April

My neighbor has been calling me “thunder thighs,” as if I’m supposed to be ashamed of my curvy, athletic body. As if I’m expected to want to look sickly thin, like her. As if there is nothing more to life than doing one’s best to attract skin-deep desire from shallow men. Remembering what actually matters…

Resolution

Let’s go watchThe river ottersPlay near theTower Bridge Next to Old SacramentoSaturday morning~Let’s Go On A Hike~I’m sorryIt’s been so long sinceYou and ISpent some timeBut let’s be together nowWe can work it out Written in response to W3 We’ave Written Weekly by the Skeptic’s Kaddish at https://skepticskaddish.com/2023/02/15/w3-prompt-42-weave-written-weekly/ Form: Shadorma: https://poetscollective.org/poetryforms/shadorma/AndPuente: http://www.shadowpoetry.com/resources/wip/puente.html Song: Let’s Go…

Tavares Strachan

The prompt for One Word Sunday is ‘Sparks.’ I looked through my photos on my phone, and this one stood out to me. My cousin and I visited The Getty Center last year. The museum grounds are beautiful, and the views of Los Angeles are stunning. It’s only about half a mile from Venice Beach,…

Pilgrimage (Stitching Prose)

Night after nightNorthward in the fading lightI clung to this ragdollWhose crooked eyesMy mother had drawnOver the white clothWith a piece of charcoal I walked and I walkedAfter my father was goneMy mind shifting into a primal gearThat was void of anything butI twisted the doll’s neckNight after nightForward motionDuring the dayAnd I walked untilI…

Conquered

We never dreadedJudgmental glares from afarThey want what we haveTogether we have conqueredThe world; now it’s me and you This week’s W3 We’ave Written Weekly Prompt, chosen by Angela Wilson, is to construct a golden shovel poem from a haiku written by someone else. https://skepticskaddish.com/2023/02/08/w3-prompt-41-weave-written-weekly/ I stumbled across this haiku, attributed simply to ‘Renee,’ on…

SYW: Vacations

Kind of a random post, but I saw these questions and wanted to answer them, so here we are ☺️ 1. What kind of vacations did you have as a child? Even though we were poor, we still managed to take family vacations to Las Vegas, Laughlin, Stateline, Sequoia, and Northern California, including Yosemite, Placerville,…

Fifteen

In our younger daysWe were always Valentines This year I don’t knowWho your heart is yearning forBut you’re still my number one Written for February 2023 Poem of Friendship challenge by Rebecca Cunningham at https://fakeflamenco.com/2023/01/31/february-2023-poem-of-friendship/ Form: Tanka https://www.masterclass.com/articles/tanka-poem-defined-plus-examples

Hiding in Plain Sight

San Francisco lets My eyes devour her vistas Anonymously Concrete jungle bleeds freedom From judgmental small town souls Written for W3 We’ave Written Weekly by The Skeptic’s Kaddish at https://skepticskaddish.com/2023/02/01/w3-prompt-40-weave-written-weekly/ Form: Tanka https://www.masterclass.com/articles/tanka-poem-defined-plus-examples

Looking Forward to Apathy

Can’t wait to feel apathetic To forget how sudden, overwhelming Panic attacks steal my breathFlashbacks rip away my peaceIt feels inescapable but I’veSurvived this before, and willHeal from these wounds, tooSomeday I’ll get over you Written for Sammi Scribbles Weekend Writing Prompt: Write a poem in exactly 40 words using the word “apathy” https://sammiscribbles.wordpress.com/2023/01/28/weekend-writing-prompt-296-apathy/

Humpty’s Side of the Story

Humpty had been depressed all FallThe Queen had stopped Returning his callsTheir summer romanceAnd her silky skinOccupied his Imagination Humpty just could not cope at allSo one day he Leapt off a wallAll the Queen’s secrets And all the Queen’s sinsWould fall with HumptyAnd die with him Written for The Procrastinators Weekly Writing Prompt: write…