low 40s

Night drizzle in early February,
the damp cloud cover keeps it warm enough
that a soggy gray morning sees mist in the air
instead of frost on the ground.

And on the third floor
around 1 a.m.
a tear-sodden pillow kept
a heart from freezing over.

Luncheon Cinquain

Taste it:
soft brown heaven,
soothing cream of softness
a full jar of peanut butter
for me

Poetry Challenge Fail

As you may notice by looking at the previous post, the number of poems written in April was a bit shy of one-a-day. In fact, the final completion score comes in at 20/30, which is a D in most schools. Moreover, nearly a week's worth of those poems were written together on a relaxing Sunday afternoon. I didn't actually approach poetry more than half the days in Poetry Month.

While writing daily is the main spirit of the April poetry challenge, I also failed to take advantage of the opportunity to experiment with new styles and forms. My 2011 challenge month was much more successful.

I keep promising regular posts, and if I said something like that again it would be getting redundant. Know that good intentions are still persistently paving my way, and I'm hoping that pavement leads to a happier place than it does in most versions of the idiom. (If not, I guess we will have more posts like these ones.)

rind (Poetry Month: Day 20)

thick citrus of an idea
mists the air with the smell of oranges
as i dig my thumbs into it
peeling back the initial image
eager to explore the delicious ins and outs
and underpinnings,
eager for juice to dribble
and for hands to remain sticky with remnants,
depositing residual wonderings on everything else
that i touch today.

the skin pulls away and the plump flesh emerges...
except it doesn't.
i hold an empty rind of a poem
nothing in it
and my hand is slick with superficial oils

Some Texts (Poetry Month: Day 19)

I love you the most!
Of this I'll boast
from coast to coast
wherever parties have hosts
marshmallows are roast
houses haunted by ghosts
bloggers write posts
colleges hire provosts
or toasters make toast.

~~~

You have got to be the best man ever!!
I will always endeavor
through whatever
stormy weather
to love you forever.
All bad feelings I will sever
though I have them never
cause you're perfect and clever
I will love you wherever
'cause we're so happy always together.

Unattributed
Transcribed from actual texts. 

Poetry Month slipping by (Day 18-sort of)

I realize that i have not
kept up with posting here.
A week behind and no excuse:
I'm simply in arrears
I have no clever metaphor
nor simile nor rhyme
I should have written every day
but didn't take the time.
So now you've been neglected
but I'll try to make amends
with poems daily from now on
until the challenge ends.
I'll also plan to post some verse
written in retrospect.
Perhaps they won't be any worse
than you've come to expect.

Sounds (Poetry Month 2012: Day 17)

sirens scream up the road
horns shout each other down
tires strafe the asphalt

Into this melee,
Full-throated,
A dull-feathered soloist warbles,
Claiming the day.