How to Write a Poem

ONE WAY TO WRITE A POEM
DUTIFULLY TRANSCRIBE DICTATION FROM THE
DEPTHS OF ONE’S SOUL
SEARCH PAST AND PRESENT MEMORIES
LOST IN THE FEELINGS DEPARTMENT
RUMMAGE THROUGH PILES OF OLD DISCARDED
HURTS
WORNOUT SMELLY SWEATERS IN CRUSHED HIDDEN
BOXES OF FORGOTTEN FEARS AND MASKED
MISERIES
PEEK AT
SAD GREY CLOUDS LOOMING
LAY BARE GHOULISH FEARS LURKING IN DARK
ALLEYS
ACKNOWLEDGE GNAWING SELF CONSCIOUS
THOUGHTS
LARGE TOOTHED RODENTS EXPLORING MUSTY
ATTICS
EXPOSE CREEPING PANIC
LEAKING SECRETS SLOWLY DRIPPING
SEEPING OUT OF BRAIN CREVICES
WORDS UNCENSORED BURSTING THROUGH
LIKE PUTRID PUS FROM AN OVERRIPE WOUND

EXAMINE LIFE’S ILLUMINATED MANUSCRIPT
BRILLIANT TREASURE OF PAST AND PRESENT
CREATION
CONJURE MAGICAL SCENES OF CHILDHOOD JOY
PINK PINAFORES, PATENT LEATHER SHOES,
SLIDE SHOWS OF LAUGHING ONE’S HEAD OFF
HILARITY TUMBLING OVERTOP FAST FRIENDSHIPS
SEARCH LOVE
A HEART BURSTING WITH PURE HAPPINESS
IMPRINTS OF VIVID CRIMSON SMILES
PRESSED UPON MIRRORS OF SELF REFLECTION
WATCH REINACTMENTS OF CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE
TEENAGE ANGST
DUTIFULLY MATURING APPRECIATING
NOW WITNESS THE AURA OF NEW BABIES
GENERATIONS GROWN
DEATH AND MAGICAL REBIRTH LIKE SEASONS CYCLEWRITE NOW
SPIT OUT ONE WORD TRANSFORMED INTO
UNENDING IMAGES
CELL MULTIPLICATION OF THE GAMETE
CREATE A UNIVERSAL SLIDE SHOW OF HUMANITY
THINK AND DON’T THINK
YOU YOUR WORST ENEMY, SELF-DOUBT
TURN THE SCRABBLE BOARD UPSIDE DOWN
BEGIN THE GAME AGAIN
AND AGAIN
AND AGAIN
MAKE UP A FOREIGN LANGUAGE
SPEAK TO FRIEND, ENEMY, AUNTIE, STRANGER
HATE IT LOVE IT SHARE IT HIDE IT STRIKE IT COVET IT
THEN
KICK IT OUT OF THE HOUSE

Photo by Shelby Miller on Unsplash