Quiet Run – A Double Nonet

Crash boom ba dum ba dum ba dum boom

Drum practice or brothers wrestling?

Vroom vroom whee-ooo whee-ooo waah!

It’s mine! I got it first!

Stop annoying me!

Sister slams door

I tie shoes

Bye Hun

I

Run

Away

Quietly

Footsteps shushing

Faster to capture

The scent of mowed, mulched lawn

The feel of sunset’s soft breath

The taste of silent sanity

Glistening saltily on my cheek

This double nonet incorporates Patrick’s Pic and a Word Weekly Challenge #189 – Quiet and also Jamie’s Wednesday Writing Prompt to write about any sport that engages me.

I have never been a “sporty” person – I was usually one of the last people picked for teams and I was definitely the last person to finish the mile run in high school (collapsing at the end just to prove how unsporty I was!). I didn’t even know my high school had a football team until I started dating one of the players. And I only learned about the rules of the game when I started watching football in college.

My first foray into sports was running which I discovered in my early 30’s. I figured if I could walk, then I could run since putting one foot in front of the other didn’t seem to require that much coordination or other athletic ability. Yeah, right. Still, I was smitten by the race medals and the opportunity to have some “quiet me time” when I ran. As my family can attest – I am a much nicer person after a run!

©️ iido 2019

Rain – A Sei Shonagon Style List Poem

Sudden thunderstorm rain like
– The caterwauling kitty you forgot to feed
– The tenuous teen battering your heart, ears and the locked door with keep-way-but-still-love-me music
– The immigrant doctor cleaning toilets
– The spouse freed of burden but shackled with guilt

Steady spring rain like
– The laundry and dishes, laundry and dishes, laundry and dishes
– A movie marathon of Schindler’s List, The Boy in the Stripped Pajamas, and Life is Beautiful
– The thumping of sneakers around the track at a 15 minute mile pace in a black track suit in 80 degree weather
– Abdomen stretch marks, cascading down, erasing memories of “before”

Forecasted overnight rain like
– A crying newborn seeking a mother’s warm embrace and engorged breast
– Cookies and milk after school on Friday
– Karaoke in a private party booth
– This poet’s tears when her heart reads words that resonate

Jamie Dedes at The Poet by Day challenged us to “…write about the emotions rain engenders in you” in her Wednesday Writing Prompt.

This Sei Shonagon style poem fit my thoughts on this topic. (Thank you to Punam at Paeansunpluggedblog for introducing me to this style!) Sometimes I love rain and sometimes it makes me profoundly sad. Sometimes rain is the beat of my rage and sometimes it is the whisper of contentment. I love smelling rain in the air but I don’t love the weight of it wrapping around my chest. Rain is such a necessity in our world. This exercise made me truly appreciate the wet stuff!

©️ iido 2019

Mask of Metamorphosis – A Villanelle

Hiding in the spaces between
A wiggle, a flutter
A mask of filigree green

The dainty crunch of the munching machine
Slow moving like butter
Hiding in the spaces between

Bird eyes eagerly try to catch its sheen
It pauses, a stutter
A mask of filigree green

And then it wraps a blanket clean
In a special place to anchor
Hiding in the spaces between

This act of will that can only mean
The start of that process to alter
That mask of filigree green

When done, it emerges to preen
Finally, no longer
Hiding in the spaces between
Unmasked, that filigree green

This Villanelle incorporates Patrick’s Pic and a Word Challenge #188 – Mask and Hélène’s “What do you see?” Picture prompt (see above – a caterpillar and the puzzle pieces of the leave reformed into a butterfly). I just realized that while Patrick and Hélène both provide photos, it is Patrick’s word and Hélène’s picture that makes sense to me to combine the past few weeks. Interesting (I say as I psychoanalyze myself)…

I’ve always loved the idea of metamorphosis, change, becoming something different but the actually process of changing has always been difficult for me, especially those changes that are lasting. I used to think that change just meant removing one mask and putting on a new one while what is underneath stays the same. But now I’m beginning to think that there also needs to be change under the mask. Not a change of the integral parts of the self, but a reforming of those parts into something different and hopefully better.

©️ info 2019

This Female Body – A Trijan Refrain Poem

Born into this female body
So sweet was my first cry
I should have screamed like a banshee
For no princess was I
It may not seem my role in life
But fate has lead me to this strife
It may not seem
It may not seem
My strength and persistence is rife

Born into this female body
But told it’s not my own
I primp and starve and stare blankly
And let your seed be sown
I know you think I chose this role
But I hate not having control
I know you think
I know you think
But you don’t know what’s in my soul

Born into this female body
I vote for my free will
I am more than breast, womb, booty
My voice is loud and shrill
Listen to me – I’ll not abide
It is your turn to be denied
Listen to me
Listen to me
I won’t let you push me aside

This is a new poetry form I am trying – it’s called a Trijan Refrain. I discovered it through LadyLeeManila’s blog with her poem “On My Red Bike”. I was intrigued by the repeating refrain and the rhyme and meter constraints, so decided to try it out.

Jamie Dedes at The Poet By Day, inspired the topic for this Trijan Refrain. Her challenge was to write a poem about what it would be like if women and girls were seen everywhere as “being fully human”. I don’t know if I have fully captured the scope of this challenge. I do know that women are needed to use their voices and their votes to stop the reversal of rights and advances that our foremothers worked so hard to secure for us in the United States. I also believe, that around the world, uplifting women improves their lives as well as that of their families and communities.

I have often wondered what the world would be like if women did truly rule the world, on their terms, not those stipulated by our current patriarchal society. The role of women have been erased throughout history and today, women have been reduced to the role of hidden helper, silent supporter or thing-to-be-objectified. Is it because they are afraid if we regain our power, we will show how brightly we shine and fear getting burned with our brilliance?

