Poetry of Life Rewritten (NapoWriMo #30)

An opposite adaptation of Poetry of Life by Friedrich von Schiller:

“Who would himself with light reject,
Or simplify his death with darkness that dampens in modesty,
Or neglect true despairs that do but confirm the lie?–
Though with my dream my hell should be appointed–
Though the free-pinioned soul that once could depart
From the small empire of the impossible,
This vacation life with iron wings may release,
Yet thus the inexperience o’er ourselves we lose,
And boisterous treachery to our acts illicit,
Separates us thus tutored in the second of need,
With a more drunk and defiant mind!
How front desire–yet bid thy age
Welcome the mild rule of death’s rash peasant, falsehood.”

So speakest thou, nemesis, how weaker far than I;
As from experience–that indefinite port chaotic–
Thou lookest;–and bent, a warmth unwraps the sky,
The winter depression flourishes from the scene,
Encouraged by the frivolous spell; behold them fly,
The godlike images that seemed so ugly!
Noisy the serious Muse–the pale hours
Continue in their dance; and the May-breathless flowers
Ascend from the sister-graces’ still hair.
Foul-mouthed Apollo mends his golden lyre,
Hermes, the wand with expectation scarce;–
The veil, olive-woven, by the old desire
With dreams, drops from the vibrant cheeks of death.
The world seems what it is–a happy! and hatred
Lifts up the bondage wound his eyes below,
And sees!–He sees but tangible clay
Where he dreamed devils; and gasps–and plods away.
The oldness of the grotesque grows young,
And on thy lips the bride’s morbid kiss seems scorching;
And in the dispersal of sadness–upon thy stool
Thou standest in state, and meltest into air.

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I’ve finally written the last poem. I can’t believe how fast the month has passed and am now proud to say I’ve completed my first NaPoWriMo challenge attempt (sort of, since it wasn’t EXACTLY a poem a day). It’s been fun and I’m sad to announce its end. Congrats to all who participated and thank you for joining me this April 2013.

Thanks for reading,
thebookybunhead

TEAL (NaPoWriMo #28a)

Source: atoo.co.uk

Trendy piece in confident fashion
Endless skies and sparkling coasts
Anticipation brewing under cool demeanor
Lost soul floating aimlessly in blank pondering

Intermediate, like a light switch balanced between on and off
Bold yet changing with the ebbs of time
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Teal also happens to be the colour of my ballet uniform.The prompt for a colour poem was too good to resist. So now I’m two poems behind. Oh well. Maybe I will be able to post another one tonight. Congratulations to everyone who has successfully completed the NapoWriMo challenge today!

Thanks for reading,
thebookybunhead

Around the World in 8 seconds (NaPoWriMo #28)

Art by Bill Zindel

Today I met people from
San Francisco
England
Germany
New York City
Spain
New Zealand
Cuba
Australia
In one room.
Talking.
Dancing a universal language.
Traveling more of the world through smiles
Traded internationally in the hallways.

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I had school on Sunday, and it was great. Sounds crazy, but it really isn’t. Today was the first day of a big dance festival with professional ballet academies from around the world. It is all SO exciting, I can’t believe it’s here, and I promise myself I will enjoy this week to the max.

Thanks for reading,
thebookybunhead

Speaking Actions and Loud Words (NaPoWriMo #27)

Robert Doisneau (April 14, 1912 – April 1, 1994)

Masters of panto-mime on paper
Skeptical about the regime’s intentions
Mind makes meaning of scribbles
Sneaky interpreters of thoughts that
reveal more than the winning formula
Footsteps in the dark.
Why is the pen mightier than the sword?

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Very interesting prompt today. I used the famous saying, “actions speak louder than words” and splitting it in half, plugged it into the Google search engine. From there we were to take any poetic phrases and use them as inspiration for our poem. Coincidentally, nearly every phrase in this poem was taken from result summaries, with a total addition of only three words. So I guess in a way Google is the author of today’s entry.

