2024 Poetry Madness – April 1 to April 6 Poems

https://wp.me/p7NAzO-2P4

I am again entering the annual April Poetry Month challenge. I will update this once a week and post the updates on Blog Lovin, Facebook, Fan Story, Instagram,  Medium, Substack, Watt Pad  and X. Comments are welcomed.

Index

April 1

PSH Ode to Durian

WD  Optimistic Laturnae

WC Dew Drop Inn  Sarang pabo love fool

NaPoWrMo Easter Bunny Warm up March 31

NaPoWrMo April 1 Cage

April 2

PSH The Words of the Year 1955 PSH

WD Sad and happy days

WC Dew Drop Inn Spring Time Flowers Blooming Love

NaPoWrMo Ode to Coffee

April 3

PSH Berkeley Mad Psychotic Pineapple Burns Sonnet

PSH 2 AI Version Traditional Sonnet

WD  My Musical Street

WC Dew Drop Inn

NaPoWrMo

The Parliament of Owls Decree Death to All Humans

AV version the Parliament of Owls Decree Death to All Humans

April 4

 PSH Love Expressed Through Food

WD Look at the Sky

WC Dew Drop In Ending Shaving in Retirement

NaPoWriMo It Can’t Happen Here

April 5

 PSH Cosmic Dog From Goa

WD Tell Me No Lies

WC Dew Drop Inn Making Baseball Great Again

NaPoWriMo  Only In SF

 

April 6

PSH  Visiting My Father’s Grave

Writers DIgest Meeting My Fate

Writing Com Dew Drop Inn  Daily RItual Drinks

NaPoWrMo PNRCP

 

Begin Poems

April 1

Ode to Durian

The infamous durian fruit is a strange phenomenon.
Common in China, Southeast Asia, and India,
and in Chinese, Southeast Asian, and Indian diaspora communities,

It has such a powerful sour smell that it is banned in airline cabins.

I first ate Durian in a rural town in Central Thailand

my hasher friends dared me to eat it

it was horrible at first the smell
But if you can get beyond
The awful, dirty socks, rotten, sour smell,
The taste is pure heaven,
Proof perhaps that God has a sense of humor?

April 1, 2024: Poetry Writing Prompt from Suzanne Lummis

This poetry writing prompt submitted by Suzanne Lummis:

Evolve a poem that involves an exotic fruit, one fruit, and a town you’ve never visited, or else have distant memories of.  The poem does not have to be About the fruit. It probably should Not be about the fruit. No one gives a fig about a fruit. But the fruit makes an Appearance. Extra points if it’s a Pomegranate.  No need to mention Persephone, but if you do… It better be something we don’t already know.

Writer’s Digest

Optimistic Laturnae

life

more love

with my wife

standing by me

love

The lanturne is a five-line verse shaped like a Japanese lantern with a syllabic pattern of one, two, three, four, one.

Writing Com Dew Drop Inn

 

April 1—Be a fool in a poem!

Sarangpabo – Korean Love Fool for You

 

 

 

 

 

When I first saw you

In my dreams.

You were the most beautiful woman

In the world to me

And still are.

 

When you looked at me

With love blazing

From your dark brown

Goo-goo eyes.

 

sparks flew from heart to heart

(이심초심 ishimchomshim)

 

You hynotized, messemeried me

Your love mojo working overtime

Turning me into nothing but

A 사랑 바보 Sarang pabo (love fool).

 

Eight years later

You walked off that bus

Into my life,

 

Becoming

my wife,

My soul mate.

 

And yes,

I am still

your 사랑 바보Sarang pabo.

 

And will remain under

Your love spell

Until the day I die.

 

Translation into Korean (rough AI Version)

Hangul:

처음 너를 보았을 때

꿈 속에서.

 

넌 세상에서 가장 아름다운 여자였어

내게

그리고 지금도 그런 너.

 

네가 나를 보며

사랑이 눈부시게

네 어두운 갈색 눈에서

불타오르는 모습.

 

마음에서 마음으로 불꽃이 튀었어

(이심초심 ishimchomshim)

 

넌 나를 최면에 걸었고, 날 사로잡았어

네 사랑의 마법이 야근을 하며

나를 사랑 바보로 만들었어.

 

8년 뒤

넌 그 버스에서 내게 다가왔어

내 삶 속으로,

 

내 아내가 되며,

내 영혼의 동반자가 되었어.

 

그리고 맞아,

나는 여전히

네 사랑 바보야.

 

네 사랑 주문 아래에

내가 죽을 때까지.

Romanized Script:

Cheoeum neoreul boasseul ttae

Kkum sogeseo.

 

Neon sesangeseo gajang areumdaun yeoja-eosseo

Naege

Geurigo jigeumdo geureon neo.

 

Nega nareul bomyeo

Salangi nunbusige

Ne eoduun galssaek nun-eseo

Bultao-reuneun moseup.

 

Ma-eumeseo ma-eum-euro bulkkoch-i twieosseosseo

(이심초심 ishimchomshim)

 

Neon nareul choemyeon-e geol-eoss-eo, nal salojab-ass-eo

Ne salang-ui mabeob-i yageun-eul hamyeo

Naleul salang babo-lo mandeul-eoss-eo.

 

anyeon dwi

Neon geu beoseueseo naege dag-awass-eo

Nae salm sog-eulo,

 

Nae anae-ga doemyeon,

Nae yeonghon-ui dongbanja-ga doeeoss-eo.

 

Geuligo maj-a,

Naneun yeojeonhi

Ne salang babo-ya.

 

Ne salang jumun alae-e

Naega jugeul ttaekkaji.

 

 NaPoWrMo

March 31 warm Up

Easter Bunny Warning

April 1 Cage

 

Easter Bunny Warning

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Easter Bunny

Had a warning

He was tired

Of being played the fool.

 

Tired of being associated

With low-life fake Christians

Proclaiming that Donald Trump

Is the next messiah.

 

The Easter Bunny said,

“Donald Trump

Ain’t no Christian

He ain’t no friend of mine.

 

He is the antichrist

The poster child

For the seven deadly sins”.

 

Donald Trump denounced

The Easter Bunny.

Saying on Truth Social,

 

“The Easter Bunny is nothing

But a  low-life wanna-be thug,

A real loser!

 

An anti-fa, anti-American, BLM, communist, fascist

Radical left-wing Marxist vermin thug,

Part of the woke crowd,

 

That is ruining our once-great country.

That needs a Second Amendment remedy.

Warm Up  Cage

 

One of the most terrible things

Of the Former President’s last term

Were the infamous Cages.

 

Where children were ripped away

From their parents or adult caregivers.

Who were accused of being coyotes,

 

And put into huge cages,

Exposed to the hot desert temperatures.

With limited food, internet, phones

Medical care, translators, water

Or access to other services.

 

The apologists for Trump

Claimed that the cages

Did not exist!

 

Just more liberal fake news

And all that.

 

Or it was the need

To ensure that children

Were not being trafficked

 

To discourage the invading armies

Of dangerous criminals

Being organized in mythical

Mass caravans of brown people.

 

Or these were more

Like Summer camp

With happy campers!

 

NOT

A

SINGLE

WORD

OF

THAT

WAS

REMOTELY

TRUE

 

These cages were cages

Children were housed there

For months.

 

Many were never reunited

As the parents were deported

Many have spent decades

Trying to track down

Their missing children.

 

Now Trump is talking

About massive detention camps

He will set up

If he is re-elected,

 

Most likely they will be housed

In tents exposed to the weather

Just like cages.

 

Immigrants including dreamers

And those suspected of being illegals

And  other undesirables

Antifa, BLM, and LGBTQ,

Protestors, Muslims, “foreign terrorists”

Criminal gang members

 

And ultimately Jews

Because Jews always

End up in these Camps.

 

All will be sent to these

“Temporary immigration detention Centers”

TIDC for short

 

The apologist will describe them

As wonderful caring facilities

But restrict access to them

For national security reasons

 

They will be concentration camps

Or filtration Centers to use the Russian term

Or Re-education Centers

 

Located in rural areas

Where they would be promoted

As “job centers”

 

The spine list SCOTUS

And republican party

Will either look the other way

Or claim that they are constitutional

 

Or play the same game

Lying

That they are great camps

The inhabitants are happy

The communities love

Having new jobs

 

AND

OTHER

DAMN

LIES!

 

Eventually the media and public

Will forget that they exist too.

 

If I am lucky

And this happens

I will not end up there!!!!!

For writing this poem!

