Preflight Checklist – A Poem

I am poised
At the edge of beginning
Unable to unclasp my hands
From behind the back of mundane
To grasp the infinitesimal potential before me.

I am afraid
Of the miracle that might happen
If I topple over the edge of the wall
Will I fall and shatter?
Will I be caught by others who know that I matter?

I am trusting
In the stars that spell my name
That my purpose will be revealed
Like wings unfurled catching the breath
Of the true spirit

I am accepting
Of the cuts upon my skin
The bruises of learning
Stamped with the names of experience
Rubbed with an ointment of love

I am ready
To fly

This poem was inspired by Hélène’s “What do you see?” Picture prompt and also incorporates Devereaux’s Go Dog Go Cafe Tuesday Writing Prompt to write a poem about flying.

Taking that first step has always been difficult for me, especially if it’s in a direction that is different and/or difficult. I know some people love a challenge, love to embark on adventures and they do it without excessive worrying or fearful procrastination. I am like the figure in the picture: seeing the beauty and potential but afraid of grasping the wall, swinging my leg over and dropping onto the other side.

I’m learning that to truly fly in this world, I can’t overthink, I just have to do it (as the slogan goes). Think it – Say it – Do it – Be it – then Take Off!

©️ iido 2019

Where Your Soul Goes – A Poem

It’s where your soul goes
A concrete box upriver
The jailer is a spring day
Filled with dark skies and raindrops

It’s where your soul goes
A driftwood raft in the ocean
It’s occupant a summer afternoon
Passively waiting for rescue, relief

It’s where your soul goes
An oak barrel in the Falls
Filled with a foolish, frantic autumn dawn
Accepting anger wanting to rush headfirst and SMASH

It’s where your soul goes
A white house downriver
The owner is a winter night
Winds whipping, lashing, tearing

It’s where your soul goes
When the silver scalpel rips open your body
And takes the life filled with hopeful anticipation.

This poem was written for Devereaux’s Tuesday Writing prompt challenge at the Go Dog Go Cafe to use the phrase “Where the soul goes” in a poem. I was also able to incorporate Patrick’s Pic and a Word Weekly Challenge #177 – Upriver as well as Hélène’s beautiful “What do you see?” Picture prompt. The key to this poem was literally the key in Hélène’s photo! I’ve also included some links in the poem about the phrases I used in case you aren’t familiar with “up (the) river, over the Falls or down (the) river.”

Monday, March 4 was the birthday of my twins, Lucas and Larissa, who would have been 13 years old if they had lived. It doesn’t get easier. This poem is dedicated to them.

©️ iido 2019

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

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

Millie and Emma – A Reverse Nonet

One

Then two

Exactly

Identical

Without permission

Now brought into being

They refuse their genetic

Wiring, rebelling, and seeking

What the petri dish sought to deny

This nonet was written for Hélène’s “What do you see?” Weekly Challenge (the picture above is from this prompt) as well as for the Go Dog Go Cafe Tuesday Writing Prompt Challenge. Devereaux Frazier and Beth Amanda’s prompt: Describe a recent world event without saying what the event actually was.

Can you guess what the reverse nonet is about? The title names (for the girls in Hélène’s picture) comes from this article.

In my writing group, I read a short piece about a family who tried to clone their car but ended up cloning their son. It turned out their (original) son was a serial killer and the parents had to decide whether to allow the clone to live or not, unsure if it would become a killer as well. It was a difficult decision for the parents – I won’t tell you the ending in case he sells this fascinating story.

In researching this poem, I hadn’t realized that animal cloning has been happening in all parts of the world since the 1960’s. I had thought gene manipulation and cloning were relatively recent events. It makes me wonder about the long terms outcomes of humans “playing god” – hastening genetic change that used to take generations to manifest. Not that we’re recreating Jurassic Park – at least not yet! (This blog post I found recounts this scene from the movie, “Jurassic Park”, and also has some interesting thoughts about cloning and writing.)

So, cloning is the world event my poem is about. Maybe I should have made it a double reverse nonet?

©️ iido 2019