Awake (NaPoWriMo #26)

Photo by Katie Howell on etsy

In a velvet sky the moon sends down its silver glow
Upon the throne between dusk and dawn.
But the sparkle of stars are eaten by a fluorescent yellow,
Brash against midnight; the lights are still on.
On the main road, cars roll in rumbles low and deep.
Human eyelids held open by machines that never sleep.

Red numbers of a clock pierce through shadows to the brain,
Imprinted in half dreams floating between realities.
Furnace whispers are punctuated by distant whistles of a train,
And the fading wails of sirens rushing to their calamities.

In the big city, the night never comes.

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Started writing this one on a sleepless night. Sleep is always so much better in cottage country when you can’t see your hand in front of your face and it’s so quiet your ears start imagining the sound of air pressure. Technology has allowed humans to break the natural sleeping cycle and stay awake far beyond evolutionary bedtime. The prompt was for a shorter version of a classic form : the curtal sonnet. Hope you enjoyed.

Thanks for reading,
thebookybunhead

From the NaPoWriMo website:
The curtal sonnet is shorter than the normal, fourteen line sonnet. Instead it has a first stanza of six lines, followed by a second stanza of four, and then closes with a half-line. The form was invented in the 1800s by Gerard Manley Hopkins, who used it in his famous poem“Pied Beauty”.

Walking Around the House (NaPoWriMo #20)

The dilemnas of being woman of the house from the comic "For Better or for Worse" by Lynn Johnston. Sourced by Yahoo!News

Oh these breakfast plate piles seem higher each day.
At least the sun is out though.
First, into the washer the clothes must go –
And I must remember to set an official date for the girls to play.

These plants look awfully dry – where is that watering can?
And that piano counter is getting dusty,
About the kids’ chores I need be more fussy.

The recital is coming up soon, time to start writing a plan.
Hope the students can count to four,
Remember a couple of steps and more.
That’s the thing with teaching toddlers, you never know where they stand.

There’s baseball at four and piano at seven,
In between I’ll buy groceries for that casserole –
How did this sweater end up with a hole?
Husband will like some potato chips, I reckon.

So many emails, this is why I don’t like cell phones
It becomes rude to not answer instantly
But how can you when messages stream in incessantly –
And this bank won’t stop preaching on the benefits of loans.

Oh no someone forgot their lunch, we should really wake them up earlier.
I think he is fine, he has pocket money,
And for his bee project he brought that jar of honey.
Aww this flyer has cute clothes, but for the little one’s taste might be girlier.
Still, I better check on hi-

Hello? It’s me speaking. May I know who the caller is?
I’m late for an appointment for a manicure?
It was a deal with a complimentary pedicure?
Now how did I forget, what a little thing to miss.

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The prompt was to write in a family member’s voice and I picked mother. She is the invisible organizer and ultimate carer of everything while we are at school, and I’m sure always has a million thoughts in her head at a time. And mothers are always thinking of everyone but herself. My father (who will likely read this) is great and has many subtle tasks of his own, but we’ll save that for the next occasion…

Thanks for reading,
thebookybunhead

Funny with a pinch of truth

After returning from a farmer’s market, my mother started telling us about a family obstacle course event that was being promoted there. It was a fundraiser to help kids suffering with addiction. The listeners nodded their heads, but most eagerly did the littlest sister, who with eyes bright with understanding said, “Ohhh, like to video games and computers right?”

I want my childhood back. And yet there’s something so true and foreboding in that innocent remark. It’s a good family car moment I want to remember.

Thanks for reading,
thebookybunhead

First World Problem (NaPoWriMo #13)

Seems fitting for an unlucky number
Though it never was my own
But I cannot access the internet
Unless it is on loan

First world problem: forgetting your charger at school so your laptop dies. And very… slow…internet… connection. I owe a poem about a walk as today’s prompt. But what do I have to complain about, it’s the weekend!

Thanks for reading,
thebookybunhead

Zombies (NaPoWriMo #1)

Apocalypse through movie screens
Defending the world in a dream hero game
Glued to fantasy stories, plugged into machines
Blind we’re becoming the dead just the same.

Comic from Geek & Poke by Oliver Widder

So I found out it’s National Poetry Writing Month! I have realized these past few weeks just how much I enjoy writing poems and 30 poems in 30 days sounds like a fun challenge. I hope to keep them inspired and concise to be able to succeed in blogging one every day. I usually write poems in spontaneous situations, so I hope I can keep it interesting for everyone and that you enjoy these poems of April. Let NaPoWriMo begin!

Check it out: http://www.napowrimo.net/

Thanks for reading,
thebookybunhead

“Books are no more threatened by Kindle than stairs by elevators.” ― Stephen Fry

Cartoon by The Persichetti Brothers

It is fair to say that the population of VHS’s, floppy disks, pagers, and Tamagotchis have dwindled due to their new and improved counterparts – will the same happen to our beloved books?

OR     ?