 

 

April 2 Prompt

PSH The Words of the Year 1955 PSH

WD Sad and happy days

WC Dew Drop Inn

Springtime Flowers Blooming Love

NaPoWrMo

It Can’t Happen Here

 

PSH prompt The Words of the Year 1955 1955 Words

Title: The Words of the Year 1955 PSH

 

According to

Meriam Webster’s new tool

Time Traveler by Merriam-Webster: Words from 1955

 

1955 my birth year.

Started with many words

that are still current

almost 68 years later.

 

Some of the prompt words that struck

My fancy includes the following

Artificial intelligence

Big bang theory

Cosmonaut

Counterintuitive

DIY

Drive (someone) bananas

Algorithm

Fallout shelter

Firebase

Hidden agenda

Home computer

ICBM

Idiot box

Information science

Intellectually disabled

Jazzed

Juicehead

Juice up

Miniaturization

Microwave oven

Mind-boggling

Muscle shirt

New Left

Parkinson’s Law

Pinball

Rasta

Rastafarian

 

There are hidden agendas

All around us.

 

Artifical intellegence

The bigest buzz word

Nowadays

Was just becoming a thing

scientists speculated.

 

The big bang theory a big thing

Back in the day

Not a comedy about nerdy scientists.

 

Cosmonauts and astronauts

Pre-moon shot days.

 

Counter intuitive thinking

Begining of the DYI

Home Depot macho man culture.

 

The home computer

And micowave oven

Not yet in everyone’s house.

 

But the idiot box

Had invaded American homes

But only four networks

To choose from

 

Not the thousand channels

We have now.

It was the pre-internet

Pre-streaming era.

 

Information science

Was not  for

The intellecually disabled

It was not rocket science.

 

The juice heads

Were juiced

And jazzed up  the max.

 

While secretly smoking weed

With the rasta dreadlock wearing

Jamacian rastafarians,

 

And playing pinball

In the arcades.

 

While thinking about

The new left

And the beatnit movement.

 

Thinking about

The latest mind blowing

Miniturization devices.

 

the roots of modern life

beginning way back

in the day.

Writers Digest Sad and Happy

 

 

 

 

 

 

Every day I wake up

At dawn

And drink a cup

Of snarling hot  coffee.

 

Writing my daily poems

Including this one

And my journals.

 

While half listening

To the idiots on TV

Blathering on and on.

 

When I pay attention

To their drivel,

 

I became increasingly sad,.

Even mad,

And feel real bad

 

I turn off the boob tube.

Turn off the news.

And play me some old-school blues.

 

When my wife walks into the room

With love blazing from her eyes,

She chases away the lingering blues.

 

And I feel my happiness

Returning to me.

 

And know as long

As we have other

Everything will be Jake

 

And I will be at peace

With my world.

 

Write a poem every day of April with the 2024 April Poem-A-Day Challenge. For today’s prompt, we have our first two-for-Tuesday prompt.

For today’s prompt, we have our first two-for-Tuesday prompt, which means you get two prompts. You can write to one of the prompts, both the prompts separately, or try to write a poem that works with both prompts at the same time. The prompts are:

Write a happy poem, and/or…

Write a sad poem.

Two sides of the same emotional coin.

 

NaPoWrMo

 It Can’t Happen Here

 

 

 

 

 

It Can’t Happen Here

was a prescient look

at the rise of Christian Fascism

in the United States

 

Set in the later 1930s

It looked at the rise

 

of a Christain Fascist dictator

modeled after Charles Lindbergh

and his American First movement

 

who with the support

of the American Bund

 

and other pro-fascist forces

mounted a spirited third-party

effort to become President

 

amid the suffering of the Great Depression

promising to keep us out of the war

 

and ally with the fascists in Europe

against the evil communist

Godless menace of Stalin.

 

“American Fascism came

wrapped in the flag

and carrying a Christian flag”

 

Although it was not successful

it probably kept us out of World War 11

longer than we should have

 

there are so many parallels

to modern Trump and post Trumpian

MAGA movement

 

which is a modern alt. right

explicit Christian Fascist movement

that openly admires

 

the right-wing autocrats

in Hungary, Türkiye

and Putin’s Russia

 

hoping to turn the U.S.

into a Christian Fascist one-party state

run by Donald Trump

and his acolytes

 

with millions rounded up

subject to deportation

with dissent outlaw

the deep state tamed

 

the media sold off

to regime supporters

and the late-night TV comics

defanged

 

No more Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Kimble

John Stewart and SNL

replaced by right-wing comic hacks

shilling for the great leader

 

while the book did not happen

and Philips Roth’s Plot Against America

 

the warning that it could happen here

is more relevant than ever

as Trump and Biden are in a dead heat

 

I am optimistic that Trump will not prevail

this time around

but I worry about all the potential Trump

wanna be politicians out there

 

who promise to Make America Great Again

by returning to the 1890’s

when they claim the U.S. went down

the wrong path

 

when white men ruled the world

minorities knew their place

Women were second-class citizens

the LGBTQ community in the closet

their very existence illegal

 

with a twist

Christian Fascism

the new ruling ideology

underpinning the latest

illiberal democracy

Posted on Https://theworldaccordingtocosmos.com

Writing Com Dew Drop Inn

 

 

 

 

 

 

Springtime Flowers Blooming Love

 

Springtime in Korea

walking down the world peace forest

near the international airport in Incheon

with the love of my life by my side.

 

Enjoying the Flowering Trees

The snowing apple trees, cherry blossoms

pear blossoms. the purple azaleas, the anemone,

the buttercups, the daffodils, the magnolia,

the  scotch bloom, the tulips,

the wildflowers in the field.

 

the fragrance of love in the air

Life is great.

April 3 Poems

PSH 1

Berkelely Mad Pyscotic Pineapple Burns Sonnet

PSH 2 AI Version traditional Sonnet

WD  My Musical Street

WC Dew Drop Inn Look at the Sky

NaPoWrMo

Berkelely Mad Pyscotic Pineapple Burns Sonnet

 

 

 

 

 

the Berkeley mad pyscotic pineapple.

was an underground Berkeley icon.

the pineapple said, “Bad Luck comes in Three.”

last night he smoked a joint and went for a walk.

the pineapple dude encountered a cat,

not just a cat but a cosmic black cat.

and the cat was riding on a dog,

and a mouse was riding on the cat,

the pineapple was amused to see this,

I told him only in the SF Bay area,

thinking back to when I was eight.

and wished I had a cosmic cat.

I would have made such a cacophony.

the cosmic cat was still my secret friend.

 

The Burns Sonnet is a Shakespearian sonnet but it does not follow traditional meter or rhyme

 

Please convert the previous text into a traditional sonnet using most of these words in line 13 must use the word cacophony and follow the following criterion

1 inner life of pineapple

2 berkeley fate

3 bad luck comes in three

4last night went for a walk

5-8 line five to eight two animals meet someone unusual

9 10 wish for the pineapple

11 12 what did I wish for when your eight

13-14  hullabaloo, ragamuffin, hooferaw, scoundreles cacophony and discuss a secret something is hidden or something no one else knows

 

AI Version

 

AI version Title: “The Cosmic Cat”

 

 

 

 

 

The Berkeley mad, psychotic pineapple,

An underground icon in the streets of Berkeley,

Whispered, “Bad Luck comes in Three,” so cynical,

Last night, he wandered, joints ablaze, unwary.

Encountering a cat, not mere feline grace,

But cosmic blackness riding on a dog,

A mouse perched high, a curious embrace,

In SF Bay’s odd realm, where dreams may jog.

Oh, how I wished when I was merely eight,

For a cosmic cat, a secret friend concealed,

To stir a hullabaloo, a wild debate,

A ragamuffin dance, a truth revealed.

In hooferaw and scoundrel’s cacophony,

The pineapple’s fate intertwined with glee. 🍍🌌

 

 

Writer’s Digest Our Musical Street

30 lines

I grew up
In a very creative time
a very musical time.

The 60’s had the best music
Motown ruled the Bay Area
As well as Great rock music

Acid jazz
Acid Rock
Fusion Jazz
The Grateful Dead
Mamas and the Papas
Jefferson Airplane
Jimmy Hendrix
last high school
was Berkeley High School
Santana

And so many others

The best funk band
Of them all

Tower of Power
Beloved by all
High school students.

For their immortal classic
Make out song
You’re still a Young Man.

wonder how many people

fell in love slow dancing

to this song

 

how many babies

were conceived?

