Finals Week (Naani)

Finals week,
the time of year where
coffee is mana from heaven
and sleep is a commodity

#Poetry#PoetsWorkshop#GPlusPoetry#PennyForYourThoughts#30in30#Napowrimo#Poetry

Virus

The symptoms are painless
-In fact-
They are asleep
...Waiting...
...Waiting...
...Waiting...
Until the moment arises
Where your happiest moment
Your calmest moment
Your proudest moment
Is turned upside down,
And spun all around
To the point where 1 + 1 does not equal 2

This is the beginning
The mind moves a mile a minute
Trying to store, and understand
What is being added
One piece of information at a time
Until it begins to overflow

The timer begins to wind down
Panic
Angst
Confusion
Take over - and set into overdrive
As the virus begins to spread.
Actions become impulsive
Thoughts become scattered
Emotions and values left by the wayside,
Creating a concoction so potent
Just a drop of it will make anyone go mad.

As the final seconds close in-
Close your eyes
And take the inevitable plunge
Down the rabbit hole
Where every little action
Is analyzed to the smallest detail
And then - nothing

As your eyes widen
In the midst of the sweat
Dripping from your face
That was a terrible nightmare.
From nothing, something formed

The symptoms are clear
And so is the prognosis
The calamity that started it all was...
Yourself


#Poetry#GPlusPoetry#PennyForYourThoughts#30in30#Napowrimo

Connections and Reflections (A series of Naani)

I

Cyberspace:
The world within the world 
To explore the impossible
and make it reality

II
The oppression of freedom:
The ends of peace 
Through means of war.
Is bloodshed really justice?

III

The future
Looked better in the past
Yet we see now the past and wish
that todays were yesterdays

IV

Alone together
the Community of Spheres
connected by the web
inside your little private screen

#Poetry#PoetsWorkshop#GPlusPoetry#PennyForYourThoughts#30in30#Napowrimo#Poetry

A series of 4 poems but I'm counting it as 1 poem for NaPoWriMo in the naani style.  To quote fellow poet +Beverly Rivera, "Each naani is an individual poem. This fixed form of Indian Poetry has 20-25 syllables of 4 lines with no rhyme scheme, and is an "expression" for one and all; a complete thought."
I couldn't come up with a better title. I will take any and all suggestions.

Wishing for a Wish (Can I Wait any Longer?)

I could really use a wish right now
But right now I'm sick and tired
Of wishing upon a star

I'm sick and tired of looking up to the sky
And hoping that an answer materializes in front of me
Only to stand there for hours on end
As the sun beats down relentlessly
As the weights and the chains bear down
Bringing me to my hands and knees,
While shouting to the heavens above
My cries, my pleading
Only brings about the sound of my voice
Dissipating out to the world around me, like I have a choice

But is this an excuse to back down
On my dreams and aspirations?

Is this an excuse not to dream
To not take the initiative
Of bringing a challenge upon myself?
Even if it means having the weight on my shoulders,
Even if it means standing in the sun for hours on end
Every deterrent that arises
Is more of an argument to either give up or keep going

- I know what I want to do-

#30in30 #Poetry #NaPoWriMo

Anatomy of a Dream

Our sanctuary,
a thing of fantasy,
a thing of reality,
a thing of neccisity
where all our thoughts,
emotions,
and aspirations become tangible

Yet, a thing so tangible, it's transparent
A thing so vital, yet it occasionally appears
A thing so precious, yet it lasts for mere seconds

Dreams
Our source of determination
a goal we want to achieve.
Such a powerful thing can become crushed
At a moment's notice.

Despite the realities
As our hands reach up to the sky
A divine salvation for our minds and soul
Dreams might be what we have left

#30in30 #Poetry #NaPoWriMo

Wrong Number

I noticed you from across the room
Eyes like diamonds, a smile so bright
for your presense lit the entire room.
I tried to give you a smile in return,
and you gave a polite wave, but nothing more.

We bumped into each other a few times soon after,
the first time we talked, I was stumbling for words.
But as time went on, conversations grew
And for once, I saw your eyes on me.

I went passed all the nerves
And asked for your number.
You smiled, and wrote it on a peice of scrap paper
and told me to call as soon as I could.

And so I did
And I got the number of a bank.

