The Caged Bird Caterwauls – A Pantoum

I know why the caged bird sings
Sour sweet melodies of human maladies
Vibrating out into the fractured world
There is no accompanying harmony

Sour sweet melodies of human maladies
Poetic squawks implored yet ignored by broken ears
There is no accompanying harmony
When the free birds don’t want change

Poetic squawks implored yet ignored by broken ears
She caterwauls until the cage shatters
When the free birds don’t want change
Her powerful voice portends the power of action

She caterwauls until the cage shatters
Vibrating out into the fractured world
Her powerful voice portends the power of action
This is why the caged bird sings*

A late response to Patrick’s Pic and a Word #201 – Fractured this week. Patrick’s poem about “fractured memories altered with time…[manipulated] to serve the present” stumped me for a while. His words ring true – especially since truth seems like such a rare commodity these days. Even the priest at my church today spoke of the importance of truth and to stay away and not believe the “King of Lies” (aka the Devil or Satan).

Jamie Dedes’ Wednesday Writing Prompt asked the question: Does poetry make a difference? My response with this poem is a resounding “YES!” especially when poetry speaks one’s truth and leads to action. How many speeches delivered by great civil rights leaders and activists read and sound like poetry? How many of their words inspired and strengthened and called to action people who might have otherwise stood by the sidelines? Conversely, how many poets have written/spoken words that inspired and strengthened and called to action? One such poet was Maya Angelou.

The first and last line of this pantoum is the same* (as the form requires) and comes from Maya Angelou’s literary autobiography of the same name. This book is part of the Feminist Book Title Challenge from Christine at Brave and Reckless. Maya Angelou (1928-2014) was a poet/writer/activist whose words and work centered the reality and truth of her African American female experience. Her poem, “Still I Rise,” is my current mantra especially after reading about the recent incidents of gun violence perpetrated by white supremacists in the USA, as well as the unfettered proliferation of anti-immigrant policies.

Maya Angelou also wrote a poem titled, “Caged Bird” (1983), which has the following refrain:

The caged bird sings with a fearful trill 
Of things unknown but longed for still 
And his tune is heard on the distant hill for 
The caged bird sings of freedom. 

* Edited 8/27/2019

I changed the last line of the poem from the original “I know why the caged bird sings” to its current form “This is why the caged bird sings.” While I know it breaks the Pantoum form, I felt the message (of the need for poets to continue to raise their voices especially in times of injustice) superseded the form. I hope you agree! (If not, please let me know! The editing process is a continuous one….😁).

©️ iido 2019

Thoughts on Awakening – A Senryu

The joy of morning

Crowded out by pointy knees

In my lower back

(Yes, I know that picture is of frog legs and not of kid legs that kick and flail in the bed then eventually ending up across my neck while the other is jammed between L3 and L4. But I am usually too groggy to take a picture of said kids’ flailing legs when they are in the bed. )

Jamie’s Wednesday Writing Prompt when I was on vacation was to write about “What is it like when you are awaken in the morning? Are you up-and-at ’em right away?  Do you curl back up for a few moments of precious sleep?  Are you ever disoriented, perhaps not knowing the time or place?” You can read the poetic responses she received here.

Full disclosure, I am not a good sleeper which makes me a horrible waker-upper. I am usually not fully awake until around 10-11 AM. This is bad news for my family, especially my hubby who is in charge of breakfast and getting kids dressed in the morning by default. When he travels, our mornings are hectic and stressful. I will admit to relying on my older daughter to get me up since she has been blessed with the Early Bird Gene from her dad.

There are many reasons I don’t get a good night’s sleep but only two reasons that I wake up in the morning with aching shoulders and back. Wager a guess what these are?