Tower of Power rocked
Every party in town
On every street.

Music flowed.
On every musical street
In the city.

That was Berkeley
In the 60’s and 70’s.

Please use the following as the Title of your story or poem:

“Our Musical Street”

Please select “Music” as one of your genres.

Tower of Power is an American R&B and funk-based band and horn section, originating in Oakland, California, that has been performing since 1968. The band has had several lead vocalists, the best known being Lenny Williams, who fronted the band between early 1973 and late 1974, the period of their greatest commercial success1. They have had eight songs on the Billboard Hot 100; their highest-charting songs include “You’re Still a Young Man”, “So Very Hard to Go”, “What Is Hip?”, and “Don’t Change Horses (in the Middle of a Stream)”1.

The band was formed by tenor saxophonist/vocalist Emilio Castillo and baritone saxophonist Stephen “Doc” Kupka in 19681. The band’s soul sound appealed to both minority and counterculture listeners1. The band’s name was changed to Tower of Power after they agreed that their original name, The Mots, would not help them play at Bill Graham’s Fillmore Auditorium in San Francisco1.
Tower of Power has released 31 albums, including 15 studio albums, 5 live albums, and 11 compilations1. Their most recent album, “Step Up”, was released in 20202.

Here is a list of some of their most popular songs:

“You’re Still a Young Man”
“So Very Hard to Go”
“What Is Hip?”
“Don’t Change Horses (in the Middle of a Stream)”
“Soul Vaccination”
“This Time It’s Real”
“Time Will Tell”
“Only So Much Oil in the Ground”

If you’re interested in listening to their music, you can check out their official website2.

 

2024 April PAD Challenge: Day 3

Write a poem every day of April with the 2024 April Poem-A-Day Challenge. For today’s prompt, write a musical act or artist poem.

Believe it or not, today is one of the more important days of the April Poem-A-Day Challenge. While each day is a new challenge, I’ve found that most poets who make it through the first three days of prompts have the best chances of still being here at the end of the month. So let’s write a poem!

For today’s prompt, pick a musical act or artist and either make that the title of your poem or incorporate into the title of your poem; then, write your poem. Possible titles might be: “Michael Jackson,” “Olivia Rodrigo,” “the Beatles,” “Guided by Voices at Austin City Limits,” “Watching a Movie With Elton John,” or “Eating Ice Cream With Dr. Dre.” Have fun with it!

Remember: These prompts are springboards to creativity. Use them to expand your possibilities, not limit them.

Writing Com Dew Drop Inn Look at the Sky

 

 

NaPoWrMo Prompt

the Parliament of Owls Decree Death to All Humans

AV version the Parliament of Owls Decree Death to All Humans

Death to All Humans

The Parliament of Animals met one day in a secret undisclosed location as they were under constant surveillance by the human CIA and others who wanted to disrupt the parliament’s work.

the wise owl presided. He read the charges

 

“We are assembled here to judge the actions of the human race. the human race is being charged with

crimes against nature,

destruction of the environment,

mass murder,

enslavement of animals,

mutilation of animals,

and violation of Gaia’s basic commandments to preserve the environment for all animals including humans.

Speaking for the prosecution will be the Tiger and Lions, speaking for the defense with the domestic cats and dogs. We have in the room ten men and women who are representative of the human race.

The parliament can make any recommendation to remedy the situation including the death penalty, exile, or reparations. All animals will be required to conduct these recommendations.”

“Okay, Mr. Tiger first we will ask the humans how they plead.” “

 

Humans. You have been charged with the following crimes.

crimes against nature,

destruction of the environment,

mass murder,

enslavement of animals,

mutilation of animals,

and violation of Gaia’s basic commandments to preserve the environment for all animals including humans.

How do you plead?

 

Sam Adams, the lawyer for the humans, responded,

 

“Not guilty your honor for these charges except for eating animals which we contend is part of the natural order of the world and many if not most of you are guilty of the same charge.”

“Clarification – your basic argument is that everyone eats animals, so humans are not guilty

“ “Yes, that is correct, your honor.” “

 

Okay, Mr. Tiger, you’re opening.” “Okay. The facts are clear. For thousands of years until the Industrial Revolution humans had a little mass impact on the overall environment. Ever since then all animals have been impacted and my species has been hunted to extinction for the greed of humans who have not eaten tiger meat. The predator class, including bears, coyotes, feral dogs, lions, tigers, and wolves have been fighting back against the predation of humans, but we are losing. And if we don’t do anything within 10 years, there won’t be any tigers or other big predators left in the wild. And the natural order of things would be controlled by the evil, selfish humans who don’t give a damn about their fellow creatures. Therefore, we are proposing that 95% of humans must be killed. The remaining humans will be allowed to live as our slaves It is only fair. That is my request to the parliament of animals. Death to humans!”

The crowd rose and chanted “Death to all humans” until the owl ruled that they must not disrupt the proceedings.

 

The owl turned to the cat and and dog for their defense. the dog responded, “

 

Humans and dogs have been partners, and we know humans more than any of you. Humans are capable of great kindness, and compassion and we maintain they are not fundamentally evil. And then they can be redeemed through education and through. Campaign to reform human thought. I think we should give humans a second chance.”

 

the owl motioned to the dog

“I concur with Brother Cat. Humans are okay and we like them they are our friends, although they should be found not guilty because of insanity.”

The owl said he was ready for his verdict.

 

“Death to 95 percent of humans, and enslavement of the rest, but we will allow 50,000 to immigrate to the Moon and Mars. I will meet with the UN to give them the decree.

Once that is published all animals must rise up and kill all humans on sight. This suspends the parliament of animals. Death to all humans.” The word went out animals rose all over the world and the reign of human tyranny ended within a year.

 

AI Version The Parliament of Animals

In the clandestine chambers of the Parliament of Animals, where shadows danced and secrets whispered, the wise owl presided. Under the ever-watchful gaze of human surveillance, the charges were read aloud:

“We are assembled here to judge the actions of the human race. The human race stands accused of crimes against nature, destruction of the environment, mass murder, enslavement of animals, mutilation of animals, and violation of Gaia’s sacred commandments. Speaking for the prosecution are the Tigers and Lions; for the defense, the domestic cats and dogs. Ten representatives of humanity sit in this room. The parliament holds the power to recommend remedies: death penalty, exile, or reparations. All animals shall be bound by these decisions.”

The Tiger, his golden eyes ablaze, addressed the humans, “How do you plead?”

The humans, their faces etched with defiance, stood before the assembly. Sam Adams, their lawyer, stepped forward, his voice unwavering, “Not guilty, Your Honor. Except for eating animals—a primal act woven into our existence—we maintain our innocence. It is the natural order, and many among you, my fellow creatures, partake in this ancient feast.”

The room buzzed with tension. The wise owl blinked, feathers rustling. The verdict hung in the air, suspended between judgment and mercy. The fate of humanity rested on the scales of justice, balanced precariously.

And so, the Parliament of Animals convened, weaving threads of fate, pondering the sins of bipeds, and deciding whether to condemn or absolve. In this surreal courtroom, where the boundaries blurred and the moon bore witness, the world awaited its reckoning.

 

Last but not least, here’s our prompt for the day – optional, as always. Today, we’d like to challenge you to write a surreal prose poem. For inspiration, check out Franz Kafka’s collection of short parables (my favorite is “The Green Dragon”).

Franz Kafka

Illustrated byAimee Pong

An Imperial Message

Pekin and the Emperor

The News of the Building of the Wall: A Fragment

The Great Wall and the Tower of Babel

The Building of the Temple

Prometheus

Poseidon

The Sirens

The New Attorney

The Building of a City

The Imperial Colonel

The Green Dragon

The Tiger

The Truth About Sancho Panza

Robinson Crusoe

My Destination

 

April 4

PSH

Writers Digest

Writing Com Dew Drop In

NaPoWriMo

April 5th

PSH

Writers Digest

Writing Com Dew Drop In

NaPoWriMo

PSH The Cosmic Dog from Goa

 

My final time with God

Happened a year latter

I was staying down in Goa

With my wife

 

Enjoying being with her

After our reconciliation

We stayed at the Taj Mahal Goa

Living like Kings and Queen

 

Just for a few days

High up on a hill

Overlooking the beach

 

Every morning I went down to the beach

And did yoga by the water

While contemplating life

 

And every morning

I saw the same dog

 

Not just a dog

But a cosmic dog

Filled with the divine spark of God

 

And the dog recognized me

And spoke to me and I knew

That God was present once more

In the face of the that cosmic dog

 

Kindred spirit

perhaps to the cosmic cat

that had save my soul

in Berkeley so long ago

 

I told the dog everything

And he just looked at me

With those soulful eyes of his

And I knew he knew that I knew

That he was possessed by God

 

God had sent him to me

To make sure that I was on the right path

 

That the reconciliation that God had promoted

Was on track that I was back with my wife

And that everything was the way it should be

 

Again, I asked God whether he was Jesus or Allah

Or Brahmin or Ganesh or Buddha

 

God the cosmic dog just stared at me

I finally asked him directly

 

Say if you are God the God of Jesus

Bark once

 

The Dog looked at me and barked

 

I said well if you are Allah bark twice

The dog barked twice

 

Well are you buddha then bark three times if yes

The god dog barked three times

 

Hmm well are you Satan

The dog growled at me

And I knew I had gone too far

 

Finally, I was at peace

And for the next three days

 

The God Dog was my constant companion

And I knew God for the final time

In my life

 

Writer’s DIgest  Tell Me No Lies

 

Tell me no lies

My dear

and I will tell you

no lies too.

