Easter Egg Hunt

Today is Day 19 of National Poetry Month. I decided to write a nonet poem in which there are 9 lines with 9 syllables in the first line, 8 syllables in the second line, 7 syllables in the third, and so on until the last line that only has one syllable. 

Easter Egg Hunt

By Candace Shultz

I wrapped my arms around her until

the man said, "Go!" Then she ran and

grabbed an egg. Turning, twisting,

and bumping into kids,

she grabbed three more. Then

she opened them, 

but they were

empty

eggs.

A Child's Hug

Today is Day 18 of National Poetry Month, and today's poem was inspired by NaPoWriMo's prompt to write a ruba'i (four-line stanza with an AABA rhyme scheme). I went a little further and wrote a rubaiyat (a ruba'i with multiple stanzas).

A Child's Hug
By Candace Shultz

My toddler said she wished to play
With kids she heard outside that day.
She never met these kids before,
But in the house she would not stay.

I told her that she could not go
With older kids I did not know.
She hurled herself upon the ground.
A horrid tantrum she did throw.

And by the time the whining stopped
The kids were gone, the sun had dropped.
My nerves were frayed, my anger high.
If not for love, I would have popped.

But then she asked me for a hug,
I picked her up from off the rug;
She wrapped her arms around my neck
And hugged me tight, warm and snug.

My daughter whispered in my ear,
"I love you, Mama." I filled with cheer.
The anger gone, I held her close,
"I love you too, my daughter dear."

I Was Sleeping

Day 17 of National Poetry Month

I Was Sleeping

By Candace Shultz

To my dear husband,

if you don't stop bothering

me, I will pinch you.

It's past 11 pm here. I fell asleep on the couch, so my husband woke me up to either write my poem or go upstairs to bed. Sometimes if he wakes me up from a nap I get quite contrary and grumpy until I'm fully awake. So I dedicate today's poem to him. (No husbands were harmed in the making of this poem. I didn't pinch him.)

Poems That Lie

I Always Lie

By Candace Shultz

I am drawing a picture.

The sky is green.

The grass is blue.

Up is down

And down is sideways.

The earth is square.

Mountains are flat.

The sun is cold.

Antarctica is hot.

My drawing has spiders in it.

Today is Day 16 of National Poetry Month, and I followed NaPoWriMo's prompt (who in turn got this prompt from Daisy Fried): write a ten-line poem where every line is a lie. I actually wrote two poems for this exercise. After writing my first poem, the last line inspired me to write the second poem.

I Love Spiders

By Candace Shultz

I love spiders.

I adore their beady eyes 

and their eight hairy legs.

I delight in them 

creeping about my house.

Spiders are my friends.

I'm happy with their webs 

clinging to my windows

and the corners of each room.

I get excited when they drop 

down with their spider silk, 

floating in front of my face.

I really enjoy their company.

I secretly hope they crawl 

all over me in my sleep.

I'd never squish them 

or throw them out the door.

I truly love spiders.

Teardrop

Today is Day 15 of National Poetry Month, and I decided to write a concrete poem. I hope you enjoy it. 

Teardrop

By Candace Shultz

A

single

 tear drops

from her lash

onto her cheek and

trails down to her chin,

pausing for just a moment,

before falling onto the dry

dirt. It splashes and soaks

into the ground, leaving no

trace, until the day a tiny

blue flower grows

in its place.

Questions from a Toddler

Today is Day 14 of National Poetry Month, and I followed the prompt from NaPoWriMo; write a poem where every line is a question except for the last one. I decided to write a short and lighthearted one about my daughter.

Questions from a Toddler

By Candace Shultz

Milk?

Snack?

Show?

What's this?

Ponies?

Potty?

Tablet?

Cat?

What's this?

Sticker?

Diaper?

Color?

What's this?

Bubbles?

Walk?

Shoes?

Help?

Outside?

What's this?

Juice?

Thank you!

Alone Without You

Day 13 of National Poetry Month

Alone Without You

By Candace Shultz

There are days that I'm alone,

I look for you and wonder 

where you are.

So far away, like worlds apart,

even though the internet

keeps us together. 

When you're gone for too long

I start to worry. Are you okay?

I wait to hear from you.

And when you do message me back,

I sigh with relief as my heart

beats again.

I count down the days until your return,

wishing that time would speed up

so I can be in your arms again.

At night I cannot sleep because

the bed is empty and cold

without you.

I sit at home and miss you so.

Where did you go?

I'm alone.