Poetry

NaPoWriMo, Day 7: ‘The Question’

Today’s prompt was fairly simple: write a poem where each line is a declarative sentence, except for the last one, which must be a question. I decided to compose a humorous poem about a very old question (and make a mandatory Doctor Who reference). Enjoy!

The Question
By Nathan Marchand

From the dawn of time, it has been a mystery.
A question left unanswered throughout history.
No, you silly nerd, it isn’t “Doctor who?”,
It has caused far more hullabaloo.
Philosophers have pondered, but found no answer,
But they probably only did it to avoid brain cancer.
Even Jack Hanna, animal adventurer, is totally clueless.
(But perhaps that is his hubris).
So it will remain a question never understood—
How much wood could a woodchuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?

Poetry

NaPoWriMo, Day 6: ‘Final Farewell’

Today’s prompt was to write a valediction, which is a poem of farewell. I like the one I wrote, although I don’t know if it quite qualifies as a valediction. It recounts two lovers’ happy times together until they are forced to separate and say their last goodbye. Let me know if you think it counts as a valediction.

Final Farewell
By Nathan Marchand

We met the day the Fallen had his revenge.
Summoned by Erik the Red to the halls of Valhalla
To gather with friends for food and battles and stories,
You a lovely Valkyrie and I a mighty warrior.
We allied against your brother, the devious Loki,
Winning many victories,
For in my presence, you were surer in battle.
Our partings were always jovial,
For we knew we would always meet again.

Then one night, you shared a secret with me,
And I became your brother and you my sister—
The ones we had longed for and never had.
Until the day an embrace became something more,
And we filled the night with stories.
Then two fearful hearts mingled, birthing love.
We blessed and were blessed.
Wounds were healed and joy overflowed.
We’d found the impossible: a kindred spirit.

But Odin All-Father thundered his disapproval,
Falsely accusing me of every terrible evil,
Which cut us with subtle knives,
Until our hearts were rent—
Not by his hands, but yours.
I, chained, fell to my knees
As you turned your back to me with tear-filled eyes
And we said our final farewells.
The ground opened so I could go to Hel,
Where I remain in eternal darkness.

Poetry

NaPoWriMo, Day 5: ‘I AM’

Today’s prompt was to write a cinquain (click the link to read what it is). It seems similar to a haiku to me. Anyway, I had to throw this together at the last second. It’s short and not very original, but I got it done. It stems from my Christian faith, perhaps drawing inspiration from the story of Moses and the burning bush. Admittedly, it could probably be longer. Regardless, enjoy!

I AM
By Nathan Marchand

 I AM.
That is my name.
Who will save my people?
With a strong hand, it will be I,
The LORD!

Poetry

NaPoWriMo, Day 4: ‘Gunboat Diplomat’

Today’s prompt was to write a poem based on one of several bizarre names of spaceships from a certain authors books. I chose one that sounded cool, and decided to write a sci-fi poem. Enjoy!

Gunboat Diplomat
By Nathan Marchand

Come! And a tale you’ll hear
Of how the Second Great War ended
Thanks to a man the galaxy came to revere:
Henry Hawk, a scalawag to be commended.

Terrans and Zillans battled across the stars,
For reasons long forgotten, so do not ask why.
But the Terrans saw their planet covered with scars,
So they summoned Hawk, and to Zilla he did fly.

His ship, the Shrewd Serpent, was a rickety relic.
A starfaring gunboat that survived the First Great War,
And the perfect vessel for this snarky maverick
Who once served as a diplomat for the Terran AstroCorps.

Suddenly his ship decloaked in orbit of the Zillans’ homeworld,
And the lizards’ warships scrambled to intercept.
But Hawk, ever confident, never felt imperiled.
He opened a channel and gave the lizards a smile they couldn’t accept.

“The Terrans are tired of war,” says Hawk.
“I come to give you their offer of peace.
Their terms are fair, so you will not mock,
Though you glory in battle and will not cease.”

The lizard-king replied, “Slyth the war god demands victory!
For our enemies’ heads, he gives us his blood, redrock,
Which has powered our ships throughout our history.
So spare us your pathetic words, Hawk!”

So Hawk smirked, and with but a gesture,
The Serpent’s hidden guns opened fire,
Raining missiles on the Zillans’ redrock treasure,
And in seconds all that was left was a ring of hellfire.

