Tundra – A Pantoum

A tundra – cold and frozen
Defines the landscape of blame
Bereft of all connection
Yet longing to reclaim

Defined – the landscape of blame
Just needs forgiveness to light
And longing can reclaim
The love that heals the blight

Needing forgiveness to light
The way won’t seem that long
The love that heals the blight
Will help those words come out strong

The way won’t be that long
Since longing can reclaim
To help those words come out strong
Redefine the landscape of blame.

The picture above is from Hélène’s “What Do You See?” Weekly Challenge Picture prompt. When I saw it, I immediately thought it would fit with Frank’s post on dVerse about “Blame and Forgiveness” but alas, a poem did not matriculate before Mr. Linky was gone. Then today, the lovely Gina posted on dVerse about the Pantoum form and the pieces all fell together!

* I welcome any and all feedback on this form. Thank you in advance for your thoughts! *

Blaming another is really an isolating feeling. To me, it’s a disconnect from the other person and from your own self. When you are finding fault, it usually means you are overlooking the good parts, the parts that connect you with the other and that might also connect you to your better self.

Forgiveness is a reconnection. True, taking that first step to reconnection or maybe even the reconnection itself may be overwhelming. But the love and peace that can come with a reconciliation is one of the greatest gifts one can give and receive.

Is there someone you need to forgive? Welcome that person (or even yourself) back from that cold tundra with open arms and a hot beverage and you’ll be rewarded with the brightest flame of all!

©️ iido 2019

Ode to the Taji100 – A Quadrille and Running Update

Dawn’s light blush appears

As I sip this bitter brew

Trying to feel connected

To the desert and to you

Soft heat on my tongue

Lacks sandy grit and dirt

My eyes closed in prayer

As yours stay alert

My peace

For your hurt

This Quadrille includes prompts from Mish at dVerse, Quadrille #74 – Sip and from Beth Amanda at the Go Dog Go Cafe Tuesday Writing Prompt – Light.

Another serendipitous meeting of prompts that helped me to express my thoughts about completing the Taji100. “Complete” might be too strong of a word since I am no where near the 100 miles I was supposed to run for this challenge during February. Between snow days and hubby traveling, finding the time to run was more difficult that usual. Coupled with freezing weather, I just couldn’t bring myself to run with the stroller either – Mommy guilt: it’s ok if I’m running in the freezing cold but I don’t want to put my child through that.

Still, I think about all the men and women in the military who suffer in heat and cold and other uncomfortable (to put it mildly) situations all over the world. I know my difficulties are nothing compared to the trials of being active military.

I asked one of my friends who was in the Army how he can run so fast. His answer was, “You learn to run fast when someone is shooting at you.”

My personal goal now is to run 50 miles before February 28. Yes, I know that’s tomorrow…I’m going out for a 10-15 mile run right after I post this. It’s 25 degrees out but at least there aren’t snipers in my neighborhood.

©️ iido 2019

Recycling Shakespeare for a Better World – A Haiku Sonnet

In this brave new world

Plant a heart of gold, harvest

A bouquet of friends

Faint-hearted farming

Doesn’t yield food for the soul

Cold comfort hunger

Break the ice – Be brave

Be fancy free with warm words

Of love and welcome

All our yesterdays

Are meant to be composted

Nutrient wisdom

Silence can kill with kindness

But regretful words do not.

This was a fun and challenging prompt initiated by Jamie for The Poet by Day Wednesday Writing Prompt. She writes, “Fe, foh, and fun … Take a spin with Shakespeare and write us a poem using phrases of his that have come into common usage.” I honestly didn’t realize that all these phrases came from Shakespeare’s work! I’ve really only read “Romeo and Juliet” and some sonnets so seeing all these common phrases attributed to his work was quite a surprise. Check out this link if you want to see what Shakespearean works the phrase I used came from.

And of course, I had to do a sonnet to further honor The Bard. To give it a bit of my own flavor, I chose the Haiku Sonnet form. Again, I never new there was such a thing until I saw it in this website here.

Learning new things and new ways of looking at the world is one of the best gifts I’ve gotten from writing and reading poetry. What do you think of this recycled Shakespearean piece?

Cafe Privilege or Why I Don’t Trust White Women Who Don’t Order Coffee When We’re Meeting at a Cafe – A Poem

You had arrived first

Patiently waiting for me

Our meeting began

But you hadn’t ordered coffee

I was confused

Since I knew the score

Without paying the price

They ask you to leave the store

But you sat and you talked

That’s when it got scary.

