Michelle Bishop Writes

Yes, it’s now day 24 and I’m only on day 14 of the Writer’s Digest Poem-a-Day Challenge.  To be fair to myself, I have been feeling under the weather, courtesy of Atlanta’s pollen-filled Spring.  But, to be honest with myself and the rest of the world, I was completely at a loss for what to write for the Day 14 challenge.  Day 14 had two writing prompts:  a love poem or an anti-love poem.  I was stuck either way, caught like a deer in headlights.  I was paralyzed and could not write.  After several days, ten to be exact, of pondering why I could not or would not write about love, or it’s “anti,” I came up with the following.

Stopped in My Tracks

Pondering the meaning
Of love
My heart skipped a beat
As it always does
When I remember you
And me
And how we could be
How we should be
Mid-thought stilled my pen
Reliving
The talks for hours
About everything
And nothing
The way you said my name
Imitating the way you
Heard me say it
Thinking turned to feeling
Again
I thought I had stopped that
Feeling
Feeling again
The way it felt
When you called me
Beautiful and
Ruined me for life

M.B.
24 April 2009

The Writer’s Digest Poem-a-Day Challenge writing prompt for today is a hobby.

The Hobby of Life

Since childhood I have not had
The pleasure of a hobby
An activity one pursues
Just for the fun or the challenge of it

I do not craft, macramé, or knit
Nor do I paint anything
Besides a bedroom, a bathroom
Or a kitchen

I do not play with toy cars or trains
Except with my son
When he can find no better way
To pass his time

I no longer read for pleasure
Books stacked on the floor
Beside my bed all serve a purpose
Besides pure joy

I am not gifted with the ability to grow
Plants and plan gardens
Nor have I the eye for
Photography or interior design

I pass my time living life
Rearing children, cooking meals,
Cleaning house, feeding the dog
Laundering clothes

My hobby, if I had one, would be
Taking in the sighs, the laughter, the tears,
Being in the moments of love
Living the hobby of life

M.B.
13 April 2009

Easter Sunday – 2009

The writing prompt for day 12 of the Writer’s Digest Poem-a-Day Challenge was “So we decided to…” where one fills in the blank.  Here’s my attempt for today.

So we decided to keep driving…

Turn right at the corner
Straight for a while
And then left into the park
On a beautiful day
Filled with colored eggs,
Bunnies that deliver candy,
And little girls in flowered dresses

Drive around seeking a spot
So we can alight to enjoy the sun,
Swings and skateboard tricks,
Basketball and the merry-go-round
To no avail
So we decided to keep driving
Out of the park and down another road

Trying to find that pretty place
We passed so long ago
Where we saw that great house
With the picket fence and the large yard
Turn left here? We try it, unsure
Vaguely recalling the gas station
Make another left

Then, on our right, we see the lake
Not named what we remembered
We find a place to leave our car
We whisper amongst the trees
Skip rocks on the water
Take photos on the bench
And take in the sun

M.B.
12 April 2009

The Writer’s Digest Poem-a-Day Challenge writing prompt for today is an object.

I had in mind to write about the little shed in the corner of our yard. So I started searching for a photo of the building so I could look at it and think about it.  In the process of searching I happened upon the image of a statue of Mater Dolorosa that is often used to represent Ezili Freda of the Haitian Vodou.  The statue had been burned in a fire.  The image spoke to me.

The Burned Mary

I tried to clean her face
After the fire
That was started by unseen forces
The mysterious fire
That charred her face, jewels, and dagger
Scorched her crown,
Burned away what remnants
Of love and trust
Resided in the heart
Already pierced
By treachery and lies
She no longer cries
Nor do I

M.B.
11 April 2009 Read the rest of this entry »

The writing prompt for day 10 of the Writer’s Digest Poem-a-Day Challenge was Friday. This could be approached from a specific Friday to what one likes or dislikes about Friday.

Here’s what I came up with finally.

Unexpected

The Friday phone call
In the middle of the day
Inquiring
When I would be home
To have the pleasure
Of a guest
Visiting for the evening
Conversations
Long overdue
Hugs and kisses
Memories
Hopes, fears, and dreams
Jokes about Kanye and T.I.
Laughter
The joy of the unexpected visitor
In our midst

M.B.
10 April 2009

Today’s writing prompt for the Writer’s Digest Poem-a-Day Challenge was memory.  For some reason, even though I had a good deal of time this morning to work on the poem, but I avoided working on it until late tonight when I felt the pressure to get something down on paper.

Here’s what I came up with for memory.

Remembering?

Why have I avoided writing about memory?
Is it because I fear what I will see?
Or do I fear what I won’t?
Will I remember the details of every hurt I’ve ever felt?
Or forget the way you looked at me that day
When I thought the rest of our lives lay before us
Like the blank pages of an unwritten book?

M.B.
9 April 2009