November is National Novel Writing Month. This is when a writer is challenged to write a novel in a month. It’s an intriguing idea, and I am participating, just not in a traditional way.
After performing a few of my poems in front of a receptive audience, I’ve been feeling I should focus on my brand of poetry. So, instead of stressing myself out by attempting to bang out a first draft of an entire novel, I have decided to compose one poem a day for 30 days. We shall see if I complete the challenge, and if I do, how will the new words compare to the old.
The first week of the challenge is over and I am still in the game. In order to encourage myself, and to give my blog some material, I plan to present the best poem from each week. These words will be unpolished, unedited, with titles that may be temporary.
It was a close race between two poems in this first week, but I can only choose one. So here is…
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Trapped
Why am I not
Feeling the words tonight
Start and stop
Type and delete
Nothing is right
Maybe wanting more
After tasting the sun
Poetry spoken
Recited
Performed
To a gathering crowd
Ears hearing me
Eyes daring to see
The me inside
Then back to reality
Day in
Day out
Stuck
A regular routine
So many eyes
Not wanting to
Not able to see
The me I can be
When given a chance
When sparked
Ignite
Shining so bright
Now only
A faint outline
In the dim dying light
~~~~~~~~~~~~
2026, John L. Harmon
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Thank you for your time.
Freak Out,
JLH
P.S. The performance I was referring to…