 

But every word

I say

could be a lie.

 

you never know

what is true

and what is a lie.

 

So tell me no more lies

and I will tell you the truth

if you can handle it.

April 4

PSH

WD

WC Dew Drop Inn

NaPoWrMo

 

April 5

PSH

WD

WC Dew Drop Inn Make Baseball Great Again!

NaPoWrMo Only in SF

It is time

to make American baseball

Great again

 

starting with creating a worldwide

baseball competition

with each season

with the national champions

 

competing in a World Cup World Series

with the final round pitting the

North American Champions

against the winners of Africa,

Asian, Europe, and South America

 

with the final rounds

best of seven

always held in the U.S.

 

The other things to do

include rapid expansion plans

 

including the MLB teams

adopting local schools and colleges

fully funding baseball programs

and only hiring college graduates.

as players.

 

and making tickets affordable

no more than ten dollars per game!

 

if they do this,

we can make baseball

once again the best sport

in the U.S.

 

Let’s all join together

to make baseball great again!

NaPoWrMo Only In SF

 

 

 

 

Tiny, the Jamaican

was a  big  6’5 reggae Rasta man,

sprouting long black and purple dreadlocks

and a purple mohawk

 

wearing a black leather jacket

with weed logos on it,

played guitar in the SF Reggae Kings.

 

A big Three Stooges fan,

Named his four pets,

“Shemp” the cat,

“Moe” the dog,

Curly” the mouse,

and Curly Joe, the Vietnamese pig.

 

The four amigos got along famously

They lived in an apartment

in the western addiction,

off of Geary,

in a rapidly gentrifying part of the city

 

 

One day, Shemp said to Moe

 

“Moe, I have a question for you,

and I want an honest answer,

none of your canine BS answer.

You know us cats are straight shooters.”

 

“Okay,  my cat brother. Shoot.”

 

“Well, I understand that

cats, dogs, mice, and pigs

are natural born enemies,

 

How come we get along?

And you get along

with Curly and Curly Joe?”

 

“Good question.

 

“First, when we met

I hated you all

and you were afraid

 

I might eat you in your sleep

and the thought

crossed my mind.

 

But over time

I mellowed out

and realized

 

we were all a band of brothers

living in this house.

 

I think it

also has something to do

with the cloud of weed

in the air

 

and the chill  deep house

reggae  peace and love

vibes in the house.”

 

“cool.

 

“Good answer.

 

I too think of you

all as my brothers.”

 

“You know what I like the most?”

Our nightly walk

when Tiny, Tina, and Linda

take us out

and we put on our show.

 

You know Curly Joe

letting you ride on him,

and I ride on you

and Curly

sits on my head

 

to complete the show

as we freak out the tourists

good citizens, and outlaws

 

who constantly take pictures

saying to themselves

 

“Only in SF”.

 

And you know

They are right.

Only in SF.

 

Let’s keep SF weird.”

 

Tiny came in

and they all went

for their walk.

 

 

April 1

Ode to Durian

The infamous durian fruit is a strange phenomenon.
Common in China, Southeast Asia, and India,
and in Chinese, Southeast Asian, and Indian diaspora communities,

It has such a powerful sour smell, that it is banned in airline cabins.

first ate Durian in a rural town in Central Thailand

my hasher friends dared me to eat it

it was horrible at first the smell
But if you can get beyond
The awful, dirty socks, rotten, sour smell,
The taste is pure heaven,
Proof perhaps that God has a sense of humor?

 

Sour

 

 

April 1, 2024: Poetry Writing Prompt from Suzanne Lummis

This poetry writing prompt submitted by Suzanne Lummis:

Evolve a poem that involves an exotic fruit, one fruit, and a town you’ve never visited, or else have distant memories of.  The poem does not have to be About the fruit. It probably should Not be about the fruit. No one gives a fig about a fruit. But the fruit makes an Appearance. Extra points if it’s a Pomegranate.  No need to mention Persephone, but if you do… It better be something we don’t already know.
A Mango would also be good.
No Oranges.
Nothing personal against them, but that’s another poem. And Gary Soto wrote it.
Don’t forget about the Town.

If you write a poem from this prompt, post it as a comment underneath the prompt in the Poetry Super Highway Facebook Group.

#napowrimo #poetry

Writer’s Digest

Optimistic Laturnae (CC FS)

life

more love

with my wife

standing by me

love

 

The lanturne is a five-line verse shaped like a Japanese lantern with a syllabic pattern of one, two, three, four, one.

 

March 31 warm Up

 

Easter Bunny Warning

 

The Easter Bunny

Had a warning

He was tired

Of being played the fool.

 

Tired of being associated

With low-life fake Christians

Proclaiming that Donald Trump

Is the next messiah.

 

The Easter Bunny said,

 

“Donald Trump

Ain’t no Christian

He ain’t no friend of mine.

 

He is the antichrist

The poster child

For the seven deadly sins”.

 

Donald Trump denounced

The Easter Bunny.

 

Saying on Truth Social,

 

“The Easter Bunny is nothing

But a  low-life wanna-be thug,

A real loser!

An anti-fa, anti-American, BLM, communist, fascist

Radical left-wing Marxist vermin thug,

Part of the woke crowd,

That is ruining our once-great country.

That needs a Second Amendment remedy.

 

 

 

April 1—Be a fool in a poem!

 

Sarangpabo – Korean Love Fool for You

When I first saw you

In my dreams.

 

You were the most beautiful woman

In the world to me

And still are.

 

When you looked at me

With love blazing

From your dark brown

Goo-goo eyes.

 

sparks flew from heart to heart

(이심초심ishimchomshim)

 

You hynotized, messemeried me

Your love mojo working overtime

Turning me into nothing but

A 사랑 바보Sarang pabo (love fool).

 

Eight years later

You walked off that bus

Into my life,

 

Becoming

my wife,

My soul mate.

 

And yes,

I am still

your 사랑 바보Sarang pabo.

 

And will remain under

Your love spell

Until the day I die.

 

Translation into Korean (rough AI Version)

 

Certainly! Here’s the English text followed by the Hangul and Romanized script line by line:

English:

When I first saw you

In my dreams.

 

You were the most beautiful woman

In the world to me

And still are.

 

When you looked at me

With love blazing

From your dark brown

Goo-goo eyes.

 

Sparks flew from heart to heart

(이심초심 ishimchomshim)

 

You hypnotized, mesmerized me

Your love mojo working overtime

Turning me into nothing but

A 사랑 바보 Sarang pabo (love fool).

 

Eight years later

You walked off that bus

Into my life,

 

Becoming

My wife,

My soul mate.

 

And yes,

I am still

Your 사랑 바보 Sarang pabo.

 

And will remain under

Your love spell

Until the day I die.

Hangul:

처음 너를 보았을 때

꿈 속에서.

 

넌 세상에서 가장 아름다운 여자였어

내게

그리고 지금도 그런 너.

 

네가 나를 보며

사랑이 눈부시게

네 어두운 갈색 눈에서

불타오르는 모습.

 

마음에서 마음으로 불꽃이 튀었어

(이심초심 ishimchomshim)

 

넌 나를 최면에 걸었고, 날 사로잡았어

네 사랑의 마법이 야근을 하며

나를 사랑 바보로 만들었어.

 

8년 뒤

넌 그 버스에서 내게 다가왔어

내 삶 속으로,

 

내 아내가 되며,

내 영혼의 동반자가 되었어.