Seeing Red – A Lai Poem

The last precious one
My final task done
Red rose
Above pollution
Away from poison
It grows
It’s a red beacon
In this world, barren
Sorrows

My steps are heavy
There’s pain in my knee
But still
I climb this aerie
To set my mind free
Fulfill
A promise, a plea
Keep on – hopefully
Until…

No one comes after
It’s such a bother
To care
There is no anger
It’s just whatever
I dare
Say that forever
Gone this red flower
No spare

Another Lai Poem — are you guys tired of this form? Not yet for me! The rhythm and rhymes challenge and intrigue me – it’s like a haiku but “extra” (at least in my humble opinion).

This Lai Poem incorporates Patrick’s Pic and a Word Challenge #187- Red and serendipitously, Hélène’s What do you see? photo prompt picturing a red flower (I’m calling it a rose) atop a high tower.. This image of an older woman precarious climbing this enormous tower reminded me of the Herculean task (or is it Sisyphean?) of climate change activists today and even for people like me (and hopefully you!) trying to do our part to protect our earth.

©️ iido 2019

Climate Schlimate – A Lai Poem

Animals dying
Habitats going
To pot
The ice is melting
Oceans are rising
It’s hot
Countries are drowning
Yet people thirsting
For what?

Science believing
Your eyes deceiving?
It’s not
Deniers lying
Oh so frustrating
The lot
Stories need sleuthing
Do some researching
A thought!

Our earth is crying
Who here is trying
To stop
Cars keep polluting
Factories spewing
The rot
More than recycling
Money resolving
Boycott

Now what’s our ending?
The land needs tending
We ought
Who are we saving?
People not caring
They’re taught
World’s for the taking
No one is sharing
Distraught

Another Lai Poem, this one written for Jamie’s Wednesday Writing Prompt at The Poet by Day. Her request: What are your everyday observations of the fallout from climate change. Or, maybe you don’t think climate change is for real. Tell us why.

I believe that climate change is happening at an alarmingly fast rate due to the negative impact of human consumption and disregard for conservation of our natural resources. We try to do our part to lessen our carbon footprint, however we can only do so much within the systems that don’t support this mission. For example, where we live they have stopped recycling paper except for cardboard, stopped recycling plastics and only recycle glass and metal. These recent changes have been due to China’s refusal to take garbage from the United States (read about it here, here, here and here).

Are we destined to become like the society in the movie “Wall-E”? As a mother, I do worry about the condition of this planet that my children will inherit. You would think that other parents/grandparents would feel similar however the prioritization of profits and a “not my problem” shortsighted attitude seems to derail this concern. At this point, if we don’t actively combat climate change, our future doesn’t seem that great.

©️ iido 2019

A Moment Caught – A Lai Nouveau

I think I’ve caught you
Little boy, aged 2
Hide seek
Like a bird, you flew
Behind that tree – Shhhhhh…
Quick sneak
Pretend “Where are you?
I cannot see through!”

Like that tree, you grew
My mind thinks, “Adieu!”
It’s bleak
When you hid, I knew
How quick the years queue
Don’t peek
Little boy, aged 2
I think I’ve caught you

I am so thrilled that Hélène Vaillant has resumed her “What Do You See?” Photo Prompt Series. The pictures she chooses usually have a whimsical side and this one above is no exception!

This poem responds to D’Verse and Frank Hubeny’s call to try the Lai Nouveau a variation of the Lai. I’ve also incorporated Patrick’s Pic and a Word Challenge #186 – Caught – this prompt could have gone in so many directions but the combination with Hélène’s picture sealed the deal!

This picture brings me back to the innocence of children, especially those kids who have not yet mastered object permanence. Magical thinking is a large part of these toddler years. As a parent, I still employ this type of thinking to try to stop time and prolong these captured moments.

©️ iido 2019

Heaven Sent Group Run – A Lai Poem and Running Update

Eyes up to heaven

Running mile seven

I’m tired

My legs feel deaden

“Come on,” you beckon

Perspired

Running moms hearten

Together driven

Inspired

Another Lai Poem for D’Verse. The topic for this one uses the prompt from Patrick’s Pic and a Word #185 – Heavens. I’ve been on a streak with Patrick’s wonderful prompts! Head on over and see the lovely photos and words he uses for his weekly challenge. Patrick’s photos and poems from his recent travels are magnificent!!

While I didn’t get to actually run my seven miles this weekend like I was supposed to (rain and family obligations had me cutting it short), I was very grateful for the women who joined me from my local Moms Run This Town chapter. I was running short intervals while two other mamas were running longer intervals and our speedster mama was just running. We would leapfrog each other on the out and back trail, coming back when we would get too far out.

Even though I was running by myself at my own pace for most of this group run, just knowing my running friends were ahead of me or behind me made me happy and kept my motivation high. That’s running heaven!

Edited to add: I’ve also submitted this for Jamie’s Wednesday Writing prompt on The Poet by Day to write about friends. Is it weird that most of my friends are runners or writers?

©️ iido 2019

Bedtime Routine – A Lai Poem

Baby, drift to sleep

Shhh, don’t make a peep

No cries

Let’s start counting sheep

One and two and leap

Close eyes

Let the Sandman creep

Breathing becomes deep

Reprise

My second attempt at a Lai Poem for the dVerse poetry form challenge. This one incorporates Devereaux’s Tuesday Writing Prompt at the Go Dog Go Cafe. His prompt today is to use the phrase “drift to sleep” in a poem or prose.

I look back and realize I have many poems about sleep or to be more accurate, lack of sleep. It’s been over a decade since I can claim having a good night’s sleep. The bags under my eyes are now a permanent fixture despite the fleeting memories of snuggles and whispered fears and hopes.

©️ iido 2019