Wounds

get lost
“get lost” by ~Standing-Apart

I participated in the latest challenge on Poets Who Blog, which was to create a poem using a list of ten words (these ten words are highlighted in the poem below. The result was this poem, “Wounds”. Enjoy.

-Nicole
————————————————————————

They say time heals all wounds.
How precious is that healing
As I try to collect in into my heart and
Desperately to try avoid a role reversal -
I don’t want to turn into a monster
Like you. Continue reading

Muse

Blind Mary by vhm-alex

“Blind Mary” by *vhm-alex

For those of you who have been readers for a while, you’ll know that I have written some poetic reactions either to poems of other writings. David Pitchford wrote Dionysus Rising on his blog. This is my response. Enjoy.

-Nicole
———————————————————————
I am muse.
They call me Calliope.
I break open my chest and let the Universe
Leap out of my heart, and then
Hand it to you on a silver platter
No matter
What it is that you seek to sing
About. Continue reading

Another Challenge: Narrative Poetry

As I’ve mentioned before, I believe in trying new things and stretching myself to grow as a poet. So….when I read this post on Strong Verse’s blog about narrative poetry, I was curious and intrigued. I mostly write lyric poetry, as readers of this blog are aware, but I have certainly not shut the door on narrative poetry.

The idea is to write a narrative poem which tells a story (a bit redundant I am in saying this, but I felt I needed to) hovering somewhere between 250 – 300 lines. A challenge for me, since my poetry tends to run 40 lines or less, and as I mentioned, I write more of what is probably classified as lyric poetry. But there are many stories to tell. I intend to tell at least one of them. I will keep you posted.

-Nicole

Obsession

This is a poetic response (though kind of like slant rhyme, I’d call this a slant response, since it’s more of a take on the idea of obsession) to “Naked Echo” by David Pitchford. I also suggest checking out “Deep Rooted Want” written by Mother2Rah.

-Nicole

To watch is to want, and
To want beyond the heart’s
Boundaries becomes murder
As you rain covetous concupiscence
Upon the object of your desire Continue reading

Subway Starer

(an answer to Paul Blackburn’s poem “Once-Over”, partially quoted at: http://lutheransurrealism.blogspot.com/2008/05/blackburn-ii.html .)

You’ve got
                X-
                   ray
                       eyes
And it’s
               no
                  sur-
                       prise
That you focus them on: Continue reading

2008 Rust Belt Poetry Slam: Awesome!

Greetings readers!

My fiance and I attended the finals for this year’s Rust Belt Poetry Slam last night. We decided to go to last night’s finals bout because a) there was an open mic right before the slam (I read “Be” at the open mic), and b) we wanted to see what the finals would be like, never having attended a poetry slam of this notoriety and magnitude. Continue reading