It's Time for Haiku

Day 12 of National Poetry Month

It's Time for Haiku

By Candace Shultz

It is 10 o'clock

at night and I still don't know

what I want to write.

My cold hands are poised

over the keyboard, waiting 

for thoughts to emerge.

I stare at the screen

as the cursor blinks on the

white page. I blink too.

It is 10:15

and I am still struggling

with all of my words.

I think about my

daughter's excitement over

the Easter Bunny.

I think about the

birds landing in my backyard

to eat the spiders.

It's 10:25.

I'm looking at a picture

of Bengal tigers.

I listen to my 

husband crunch on chips as he

plays a game on Steam.

I still taste the sour

cream and onion flavor from

my bag of Lay's chips

It is 10:30

and I am finished writing 

poetry tonight.

A Bird's Gift

Day 11 of National Poetry Month

A Bird's Gift

By Candace Shultz

A little blue bird

Lands on the brown fence

In my backyard. 

It rests for just a moment,

Then flies away,

Leaving a white stain in my grass.

The Grumbles of a Hungry Woman

I wasn't feeling very inspired today, but I was feeling hungry. So for Day 10 of National Poetry Month I wrote about how frustrated I am by my diet.

The Grumbles of a Hungry Woman

By Candace Shultz

I want to eat a lot today

Instead of feeling hungry all day.

1200 calories isn't enough.

A prolonged diet is too tough.

I don't want to exercise anymore.

It just makes my body very sore.

Checking my weight makes me mad.

Weeks without progress make me sad.

These last ten pounds are clinging tight.

I'm ready to give up the fight.

I don't want to hop, hop, hop.

I just want to stop, stop stop!

And eat some chocolate.

Read a Book

It's Day 9 of National Poetry Month.


Read a Book
By Candace Shultz

Read a book, I say to you,
If you have nothing to do.
You say you are bored,
Yet those books are ignored.
A book will take you somewhere new.

You can climb a mountain or dive down deep
Or comfort the lady who doth weep.
You can battle trolls, giants, and ogres
Or visit Rome and wear some togas.
Soon you'll never want to sleep.

You'll find magic, romance, vampires too
And other creatures with skin that's blue.
You can learn to knit or fly a plane
Or find some help to keep you sane.
You can read a story or one that's true.

You can learn about history
Or pick up a new mystery.
Read about the nature of birds.
Read anything with words.
How about The Old Man and the Sea?

So when you say that you are bored,
Please don't leave those books ignored.
Expand your mind. Have some fun.
Read a book out in the sun.
And soon those books will be adored.

I Am Not Fine

I followed NaPoWriMo's prompt for Day 8 of National Poetry Month: rewriting a famous poem with my own spin. I chose Langston Hughes' poem Life is Fine.


I Am Not Fine
By Candace Shultz

I went down to the basement,
I sat down on the floor.
I tried to see but couldn't
Because someone shut the door.

I stood up and I hollered.
I stumbled towards the stairs.
If I hadn't known where a flashlight was
I'd still be unawares.

It was Dark in that basement! It was dark!

I climbed to the kitchen
Ten stairs above the basement.
I opened the door to see
The ghost of my mean old aunt.

I turned around and hollered!
I ran back down the stairs!
If I hadn't opened the door
I'd still be unawares.

But she's so scary! She's so scary!

So since I'm still here sitting,
I guess I will just starve.
I could've run outside,
But I didn't have the nerve.

Because no one will hear me holler
And my life has gone awry,
My aunt will surely make me
Stay here until I die.

Let me out! Out from here! Let me out!

Blackout Poetry - Hurry

I joined another swap at swap-bot that involved writing blackout poetry. The theme for this poem is ENERGY. And since it is National Poetry Month, I decided to use it for today's post.

I based my blackout poem on L. Frank Baum's book The Wizard of OZ, more specifically page 88.

My poem is titled "Hurry."

This is how I imagine the poem would look if I'd written it out.

Hurry

By Candace Shultz

"Hurry," he said.

She forgot 

where

she was

and fell fast asleep.

He was troubled.

He bounded forward

as fast as he could

and picked up the dog,

then made for the sand.

Nursery Rhymes

My husband told me to write a nursery rhyme, so I attempted two. I based my rhyming scheme and rhythm on nursery rhymes like Little Miss Muffet and Jack and Jill.

Daisy the Lion

By Candace Shultz

Daisy the lion

Just wouldn't stop crying.

She stubbed her pinky toe.

A mouse scurried by,

Bravely gave comfort a try,

And wrapped her paw in a bow. 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Lily the Child

By Candace Shultz

Lily the child

Went very wild

And ran around the room.

Her mom calmed her down

With a fierce frown

Until Lily yelled, "Vroom vroom!"