You exclaimed, “I don’t see colour”

That it wasn’t a worry

I should have known

Right then and there

To keep my mouth shut

I shouldn’t have cared to share

But I took a chance

And brought up the notion

That your ability to sit without buying a thing

Was because of your white complexion

Your demeanor, indignant

And your voice, like ice

“Don’t call me a racist”, you said

“That isn’t nice!”

I never called you that

I began to protest

I’m just pointing out this double standard

To get it off my chest

But you didn’t see

The privilege that you wore

And just like that

You stomped out the door

I sat and I wondered

Just when things went wrong

You and I had a lot in common

We even liked the same songs

But the one thing different

Was what you claimed not to see

The colour of my skin

That claimed my ancestry

I know I’m not poor

Or disabled or gay

I speak the language

And I’m allowed to stay

I know I’m privileged

And have much to repay

But today you proved again

The different rules in play

While I sat stunned

Feeling full of self-pity

The server comes and asked

When I’m buying a coffee

I’m still seen as other

I just have to accept

While drinking my coffee

I silently wept

But you just continued

No hiccup in your step

Then you told everyone

That I was inept

You used your white privilege

To put me in my place

Because I said the price of coffee

Depended on your race

So – if you are a person

Who is truly aware

Of your privilege and whether

Life is really unfair

Be sure to buy coffee

And listen with your heart

In order to end the -isms

That’s where we need to start

This poem was written for Anmol’s prompt at dVerse Poetics to write about privilege. dVerse has had several thought provoking posts: political provocation in poetry and now this one on privilege. It makes me happy and hopeful that they are opening the conversation about these topics. * As of this writing, the link has expired for this prompt! My overthinking has again caused me to miss Mr. Linky! 😢

The poem is also written for Patrick’s Pic and a Word Weekly Challenge – Color (or as Patrick would say “Colour”). The issue of privilege, race and racism isn’t just based on ethnicity (a person’s cultural background – whether it’s based on religion, tradition or ancestral location) or nationality (the country of one’s passport) but the actual color of one’s skin. Even within communities of color, talking about “colorism” – the fact that light skinned POC have some of the white privilege that darker skinned POC don’t have – is a difficult conversation.

This poem is based on a true incident that happened to me a few weeks ago. The white woman who I was speaking with effectively damaged my reputation because of a disagreement regarding politics and race. Despite saying she wasn’t racist, her behavior indicated otherwise and I don’t think she was even aware of this. I carry the burden of this interaction. No matter the privileges I have (whether born with it like being physically able or earned like my education and financial status), here in the USA, it is what people see that often times determines their behavior.

One last note – Björn’s post about provocation in poetry inspired the title of this poem. Before anyone gets into a huff – I don’t mistrust all White Women – just the racists ones who don’t order coffee when meeting in a cafe.

©️ iido 2019

Explicit Emotion – A Haiku

Their eyes conveying

The explicit emotion

Rising in their pants

Another “two for one”! Devereaux Frazier and Beth Amanda at the Go Dog Go Cafe challenged us to use the phrase “explicit emotion” in a poem. When I saw Hélène’s “What Do You See!” Picture prompt – I knew the two were meant to be together!

We recently saw an exhibit on mythical creatures and one of those creatures was the mermaid. I learned about Mami Wata, a water goddess with origins in pre-colonized Africa that brings good fortune.

There was also the Feejee Mermaid, a hoax perpetuated by PT Barnum.

The allure of women with fish tails is a long standing myth. What is it about mermaids that inspires songs and stories? Especially since most of the stories (at least the non-Disney ones) are about mermaids luring sailors to a watery death. Is beauty and “explicit emotion” enough to disregard danger?

©️ iido 2019

Ambition – A Haibun

Does the caterpillar look in the sky and seeing a bird strive to soar upon rainbow hues wings? Does she eat and eat out of envy and frustration? Does she hide away in her chrysalis, depressed that she hasn’t reached her full potential?

No, the ambition of a caterpillar lies in her ability to become her true self. The hard work is being satisfied and doing her best with each stage of life, so that when metamorphosis happens, she is ready in mind, body and soul.

Ambition becomes

Wings unfurled, colors revealed

The truth of hard work

Jamie, The Poet by Day, challenged us to write a poem about ambition. I had many thoughts about this but was inspired by a visit to a butterfly garden yesterday. Humans ambition has both positive and negative aspects of it but for animals, ambition or that strive to be the best seems to be ingrained. Maybe this is another aspect that sets humans apart from other animals.