 

그리고 맞아,

나는 여전히

네 사랑 바보야.

 

네 사랑 주문 아래에

내가 죽을 때까지.

Romanized Script:

Cheoeum neoreul boasseul ttae

Kkum sogeseo.

 

Neon sesangeseo gajang areumdaun yeoja-eosseo

Naege

Geurigo jigeumdo geureon neo.

 

Nega nareul bomyeo

Salangi nunbusige

Ne eoduun galssaek nun-eseo

Bultao-reuneun moseup.

 

Ma-eumeseo ma-eum-euro bulkkoch-i twieosseosseo

(이심초심 ishimchomshim)

 

Neon nareul choemyeon-e geol-eoss-eo, nal salojab-ass-eo

Ne salang-ui mabeob-i yageun-eul hamyeo

Naleul salang babo-lo mandeul-eoss-eo.

 

8nyeon dwi

Neon geu beoseueseo naege dag-awass-eo

Nae salm sog-eulo,

 

Nae anae-ga doemyeon,

Nae yeonghon-ui dongbanja-ga doeeoss-eo.

 

Geuligo maj-a,

Naneun yeojeonhi

Ne salang babo-ya.

 

Ne salang jumun alae-e

Naega jugeul ttaekkaji.

 

 

April 2 Prompt

PSH The Words of the Year 1955 PSH

WD Sad and happy days

WC Dew Drop Inn

NaPoWrMo  Springtime Flowers Blooming Love

 

PSH prompt The Words of the Year 1955 1955 Words

 

Title: The Words of the Year 1955 PSH

 

According to

Meriam Webster’s new tool

Time Traveler by Merriam-Webster: Words from 1955

 

1955 my birth year

Started with many words

 

 

Some of the prompt words that struck

My fancy include the following

 

Oddly we are still talking

About many of these words

In 2024

 

There are hidden agendas

All around us

 

If you write a poem from this prompt, post it as a comment underneath the prompt in the Poetry Super Highway Facebook Group.

This poetry writing prompt submitted by D.L. Lang:

Use the Merriam-Webster website’s time travel feature, pick a year, and use those words in a poem.

1955

 

 

PSH

WD Sad and happy days

 

NaPoWrMo

WC Dew Drop In

 

Sad and happy days

 

every day I wake up

at dawn

and drink a cup

of snarling hot  coffee.

 

writing my daily poems

including this one

and my journals.

 

while half listening

to the idiots on TV

blathering on and on.

 

when I pay attention

to their drivel,

 

I became increasingly sad,.

even mad,

and feel real bad

 

I turn off the boob tube.

turn off the news.

and play me some old-school blues.

 

when my wife walks into the room

with love blazing from her eyes,

she chases away the lingering blues.

 

and I feel my happiness

returning to me.

 

and know as long

as we have other

everything will be Jake

 

and I will be at peace

with my world.

2024 April PAD Challenge: Day 2

Write a poem every day of April with the 2024 April Poem-A-Day Challenge. For today’s prompt, we have our first two-for-Tuesday prompt.

For today’s prompt, we have our first two-for-Tuesday prompt, which means you get two prompts. You can write to one of the prompts, both the prompts separately, or try to write a poem that works with both prompts at the same time. The prompts are:

Write a happy poem, and/or…

Write a sad poem.

Two sides of the same emotional coin.

NaPoWrMo

 

It Can’t Happen Here

was a prescient look

at the rise of Christian Fascism

in the United States

 

Set in the later 1930s

It looked at the rise

 

of a Christain Fascist dictator

modeled after Charles Lindbergh

and his American First movement

 

who with the support

of the American Bund

 

and other pro-fascist forces

mounted a spirited third-party

effort to become President

amid the suffering of the Great Depression

promising to keep us out of the war

 

and ally with the fascists in Europe

against the evil communist

Godless menace of Stalin.

 

“American Fascism came

wrapped in the flag

and carrying a Christian flag”

 

Although it was not successful

it probably kept us out of World War 11

longer than we should have

 

there are so many parallels

to modern Trump and post Trumpian

MAGA movement

 

which is a modern alt. right

explicit Christian Fascist movement

that openly admires

 

the right-wing autocrats

in Hungary, Türkiye

and Putin’s Russia

 

hoping to turn the U.S.

into a Christian Fascist one-party state

run by Donald Trump

and his acolytes

 

with millions rounded up

subject to deportation

with dissent outlaw

the deep state tamed

 

the media sold off

to regime supporters

and the late-night TV comics

defanged

 

No more Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Kimble

John Stewart and SNL

replaced by right-wing comic hacks

shilling for the great leader

 

while the book did not happen

and Philips Roth’s Plot Against America

 

the warning that it could happen here

is more relevant than ever

as Trump and Biden are in a dead heat

 

I am optimistic that Trump will not prevail

this time around

but I worry about all the potential Trump

wanna be politicians out there

 

who promise to Make America Great Again

by returning to the 1890’s

when they claim the U.S. went down

the wrong path

 

when white men ruled the world

minorities knew their place

Women were second-class citizens

the LGBTQ community in the closet

their very existence illegal

 

with a twist

Christian Fascism

the new ruling ideology

underpinning the latest

illiberal democracy

Posted on Https://theworldaccordingtocosmos.com

 

Writing Com Dew Drop Inn

 

Springtime Flowers Blooming Love

 

Springtime in Korea

walking down the world peace forest

near the international airport in Incheon

with the love of my life by my side.

 

Enjoying the Flowering Trees

The snowing apple trees, cherry blossoms

pear blossoms. the purple azaleas, the anemone,

the buttercups, the daffodils, the magnolia,

the  scotch bloom, the tulips,

the wildflowers in the field.

 

the fragrance of love in the air

Life is great.

 

 

April 3 Poems

 

PSH 1

Berkelely Mad Pyscotic Pineapple Burns Sonnet

PSH 2 AI Version traditional Sonnet

WD  My Musical Street

WC Dew Drop Inn

NaPoWrMo

 

Berkelely Mad Pyscotic Pineapple Burns Sonnet

 

the Berkeley mad pyscotic pineapple.

was an underground Berkeley icon.

the pineapple said, “Bad Luck comes in Three.”

last night he smoked a joint and went for a walk.

the pineapple dude encountered a cat,

not just a cat but a cosmic black cat.

and the cat was riding on a dog,

and a mouse was riding on the cat,

the pineapple was amused to see this,

I told him only in the SF Bay area,

thinking back to when I was eight.

and wished I had a cosmic cat.

I would have made such a cacophony.

the cosmic cat was still my secret friend.

 

The Burns Sonnet is a Shakespearian sonnet but it does not follow traditional meter or rhyme

 

Please convert the previous text into a traditional sonnet using most of these words in line 13 must use the word cacophony and follow the following criterion

1 inner life of pineapple

2 berkeley fate

3 bad luck comes in three

4last night went for a walk

5-8 line five to eight two animals meet someone unusual

9 10 wish for the pineapple

11 12 what did I wish for when your eight

13-14  hullabaloo, ragamuffin, hooferaw, scoundreles cacophony and discuss a secret something is hidden or something no one else knows

 

AI Version

 

AI version Title: “The Cosmic Cat”

The Berkeley mad, psychotic pineapple,

An underground icon in the streets of Berkeley,

Whispered, “Bad Luck comes in Three,” so cynical,

Last night, he wandered, joints ablaze, unwary.

Encountering a cat, not mere feline grace,

But cosmic blackness riding on a dog,

A mouse perched high, a curious embrace,

In SF Bay’s odd realm, where dreams may jog.

Oh, how I wished when I was merely eight,

For a cosmic cat, a secret friend concealed,

To stir a hullabaloo, a wild debate,

A ragamuffin dance, a truth revealed.

In hooferaw and scoundrel’s cacophony,

The pineapple’s fate intertwined with glee. 🍍🌌

 

 

Writer’s Digest Our Musical Street

 

30 lines

I grew up
In a very creative time
a very musical time.

The 60’s had the best music
Motown ruled the Bay Area
As well as Great rock music

Acid jazz
Acid Rock
Fusion Jazz
The Grateful Dead
Mamas and the Papas
Jefferson Airplane
Jimmy Hendrix
last high school
was Berkeley High School
Santana

And so many others

The best funk band
Of them all

Tower of Power
Beloved by all
High school students.

For their immortal classic
Make out song
You’re still a Young Man.

wonder how many people

fell in love slow dancing

to this song

 

how many babies

were conceived?