****

Here are some more senryus/haikus on Thoughts on Awakening:

No, no, no, not yet
Keep that dreadful sun at bay
Snooze 10 minutes more

New day go away
My eye lids still seek the moon
I curl contented

I would love you, Dawn
But you are an Early Bird
My worm needs its sleep

Children wake refreshed
Sprawled out on a king sized bed
Parents on the edge

©️ iido 2019

The Cure – Not the Band but a Double Dizain

For sale! The Ultimate Cure for your ills
It removes pride, hatred, entitlement
It heals hearts and minds as your soul, it fills
But I don’t say this for my amusement
In fact, that’s the cure for Life’s excrement

Put on your fun pants, ignore the pshaw
Start with a titter, a chuckle, guffaw
The wheels start turning when you realize
That laughter, the cure-all, relaxes your jaw
So smile in the face of what you despise

This isn’t snake oil but conflict detox
Holster your words, your glares, your fist and gun
Your howl of hilarity will outfox
The zombies who follow the orange one
Mark Twain said laughter is the best weapon

Stockpile some toothbrushes, toothpaste and mints
Practice your giggles and comedy stints
Change what you can then get your wheels churning
Let the arc on your face leave its imprint
The laughing cure keeps the world from burning

This double dizain (that is, two back-to-back dizains – I may have made this form up…) is my response to Patrick’s Pic and a Word Challenge #200 – Wheels and Jamie’s Wednesday Writing Prompt to write a poem about what would happen if there was a “world-wise detoxification event, an international soul healing day” that would “unite [us/the world] in letting go of the hatreds, resentments, and pains that define so many of us and that we’ve inherited.”

This poem did not come together until I read this blog post from Shaun Jex @stoopkid entitled “Manifesto”. Shaun introduced me to this quote from Mark Twain:

Will a day come when the race will detect the funniness of these juvenilities and laugh at them–and by laughing at them destroy them? For your race, in its poverty, has unquestionably one really effective weapon–laughter. Power, Money, Persuasion, Supplication, Persecution–these can lift at a colossal humbug,–push it a little– crowd it a little–weaken it a little, century by century: but only Laughter can blow it to rags and atoms at a blast. Against the assault of Laughter nothing can stand.
– “The Chronicle of Young Satan,” Mysterious Stranger Manuscripts

This reminded me of the “Man in the Green Shirt” who went viral a few weeks ago and as well as the Pop Mob who used humor to diffuse the alt-right demonstrators in Portland, OR (you can read about Pop Mob’s counter-demonstration efforts here).

Of course, it’s not as easy as telling a few jokes and sharing laughter to solve the world’s problems. But imagine if it can be…so wear a smile today and tomorrow and the next day….it’s free and you don’t even need a prescription!

©️ iido 2019

Toni in the Room with the Yellow Wallpaper – A Quadrille Honoring Toni Morrison (1931-2019)

Her voice bounced off the yellow wallpaper,
Reverberating with strength and wisdom,
Uplifting the mahogany tones
In the old-fashioned design.
She refused to allow the surround to distract her,
Refused to explain her powerful gift.
She rose above inert ideas
Owning her freed self.

Toni Morrison died this past Monday, leaving behind an unapologetic legacy of literature centering Black American lives. She spoke candidly about racism in America, calling its function a “distraction” (read more here).

In this quadrille for De Jackson at dVerse (Quadrille # 83 – Voice), I have imagined her in the setting of Charlotte Gilman’s novel, The Yellow Wallpaper, to fulfill Christine’s Brave and Reckless August Feminist Book Title Challenge.

For me, Toni Morrison embodied the ultimate goal and greatest achievement for any writer/poet – that is, to write stories/poems as your Authentic Self.

©️ iido 2019

Lost – A Hay(Na)Ku*

Lost

Is a

Frame of mind

We did a hike in the French Alps with some friends of ours who live near Annecy. It was quite a different hike than what we’ve done in the USA. We drove up into the mountains, stopped on a hillside by a cow pasture and just started walking. My friend said this was how it was done in France. You just walked around and explored and then find your way back.

It was really enjoyable to be out in the sun and the grass. We saw cows and some people parasailing (or trying to, the wind was really strong that day). We also saw some awesome RC airplanes. The hike wasn’t too strenuous but I definitely got my exercise circle closed that day!

