Eye On Life Annual Poetry Contest 2014

Yes, we are doing the EOL Annual Poetry Contest again, though we got a bit of a late start this year.  Once again we will be offering:

• First prize, $100
• Second prize, $50
• Third prize, a book of poetry

Winners (and honorable mentions) will be published in the Poetry Locksmith feature at EOL.

In other news I had an absolutely wonderful time playing with the Temple Ohabei Shalom Shabbos band on Friday night, January 10, celebrating Shabbat Shira, the Shabbat of Song, with guest artist Jonathan Gramling.  I love it when the musical and the spiritual mix so well.

Also it was an opportunity to play claves as well as trombone, and even sing a little.

Six Poems about Work

1
Funerals
Elder care
Retirement
College educations
Teenagers
Children
Babies
Medical care
Vacations
Money
Fun
Transportation
Shelter
Food
Clothing
Work
Me

2

There is the car that takes me to work
There is the time that I spend in the car
There is the time that I spend fixing the car
There is the time that I spend paying for the car
There is the time that I spend fueling the car
There is the time that I spend worrying about the car

This is my work
There is the time I spend getting ready for work
There is the time I spend doing my work
There is the time I spend thinking about work
There is the time I spend buying clothes for work
There is the time I spend worrying about work

Tell me again
Why do I do this?

3

All day in a chair
My belly has begun
To spill into my lap
My ass has spread
To stabilize itself
Beneath its constant load
My eyes have retreated
My skin has grown blood-pressure-elevated red
They call this
“Evolution”

4

O wellspring!
Source of sustenance
For body and soul
You are my living
My reason to live
I am so grateful
For your means
To feed
My family

5

Beginning there was
So much to learn
Every day I expanded
I grew more powerful

Powerful and wise
I dispensed wisdom
Reaped rewards
Harvested respect

Challenged by the younger
I held them at bay
Holding a few magic jewels
Of special knowledge

Slouching toward retirement
I scarcely conceal
That I am overmatched
And no longer care

Retired I feel abandoned
Purposeless and futile
Obsolete jetsam
From the wreck of my era

Dead I look back
Upon the wasteland
Footsteps in the sand
Quickly erased by the wind

6

Realizing that I am not what I do
Any more than I am what I own
I go to work each day searching
For exactly what I want

Every day I feel I am closer
To exactly what I want

One day I know
Exactly what I want
And the work unfolds
Like a tulip in spring
Revealing

Exactly what I want

This would be poem 25 through 30 to squeak by NaPoWriMo. Whew!

Speed

Swoop and swerve
Round the curves
Force and energy
Friction and synergy
Harder faster
Tempting disaster
Here to there
Over land or sea
Through water or air
Fly with me
Glide and ride
Slip and slide
Lean into the turns
Accelerate
After-burn
Into the straightaway
Up the mountain
Down the valley
Around the fountain
Up your alley
Look at her
She’s just a blur
Look at that guy
Zooming by
Velocity gained
Mach one attained
Extreme speed excites
Skin stretched tight
By gravities
Known as G’s
Like a runaway jet
Out of control spinning
Some invisible race winning
See how fast can you get
Before you crash
Shattered glass
Road rash
But you come back to sense
You don’t hit the fence
Put on the brakes
While your hands shake
Slowing down
Slowing down
You ease into town
Nonchalant pass the cop
Pull over in a parking lot
Coast out back under the trees
In the shady breeze
That cools your sweat
Stop
Shut off the engine
And all is silent
But the pounding
Of your heart

This would be poem 24 of 30 for NaPoWriMo.

No Strings Attached

I posted poem 23 of 30 for NaPoWriMo here.

Donal Mahoney gave us a nice little epic this week at Eye On Life.  You can find that here.

I admit I have had some stress over keeping up with NaPoWriMo, but it has been worth it.  Deadlines are as good for a poet as they are for any other writer.  It just feels good to produce work, and I feel that some of the work I am producing has potential.  Sincere thanks from this poetry editor to the promoters and instigators of NaPoWriMo for a little forced inspiration.

Klezmer

Like a big fat soup

Of rich Eastern European flavors

Hints of the Middle East

Swirling in a spicy confluence

Of delectable modal-ism

Inter-twirling in a sort of minor key

Stirred with a clarinet

Maybe add a little trombone

Perhaps a pinch of cornet

A dash each of violin and saxophone

Into a piano consommé

Served up in a big bowl

Of bass and drum

Maybe some accordion in season

Musicians all caught up

Swaying with the rhythm

Playing off each other

Flat six and sharp seven

Generating pleasurable tension

Generation to generation

Who line up and dance

Connected hand in hand

In a long line that whirls

Vigorously stirred

Like a big fat soup

 

Poem 16 of 30 for NaPoWriMo 2012

Untitled

Rising in slow explosions over decades
In angular liquid splashing grace
Ending in fractal fingers that claw the air
In the passing breeze

Spreading solar collectors palms up
Caught green-handed for a sunshine handout
Passively improving our world
With beauty to see and air to breathe

I have written many poems
Compelled by their whispers
Defining cool calm peace
With such slow ease

Calmed by their patient
Spectacular example
I am content to be
Waiting for all in peace

Poem 15 of 30 for NaPoWriMo 2012 

Forcing the Heart

Blend into the desired heart
Aching around the scars
Squeezed open in my fist
Exposing the raw interior
To the stinging air

Bearing burdens
I am brought others bearing burdens
Smiling I am brought smiles
When I breathe into nothingness
I am brought beauty

Carrying the heart
Forced open
Everyone steps forward
Vivid and colorful
Naked of pose

Their burdens are my kinship
Their smiles mine
The breath of beauty ours
Shared in the bruised interior
Of the forced-open heart

Poem 14 of 30 for NaPoWriMo 2012.  

Poem Thirteen

Poem 13 of 30 for NaPoWriMo (National Poetry Writing Month) can be found here.

This weekend I will attend a couple of events at the Massachusetts Poetry Festival in Salem Massachusetts.  I wish I could attend more, but I have such a busy life!  Nevertheless I love going to poetry events because I always see so many young poets there.  It is heartening to see the future unfolding before your very eyes, as it were.  Anyway, I hope all you readers out there are having a happy Poetry Month.

Ach, I can’t believe I am going to miss Robert Pinsky on Friday night.  Sigh.

New at Eye On Life Online Magazine

Earlier today Gabriella Garofalo made her first appearance at Eye On Life with a couple of intriguing poems.  I hope you’ll stop by and check them out.

Currently I am preparing to attend a few events at the Massachusetts Poetry Festival next weekend.  Visit Eye On Life next week for a full report 🙂

Found Poem from My Inbox

THE UNITED STATES EMBASSY HAS RESOLVED that
Monday is the last day.
Every arrangements has been well perfected
ON-BEHALF OF 100 SCAM VICTIMS
AFTER POLICE ARRESTED SOME FRAUDSTERS IN LAGOS.

Breakfast will be served.

Please bring valid identification
TO BE COMPENSATED
AS ONE OF THE VICTIMS OF CIRCUMSTANCES.
Enable me give you further
Ethical decision-making under fire
For the delivery of your consignment
ON A DIPLOMATIC MISSION TO NIGERIA.

De-classified footage
MENTIONED YOUR PARTICULARS,
However note and conclude
immediately you receive this email
to check in with building security
WHO contact me back
To information.

Dietary laws will be observed.

This poem was constructed of phrases extracted from spam in my inbox.  Hello, Nigeria.