I would be dissapointed
but that number represents something a lot more.
It told of great memories and good conversation
And through the ripped peice of paper
I can still feel your eyes on me
as mine are to you, wherever you are


#30in30 #Poetry #NaPoWriMo

Just a note - a rarely write poetry even remotely based on love, but I'd figured on giving it a try.

Ebb and Flo

Ebb and flo
Undertow
Let go
To paths unknown
That have been foreknown
By forces
That are as old as the ages
Teaches us to embrace
The space
Between Point B
And the place we really want to be.


#30in30 #Poetry #NaPoWriMo

Waves and Memories (Give and Take)

The sea gives and takes
Memories - for she shares her
Seashells for people on the shore,
And she collects the footprints,
Making the waves a story
Of the memories shared under the sun.

#30in30 #Poetry #NaPoWriMo

Bus Stop Blues

People waiting
For the next bus to arrive
Have to brave the elements
And the sight of cars.

The bus was late that shift.

#30in30 #Poetry #NaPoWriMo

Time

Time
Goes by
Faster than expected.
Years feel like hours,
And hours feel like seconds.
Through the chaos, we look back
On the many experiences we have encountered
And the many emotions that have resulted.
These come and go
In a blur,
Only through
Time

#30in30 #Poetry #NaPoWriMo

Quixoticisms

"To dream the impossible dream, to fight the unbeatable foe, to reach the unreachable star" - why can't we live by these words like we used to when we were children? Back then, the surroundings that were around us were a complete mystery; we'd ask questions here and there, and start to take interest in the field we'd like to be in when we "grow up".We used to gaze up at the night sky, trying to comprehend the possibility of - and possibly believe in, life on other planets...and we used to gaze up at the twinkling stars. Look at us now - if I may continue the child analogy - we'd be stuck in our rooms, under lock and key, with the windows borded up - a never ending time out. We've grown into a people where reality dictates what you can and cannot do. When life hands us lemons, make lemonade; sounds tasty right? Suppose if life handed us apples, and we made pina coladas - we'd be buying them left and right! So much for saying "One apple a day keeps the doctor away." Is this an impossible notion, yes, but isn't it a nice thought? A chance to think outside the norm - where reality is at our fingertips, and not the other way around. How can we reach the unreachable star when we can barely open the window? How can we fight the unbeatable foe when we ARE the unbeatable foe? We've opened our eyes so much, they've begun to sting; but closing our eyes - that's truly a quixotic task.

Inspired by "The Impossible Dream" in the play "The Man of La Mancha"
#30in30 #Poetry #NaPoWriMo

True City Life

The city never
seemed so dark...so bleak
As footsteps crinkle old newspapers.
Trains rush on to their platforms
and buses to their stops;
The only passangers on board
Are the dear souls who are scared to sleep
by the sounds of raindrops pounding on the windows.

#30in30 #Poetry #NaPoWriMo

Unspoken Thoughts

ThoughtsWords
Emotions
All trying to find a voice
But find no way to convey their message.
They manifest
Within the confines of the mind.
Contemplation,
Self Discovery,
Lead to answers that make sense
to the individual.
Yet questions arise,
More contemplation ensues,
And the cycle goes on
Locked away in the mind. 

Inspired by The Sight Below - At First Touch

Welcome to the Dream House

Welcome to the dream house;
a place filled with sunshine and gentle waves.
One wrong move and you're gonna take a trip -
One hell of a bad trip.
Screaming won't get you out my dear
Time to face the journey Dante would even fear,
Time to walk down the spiral staircase
Cause your head is about to spin.

Pictures screaming from the walls
Creatures screatching big and small,
I can sense they're chasing after you,
Better run faster kid, or they'll eat you  too.

Running to the left.
Running to the right
All sense of direction is lost at this point.
Opening doors, to and fro
Trumpets playing as you go.

You've had too much fun, out you go
Tip the Mad Hatter by the door
As you fall face first into the floor.
Just wait until how crazy it is once you wake up

#30in30 #Poetry #NaPoWriMo

River People

They come out at night,
Creeping up the river banks
covered in darkness.
Restless souls looking for peace-
Taking from those who fear them.

Inspired by Madina Lake - River People


#30in30 #Poetry #NaPoWriMo

Planted by Unkind Hands (An Ode to an Plastic Bottle)

Planted by unkind
hands, I am thrust into a
world I don't belong.
I yearn to be a part of something
And yet all I do is lie here:
Crushed and dejected
Muddy and an eye-sore.
I thought I told them clearly
Where my final resting place is for me,
Yet they still choose to ignore me.

