Today’s Prompt: write a poem about a tool, using the tool in the title.

The below is not a new poem. I have written a new poem based on this prompt, but I am not posting it. However, this old poem also fits this prompt, and I am posting it. I hope you enjoy.

Ode to a Microspatula

O device made from steel
of the stainless variety
so thin, yet so shapely –
How can I ever repay?

Some use your strong metal
to extricate staples, spread
adhesive, or separate pages
which have become attached.

You help me to rescue
the memories of my past
from the sticky undersides
of their present enclosures.

O device made from steel
of the stainless variety
so thin, yet so capable –
How can I show my gratitude?

Another article of faith upon the part of my readers, but I have managed to compose at least one poem each day of the month so far.

Prompt

Until the Kill

I sit here
inside the book depository
waiting

I have
sufficient ammunition
to shoot at stray adverbs
misplaced modifiers
and unsightly spelling errors

But I conserve
my energy
so I can obliterate
this poem’s
commander-in-chief.

You’ll have to trust me on this one.

I won’t be counting it in my “posted poem” totals, so the difference between Poem# and Day# will narrow.

Prompt: Write a poem about history

Niagara Fell

In 1848, on a day in March
Huge chunks of ice
Pierced Niagara’s head.
Downstream, the falls dried up.

News traveled slowly.
Residents looked down –
The mighty thunder, silenced –
Then up to the sky, fearful.

The churches were filled
as the fish died.
Tourists came from far
To walk across the bed.

When the ice dam cleared
Some must have felt foolish,
While others just waited
for their god’s next missive.

Poetic Asides’ Prompt of the Day is to write a poem with the word ‘partly’ in the title.

I tend to avoid rhyme. But I am willing to open the door when she knocks. And occasionally I will even listen to what she has to say. The poem isn’t about anyone in particular, unless you want it to be.

Partly Pertly

With a stern bow,
and portly aft
she was partly pertly
and completely daft.

The April 2nd prompt at Read Write Poem:

Use AcronymAttic and write a poem inspired by an acronym from RWP. “You don’t have to use the words from the phrase in your poem, but you can if they fit.” (I didn’t.)

The April 2nd prompt at Poetic Asides: a water poem.

I wrote a haiku based on both prompts. One of the acronyms was “Roger Williams Park.” The title is a quote from Roger Williams. I think the poem may be appropriate for this week.

God is too large to be housed under one roof

Religious Freedom –
a river that cannot be
dammed or damned.

Those who are counting the syllables, and frowning at the third line: English haiku does not adhere to a strict syllabic count.

ReadWritePoem’s challenge for April 1 was to write a Shuffle Poem

That is:

1. Put your iPod or iTunes (or other mp3 player) on shuffle. (If you don’t have a music player that shuffles, you can choose CD or album titles at random from your collection by writing several titles down on little slips of paper … works the same way.)
2. Write down the first five titles that come up. No cheating allowed!
3. Use all five titles to draft a new poem. They have to be used intact — you can interrupt them with punctuation, but you may not remove or change words.

I wrote two poems (Ten songs. I didn’t mix and match. The first poem contains the first five song titles, and the second poem contains the second five.)

Kudos to the first person who can guess all ten songs and artists.

I haven’t decided on titles for either one yet.

1)

ed watched the star wars prequel
homesick
blues hockey could be heard
on a television
down the hall

they all thought they
were more hipper
than ed
not that he was having a blast
watching star wars
alone

watching woodburning
could be more enjoyable
than the prequels
but he was no american idiot

2)

the scenes flash by quickly
and i know
it’s my life.

soon i’ll be there
the kingdom in the sky.

killed by a maniac –
a traveling soldier
in a tank.

suicide.

tonight is the night i fell asleep at the wheel.

April is National Poetry Month. To celebrate, I am going to attempt to write as many poems as possible this month. I am not setting a goal of “a poem a day.” I may achieve that number. I may not. The poems may be of good quality and taste. They may not. I may post them here. I may not. (But I expect many of them will be.)

ReadWritePoem and Poetic Asides are both posting daily prompts…so that may help. Or it may not.

To start off the month, I followed the prompt on Poetic Asides…

The Jester

The Jester
in an empty courtyard
somersaults
tells a joke
takes a bow
looks at the sun
hopes the King and his Court
return from the hunt
soon.