Small Autumn Poems 2020

These are poems I wrote in response to a one word prompt poem challenge from @bethkempton, #tinyautumnpoem on Instagram. The challenge is one poem a day for 7 days, each inspired by the one word prompt @bethkempton provides the morning of each day of the challenge. There is only one rule: no more than 10 minutes’ writing. It is loads of fun, and all the poems are terrific! All the poems, plus the challenge words, can be found on Instagram at #tinyautumnpoem.

Day 1: SHARDS

Shards … are what is left of me
Since you departed
jagged
dissonant
uncertain …
regretful
remorseful …
reassembling, Slowly
(11/12/2020)

Day 2: FLOTSAM

flotsam …
and jetsam tumbling
tumbling
tumbling
rising to the top
whirling little dervishes
cresting with the waves
and
breathlessly diving
diving
diving
crashing to the floor
pluming the sand into nubulae
bouncing again into the ebb tides
rejoining their partners
to dance again
and again
into infinity
(11/13/2020)

Day 3: BLUR

A blur to my left
our parrot, startled,
flew aft and,
taking the opportunity to stretch her wings,
she lapped the room
once
twice
before
she landed on my shoulder,
dropping her feet to catch my sweater
like a jet trapping the wire
her weight a sweetness.
(11/14/2020)

Day 4: (I missed this one!) TURN

(11/15/2020)

Day 5: FEATHER

A Feather
This Feather
Long and red, a bright wine red
And soft.
At one time not
so long ago
You wore this feather
It rustled with the others
When you shook your tail
vivid when you splayed them wide
in flight, or when you puffed out
Loud and proud,
Squaring your green jacket
and wings, blue flight feathers
gold shorts
and your maroon breast …
so soft
so missed.
(11/16/2020)

Day 5: TEA

Elixir
Warm, golden nectar
Liquid amber
holding memories
Mom bringing us tea with lemon
When we were sick
My aunts, sisters themselves
And goofy
As they could be
Winking at us mischievously
Aunt E drank from her saucer, while
Aunt C raised an eyebrow
In mock stern astonishment
Such shocking impropriety!
We giggled into our napkins
Hours at Cafe Royale on State Street
Studying, reading, writing
Conversing with friends between classes
(And sometimes during them!)
People-watching and daydreaming
Healing the body
And my soul
Warming my hands
Unfreezing my toes
(11/17/2020)

Day 7: INK

Ink flows from my stylus and
bleeds onto this page
a very modern ink from a
very modern quill.
I love that it can mimic the broad
nib of a fountain pen!
Alone and unused,
my real fountain pends are jealous
(11/18/2020)