Monday, April 18, 2022

NAPOWRIMO April 18, 2022


 

Calendar Girl


Appointments, notes, quotes, stickers-

fountain pen, highlighter, marker, crayon-

tools of the trade of a calendar girl

who chronicles life in tactile expression.

Doodles, books, calligraphy-

creativity entwined with poetry-

decorated details of daily tasks

as much art as record keeping.

  ©2022 Noreen Braman



Sunday, April 10, 2022

NAPOWRIMO April 10,2022


 Late Bloomer

late bloomers and overnight sensations

share the same story

working and working and working and working

treading water, eyes on the shoreline

watching the lights of their dreams twinkle.

keeping alive this thought in their hearts,

one day it will fall into place

as if all those years of

working and working and working and working

suddenly compressed.

 ©2022 Noreen Braman


NAPOWRIMO April 9, 2022 Poem-Mania

 


Poem-mania 

 It was verse vs. verse,

rhyming couplets staring down lyrical prose

in the annual Spring write-off,

competing for dominance

in a world of hasty poetry,

standing naked and unfinished

devoid of revisions,

drowning in unnecessary words

incomplete thoughts,

and the shame of missed days.

©2022 Noreen Braman


Wednesday, April 6, 2022

NAPOWRIMO 2022 April 6 Birthday Eve

 


Birthday Eve


the undone will remain

more dream than desire

more wishing that work

more fantasy than fact

more end than beginning.

©2022 Noreen Braman

NAPOWRIMO April 5, 2022 The Silent Poem

 The Silent Poem



Monday, April 4, 2022

NAPOWRIMO 2022 APRIL 4 Revenge Sleep

 


Revenge Sleep


At 10 PM, the house softens, edges blur, and colors fade

the dimming light, the goodnight kiss, the smell of just washed pillows

feel the slowing heart, the gentle breath, cool sheets caress skin

eyes softly close as the mind relaxes, lowering attention

releasing the anxiety held at bay in the daylight

the visceral clench in the stomach pit, the fear that has no name

in the darkness the morning light is dreaded, sleeping brings it closer

count down the numbers, exhaling slowly, bringing oblivion or nightmares

until dawn arrives with a gasp, count the numbers up, inhaling deeply

for as long as it takes to recage the fear 

as the sun rises high

keeping revenge sleep many hours away.

 ©2022 Noreen Braman



Sunday, April 3, 2022

NAPOWRIMO April 3 Working On It

 


 

Working On It

The work of work

can sometimes work out

but often won't work

no matter how much one works

to finish the work,

because working even harder

is often seen as hardly working

no matter how much workers

can work into the picture.

©2022 Noreen Braman


Friday, April 1, 2022

NAPOWRIMO 2022 APRIL 1

 Here we are again, on the doorstep of the cruelest month, a month of poetry, a month of humor, a month of stress awareness, and most likely a multitude of other designations. Once more I will attempt to juggle all these things, making sense or making nonsense, what matters is continuing the tradition. Fasten your seatbelts.



Commuter Notes

finally sunshine

no more morning star

to wink over the road

illuminating a ground hog -

a ground hog, poor thing,

motionless on the shoulder, 

cars hustling past, paying no mind

but wait

it is just a lifeless crushed up box.

later

a streamer of black plastic garbage bag

water bottle, dirty diaper,

blanketed horses staring blankly

a pun to amuse the driver

who has no idea

a dead skunk in the parking lot

will become

the stench of symbolic retribution.

 ©2022 Noreen Braman