymn to Life as a guidepost for our poetry. However, it is not as simple as it seems, as you will discover when viewing the entire challenge here.

Were it not quite so deep into the evening and had I more energy, I may have jumped for joy at the challenge (which I certainly will do if I remember it at an hour when I am more alert). However, I am usually winding down at this time of day. Therefore, I choose to be inspired by a few of the recommended inclusions without reading Schuyler for about 24 minutes (apparently).

The storm

The red, orange, yellow, brown

leaves quiver

in the unusually warm wind

The once clear sky,

now shrouded in thick darkness

threatens to tear apart

A bright flash singes

a trembling horizon

followed by rumbling sky drums 

The leaves, 

terrified

fall

Andrea Vermaak © 2020

Fruity

Today's prompt is to write a poem about a particular fruit of our choosing, but we should describe the fruit as closely as possible.

Pineapple

Queen of the tropics,

I stand tall,

crowned,

shielded in golden armour

If anyone dare 

dig beyond 

my prickly countenance,

they'll find I'm pleasant

for I too bleed sweet nectar

Andrea Vermaak © 2020

Alpha Beta

Today's prompt is to write a poem "about a particular letter of the alphabet" or "the letters that form a short word." We may be inspired by the shape of the letter(s) as a springboard for our poems.

I think I will combine all of the above...

 F plays fanfares and flys flags,

U holds all the joy in its arms,

         N may let you down, but only once

Andrea Vermaak © 2020

Idioms translated

We are challenged today "to find an idiomatic phrase from a different language or culture" and use it as a springboard for a poem. I have chosen an idiom from one of my additional languages, Afrikaans: "katjie van die baan," literally translated as "kitten of the track," meaning the same as "social butterfly" in English.

Kitten of the track

She was a kitten of the track,

but now she's stuck 

in a basket called home,

pouring over art and poetry,

lapping up the easy, free time

and basking in the sunshine

of her solitude

Andrea Vermaak © 2020

Do you speak...?

Today's prompt is a fun one! We're to make use of the given resource, Poetry International, to find a poem in a language we don't know and write a 'homophonic translation' of it. In other words, we're to write a poem, no matter how weird and wonderful it may turn out to be, "simply based on how it sounds."

I would love to have chosen a poem in Assamese, purely because I had never heard of the language until this evening, but I, alas, cannot read their script. Neither can I read Armenian, or Dogri. So, I have chosen a poem in Irish (Gaelic) called Glaoch by Doireann Ní Ghríofa. I have no doubt that this will turn out rather badly...*Cue laughter.

Glare

Nigh chandeliers

on corded coal,

on string they left on sin near more.

I roam say near Rio Mari,

nigh thick lime

do good a bro near guy err do more close.

Nigh close him to ag annually. A noise, say a line lag so

an' t-nigh' she gal am mine at a ear drain

a gust timid

as a shale

air is

is

air is a-la

Andrea Vermaak @ 2020

Gifts

We're challenged today to write a poem about a handmade gift we've received. I know exactly the gift I will always treasure...

Paper flower

It was a bad morning –

I was older

and Dad wasn't home

I wished the day away

without fuss,

without incident,

without acknowledgement

But my sister 

came into my room,

paper flower in hand,

twisted onto a green pipe cleaner –

she thought it'd cheer me up

Bittersweet tears filled my eyes;

how such simple 

pink and blue tissue paper

could humble so

and make me so grateful

all at once

That precious paper flower –

the best birthday gift ever

Andrea Vermaak © 2020 

Urban discoveries...

Today's prompt challenges us to write a poem "based on a 'walking archive.'" In other words, a poem based on interesting things we have gathered while on a walk.

As I am not able to go for a walk during this time of lockdown, I will write about a beautiful flower in my garden.

Inca lilly. © Photograph by Andrea Vermaak

           

Inca lily

At first, I thought you were a weed,

I nearly pulled you out,

but then you bloomed

when the summer came:

four soft salmon-pink heads

in a roundabout,

your brown freckles

popping 

against bright yellow;

what joy that I kept you!

Andrea Vermaak © 2020

The little things

We're challenged today to write an ode to life's small pleasures. There is so much that I enjoy and so many things for which I am grateful, I could write volumes. However, I'm going to try to focus my thoughts...

