Tag Archives: NaPoWriMo

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.

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NaPrWriMo 2013: Here I Go Again!

napowrimo1

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.

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The Best of NaPoWriMo 2012

I’ve gone through the poems I wrote for NaPoWriMo (National Poetry Writing Month) last month, editing them and selecting the ones I consider the best of the lot. These will be added to the poetry section of the “Nathan’s Works” section of this website. So, without further adieu, here are the best of NaPoWriMo:

Fall
Funeral
So Far Away
Lamentations of a Robot Overlord
My Love, Our Crucible
Surgery
Farewell
Haiku 1 & Haiku 2
Writer’s Block
Waiting For Winter’s End
Slander
Haiku 3 & Haiku 4
Run
Warzone
Nonsense
Broken Wings
Avengers Assemble
Fortress of Solitude
Finding the Right Dance Partner

Which one(s) was (were) your favorite(s)? Were there any I left out that you think I should include? Why?

Poetry

NaPoWriMo, Day 25: “Nonsense”

Once again, I’ve neglected to post poem for NaPoWriMo even thought I’ve done a good job keeping to the “one poem a day” requirement. Of course, with a poem like this one, maybe I need to quit (just kidding). This is a product of frustration, tiredness, writer’s block, and a deadline. It came about late at night while I was wracking my brain trying to come up with a new poem. This…random verse is the product of that. (This should tell you where my mind goes when I get tired). It’s appropriately titled…

Nonsense

A mind is a terrible thing to lose,
Especially when listening to robots sing the blues.
I need a poem for NaPoWriMo—
But my mind is clogged, there’s no flow.
I know! Another haiku!
What am I thinking? Not a clue.
All I write is nonsense, nonsense, nonsense.
Maybe I should burn some incense.
No, then I’d think I was a walrus
Like John Lennon did, which wouldn’t be a plus.
Time to stop acting like a scatterbrain,
Agonizing over a poem—what’s there to gain?

 

Poetry

NaPoWriMo, Day 24: “Too Good to Be True”

I’d tell you what inspired this poem, but I think the end of it explains that for me. Enjoy.

Too Good to Be True

There she was,
Smiling at me like she used to.
I stood and stared, flabbergasted.
Then she embraced me with reckless abandon,
And taking my hand, said, “I’m sorry.”
I was paralyzed with joy.
She had remembered the way we were,
And by God’s grace, came back to me.
Overjoyed, I kissed her cheek.
She giggled and blushed just like I remembered.
It was too good to be true—
I awoke to loneliness and a narrow bed.
Dreams are all I have left of her.
If only I could sleep longer…

Poetry

NaPoWriMo, Day 23: “Another Psalm”

I wrote another psalm for NaPoWriMo, although I don’t think it’s as good as the first one I wrote. I’ll let you be the judge, readers.

Another Psalm

I wait for your help, O LORD,
Why do You withhold it?
You are far away when I need You.

What must I do to rouse You
To combat the slander of my enemy?
His words are a scorpion’s sting,
Poisoning all who hear them.

My heart is weary from waiting.
Tears have become the tonic
To sooth my soul’s affliction.

If burnt offerings you required,
I would bring them with gladness.
But sacrifices are not what You seek.
No, You desire a blameless and loyal heart.

You, LORD Almighty, are a Righteous Judge,
So defend my cause and punish my foe
For Your Name’s sake.

Save me, O LORD,
Before I sink into the grave,
Where I can sing your praises no longer.
O LORD, do not forget me!

Poetry

NaPoWriMo, Day 22: “Warzone”

Not much to say about this one. It just came to me one day. However, any Transformers fans out there will know where I got the final line. (FYI: It was said by Dinobot on an episode of Beast Wars).

Warzone

I awake to Reveille
And the bullets pierce twilight’s veil.
The Enemy’s guns spray his lies,
Intent to take my head as his prize.
A few steps, and I come to a minefield,
But to the Enemy’s temptations my spirit won’t yield.
Around it I go.
It takes me into enemy territory, though.
But this is where my mission will be—
To fight until the prisoners are set free.
I will not watch their broken lives be purloined.
I am a warrior—let the battle be joined.

Poetry

NaPoWriMo, Day 21: “Run”

Today’s poem was loosely inspired by (no surprise) another song. This time it was “Run” by Kutless. (Yes, I know I have the same title, but I couldn’t think of anything better). Enjoy!

Run

Once, you embraced me.
Now, you flee from me.
Why do you run?
I am not your enemy.
Listen not to the Tyrant’s words.
He doesn’t know me
Or the joy I gave you.
His arms are a prison:
Safe but confining.
Why did you run?
In my arms you’d fly
To heights you never dreamed
And touch the sky.
If you’d only open your eyes,
You’d see he’s suffocating you
And run back to me.
Then together, we would run
Like the galloping stallion and his mare,
Boundless, unashamed, free.

Poetry

NaPoWriMo, Day 11: “Farewell”

This poem was inspired by a scene from Rurouni Kenshin, one of my favorite animes/mangas. The titular hero is about to embark on a dangerous journey to battle an old enemy. He has no idea if he will survive the coming battles. Rather than worry his new friends, he decides to leave late at night, but not before saying goodbye to Kaoru, the young woman who took him in and, incidentally, fell in love with him. You can watch the scene here. Admittedly, I hadn’t seen it in a while, and I forgot there were fireflies. Perhaps I’ll add them when I edit the poems after NaPoWriMo. I hope you like it.

Farewell

I feared this day would come.
I prayed it wouldn’t since the day we met,
When one glance at you struck me dumb,
But I must wander again to pay my debt.

Alone, we meet at midnight.
My sadness is masked by my melancholy smile
As I say, “I must go fight with all my might,
For my cause is just and most worthwhile.”

You beg me to stay, your face illumined by the fireflies’ glow,
As trees shed their cherry blossoms
To mingle with the tears you cry so,
But our hearts are broken within our bosoms.

I hold you in one last embrace,
My neck wet with the tears flowing from your eyes.
I wish I could look you in the face,
For this could be our last goodbye.

“Farewell,” I say, releasing you,
Slinking into the dark, knowing I can’t remain.
You are the only one I could say that to
Because yours is a love I thought I’d never have again.