Popularity of the e-book has soared over the past year as readers find the sleek appearance and convenience benefits of the product highly appealing. The e-book is light and portable with a virtual database that can contain many more books than one could imagine carrying from the library. With this single surfaces tablet, many books can be read with the swipe of a finger. No slipping bookmarks, heavy loads, risks of paper cuts, or yellowing, stained pages – pretty neat, I must admit.

Already with the advances of technology in all aspects of communication and media, printing industries have suffered losses and are buckling down for the onslaught of superior smartphones and computers with their apps and internet resources. But, despite, all this, the good ol’ sheet and glue books maintain their influence in society. Just like digital notes can never replace hand-written pencil and paper ones, looking at words on a screen is just not the same. I guess it’s all about the senses…

Having each printed word in a slab of a book feels like having a world in the palm of your hand. The whole idea, concept, story created just for you from the author just able to sit on your lap. You’re not just looking at a single page, but hundreds packed to form this compact, spacially efficient block – the WHOLE COMPLETE work, not just a little piece at a time.

Cartoon by Jim Whiting

There’s nothing like moving your fingers across the pages or rifling quickly through them feeling a breeze in your face. The words are concrete and real, and so are the sheets on which they have been stamped. Each page turn is an exciting exercise as a flipping noise reveals another man behind the curtain.

The feeling of accomplishment when you get into a good read and you can see how many pages you’ve conquered and how far you have til the end. For peekers, being able to flip forward and skim the text that lies ahead just to make sure your favourite character doesn’t die. For sticklers, being able to scratch out that extra apostrophe or write in a missing letter to right the text with your own hand. I just love the idea of tracing your history with a book through all its individual pages. And the satisfaction of looking at the shelves and shelves of books you’ve collected over the years…

Cartoon by Jeffery Koterba for the Omaha World Herald

And who can deny that a book read often reflects a sentimental loyalty – yes, I’m basically trying to explain a love affair with your favourite novel. With turned up corners, faded covers, or dog ears, there’s something special about that book you’ve had for so long and almost know by heart and the battle scars it received to survive in your bag, inner jacket pocket, hands, or the wild outdoors. The wear and tear of a book shows that it’s been loved and is loved – it is valuable. The wrinkles and dents, the smell of aging paper, symbolize a friendship that does not show on a screen.

So I am biased, but I think the novelty of ink words on pulp-pressed pages compiled into something that you can see and feel in its entirety will never wear off. Old school books are for me, the real deal.

Cartoon by Sylvia Liu

I wrote the former words in August 2012, and since then have gained more appreciation for e-books. They have really opened a new world for self-publishing and save lots of money on production costs, making books more affordable. I never liked how technology continues to take over our lives, but a portable library is cool. The digital aspect saves trees too, now that I think about it. And so, in the same view as the quote which I used for the title, I would like to own an e-reader, but I love my printed library too; books will always be treasured, no matter what form they take.

Thanks for reading,
thebookybunhead

Birthday gift indecisiveness: 5 reasons to be a cell phone cynic

With my birthday here, many friends have been asking me about whether I will finally get a cellphone. While I have been wishing to step down from my position of only high schooler without a cell phone in my school, it is true that I have been able to survive quite well without one (excepting the times I have said “Friend, may I borrow your phone?”).

I’m not going to preach about the health hazards of texting while driving, the harmful waves in the air that can go through your brain, or the decrease of memory power because we hear enough of that. But what I will say is I’m not sure how much influence I want a pocket device to have in my life. So without further ado, here are my five reasons to be a cell phone cynic:

1. Talk through the screen, the face don’t care

This is one of my biggest pet peeves because when you’re at a dinner, or movie, or just hanging out, there’s no point if members of the party are just going to keep their eyes glued to their screens. It’s funny that people get so preoccupied with social media and updates to connect with others when there are real people around to share a real, live conversation. I just don’t want to lose my people skills as I can be awkward enough as it is.

2. I’d rather stare at a book

Like I said, people spend quite a bit of time on their phones, checking for updates and texts, surfing the web, etc. If we add up the minutes spent on our phones every day, well, let’s just say there are many other things I can do with that time .

3. It’s not about the phone, it’s the plan

What some of my friends forget is that it’s not the Blackberry, iPhone, or Samsung Galaxy that concerns my budget, it’s the expensive monthly payments to receive services worth a decent, functioning phone (not to mention crazy contracts). Even very basic plans aren’t that cheap, they would not satisfy the full potential of a device, and if you cross a limit, watch out.

4. Better not lose it

It is another thing to keep track of, and I’m not sure that’s the best for expert on misplacing prized possessions here.

5. My wallet and iPod might feel neglected

I’m serious, they are the two things I keep on me at all times as they are basically a part of my identity. Even more so would be a phone, just take a look at this post from Pinterest:

Clearly with a cell phone you get used to some easy conveniences that become indispensable – you can get pretty personally attached.

In the end, I suppose it is everything in moderation. In these fast-paced times, a cellular phone is very handy to keep you on track as long you don’t get addicted to it. And you can get cool cases like this:

 

Guess I have to see how I will react and adapt if I do join the mobile device club.

On another completely off track-note, today also happens to be the day of my annual ballet exam, so wish me luck!

Thanks for reading,
-thebookybunhead