Since I myself am not a very ambitious person, writing about it was somewhat of a difficult task. True, I have hopes and wants but I am content with whatever comes my way. It’s not so much that I don’t strive or that I don’t work hard (because I do!) but that drive towards a goal is not a focus in my life. While this drives my partner nuts (not to mention my parents when I was growing up), my ambitious drive is just not that strong. And I’m ok with that!

Thus, this totally not ambitious Haibun about ambition.

©️ iido 2019

A Dear Link Letter – A Poem

My Dearest Honey, Link,

I write this letter to let you know

About this quest, I must undergo.

As this journey of Mine crafts,

Alone, I must complete this task.

In the Torchlight, I can see

The maze that is my Destiny.

Shrouded in Myst, I peek in the gloom

It seems Unreal, this Portal of Doom.

With a shiver in my spine and a painted on smile,

I take a step on my chosen Path of Exile.

I’ve become the God(dess) of War,

Ready with Blossom Blasts galore.

Overwatch this Diablo maze,

Space Invaders ready to raze.

As written in the Elder Scrolls,

They beam in, grabbing any Dark Souls.

So I keep my soul light and sweet,

Like Candy Crush’d beneath my feet.

Despite what this maze of life may define,

Remember, it’s my choice, Honey, Mine.

It’s my turn to save the day.

I’m taking control, I won’t go away.

So sit back, relax, take a snooze,

Because in this adventure, I get to choose.

Be back soon! I don’t play to lose.

Love, your Sweetie, Zelda

Last week, SarahSouthWest post a fun challenge on dVerse called “Game Night”. She had a list of current video games and our task was to create a poem using at least three of those video game names. Coupled with this picture from Hélène’s “What Do You See?” Weekly Photo Challenge, and this poem emerged from the computer screen.

I don’t know if you young’uns remember Link and Zelda when they were just 2-D characters that could only go up/down and left/right. That was one of four video games that we had in our house growing up – the others were Pong, Tetris and Mario Brothers. Needless to say, I am not much of a gamer but I am amazed by the graphics of today’s video games and how realistic they are. It makes me wonder how these realistic games affect how the players view real life.

Another influence for this piece is a musical I saw last week called, “Disenchanted“. If any franchise needs a dose of reality, it would be Disney’s Princesses. But like the gaming world, which is disproportionately male ruled and male oriented, I wonder how these stories of heroes and villains, war and adventure, would be like with a strong feminine presence. Would it change how the children (and adults) playing these games view the world?

©️ iido 2019

St Valentine’s Mass – A Quadrille

In the valley of my Breasts,

You kiss your desire

For me

On the mountain of my Belly,

You nuzzle your respect

For me

Between the plateau of my Thighs,

You caress your awe

Of me

Upon my feet you worship

Love and life

Today is February 14th so I thought it appropriate to share this today even though it’s late for De Jackson’s Monday Quadrille at dVerse featuring the word “Kiss” and early (at least for me! 😁) for Patrick’s Pic and a Word Challenge #174 – Valley.

This sensuous poem is not my usual style. As a mom, first and foremost, this aspect of my being is usually lost under layers of laundry, piles of dishes and miles of after- school chauffeuring.

One aspect of my husband that I am most thankful for is that he hasn’t forgotten this part of me. He finds me under all those layers and reminds me that I am still a desirable woman; that because I have brought life into this world – into his world – that it makes me more beautiful, more wanted, more than enough. So this Valentine Quadrille is dedicated to TKD for remembering and loving all my changing topography. ❤️❤️

©️ iido 2019

Chive on – A Limerick

There once was woman, aged forty five

Who felt her life was somewhat contrived

Despite her face being full of lines

She still wrote some pretty good rhymes

So she just stayed calm and continued to chive.

This limerick was written in response to Jamie’s Wednesday Writing Prompt to write about thoughts on aging. If you haven’t heard the phrase, “Keep calm and Chive on,” there is a link in the limerick explaining this saying. The last line was originally going to say “So she said “F#%& that” and continued to thrive” but I thought the modern reference was a “cooler” ending.

I’m turning a significant age this year (five years until half a century!), and like Jamie, I too feel quite comfortable at this age. Maybe it’s because despite my advanced age (thank you for that phrase, medical community!), I actually don’t feel “old”. I feel more secure in myself, more confident, more daring – all characteristics that are related to gaining experience and self knowledge, which can only come with age.

So this fun poem reflects the fun that I’m having now – being a mom, a runner, a partner, a friend, a writer – despite of or probably, because of, my advanced age!

©️ iido 2019