Stop, and bend your ear low
to the ground. Now listen: the breath is labored,
almost choked in some spots. There are people
who can read these signs like ragged, torn air
leaving the lungs of a tired Mother, and they say
that we are killing Her.
Continue reading
Tag Archives: destruction
Big Tent Poem / WWP Poem #7: Sixteen
This poem was written for both this past Monday’s Big Tent Poetry Prompt and last week’s We Write Poems Prompt. Two ThreeFour visual versions of the poem, plus the original text of the poem, appear below. Click on each graphic to view it large (you might be able to even go larger, depending on your browser).
Visual Poem, Version 1 (Click to View)
Visual Poem, Version 2 (Click to View)
Visual Poem, Version 3
Visual Poem, Version 4
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When the stars bleed through pinholes
like a heroin serenade walking up the tracks
of an earthquake arm where veins are fault lines
and bruises are epicenters where footfalls land;
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Final Night in Sodom
This triptych poem, also my first triptych chained hay(na)ku, was written for two prompts: Read Write Poem Prompt #50: Gothic (‘Tis the Season) and Poefusion’s Tuesday Title Prompt this week (from Billy Corgan’s book “Blinking with Fists”).
Rather than the old gothic tales we have gleaned so many of our metaphors and cliches from (dark, spooky castles in the middle of nowhere, graveyards, black roses, etc.), I decided to go biblical on your collective poetic asses. This poem, of course, is based on the biblical story of Sodom and Gomorrah.
This triptych poem can be read THREE ways actually, as opposed to two like my other ones. Of course, you can read across, and then down each section. You are also encouraged to read down the columns in all three sections as a third way to read the poem.
WARNING: This poem contains references to violence, sexual assault, and murder. If you are not comfortable with these subjects, I suggest you stop reading now.
If you’d like to read on, then enjoy.
-Nicole
Skeltonic #4
This skeltonic was written for the Monday Mural Prompt for this week over at Poefusion. I took a darker approach to the photo. Enjoy.
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I am chaos, personified.
I testify
that I am about to die;
I wilt. Continue reading
Tornado
This fib chain was written for Poefusion’s Friday Five prompt. This week’s words were: wail, hay, scrawl, clobber, and encourage. Enjoy.
-Nicole
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stones
lay
scattered
tornado
scrawled our homelessness
onto to the land in rock letters
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After the Rain
This was written for the Simply Snickers prompt this week – write a poem with the words “day” and “discover”. I chose a tanka. Enjoy.
-Nicole
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day after rainstorm
trees destroyed, branches broken
the rains missed a rose
I discover it, upright
defiant to the storm’s winds
Written 6/22/08
© 2008 Nicole Nicholson. All Rights Reserved.
Outrunning the Dragon
Sprint!
I leave the gate, running feverishly
To outrun the fire-breathing dragon