Tower of Power rocked
Every party in town
On every street.

Music flowed.
On every musical street
In the city.

That was Berkeley
In the 60’s and 70’s.

Please use the following as the Title of your story or poem:

“Our Musical Street”

Please select “Music” as one of your genres.

Tower of Power is an American R&B and funk-based band and horn section, originating in Oakland, California, that has been performing since 1968. The band has had several lead vocalists, the best known being Lenny Williams, who fronted the band between early 1973 and late 1974, the period of their greatest commercial success1. They have had eight songs on the Billboard Hot 100; their highest-charting songs include “You’re Still a Young Man”, “So Very Hard to Go”, “What Is Hip?”, and “Don’t Change Horses (in the Middle of a Stream)”1.

The band was formed by tenor saxophonist/vocalist Emilio Castillo and baritone saxophonist Stephen “Doc” Kupka in 19681. The band’s soul sound appealed to both minority and counterculture listeners1. The band’s name was changed to Tower of Power after they agreed that their original name, The Mots, would not help them play at Bill Graham’s Fillmore Auditorium in San Francisco1.
Tower of Power has released 31 albums, including 15 studio albums, 5 live albums, and 11 compilations1. Their most recent album, “Step Up”, was released in 20202.

Here is a list of some of their most popular songs:

“You’re Still a Young Man”
“So Very Hard to Go”
“What Is Hip?”
“Don’t Change Horses (in the Middle of a Stream)”
“Soul Vaccination”
“This Time It’s Real”
“Time Will Tell”
“Only So Much Oil in the Ground”

If you’re interested in listening to their music, you can check out their official website2.

2024 April PAD Challenge: Day 3

Write a poem every day of April with the 2024 April Poem-A-Day Challenge. For today’s prompt, write a musical act or artist poem.

Believe it or not, today is one of the more important days of the April Poem-A-Day Challenge. While each day is a new challenge, I’ve found that most poets who make it through the first three days of prompts have the best chances of still being here at the end of the month. So let’s write a poem!

For today’s prompt, pick a musical act or artist and either make that the title of your poem or incorporate into the title of your poem; then, write your poem. Possible titles might be: “Michael Jackson,” “Olivia Rodrigo,” “the Beatles,” “Guided by Voices at Austin City Limits,” “Watching a Movie With Elton John,” or “Eating Ice Cream With Dr. Dre.” Have fun with it!

Remember: These prompts are springboards to creativity. Use them to expand your possibilities, not limit them.

NaPoWrMo Prompt

the Parliament of Owls Decree Death to All Humans

AV version the Parliament of Owls Decree Death to All Humans

Death to All Humans

The Parliament of Animals met one day in a secret undisclosed location as they were under constant surveillance by the human CIA and others who wanted to disrupt the parliament’s work.

the wise owl presided. He read the charges

“We are assembled here to judge the actions of the human race. the human race is being charged with

crimes against nature,

destruction of the environment,

mass murder,

enslavement of animals,

mutilation of animals,

and violation of Gaia’s basic commandments to preserve the environment for all animals including humans.

Speaking for the prosecution will be the Tiger and Lions, speaking for the defense with the domestic cats and dogs. We have in the room ten men and women who are representative of the human race.

The parliament can make any recommendation to remedy the situation including the death penalty, exile, or reparations. All animals will be required to conduct these recommendations.”

“Okay, Mr. Tiger first we will ask the humans how they plead.” “

Humans. You have been charged with the following crimes.

 

crimes against nature,

destruction of the environment,

mass murder,

enslavement of animals,

mutilation of animals,

and violation of Gaia’s basic commandments to preserve the environment for all animals including humans.

How do you plead?

 

Sam Adams, the lawyer for the humans, responded,

“Not guilty your honor for these charges except for eating animals which we contend is part of the natural order of the world and many if not most of you are guilty of the same charge.”

“Clarification – your basic argument is that everyone eats animals, so humans are not guilty

“ “Yes, that is correct, your honor.” “

Okay, Mr. Tiger, your opening.”

“Okay. The facts are clear. For thousands of years until the Industrial Revolution humans had a little mass impact on the overall environment. Ever since then all animals have been impacted and my species has been hunted to extinction for the greed of humans who have not eaten tiger meat. The predator class, including bears, coyotes, feral dogs, lions, tigers, and wolves have been fighting back against the predation of humans, but we are losing. And if we don’t do anything within 10 years, there won’t be any tigers or other big predators left in the wild. And the natural order of things would be controlled by the evil, selfish humans who don’t give a damn about their fellow creatures. Therefore, we are proposing that 95% of humans must be killed. The remaining humans will be allowed to live as our slaves It is only fair. That is my request to the parliament of animals. Death to humans!”

The crowd rose and chanted “Death to all humans” until the owl ruled that they must not disrupt the proceedings.

The owl turned to the cat and and dog for their defense. the  Cat responded, “

“ Humans are okay and we like them they are our friends, although they should be found not guilty because of insanity.”

the owl motioned to the dog, who responded,

“Humans and dogs have been partners, and we know humans more than any of you. Humans are capable of great kindness, and compassion and we maintain they are not fundamentally evil. And then they can be redeemed through education and through. Campaign to reform human thought. I think we should give humans a second chance.”

The owl said he was ready for his verdict.

“Death to 95 percent of humans, and enslavement of the rest, but we will allow 50,000 to immigrate to the Moon and Mars. I will meet with the UN to give them the decree.

Once that is published all animals must rise up and kill all humans on sight. This suspends the parliament of animals. Death to all humans.” The word went out animals rose all over the world and the reign of human tyranny ended within a year.

AI Version The Parliament of Animals

In the clandestine chambers of the Parliament of Animals, where shadows danced and secrets whispered, the wise owl presided. Under the ever-watchful gaze of human surveillance, the charges were read aloud:

“We are assembled here to judge the actions of the human race. The human race stands accused of crimes against nature, destruction of the environment, mass murder, enslavement of animals, mutilation of animals, and violation of Gaia’s sacred commandments. Speaking for the prosecution are the Tigers and Lions; for the defense, the domestic cats and dogs. Ten representatives of humanity sit in this room. The parliament holds the power to recommend remedies: death penalty, exile, or reparations. All animals shall be bound by these decisions.”

The Tiger, his golden eyes ablaze, addressed the humans, “How do you plead?”

The humans, their faces etched with defiance, stood before the assembly. Sam Adams, their lawyer, stepped forward, his voice unwavering, “Not guilty, Your Honor. Except for eating animals—a primal act woven into our existence—we maintain our innocence. It is the natural order, and many among you, my fellow creatures, partake in this ancient feast.”

The room buzzed with tension. The wise owl blinked, feathers rustling. The verdict hung in the air, suspended between judgment and mercy. The fate of humanity rested on the scales of justice, balanced precariously.

And so, the Parliament of Animals convened, weaving threads of fate, pondering the sins of bipeds, and deciding whether to condemn or absolve. In this surreal courtroom, where the boundaries blurred and the moon bore witness, the world awaited its reckoning.

Last but not least, here’s our prompt for the day – optional, as always. Today, we’d like to challenge you to write a surreal prose poem. For inspiration, check out Franz Kafka’s collection of short parables (my favorite is “The Green Dragon”).

Franz Kafka

Illustrated byAimee Pong

An Imperial Message

Pekin and the Emperor

The News of the Building of the Wall: A Fragment

The Great Wall and the Tower of Babel

The Building of the Temple

Prometheus

Poseidon

The Sirens

The New Attorney

The Building of a City

The Imperial Colonel

The Green Dragon

The Tiger

The Truth About Sancho Panza

Robinson Crusoe

My Destination

 

April 3—Look at the sky!

One day the world woke up

To the impending end

As a new asteroid.

 

Quickly dubbed

The doomsday asteroid

Headed to Earth.

 

Everyone looked up

At the doomsday asteroid

As the world scrambled

To send space missiles

To blow it away.

 

Brazilians, Chinese, the EU, Koreans, Japanese, Iraqis,

Iranians UAE, Israel,. Indians, Pakistanis,  Russians,  Saudis,

South Africans, Russians, and Ukrainians.

 

50 nations all joined the IPDF.

Including to everyone’s surprise

The elusive enigmatic North Koreans.

 

All join together under a newly formed.

International Planetary Defense Force

Under the auspices of the UN.

 

NASA provided the executive leadership

The others all provided parts of the ship,

The software, hardware, and nuclear bombs.

