False Start
Prompt response: Borrow from me
because the wall is hollow
and there’s so much space to fill
but with what?
why did we ever choose the pocket door?
it’s always getting derailed from the track
right now I’m staring at the cockeyed glass
bemused by decisions that once seemed so
— accurate —
now nothing does. smoked glass. barren tasks.
i do not want to rule the world
but
perhaps just a little recognition
will do — something enigmatic or two
to occur between me and you
i remember waiting for this
happenstance where the world
became anew. fully realized
in another’s view. i think
Disney might be to blame for this…
ya know, that happily ever after
bull shit with no mention of whatever happens next
so I steal time to write
my mini affair with words
helps to keep the sparks alive
— where once we thrived —
and that mischievous smile
of mine brims around
the hint of denial
as I hit upon that sweet spot
— just when I got it right —
tap the barrel and the flames ignite
the breath expands
the belly heats up
till we collapse by the fire
and realize the damn starter blocks have expired
Breathe & Be Still ©2023
This poem is a flash response to J.D. Harms’ latest “take it from me” prompt. I love the process of recycling lines and letting one unconscious process roll from another. So, thank you J.D. for another invitation.
I am also struggling to write as time is not forgiving. But always, the best advice: just write even if you begin with “i’m having trouble writing.” I read J.D.’s poem and afterwards was rolling out my very knotted shoulder on the wall, which I noticed felt different because the wall is hollow, given the pocket door. And well, this is where I ended up… I borrowed the line: “i do not want to rule the world.”
A very special thanks to J.D. Harms and Melissa Coffey, the editors of Scrittura, for keeping the creative gears spinning and helping me get beyond the rough drafts.