And to think
I had thought 3 arrows was enough
to point them in the right direction.



#30in30 #Poetry #NaPoWriMo

(This is from plastic bottle's point of view)

And the Void Responds with a Song

The clock ticks
Within the locked bedroom.

Seconds pass
...Staring at the void...
...Staring at the problems...
...Staring at the memories, the nightmares...
...Staring at the void as the void stares back...

The frustrated yell tears the silence
And dissapates into the night.
Moonlight illuminates
The broken glass from the mirror
And the blood dripping from those shards.

Seconds pass once again
Except even slower;
...Staring at the devastation...
...Staring at the bleeding hand...
...Feeling the tears roll down...

A scream again tears the silence
in angst
as he slumps over the radio
Crying into the arms covering his face.
A button was pressed
And the song began to play:

#30in30 #Poetry #NaPoWriMo

The Path Even Less Traveled

I came to a fork in the dirt road
on that clear spring afternoon.
Two paths lie ahead of me;
A path that is worn and torn, yet had a gentle slope, to my right.
And a winding rocky road to my left.
With a steep hill with various trees and cliffs in the middle.

I stood there a while,
squinting at what each path would lead me;
trying to gaze at what lies ahead.

And I thought to myself,
"Ah, to hell with them both"
and I walked up to the steep hill
I slowly making my ascent.

It felt like hours as I walked
Tripping on roots here and there,
Dealing with pesky flies and cobwebs,
Stopping to catch my breath every once in a while
But, soon enough, I reached the top of that hill.

The lush greenery down below was a sight
As it provided some contrast with the late afternoon horizon.
I had to chuckle seeing the winding paths below me
And seeing a few people walk on both of those routes.

"They have no idea what they are missing"


#30in30 #Poetry #NaPoWriMo

Take Off the Headphones

If, for once
We take the headphones off
And share the music;
All of the different genres,
All of the different singers and bands,
From every country and year,
What a wonderfull world it would be
if they all unite with one love,
with one passion
which transcends time and space
and tells the story
of people trying to live day by day;
telling of their joys, sorrows
and everything else in between.
But what happens
when we pause the music
and remove the earphones?
All of these songs
And all of the emotions
Contained in the versus
Are sung by the average person,
Walking down the street,
Tryng to keep their head afloat;
In a world where we climb up the ladder
In a competiton againstout fellow man.
If, for one moment
We open our ears,
And hear the reality of what's around;
College graduates unsure of their future,
Main Street slowly turning into Empty Street
As the air grows sour on a daily basis.
That is the hand that we are dealt with,
For this generation, and the many to come.
Don't you hear the news?
Take off the earphones
And face the music.

#30in30 #Poetry #NaPoWriMo

The Sphinx and the Mind

The mind of the eyes
Connects with the tricks of the
Mind, and the treasures
Hidden inside; a riddle
Crafted by the Sphinx herself.
The only way to
Unlock its secrets is to
Observe the stages of the day
And the lessons they teach.

Inspired by Twine - Endormie

#30in30 #Poetry #NaPoWriMo

College Nights

My eyes struggle to
Keep open; the hours pass
Faster than what I'd like.
Yet the night is still young,and
the assignments grow longer

#30in30 #Poetry #NaPoWriMo

Phoenix

Phoenix,

That's what I need to be.

Tattered phoenixes,

That's what we are.

Turn myself into ashes

To bring myself anew:

A new start

A new beginnning.

Cleansing by fire

Hope by smoke

Rebirth by sunlight

Inspired by Bjork - Moon


#30in30 #Poetry #NaPoWriMo

Manifesation of the Abyss

I've let you in

I've drunk your sour wine
I've looked upon your gruesome face

And now
You've consumed me.
You've transformed me.
You've become me.

Dear Brutus,
I've met something worse than you.
At least you were human.