 

The ship would be unmanned

And was launched worldwide

Interest as everyone watched

Hoping for the best.

 

The bombs worked

The asteroid was blown away

With only some minor  damage

 

The IPDF vowed to remain ever-vigilant

And fully funded, with a new mission.

 

Setting up permanent space colonies

In space stations, the moon, Mars,

The moons of Jupiter and Saturn.

 

Vowing to have them set up by 2030!

Using the latest AI-generated research.

 

The goal to have over 50,000 people

Living and working off the planet.

 

One of the rare international ventures

That survived the new multi-power

Global great power conflicts.

 

April 4

 PSH  Love Expressed Through Food

 

WD  Mistake Poem – Don’t Make a Mistake, Vote For Jake

WC Dew Drop In Ending Shaving in Retirement

NaPoWriMo

It Can’t Happen Here

PSH Love Expressed Through Food

 

 

 

 

 

My love loves to cook

Delicious food on the stove

Cooking up a storm

All to express her love for me

Showing her deep emotion

Though the food she cooks up

 

We met in a dream

And I recall that dream

Whenever I eat her delicious food

 

It was love at first sight

Our love deepend through her food

Looking at her with lust in my heart

As I taste every inch of her

Smelling her as we make love

 

 

Love                                               Stove

emotion                                         cook

dreams                                           food 

attraction                                        eat  

Lust                                                 taste

sex                                                Smell

 

Writing Prompt from Jon Wesick

This poetry writing prompt submitted by Jon Wesick:

The Assembly Line of Surprise

Step 1 – Choose a subject to write about. This should probably be something about being human such as a mental state, emotion, or social issue. Often this is abstract.

Love

Step 2 – Choose an object to compare it to. It’s best if this is something very different than in step 1. Concrete things like machinery give good imagery. The more outrageous the better. Congratulations! You’ve just created a metaphor.

Stove

Step 3 – Make two columns on a piece of paper. List the parts of the subject step 1 in the first column and the parts of the item in step 2 in the second.

Love                                               Stove

emotion                                         cook

dreams                                           food 

attraction                                        eat  

Lust                                                 taste

sex                                                Smell

 

Step 4 – Map items in each column to those in the other. Choose the most interesting mappings. These will be phrases in your poem.

Step 5 – Put these phrases together into a poem.

Let’s “cook up” an example. Steps 1 and 2 – Compare despair to a microwave oven

Step 3 – Table.

Despair	Microwave Oven
Fatigue	Klystron
Sleeplessness	Turntable
Irritability	Browning dish
Emptiness	Observation window
Loss of libido	Control panel
Gloom	Timer
Despondency	Defrost function
Hopelessness	Auto cook menu
Futility	Number pad
	Start/stop button
	Tomato sauce caked on walls
	Sparking when tin foil inside

Step 4 – I’d map sleeplessness to dried tomato sauce, irritability to sparking, and libido to the defrost function.

Step 5 – Put mapping into a poem.

Writers DIgest Mistake Poem “Don’t Make a Mistake Vote for Jake”

 

I should have run for office

I would have a perfect slogn

 

Rifting on the word mistake

Rhyming it with my name Jake.

In a old “Burma shave style

Cowboy poetry poem..

 

Don’t make a mistake

Vote for Jake

 

He is so awake

Don’t brake

Don’t use your emergency brake

Everything’s Jake. ‘

Just  Vote for Jake

 

He ain’t no fake

He’s no flake

He ain’t on the make

Just vote for Jake

 

He’s aint no rake

He ain’t no rattle snake

He ain’t no common snake

He ain’t on the take.

Just vote for Jake

 

Take a tea break.

Don’t have a cluster headache,

Don’t have a sinus headache.

Just vote for Jake

 

Make a political earthquake

Don’t Shake

Take a stake.

Just Vote for Jake.

 

For today’s prompt, write a mistake poem. Everyone makes mistakes. Yes, even that person standing in the corner shaking their head to the contrary. And even those people who don’t admit to making mistakes have seen others make them. So whether it’s the mistakes you’ve made, witnessed in others, etc., write a poem about it today.

BUT (and yes, I’m using a big “but” here) poem nicely to each other today. I would hate to remove anyone for getting into arguments about X, Y, or Z in the comments; that’s why social media was created.

Note:  Burma Shave ads were everywhere from 1910 to the late 70s.  Here’s Bing Co-Pilot on “Burma Shave” and Cowboy poetry.

Burma-Shave was an American brand of brushless shaving cream, famous for its quirky and memorable advertising campaign. From the 1920s to the early 1960s, they posted humorous rhyming poems on sequential highway roadside signs. These signs became iconic and are fondly remembered by many.

Here are a few classic Burma-Shave jingles that adorned the highways:

1. “Cattle crossing means go slow, that old bull is some cows’ bold.”
2. “The bearded lady tried to jump, she’s now a famous movie star.”
3. “Shaving brushes out of date, use the razors perfect mate.”
4. “The crowd you see around that store are Burma shavers buying more.”
5. “PHA likes the cream, ma likes the jar, both like the price, so there you are.”¹²

These clever and whimsical signs were typically posted in sets of six along highways, with the last sign revealing the product name. Passing motorists would eagerly read each sign to discover the punchline. The signs were originally produced in red-and-white or orange-and-black color combinations, although the latter was eventually phased out. While the Interstate system and increased vehicle speeds led to the signs’ discontinuation, their legacy lives on as a nostalgic piece of American advertising history. Some of these signs can still be seen at The House on the Rock in Spring Green, Wisconsin, and re-creations appear on Arizona State Highway 66, part of the original U.S. Route 66, between Ash Fork and Kingman, Arizona ³⁴. 🚗🌟

Burma-Shave was an American brand of brushless shaving cream, famous for its quirky and memorable advertising campaign. From the 1920s to the early 1960s, they posted humorous rhyming poems on sequential highway roadside signs. These signs became iconic and are fondly remembered by many.

 

Cowboy poetry is a unique genre that celebrates the rugged lifestyle, camaraderie, and natural beauty of the American West. These poems often evoke nostalgia, humor, and a deep connection to the land. Let me share a few classic cowboy poems with you:

1. “Tying Knots in the Devil’s Tail” by Gail I. Gardner:
   • This poem exemplifies cowboy poetry. Written in a narrative form, it uses slang and vivid storytelling. Here’s an excerpt:
     

     “Away up high in the Sierry Petes where the yeller Jack Pine grows tall,
     Ol’ Sandy Bob and Buster Jig had a rodeer camp last fall.
     Oh, They’d taken their hosses and their runnin’ irons an’ maybe a dog or two,
     And ‘lowed they’d brand any long-eared calves that come within their view.” ¹

2. “A Prairie Song” (Anonymous):
   • A shorter poem with six stanzas, it captures the spirit of traveling and horseback riding:
     

     “Oh, music springs under the galloping hoofs,
     Out on the plains;
     Where mile after mile drops behind with a smile,
     And tomorrow seems always to tempt and beguile.” ¹

3. “The Strawberry Roan” by Curley Fletcher:
   • Written in quatrains (four-line stanzas), this poem celebrates a horseback ride:
     

     “I was laying round town just spending my time,
     Out of a job and not makin’ a dime;
     When up steps a feller and he says, ‘I suppose,
     That you’re a bronc rider by the looks of your clothes?’” ¹

4. “The Old Frying Pan” by James W. Whilt:
   • An ode to the humble frying pan, this poem reflects on its usefulness:
     

     “You may talk of your broilers, both single and double,
     Your roasters and toasters, they’re all lots of trouble;
     But when out in the hills, just find if you can,
     Any kind of a dish like the old frying pan.” ¹

5. “The Camp-fire Has Gone Out” (Anonymous):
   • This poignant poem mourns the decline of cowboy culture:
     

     “The Camp-fire has gone out, and rusts the iron pot,
     The chuck-wagon is still, and the coffee is not;
     The flaps of the tent are untied to the breeze,
     And over the prairie the cattle roam free.” ¹

These cowboy poems capture the essence of life on the range, the bond between rider and horse, and the fading traditions of the American West. 🤠🌵

 

Writing Com Dew Drop Inn Ending Daily Shaving in Retirement

When Sam Adams

retired from

the U.S. Department of State,

 

he made five vows

which he kept for years.

 

first, he would quit daily shaving

shaving once or twice a month

 

second, he would never wear

a suit and tie

instead opting for the northwest look

 

Long pants, khaki or jeans, T-shirt

and a Western-style shirt

like a Pendleton shirt.

