"For today's prompt, I want you to take the phrase "So we decided to (blank)" and fill in the blank. Make that your title and write a poem. Some possibilities include "So we decided to plant a tree" or "So we decided to burn a hole in the sky." Read more at: April PAD Challenge: Day 12
"So We Decided To Tell A Story, Almost Forgotten"
So we decided to pack our duffel bags for that long trip
Not missing the favorite music on stations that sang us
Wisdom lullabies on birthdays and paydays, and decided
Not to forget hugging dear momma, a father, once fathers
Were gone for quite some time to imagined battle fields
So she too decided it was the only way she’d pay for college
So she whistled like she was off on her first date, was wise
To leave her brother the new camcorder burying their silly
Feuds, saving happy memories before a whistling bullet got her
So he too decided, the homesick private, to blow kisses over the
Shrapnel on a Valentine’s video, called the friendly desert back-
Drop a sunset point where he hoped, sigh, this day would not
Present him another bouquet of limbs, the evening would not
Spray him with the bitter champagne of sweaty blood and bile
Before the goats and sheep came home with the boy who
Mistook cannon for merry fireworks announcing good tidings
Of Ashura, before the girl who sold lime juice to beat the
Fahrenheit saved her green merchandise in her soiled apron
Before faraway villagers met dusty soldiers combing fields for
Strange harvests: Have you seen any enemy combatants? Yes!
Pat came the reply: Like you, you mean? Or perhaps, like them
So we decided to pack our duffel bags for that long trip
Not missing the favorite music on stations that sang us
Wisdom lullabies on birthdays and paydays, and decided
Not to forget hugging dear momma, a father, once fathers
Were gone for quite some time to imagined battle fields
So she too decided it was the only way she’d pay for college
So she whistled like she was off on her first date, was wise
To leave her brother the new camcorder burying their silly
Feuds, saving happy memories before a whistling bullet got her
So he too decided, the homesick private, to blow kisses over the
Shrapnel on a Valentine’s video, called the friendly desert back-
Drop a sunset point where he hoped, sigh, this day would not
Present him another bouquet of limbs, the evening would not
Spray him with the bitter champagne of sweaty blood and bile
Before the goats and sheep came home with the boy who
Mistook cannon for merry fireworks announcing good tidings
Of Ashura, before the girl who sold lime juice to beat the
Fahrenheit saved her green merchandise in her soiled apron
Before faraway villagers met dusty soldiers combing fields for
Strange harvests: Have you seen any enemy combatants? Yes!
Pat came the reply: Like you, you mean? Or perhaps, like them
So, we decided to tell this story before most of you forgot our names.
Image from the Internet: "Noah's Pudding"; The Ashura celebration is a common practice among Muslims and Christians in the Middle East.
3 comments:
Stanza 3 - Last two lines - jolting, sad and powerful! And the boy mistaking 'cannon for merry fireworks' - very telling and jolting again!
Really well done!
Nabina this is brilliant poetry. I wonder if I should say great poem or sad poem or well done.. why is it that human tragedies bring out best writings.. be it prose or poetry?
read with moist eyes.
Thank you Priti, somewhere my work has transcended the mere journalistic interest in this issue...! WHo knows may be that's good.
Tiku, you always are such a force with your kind words. Sad or bad things do act to create powerful commentary,for we remain in denial abt them quite often... thanks girl.
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