On the drive back to our hotel in the city, I came upon a blog by Jason Muckley who blogs at Poems for Warriors. His post was about “flaneuring”, a term I had never heard of but that perfectly described our hike. It makes me wonder why the French have such a word but there is no equivalent for that in the USA. Is there an equivalent in other languages/countries?

I think I will have to continue to find opportunities to flaneur when we get back from vacation.

* Jason also introduced me to the Hay(Na)Ku poetry from. It is similar in brevity to the Haiku with three lines but the word (not syllable) count is 1-2-3. The Hay(Na)Ku was created by a Filipina poet named Eileen Tabios in 2003. The name is a play on words of a Tagalog expression loosely translated into “oh my!” Of course, I fell in love it with right away!

Thanks Jason for introducing me to these two wonderful new concepts!!

©️ iido 2019

A Parisian Tale of Loss – A Dizain

This tale that I tell of sorrow and loss
Arrives at this place that poets still love
At the cafe, eyes convey their pathos
While ours frantically seek pray’rs from above
Have we lost that je ne sais quoi? Sort of…
No more sweet kisses stolen by the Seine
Covered in dust are my notebook and pen
Little voices clamor for attention
Our passions still strong but shown less often
The loss is tempered by Love’s additions

This Dizain was written for Patrick’s Pic and a Word #199 – Loss, for Beth’s Tuesday Writing Prompt at the Go Dog Go Cafe (use the words “poet” and “pen”) and for this month’s d’Verse Poetry Form Challenge. How fitting that the dizain poetry form has French origins as this one was inspired by our trip to Paris.

The last time I was here was when my then boyfriend, now husband proposed to me at the top of the Eiffel Tower. It was his “grand gesture” and one of my most fondest memories. We ate rich foods, drank delicious wine and sat in cafes for hours savoring our cafe au lait.

This trip included our children so there weren’t any long hours savoring a little cup of coffee. The food was still good but our wine consumption was limited to gulping down a glass of wine in between managing melt downs and sibling disputes.

I don’t know what I had expected from this trip, but I do know that what I lost from a couple standpoint, I gained from a family viewpoint, and I loved every minute of it!

I think Patrick said it best in his poem for this prompt:

The joys once lived
Remain in our memories
And in our hearts

In the empty spaces
Something new, perhaps
Something new to love

©️ iido 2019

Tygpress is Down! (At least for now…)

Some good news to report (in case you haven’t heard it from another site): Due to the active participation of many WordPress bloggers, Tygpress has been shut down – maybe temporarily, but shut down nonetheless. This was first brought to my attention by Fandango. I just tried to go on the Tygpress website and this is what comes up:

Incredible! The good we can do when we work together…if we can agree on what that good work entails….

This was beautifully done WordPress Bloggers! Thank you for all who participated. Mission Accomplished!

©️ iido 2019

Broken Beacon – A Senryu

The beacon of Home

Broken by guns, money, hate

We have lost our way

This senryu was written for Patrick’s Pic and a Word #198 – Beacons.

If this mini Statue of Liberty location doesn’t look familiar to you, it may be because it is located in Paris, France, just a few minutes walk from the Eiffel Tower. We are on vacation and in light of the two shootings that happened in the USA and after reading Fandango’s spot on assessment (in my opinion) on these happenings and dealing with a bot scraping my blog…it seems that the world is lost in more ways than one….

©️ iido 2019

Tygpress is NOT Authorized to Reprint My Blog Content

This post is a follow up on my previous post about Tygpress (hosted by Digital Oceans). They continue to scrape my blog as well as others’ blogs. We have lost one blog (maybe two) because of this issue and that makes me very sad.

Fandango created a badge that he kindly allowed other bloggers to use. I am going to be using this badge on all my posts going forward.

Also, check out this post at Renard’s World. He wrote a thoughtful article about this issue with some excellent explanations and suggestions about how to further handle this issue.

I hope you are not affected by this issue, but if you are – know that you aren’t alone and that there is something you can do about it. As for me, I will continue with my posting and and my brand new badge while continuing to explore options to shut down this unethical website.

©️ iido 2019