Inspired by Bjork - Pluto
#30in30 #Poetry #NaPoWriMo

Under the Big Top

What does it feel like to be juggling bombs while riding a unicycle on a tightrope above spikes all while holding a roman candle between your teeth? Literally speaking, I have no idea, (Sounds like something Cirque du Soleil would think up) metaphorically speaking, I live it every day - except I don't have an audience gasping in fear, or cheering in excitement. Heck, I don't even perform under the grandeur of the big top, but I perform my death defying performance within the comfort of my own home. I wake up, eat breakfast, get washed, brush my teeth, and go on my merry way - hoping that I stay on course and not end up knocking on death's door - okay, I stretched that out a bit...but you get my point. What's even better, while I'm dancing on the tightrope, two clowns are going at it with rubber baseball bats, custard pies,and honking horns. Gotta love slapstick comedy, right? Take the term "slapstick comedy"and take the fun out of it. What does that give you? A nice red mark across the face, and a headache.

Inspired by Frank Sinatra's rendition of Send in the Clowns

I figured I'd write something different and go with some prose.

#30in30


#30in30 #Poetry #NaPoWriMo #Prose

Where Did the School Day Go?

Long ago - the rain continued to pound on the classroom window

Bringing the sound of the bell

Oh God...I must have been day dreaming.

Time to grab my books and pens once again

And rush to my next class once again,

Where did the day go?

Should have been taking notes

When I was sitting there doodling in my notebook

Don't know how many times I looked up and forced myself to pay attention.

Where did the day go?

Should have been studying when I was sitting there, thinking about you,

Don't know how many times the sight of you with another guy replayed over and over again,

And I thought "I'd rather be with her, feeling betrayed,

Than be by myself, lonely and broken."

Where did the night go?

*Edited on 4/16113*

Inspired by Gil Scott-Heron - Where Did the Night Go?


(This poem does not chronical any actual event that happened to me)
#30in30 #Poetry #NaPoWriMo

Sleepy Eyes, Sleepy Thoughts

As the night draws near

A new light appears

To open the realm eyes can’t see

Before the beholder, the apple of the eye

Playing melodies low and high

Showing scenes so whimsical and yet so real

The puppet and its player are one;

The strings are cut, ready to embark on a journey that will never be done

For as long as reality exists, so shall its opposite

And from this polar correlation

A careful coordination

The balance between sanity and structured insanity

Freedom with limitations

Which is sent by the sun’s salutations

Sets the stage for the beginning of the next act

And if all this world is a stage

So shall the world we cannot gauge

Both within us, and ahead of us

As the sun begins to rise

Within the mind lies

A message
Wanting to be decoded


Inspired by Passion Pit - Sleepyhead

#30in30 #Poetry #NaPoWriMo

The Anatomy of an Idea

A manifestation of thoughts
Compound into something
Of enormous value
To the beholder;
And when these thoughts
Combine,
Its true nature shows itself;
A thing of complexity
A thing of subtlety,
And a thing of beauty.

When these two properties are in motion
It's up to the beholder
To decipher and interpret
What the underlying message is.
From there, an action is required
To spur thoughts into an idea
Where further action is needed in order for the idea
To become reality.       

Inspired by Keiko Matsui- Beyond the Light

#30in30 #Poetry #NaPoWriMo

Programmed Revolutions

The revolution has lead to a revelation
And it hasn't been televised
It's been programmed
Into each one of us,
And it has, in fact, become us.
We are the very thing we've created
...For better or for worse...       

Inspired by Gil Scott-Heron - The Revolution Will Not Be Televised

#30in30 #Poetry #NaPoWriMo

The Realities of Mirrors and Reflections

Mirrors are such strange things.

      Reflections of appearances are of the eye of the beholder

          Yet the realities of those appearances are the eyelash in the eye.

     The red itchy eyes    look on with angst

           At the image in front;     a being pleading for help.

                        Its at this moment       where the tears begin to sting.

                And all we do is pop on the sunglasses and walk into the sun;

Those eyes will never see the light of day.

Inspired by Burial - In McDonalds

#30in30 #Poetry #NaPoWriMo

I selected this post to be featured on my blog’s page at Poetry Blogs.

This poem has been featured in a fledgling anthology called Vagabonds, which can be downloaded from Lulu.com for free here.

I Swear, I've Known You from Somewhere...

I swear, I've known you from somewhere
But I can't place who you are;
Yet I know you're right here.
The longer I look for you
The further you're away from me.
The more I stop
The more you lead me on.

Did you change that much?
Or have I even noticed?

#30in30 #Poetry #NaPoWriMo
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