 

Third, he would retire in Korea

where his wife had family

and Southern Oregon

and an annual trip to DC

where they had rentals.

 

Fourth, they would travel

a lot every year

seeing as much as the world

as they could while they could still do.

 

starting with an epic road trip

across the US

10,000 miles 35 states

in three months

 

and a cruise to Alaska

his last State of 50 to visit

and an annual visit to someplace

warm in the winter.

 

Fifth, he would start a blog and podcast.

the World According to Cosmos,

to highlight his poetry and short story

submissions and occasional political rants.

 

He kept his vows

except that COVID blew away

his travel plans from 2019 to 2022!

and he wore a suit once,

to attend the wedding of the son

of his best Korean friend.

 

 

April 5

 PSH Cosmic Dog From Goa

WD Tell Me No Lies

 WC Dew Drop Inn Making Baseball Great Again

NaPoWriMo  Only In SF

 

PSH The Cosmic Dog from Goa

 

 

 

 

 

My final time with God

Happened a year latter

I was staying down in Goa

With my wife

 

Enjoying being with her

After our reconciliation

We stayed at the Taj Mahal Goa

Living like Kings and Queen

 

Just for a few days

High up on a hill

Overlooking the beach

 

Every morning I went down to the beach

And did yoga by the water

While contemplating life

 

And every morning

I saw the same dog

 

Not just a dog

But a cosmic dog

Filled with the divine spark of God

 

And the dog recognized me

And spoke to me and I knew

That God was present once more

In the face of the that cosmic dog

 

Kindred spirit

perhaps to the cosmic cat

that had save my soul

in Berkeley so long ago

 

I told the dog everything

And he just looked at me

With those soulful eyes of his

And I knew he knew that I knew

That he was possessed by God

 

God had sent him to me

To make sure that I was on the right path

 

That the reconciliation that God had promoted

Was on track that I was back with my wife

And that everything was the way it should be

 

Again, I asked God whether he was Jesus or Allah

Or Brahmin or Ganesh or Buddha

 

God the cosmic dog just stared at me

I finally asked him directly

 

Say if you are God the God of Jesus

Bark once

 

The Dog looked at me and barked

 

I said well if you are Allah bark twice

The dog barked twice

 

Well are you buddha then bark three times if yes

The god dog barked three times

 

Hmm well are you Satan

The dog growled at me

And I knew I had gone too far

 

Finally, I was at peace

And for the next three days

 

The God Dog was my constant companion

And I knew God for the final time

In my life

 

Writer’s Digest Tell Me No LIes

 

Tell me no lies

My dear

and I will tell you

no lies too.

 

But every word

I say

could be a lie.

 

you never know

what is true

and what is a lie.

 

So tell me no more lies

and I will tell you the truth

if you can handle it.

 

Writing Com Dew Drop Inn April 5—Get a sport into a poem!  Make Baseball Great Again!

 

It is time

to make American baseball

Great again

 

starting with creating a worldwide

baseball competition

with each season

with the national champions

 

competing in a World Cup World Series

with the final round pitting the

North American Champions

against the winners of Africa,

Asian, Europe, and South America

 

with the final rounds

best of seven

always held in the U.S.

 

The other things to do

include rapid expansion plans

 

including the MLB teams

adopting local schools and colleges

fully funding baseball programs

and only hiring college graduates.

as players.

 

and making tickets affordable

no more than ten dollars per game!

 

if they do this,

we can make baseball

once again the best sport

in the U.S.

 

Let’s all join together

to make baseball great again!

NaPoWrMo  Only In SF

Tiny, the Jamaican

was a  big  6’5 reggae Rasta man,

sprouting long black and purple dreadlocks

and a purple mohawk

 

wearing a black leather jacket

with weed logos on it,

played guitar in the SF Reggae Kings.

 

A big Three Stooges fan,

Named his four pets,

“Shemp” the cat,

“Moe” the dog,

Curly” the mouse,

and Curly Joe, the Vietnamese pig.

 

The four amigos got along famously

They lived in an apartment

in the western addiction,

off of Geary,

in a rapidly gentrifying part of the city

 

One day, Shemp said to Moe

“Moe, I have a question for you,

and I want an honest answer,

none of your canine BS answer.

You know us cats are straight shooters.”

“Okay,  my cat brother. Shoot.”

“Well, I understand that

cats, dogs, mice, and pigs

are natural born enemies,

How come we get along?

And you get along

with Curly and Curly Joe?”

“Good question.

First, when we met

I hated you all

and you were afraid

I might eat you in your sleep

and the thought

crossed my mind.

But over time

I mellowed out

and realized

we were all a band of brothers

living in this house.

I think it

also has something to do

with the cloud of weed

in the air

and the chill  deep house

reggae  peace and love

vibes in the house.”

“cool.

“Good answer.

I too think of you

all as my brothers.

 

You know what I like the most?”

Our nightly walk

when Tiny, Tina, and Linda

take us out

and we put on our show.

You know Curly Joe

letting you ride on him,

and I ride on you

and Curly

sits on my head

to complete the show

as we freak out the tourists

good citizens, and outlaws

who constantly take pictures

saying to themselves

“Only in SF”.

 

And you know

They are right.

Only in SF.

 

Let’s keep SF weird.”

 

Tiny came in

and they all went

for their walk.

April 6

PSH  Visiting My Father’s Grave

Writers DIgest Meeting My Fate

Writing Com Dew Drop Inn  Daily RItual Drinks

NaPoWrMo PNRCP

 

Visiting my father’s grave

In Yakima Washington State,

The ancestral land of the Aller clan

Thinking about my father

And his legacy

And thinking that I am

My father’s son

 

There is so much

I wanted to tell him

So much I wanted to share

 

So much I wanted him to see

My accomplishments

He was taken from me

Before I had achieved my dreams

 

i am sure he would have been

proud of the man

I turned out to be.

 

This poetry writing prompt submitted by Lara Dolphin:

A “taphophile” is someone who has more than a passing interest in burial places.

Cemeteries can hold beautiful sculptures, moving epitaphs, and genealogical secrets as well as religious meaning. If you were a tombstone tourist and could visit any burial place or shrine in the world, where would it be? Who would it belong to? Someone famous or obscure? Write a poem about one grave in particular.

Writer’s DIgest Meeting My Fate Minimal Poem

 

that september date

I met my fate

when she walked

out of my dreams

off a bus

into my life

becoming my wife.

For today’s prompt, write a minimum poem. Some people only do the minimum; others like to pay the minimum. When I first started working, I earned minimum wage. My kids had to reach a minimum height requirement to ride roller coasters at amusement parks. 

Writing Com Dw Drop In Daily  Beverages

in the morning

I drink a cup

of snarling hot coffee

while watching the news

 

in the afternoon

I shift to tea

either earl gray

or herbal tea

 

at sunset

I drink red wine

with my wife

 

as the evening

shifts into night

 

I drink rum

or whiskey

 

to end the day

right.

NaPoWrMo PNRCP

 

My mother was an original

One of a kind person

Unique in her ways.

 

She had many sayings

That has stuck with me

Over the years.

 

She was not a big fan

Of birthdays

Even forgot my 18^th birthday.

 

She said on her birthday

 

“Well that means

One year closer to the grave.”

 

One of her funiest saying

Was how she described

Getting to Berkeley

In the late 30’s.

 

She had ran away

From a large but abusive family

In Little Rock, Arkansas.

 

Part of the so-called “lost tribe”

Of the Cherokee Indians

Also known as the Black Irish

 

She said that she was just

Part of the government run

“Plantetary Nut  Reconfigeration Program”.

 

Every ten years

The world flips

And all the nuts

Roll down here

And end up in California.

 

Here’s some info on the Lost Tribe of the Cherokees. There are only about 50,000 left.  According to Bing Co-Pilot, “The Lost Tribe of the Cherokees, also known as the Black Dutch or Black Irish, is estimated to number around 9,000 in Arkansas and approximately 500 more in southern Missouri. These individuals seek recognition as a tribe after years of investigation. The federal Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) has been diligently working on their recognition petition for nine years¹.

Interestingly, some theories propose a connection between the Cherokee people and the Ten Lost Tribes of Israel. Genetic studies have even labeled the Cherokees as a Middle Eastern-North African population, suggesting this intriguing possibility²³.

While the Cherokee Nation in Oklahoma does not consider this group to be legitimate, their quest for recognition continues, and their history remains a fascinating chapter in Native American heritage. 🌳🔍

TBC next week

The End