writing sideblog

Do I owe a debt to those before? Do I owe a debt to those ahead?

“Honey, where’s the husband? Sweetheart, where’s the kids? Have you found a church yet? Tell me where it is.”

I owe a debt to those ahead. I owe a debt to those behind. But one group has to supersede the other. I’ve made up my mind.

31x31 october poetry challenge, prompt 6: stretching forward // reaching behind

Image transcription:

[I keep my heart under lock and key. You’re a savant who’s gotten the better of me. I tilt myself toward you and bloom, a ray of sunlight in the tomb.

(“lock and key.” is offset above. “you and bloom,” is offset below.)]

31x31 october poetry challenge, prompt 5: expert novice // inept expert

Coming back to an empty bed and I don’t know who to tell the news. I don’t know who it is if it’s not you. But I don’t regret entrusting you with celebrations, secrets, humiliation and despair and all the missing pieces.

31x31 october poetry challenge, prompt 4: who to tell // what was heard

I don’t know if I like or dislike how you are. I suppose some would say that's a part of your charm-- how it’s tricky to tell if you’re joking or not. How you leave to suggestion the end of a thought. How uneven your smile is, roguish and slight. How your very existence comes down to a “might.”

31x31 october poetry challenge, prompt 3: grab a book. flip to a random page and pick a random word, phrase, or sentence to write from.

“roguish,” from page 103 of Cracking India by Bapsi Sidhwa

The ocean is a bitter playmate. Capricious, just like you.

You were grand and boundless and promised adventures. Sometimes I tried to drift or drown, but you didn’t let me, buoyant as you were. So I trusted your tide to take me where I needed until the day you slapped me on the sand. As I was suffering and trying to gain my balance you played your game of push and pull. For you, there were no consequences. I was spitting out salt months later.

Dangerous, just like you. The ocean doesn’t know her own strength.

31x31 october poetry challenge, prompt 2: the slap // salt

He gave his paycheck to the ones in need. I couldn’t help but wonder, what if he, possessed of less observance, or more greed, had taken his check home and let it be?

My friend told me that I would find a way to turn the sweetest thing to something sour. But sweetness always leaves an aftertaste, brings into sharp relief corrupted power.

I donated to hurricane relief, my power in action joining in the fight. The dollar’s stronger than a mere belief that God keeps all his children in his sight.

The thoughtless thoughts and prayers of fools do less than nothing, because they waste precious time. Those sour mouths that call on God to bless, but do nothing themselves, commit a crime.

31x31 october poetry challenge, prompt 1: the sweetest thing // a sour mouth

@sheydim