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

Out in the open

My sixth and final poem for today draws inspiration from outside. We are prompted to look outside a window and spend a bit of time jotting down all the nouns and colours we see, as well as all the things that are taking place outside, writing down the relevant verbs for each action. We are then prompted to use our list of words to inspire a poem.

I can't help but think of the scenes outside my flat window, below the castle, when I lived in Edinburgh. On rainy days, when I was not at work, I would happily watch the world go by, sitting on the couch and staring out of the window. My poem is, therefore, also about those outdoor scenes, that happy time. Not much colour is used though, but I think the scene sets itself... Either way, I hope you enjoy it!

Looking out

 

Looking out of my flat window,

I see the puddle splashed streets below,

The grey, cloudy skies above

 

 People run to catch buses

Or catch-up with friends;

People sing in the rain

 

Mothers carrying heavy bags

And herding laughing children,

Dodge early party-goers

Already skipping in the street

 

Rabbits hop and hide in shrubs

Between oblivious walkers

And Queen Mary's quarters,

Which dominate the skyline

 

Two young men

Sing and wave at me;

I smile and wave back

 

All is right with the world.

 

Andrea Vermaak

Snapshot inspiration

Much like the very first prompt I used to write an ekphrastic poem, we were given a series of photographs from which to draw inspiration. The photograph which caught my eye was one of a snowy sidewalk.

 

Winter Morning

 

Silence surrounds me

As I follow frozen footsteps

To nowhere

 

Where will these foredreamers lead me

Under these comforting trees,

Along this frosty path of wonder?

 

My steamy breath does not answer me,

Nor does the sky

Or the mist,

 

But crunching footsteps

Echo in my ears,

Leading me towards the unknown

Deeper into my curiosity.

 

Andrea Vermaak





All lies...

I have yet again much on which to catch-up. The last few days I felt hopelessly uninspired and lacked the energy with which to find any inspiration, despite several NaPoWriMo prompts. Today, I simply must write something.

A prompt is to write a ten-line poem in which each line is a lie. I think my poem makes use of sustained metaphor more than anything. The ending is also a bit anticlimactic, forced even, in my opinion. Either way, here are my efforts...

 

Why flowers bloom

 

The earth is awoken with the sound of weeping -

Fairy tears water the earth to feed it,

To uncurl tendril arms

Which embrace the saddened earth child

 

Delicate petals unfold to comfort

Lonely, broken hearts of tiny beings

In which children don't believe

 

Flower heads rock sleepy heads

To dream of a land where sunshine smiles

 

The earth blooms to bring fairies hope.

 

Andrea Vermaak