National Poetry Writing Month – Page 4

#553: A History of Drumming

Today’s poem is very loosely a poem. It’s a little essay broken into lines so as to imitate a poem, a pretty standard technique of mine. I tend to be pretty liberal about what constitutes a poem and what does not. Like most discussions around genre and form, it’s really only interesting if one findsContinue reading “#553: A History of Drumming”

#552: Furry

Here’s a bonus poem that veers away from my intended “project” or theme, which is to write every poem this month about or significantly “around” music. The only connection here is that I was on my way to play music when the inspiration struck in the form of these unlikely fellow travelers. Furry On theContinue reading “#552: Furry”

#551: Butterflies at the Hollyhocks

In the sheet musicat the chamber orchestra gig, there were a number of notations above the staveindicating the manner in whichthe music should be played. Nothing unusual about that, but where one might expect to see things like allegroor andante or accelerando, usually words that beginwith an A, instead she foundinstructions such as “playthis badly,”Continue reading “#551: Butterflies at the Hollyhocks”

#550: That Guy

Wednesday night at the John Grant concert, my friend and I sat mesmerized by his witty stage banter, his beautiful voice, one man, a grand piano, and a synth. A low volume rock show, in between songs after the enthusiastic applausewe could hear the theater seats creak,and while he played, even in the quietestmoments, IContinue reading “#550: That Guy”

#549: Living With Aqua Convergence

The only paintingsI’ve ever purchasedare paintings paintedby my painter friend. Aqua Convergencewasn’t the first or the last pieceof his I bought, but it sitsmost prominentlyin my consciousness. I see it every dayand almost every day I will linger in front of itand admire its underwater beauty. His crazy world and mineseem to collide; his art,Continue reading “#549: Living With Aqua Convergence”

#548: Why I Am Not A Carpenter

It is not the poem I wanted to write today, but the prompt at NaPoWriMo was irresistible. Why I Am Not A Carpenter –after Frank O’Hara I am not a carpenter, I am a poetand a musician and a teacher. Why? I think I would ratherbe a carpenter, but I am not. Well, for instance,Continue reading “#548: Why I Am Not A Carpenter”

#547: The Art of the Lie

The Art of the Lie I am in full agreementthat John Grant is no namefor a rock star, and yet, he is, nevertheless, a rock star to me,and his most recent album, The Art of the Lie,has been in consistent, heavyrotation. I listened to it todayin the car as I drove to Pure LifeClinic forContinue reading “#547: The Art of the Lie”

#546: Étude for Not Writing a Poem

I don’t know what to say. I have never before, in the eleven previous years of participation in National Poetry Writing Month, experienced such intense internal resistance to writing a poem–ON THE FIRST DAY OF THE MONTH! I can’t explain it. Usually I am fired up and I jump out of the starting gate withContinue reading “#546: Étude for Not Writing a Poem”

#533: Thank You

April is done.Somehow,I wrote 60 poems.To all of youStopping by to readTaking the timeTo like a poemOr commentOr follow,I thank you.Your interestAnd supportHas nourishedThis writer’s heartAnd strengthenedMy resolve toKeep making thingsWith words.To say we do thisWriting thingFor its own sakeIs only partly true,For meIt wouldn’t beNearly as much fun Without you.

#532: On Writing 60 Poems in 30 Days

I think I know why I’m writing these poems– I’ve two a day for a full thirty days.If for only one month in the whole yearI’ve found a discipline that keeps me trueto the kind of thing I most want to do.No one’s waiting, holding their breath for me, there would be no consequence forContinue reading “#532: On Writing 60 Poems in 30 Days”