Every little thing

It's being able to lie in,

not rush,

do my own thing

It's time with family,

with friends,

just sitting with them

It's fresh filter coffee,

cheese cake

and flowers in my garden

It's bird song,

a spring breeze,

even contented silence

It's an absorbing book,

sad songs

and poetry

It's night markets,

violins

and laughter

It's dancing across the street,

watching sunsets with friends

and sad goodbyes

It's every little thing

in every little moment

forever in my mind

Andrea Vermaak © 2020

Return to retro

Today, we're challenged "to write a poem that features forgotten technology." I know just what I'll write about!

Cassette

I'd sit for hours after dinner

and on Saturday mornings,

waiting,

fingers poised,

hovering -

ever ready -

just above 'Record' and 'Play'

Patience paid off

when my instincts

got the better of the DJ:

A favourite song

perfectly recorded,

ready,

waiting

Andrea Vermaak © 2020

With compliments

Our prompt today is to write a poem, which compliments a person, place, or thing we love, praising "it in the most effusive way" with "over-the-top compliments." I don't hand out compliments unless I mean them and I feel awkward receiving them, but let's see how this goes...It's late, so this time I'm really going to try my best to keep it short.

If you were

If you were a book,

I'd read you

If you were a film,

I'd watch and re-watch you

If you were music,

I'd play you on repeat

If you were streets,

I'd get lost in you

But I can only hold you

Andrea Vermaak © 2020

...and cue music!

Today's prompt has arrived right on schedule. I've been itching to try my hand at writing lyrics and now we've been challenged to write a poem inspired by our favourite kind of music. I can't wait!

Now, I happen to like several different genres and performers, but I've had one particular song in my head for a few days. Perhaps I will try to write my own lyrics to the rhythm...or at least part of the song.

Don't go 

Could you not,

Could not go far away?

Not today -

I'll miss it all

Could you stay?

Could you not just stay today?

Don't fade away -

I'll miss it all

Tell me, can you turn back time?

I need you now -

don't turn me down

Tell me, can turn back time?

Just turn around

and tell me that you'll stay

I wish you weren't leaving today,

If only I could make you stay,

don't go, don't go, don't go,

don't you go away

Andrea Vermaak © 2020

Inspired

We're challenged today "to write a poem that deals with the poems, poets, and other people who inspired you to write poems." I think this may be a difficult one...Perhaps I'll keep it short.

It can't say that Shakespeare,

nor Elliot,

nor Lawrence

inspired my poems

But love

and fear

and anxiety

War,

sad songs,

and moonlit nights

Fairies

and fantasy

and adventure

Far away places,

friends,

secrets

Long goodbyes

and deep-seated desires,

pain

Above all:

the beauty of words

Andrea Vermaak © 2020

Stolen time

We're challenged today to write 'a non-apology for the things' we've stolen. Besides taking and hiding one of my sister's toys as a child, I can't say I'm a thief by any means. However, I may have...

Stolen time

A moment of your time

was all I wanted,

but you refused

I was so polite

when I called,

but you didn't listen

You assumed you knew

what I wanted to ask,

but you hung up

A moment of your time

was all I wanted,

but you refused

I'm not sorry 

for wasting your time

Andrea Vermaak © 2020

A triolet of gratitude

Today's challenge is to write a triolet. It consists of eight lines, repetition and only two rhymes throughout. I am going to attempt a poem of gratitude as it is Easter Sunday...

He rose again

On this day, He rose again,

The stone was rolled away,

He suffered agony and pain;

On this day, He rose again;

Crucified but for our gain,

Our gratitude we show today,

On this day, He rose again,

The stone was rolled away.

Andrea Vermaak © 2020

The language of flowers

Today's prompt "is based on the concept of the language of flowers." We are challenged "to write a poem in which one or more flowers take on specific meanings." We may make use of the recommended glossary of flower meanings or create our own meanings. I like the traditional meanings, so I'm going to use them.

The neighbourhood

Cobæa creeps over the walls,

through fences

and onto balconies

But my garden grows

white chrysanthemums

and 

bluebells

I refuse to speak 

under the white cherry trees,

or lie beneath the bladder nut tree

I will not walk among the bugloss,

but among the borus henricus

and beneath the acacias

Andrea Vermaak © 2020

Cobæa = gossip
White chrysanthemums = truth
Bluebells = constancy
White cherry tree = deception
bladder nut tree = frivolity, amusement
Bugloss = falsehood
Borus henricus = goodness
Acacia = friendship