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Today’s prompt challenged us to write a poem in which we take our title or some language/ideas from The Strangest Things in the World. First published in 1958, the book gives shortish descriptions of odd natural phenomena, and is notable for both its author’s turn of phrase and intermittently dubious facts. I took a lineContinue reading “May we never know a wonderless world”

Today, our challenge was to write a surreal prose poem. For inspiration, we were given Franz Kafka’s collection of short parables – my favourite turned out to be “My Destination”. I’ve always struggled with the concept of prose poetry; isn’t it just a very well told and illustrated story? I’ve been a fan of surrealismContinue reading “Fear of flying”

Today we were asked to write a platonic love poem. In other words, a poem not about a romantic partner, but some other kind of love like that of for a sister, a friend, or even a really good Chicago deep dish pizza! The poem should be written directly to the object of our affectionsContinue reading “Passing”

Our challenge: to write, without consulting the book, a poem that recounts the plot, or some portion of the plot, of a novel that you remember having liked but that you haven’t read in a long time. I chose my all-time favourite novel, Catch 22 From the first breath of the first words – IContinue reading “Married at first sight”

It frames his view,And theirs’ of him.In the pane they see pain,He only feels joy. See more of Sadi Gökpınar’s work here

The crushing weight … The deafening silence … The unforced regret …

The lights on the street are silent these days,Through the misted windows they stand and stare away,They don’t return his gaze. The songbirds in the hedges seem to have lost their shine,Lustrous tunes echo down distant corridors,They long for choirs no more. The teapot stands parched, unquenched and dry,It’s only discourse with a single cup,ItContinue reading “Silent lights”

With barbed needles of rusty tin, Sew my eyelids closed so I may be as blind as you, Blow torch my ears to make me equally deaf too, Beat my face with a hammer, Slash my voice with a razor, Leave me with senses none. With tweezers pluck each nerve I own, then Dissolve themContinue reading “Sew my eyes closed”

If God made all, and all for man,Why did he poorly measure land?He worked so hard for six long days,But measured not the need for graves.A grievous error, for a foolish man,For he made man to slaughter man.To burn and rape and kill and maim,And all their reasons are his name,And all their seasons areContinue reading “A Grave Error”

When you can’t see the wood for the trees,Then, feel for the wood’s embrace,Look for the space between the leaves,Where the sunlight harvests peace. Stop to breathe in the warmth of lime light,That seeps between the oak, ash and elm,And falls like cherry blossom bright,With the promise of summer’s realm. Bathe in the balm ofContinue reading “Lime Light”