#novpadchallenge

The prompt for Day 18’s Poem a Day Challenge hosted by The Poetry Pub, is “harmattan” which the dusty NE wind that blows through West Africa in the winter. The dryness and dustiness can provide a metaphor to a heart condition that I experience when I am especially tired after a day of ministry. Also, ever since I saw Larry Gatlin talk about Kris Kristofferson’s song “Sunday Morning Comin’ Down”…

The Day 17 Prompt for The Poetry Pub’s November Poem a Day Challenge  is a Form Friday prompt. The poetic form is “terza rima” — a form invented by Dante Alighieri which he employs in his Divine Comedy. This poem I’ve actually been working on for four years since attending a summer class at Regent College. The class and the eight late July days in Vancouver were some of the most refreshing days…

The Poetry Pub’s day 12 prompt for the November Poem a Day Challenge is “nostalgia.” I can’t even see that word anymore without thinking of C.S. Lewis’ sermon, “The Weight of Glory, in which he writes, In speaking of this desire for our own faroff country, which we find in ourselves even now, I feel a certain shyness. I am almost committing an indecency. I am trying to rip open the inconsolable…

Poetry Pub’s November Poem a Day Challenge’s prompt for Day for is: Bright/Dark. Here’s an attempt. Noon is noon. It resists our manipulation In spite of attempts at hour inflation It comes neither late or too soon. New is new. The moon wanes each month does not listen To songs, waxes full with drips glistens Just once is a moon very blue Let it go Time is relative, is bright and…

Day 30 #novpad challenge prompt is: Endings. Here's one for the end of Job. "There was nothing left to do But put my hand over my mouth, Not speak another word." #NovPAD #poemaday2021 #PoPubPAD @poetry_pub

Today’s is the last day for the November Poem a Day Challenge. Day 30’s prompt is appropriately, Endings. I use it to wrap a series of poems I’ve written over the past two months which have drawn their inspiration from the the book of Job. This poems is based on Job 42. You may listen to me read the poem via the player below. There was nothing left to do But put my hand over my mouth, Not…

(transiens) “passing over or away,” present participle of transire “cross over, go over, pass over, hasten over, pass away,” from trans “across, beyond” (see trans-) + ire “to go” (from PIE root *ei- “to go”). Meaning “passing through a place without staying” I’m catching up a bit on the November Poem a Day Challenge. “Transition,” to me, does not sound appealing; It reminds me of friends who…

The Farmington Mining Disaster happened on this day in 1968. I offer an elegy for the grieving. "To this day, Farmington's families remember That cold 20th day of November The seventy-eight miners who died In the Consol Number 9"

Today’s Poetry Pub prompt for the November Poem a Day Challenge is “foggy.” Since today is the 53rd Anniversary of the Farmington Mining Disaster, I chose to combine the two. Sometimes a poem doesn’t get to where you want it, but because of the moment, you want to say something and so you do. Sometimes this is ill-advised. Other times, you feel you need to speak and trust that it will be…

Day 16's #NovPAD challenge prompt is Too Many.

Day 16’s prompt is Too Many. I play around a bit with the meaning. Too many” As in there is “also much” And sometimes there are also “few” Of which it might be said there are too. But who Could say that there are too many Things to be thankful for? Too many blessings you’ve let walk through the door? Too many people who love you, people galore? Too many that you couldn’t use more? You are not…