Saturday, April 3, 2010

napowrimo - april 3



Today's prompt is simply, "Write about something that scares you." I have written two poems - only after they began to emerge did I realize they're related.


Gone

I wasn’t watching –
and he was gone.
I push past laughing faces,
legs, shoes walking,
but can’t find him.
Sometimes he’d pull away,
fearless, laughing,
following other people,
or butterflies.
How often had I told him,
“Stay by me.”
I call his name
again, again, again.
It’s impossible to believe
he’s gone, but he is.
I have lost him.
I awake wet-faced
remembering my child
is a man, long safe.
In the darkness, only
a ticking clock
watches me.

Wanda McCollar

This is Just to Say Goodby

My spine is shrinking
My shoulders rounding
My flesh is becoming seawater
My bones show through, black and jagged,
I have split in two
Even the most insensitive can see
I'll soon be gone.

Only a few even care.

I am Chacaltaya, Malospina,
Katiah, Perito-Moreno,
Perteze, names sliding over your tongue
as you did over ours. We’re gray smudges
from satellites too far
to sense the loss of our leaving
what we marked pre-history,
too far to understand
rivers must cease reliable flows,
lakes must become basins
to brim over, seas must rise.
We’ll all be gone soon.

Ours are voices you can’t hear,
it's not your concern.

Not your generation,
not your children’s
not your nations'
not your concern.

Wanda McCollar

9 comments:

  1. both are powerful
    great responses
    cheers
    janet

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  2. I remember being the child in the experience of the first poem. It was very scary.

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  3. Evelyn - yes and also for the mom. It's a nightmare dream I've had for all these years - I lose my son again and again - although I never really lost that adventuresome child for more than brief snatches of time.

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  4. Hi, Wanda. I enjoyed "Gone", very evocative. I'll be back. And I invite you to discover my poems at www.gregoconnell.com (Find NaPoWriMo 2010 in the top menu bar) Cheers, Greg =)

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  5. Two deep and sorrowful poems... the images you've chosen ring clear and echo the themes of the pieces well. Approved!

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  6. Both beautiful poems. The second one is a little
    masterpiece. There are a lot of great poems left in you...you make sure you churn them all out before take off!You are one of the best poets on RWP.

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  7. Wanda,
    These are two beautiful poems you have written here.
    Pamela

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