Find the information here: https://www.napowrimo.net/day-four-9/

Because it’s Friday, today I’d like you to relax with the rather silly form called Skeltonic, or tumbling, verse. In this form, there’s no specific number of syllables per line, but each line should be short, and should aim to have two or three stressed syllables. And the lines should rhyme.

Broken Date

Once upon a time 
there was a violent crime 
where someone stole a lime 
and threw it at a mime 
It happened in the street 
right there at my feet 
With a guy I meant to meet 
for dinner and a treat 
but before when the cops came 
they thought I was to blame 
It made me feel such shame 
to give them my real name 
so now I sit alone 
no one blowing up my phone 
I can hear my tummy groan 
My dinner date was blown. 

©2021 CBialczak Poetry
NaPoWriMo 2021

Find the information here: https://www.napowrimo.net/day-four-9/

Today’s prompt comes to us from Juan Martinez. It asks you to think about a small habit you picked up from one of your parents, and then to write a piece that explores an early memory of your parent engaged in that habit, before shifting into writing about yourself engaging in the same habit.

Mother, turn the television up
that is how high it can go?
I hear the scratch of the nail
on the callused skin, not scratching for purpose
just a simple response
to sitting legs to the side, crossed ankles
paying attention to the movement
of the toe against the sole
except forty years later
watching television, turn the volume down
what is that scratching?
My foot does not need it
but my nail finds skin with a small callus
to make a scratching noise
like a memory

©2021 CBialczak Poetry
NaPoWriMo 2021

Find the information here: https://www.napowrimo.net/day-four-9/

This prompt challenges you to write a poem using at least one word/concept/idea from each of two specialty dictionaries: Lempriere’s Classical Dictionary and the Historical Dictionary of Science Fiction. A hat tip to Cathy Park Hong for a tweet that pointed me to the science fiction dictionary and to Hoa Nguyen for introducing me to the Classical Dictionary.

dionysias
congoer

Upon the wall the congoer stands
waiting to jump in the dionysias
looking for a coin
to purchase a text
upon entering the large auditorium

©2021 CBialczak Poetry
NaPoWriMo 2021

Find the information here: https://www.napowrimo.net/day-four-9/

This is a twist on a prompt offered by Kay Gabriel during a meeting she facilitated at the Poetry Project last year. Today, I’d like to challenge you to write a two-part poem, in the form of an exchange of letters. The first stanza (or part) should be in the form of a letter that you write either to yourself or to a famous fictional or historical person. The second part should be the letter you receive in response. 

To Me, From Me

Hello myself, I say to thee,
in a  letter I write  to me.
I’d like to say you are okay 
I think you ought to stay this way. 
You work real hard and care so much 
using all your time and such 
and so I’d like to say  today 
that you can take a break to play 
play with words, play  with sound 
Notice things that are all around 
Write them up, Spit them out 
Now that is what I’m talking about! 

Hello to you, it’s me you know 
I think you’ve got a point to show. 
You care for others and your dad 
making him happy  makes you glad.
But don’t forget to care for you 
And one more thing before you do 
Think of all the people near 
who love you and will hold you  dear. 

©2021 CBialczak Poetry
NaPoWriMo 2021

Find the information here: https://www.napowrimo.net/day-four-9/

It’s called “Junk Drawer Song,” and comes to us from the poet Hoa Nguyen

I didn’t follow the prompt exactly as I don’t have a junk drawer anymore. I have dumped all the junk as I get prepared to put my house on the market. So…Here is my junk drawer poem…

My Junk Drawer

Open it up and you will see

All the junk belonging to me

There are clips and pins

Bands and pads

Some random old screws

And a few crafty brads

A few short pencils

And a black dried up pen

A stamp from that letter

I got way back when

A tack from my corkboard

A bit of tack too

You know what I mean

The gum that is blue.

With all of this junk

I could open a store

Come in we’re open

Just open my drawer.

©2021 CBialczak Poetry
NaPoWriMo 2021