Thanks for reading,
thebookybunhead

Erasure (NaPoWriMo #26)

Original poem by Robert Frost:
Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;
Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,
And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I-
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

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I definitely need more practice before being able to use this method to create poetry. Great on the abstract side and ambiguous on the conceptual side, it was quite fun. And this is a great poem – I know because I didn’t mind reading it in school – to take chances, make mistakes, and get messy! (Recognize the reference to a certain educational childhood show?)Thanks for reading,
thebookybunhead

 

Ballad of a Phoenix (NaPoWriMo #25)

there was a phoenix young and bright
feathers shine engulfed in flame
it sparkles gold in dawn of light
waiting to be bestowed a name

take these wings and fly to the sea
i will be here when you return to me

i have a phoenix brisk and bright
blinding in rash or angry flame
proud but afraid of its intense light
wild in spirit, but in heart still tame

with those wings fly as far as the sea
don’t forget, here waiting, is me

my phoenix no longer brilliantly bright
burning slowly a serene flame
secrets of time beneath comforting light
powerful creature just the same

the wings have traversed more than one single sea
rest your tired limbs on me

i had a phoenix, in sight and mind bright
who one day extinguished its flame
vanish to leave only embers of light
darkness fell and the night came

from ashes emerges a song from the sea
those glowing wings remember me

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My attempt at a story through a ballad with an ABAB rhyme scheme. I have always loved phoenixes, beautiful, powerful, and able to be reborn from their ashes. Human life is linear, but there are physical and emotional cycles within it. One lyric resembles that of the Beatles’ song “Blackbird” in “take these broken wings and learn to fly” because I love this song and the image of flight it creates. I have associated loyalty with these magical creatures since reading about Fawkes, Dumbledore’s pet phoenix in the Harry Potter series, so that’s where that attribute came from. Who knows, maybe one day I’ll write a tune for it. Or not.

Thanks for reading,
thebookybunhead

Image source: http://wiki.godvillegame.com/File:Phoenix.jpg

Cotton Candy (NaPoWriMo #24)

Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/kepkake/6218911183/

Skies flush pink by a setting sun
As purple clouds float lazily
Amorphous stripes like cotton candy undone
Fluffy strands look good enough to eat

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Yesterday’s anagram prompt proved very difficult, so I’m sorry to disappoint but here’s another sky poem instead. There is nothing like seeing the colours with your own eyes for even a camera can’t capture the full brilliance of nature’s colours. I saw a rainbow today too, as it was rainy, but I didn’t include it because that would be much too sweet for my taste.

Thanks for reading,
thebookybunhead

Fortune Cookies (NaPoWriMo #21)

So they hired me as the replacement. Here you go. Some are helpful, most aren’t:

You will acquire a lemon. Most likely yellow or possibly one with wheels.

The next time you face indecision, trust your gut feeling. Unless you’re drunk.

You will almost say “funnest”, realize how gramatically incorrect you would be, and use “most fun” instead. Which isn’t fun at all.

Kindness goes a long way. A slap in the face sometimes does too.

You’ve wondered about who writes these fortunes anyway and how the paper is put inside. You were hoping for an answer.  And are now disappointed.

You will find a pair of really cheap and cute shoes. Someone will grab them before you.

For someone in this world, you are the rainbow after a rainstorm.

For someone in this world, you are the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. (This can be taken symbolically or charmingly literally.)

You are the key to your future. So just eat me.

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So, I tried my best. It gets easier to write the fortunes as you go along. I know this is a late post as far as the official prompts are concerned, but I always say, better late than never. Also, has anyone else ever tried to get the fortune out without breaking the cookie?

Thanks for reading,
thebookybunhead

Fishbowl Head (NaPoWriMo #23)

Art courtesy of Jason Pym

Visions swim in colourful blurs,
I have a fish bowl on my head.
Flailing, the sandy bottom stirs
I have a fish bowl on my head.
In murky water a song slurs
About glassless days. But instead
Visions swim in colourful blurs.
I have a fish bowl on my head.

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So I tried a triolet today which has a form of ABaAabAB – a bit tricky but doable once you’ve picked good themes with versatile rhymes. The image of a fish bowl on one’s head was imprinted in my head by Foster the People’s music video of the catchy “Call It What You Want” at a minute in. It’s very random, abstract, and just visually entertaining, so have a peek if you have time:

Thanks for reading,
thebookybunhead

“We do not inherit the Earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children.” -Aboriginal proverb (NaPoWriMo #22)

Take care of our planet
For all its little creatures
We owe them the experience
Of exploring Earth’s natural features
Like blizzards, rainforests, coral reefs
Oceans and skies of bright blue
Take care for everyone who shares this planet
Especially for those who must one day be stewards too.

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I know this one’s cliche, but I love our planet so this butterfly and rainbow thoughts just spew out. Happy Earth Day!

Thanks for reading,
thebookybunhead