Hawk says, “Your world will die if you continue to fight.
So before the Terran fleet comes, this war must end.
For without your ‘god’s’ blood, the Terrans won’t fear your might.
And you will have a legion of angry enemies with which to contend.”

So the lizard-king ended the war by declaring a truce,
And the Terran soldiers returned home to celebrate.
Though the Zillans demanded to see Hawk at the end of a noose,
They, like many others, learned he was a man not to underestimate.

Poetry

NaPoWriMo, Day 3: ‘Obsession’

Today’s prompt was to write a sea shanty, but I couldn’t come up with any ideas beyond writing a sci-fi one that took place in space rather than on the sea, so I’m skipping that one. However, I’m going to keep track of each prompt I skip and write a poem for it later.

So, for today, I wrote this little thing:

Obsession
By Nathan Marchand

She wants, she craves.
One act of kindness,
And she stalks him like a hunter,
Seized by a “love” that enslaves.

She worships him like a priestess,
Carving an idol of his image in her mind’s eye.
Flowery prayers, fragrant incense, and costly gifts she offers<
But dreams to give what above her short dress.

She digs in her claws
Once he finally acquiesces.
“My love is as perfect as him,”
She says, “For he has no flaws.”

Now her “god” is gone.
He left, destroying her idol.
But neither are left unscathed–
Such devotion they’ll never again know from hereon.

Uncategorized, Poetry

NaPoWriMo 2013, Day 2: ‘The Lie’

Today’s prompt was to write a poem that tells a lie. My poem does build to a lie, but it is a lie that some may not agree with since it stems from my Christian faith. Read on to see what I mean.

The Lie
By Nathan Marchand

There is no end to your evil.
You lie, you cheat, you steal,
You covet and kill,
Obeying my whispers in the darkness,
The silent coercion,
The subtle propaganda,
Which you believe you hear not.
Casualties of the invisible war, you are.
Slaves blissfully ignorant of your slavery,
And blinded to your master while doing his work,
Because you bought my greatest trick,
My most powerful lie:
That I, the Devil, don’t even exist.

Poetry

NaPoWriMo 2013: Day 1 – ‘Madness’

Today’s prompt (which I learned I can choose not to use) was to write a poem that had the first line from an existing poem. I chose the first line of “It is not Love, it is Madness” by Mirza Ghalib.

With that, here’s my first poem of NaPoWriMo 2013!

Madness
By Nathan Marchand

(You say) It is not love, it is madness,
An insatiable fire.
Give it voice, and it will consume
With every word that affirms its uncertain promises.
Keep it silent, and it will devour
Soul, mind, and body from within,
Until it bursts with a volcano’s fury.
It comes unexpected, uninvited, perhaps unwanted,
Only to leave the heart emptier
With each new failure,
Killing it softly.

Announcements, News

The saga of ‘Children of the Wells’ begins today!

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The new web serial, Chidlren of the Wells, launches today! (No joke!) Click here for the website.

It begins with the serialization of The Select’s Bodyguard, a novella by my friend Nick Hayden. The story is as follows:

When Bron, bodyguard to the Select, is jolted awake by an explosion, he quickly discovers that the entire city of Jalseion is in flames. Everywhere, people are dead, buildings collapsed, whole neighborhoods demolished. The scientific center of the world…burning to the ground.

And the Select, those who rule through the magic in the wells? Where are they, and what has happened to the magic that powers the city?

Bron banishes fear and uncertainty as he crosses the rubble with one goal: to find her.

Nothing else matters.

This story will go until July, when my novella, The Fall of the House of Kyzer, and The Doctor’s Assistant by Laura Fischer will start being posted.

You can read more about my involvement with the serial here.

News, Announcements

NaPrWriMo 2013: Here I Go Again!

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You may remember that I participated in National Poetry Writing Month (NaPoWriMo). It was “unofficial” participation, since I didn’t use the prompts provided on the website; I simply endeavored to write one poem a day for the month of April. This year, however, I’m going to try using the prompts. It’ll probably be difficult, but it’ll be a worthwhile exercise, I’m sure. So, you can expect posts from me daily in the coming month.

If you’d like to read my favorite poems from last year, click here.

A Man from Another Time Exploring Another Universe