Poetry Challenge, v. 4.0, Days 26, 27, and 28

Ahh, the weekend.  Time to do things around the house, spend some time with my honey, and forget to do poetry for a few days.  Ummm...oops.  But hey, it's the final push to get all these things done, I've made it this far, and so, once again, it's time to buckle down, finish this month of poems up, and get ready for the next great adventure!  Yes, this has been a good adventure thus far this year, and even though I've not exactly been wonderful at coming up with a poem a day, there will still be 30 poems in 30 days, and that's what really matters most of all.  It's not easy, and this little challenge is something that I have grown to love doing.  As we finish this month out this coming week, I hope that you've all enjoyed taking this part of the journey with me.  I thank you for your participation, your putting up with me, and most of all, your friendship and support through this.  But...I've still got a few days left to go, including a three-fer today!!!  So let's get to some poems!!!!

Praying

I, a traveler in a land far from home,
came upon a most unusual thing;
a man, saggy skin and bone,
sat with eyes closed upon a frayed carpet.
He was alone,
and but for my presence there, unknown.

I could not look away,
this strange fellow held me so,
that I wondered if he were not some
grotesque, carved from the sandstone
over which I traveled,
and painted with hues from the earth.

He did not move,
the desert-flies alighting upon his skin
in such a way that makes a horse flick his tail,
but the man stirred not to deplace them.

I stood, amazed.
I could not see him breath, hear any sign
that he was living,
so complete was his trance.

I know not what made me do it, then,
but I sat there on the ground,
though I had no carpet to sit on,
and I attempted to copy the man.

I struggled to be as he was,
resolute in my posture,
calm as the very breath of a newborn babe,
as still as a cloudless night sky.

I failed.

Ashamed, I made my way,
turning my back on that place,
I fancied for a moment that I heard something,
a sigh, a laugh - which, I cannot say,
but when I turned, the man was gone.


Secret Flame

Quietly, it burns,
there, deep down, in the empty recesses
between what is and what was,
in the silent moments between memory,
lies the Power.
It does not like to be shown,
to be heard,
to be known or seen,
but when called upon,
is ready to be shared with those in need.
It is the true self,
the deepest part of me,
where no one can touch,
save One.
It is the secret that I carry,
heat and light from without and within.

Song of Life

Music pours through me,
a constant barrage of phrase and note,
of rhythm and rhyme,
endless  torrent of ideas.
It will have no end, no time to cease,
no stop, save my own coda.
It plays, constantly on,
propelling me to dance,
keep the time as it changes,
ever moving through the steps,
the song of life.


hmmm...possibly a little heavier in thought than I initially set out with in my head today, but hey, not everything can be lighthearted and simple.  This is part of never knowing where poetry is going to take me, and on the whole, even though I don't understand some of today's stuff, I'd say it's a pretty decent effort.  It's part of what I enjoy most of doing this project.  I know I'll hit some out of the park, and others will...well, they'll suck.  But I never know what's going to happen, and I'm glad just to be doing it. 

Speaking of doing it....that running thing?  Yeah, right now, I still hate the pain that comes with learning how to do this, let alone do it well.  Today, though, was 2.5 miles in 37 minutes.  I guess that means I'm looking at maybe a 45-minute 5k at the moment.  Not good, by far, but also not too bad, either, for a guy who has never really run very far at all.  So the goal: 5k in 40 minutes.  If I can hit that, I think I've got every reason to be happy with myself.  Where I'll go with it from there.....who knows.  I'll tackle this like I tackle climbing those hills on the bike:  one day at a time!!!

Thanks for reading,
The Fat Kid