5th November 2016 ~ Poetry Challenge ~ Day 5

2016 November PAD Chapbook Challenge: Day 5
By: Robert Lee Brewer ~ November 5, 2016

For today’s prompt, write a wire poem. A wire poem could be about something that needs wires–like maybe a robot, TV, or automobile. But birds huddle on telephone wires, people wire money to each other, and kids can get wired off of too much candy and/or caffeine. In fact, I’m surprised I haven’t written more wired poems over the years.

I had to do some research, when this idea came into my head. ☮️🎎

(See below)

Image courtesy of plxabay.com

WIRE WALLS

by John Yeo

The commons were open lands all for free,
We could graze our cattle where we pleased.
Grow food, wander for miles in open land
A free man or woman living self-sufficiently.

~

 Wild hedgerows bordered the farms,
Trees on the horizon, sheep roaming free.
Then came laws that enclosed the land
Cruel wire fences appeared everywhere.

~

The hated wire that fenced off freedom
A blight on the landscape that hurt us.
We were locked out from our feudal right
To our natural heritage of rural England.

~

The wires were placed to mark the areas
That were handed to wealthy farmers
Our common access was barred by wire
Forever to be lost to the new landowners.

~

Wire, hated wire, everywhere to be seen,
A blight that would never be removed.
Wire to mark out, Wire to lock out.
The enclosure acts changed life forever.

~

Copyright © Written by John Yeo ~ All rights reserved.

“The Inclosure Acts (or “Enclosure Acts” in modern spelling) was a series of United Kingdom Acts of Parliament which enclosed open fields and common land in the country, creating legal property rights to land that was previously considered common.” Research from Wikipedia

NOVEMBER 2015 ~”POEM-A-DAY”~ DAY THIRTY ~ “LET THE MOMENT BEGIN” POEM

Image from the Net

For today’s prompt, write a “let the moment begin” poem. Life is filled with moments–good and bad–and they all have to begin sometime. Share yours (in poetic form) below.

LET THE MOMENT BEGIN

by John Yeo

Today is the beginning of the rest of your life,
The future is in your hands.
Take control, stay in control, push away strife.
Let the moment begin.

To hesitate now is to give up your control,
Time is slipping slowly away
Be determined, be stubborn, seek your goal,
Let the moment begin.

Your aspirations are there to be achieved.
To wait, is to waste your chances.
The plans developed, the ideas conceived.
Let the moment begin.

Your whole future rests on a blink of an eye,
The signpost points clearly ahead
Follow your dreams, don’t wait, give life a try,
Let the moment begin.

Push hard at the obstacles as they appear,
Time is rapidly racing away.
Do it now, while you can, the way is clear,
Let the moment begin.

Copyright © Written by John Yeo ~ All rights reserved.

NOVEMBER 2015 ~”POEM-A-DAY”~ DAY TWENTY-NINE ~ “AN OPEN LETTER” POEM

Image © Copyright John and Margaret

For today’s prompt, write an open letter poem. When I think of open letters, I think of those editorials written in the newspaper or online that take a common problem or a media story and give their solution or take on the matter. Often, they spur more debate than solve problems, but they’re often written with a purpose.

A PLEA FOR THOUGHT

by John Yeo

An open letter to anyone who gets hungry on the move
As you travel through this beautiful land look closely
The motorways and roads slice through Nature’s glory
Woodlands and farmland bordered with pretty verges.

Pastures, small villages with imposing church spires
Speed by as you enjoy your picturesque journey.
Pull into a pretty lay-by then look around closely.
Paper and plastic, carelessly dumped meets the eye.

An unnatural spread of detritus litters the area.
Plastic bags and food wrapping tossed by the wind.
Carelessly strewn by unthinking travellers.
Spoiling and besmirching the area far around.

Continue your journey with new wide open eyes,
Notice the roadside verges as you continue along.
The gradual buildup of slow but sure decline,
Unsightly rubbish discarded, dumped everywhere.

Care and concern is the subject of this open letter,
A plea for the restoration of unsullied nature.
Eat and enjoy your meal on your journey,
Then please, for the love and care of our landscape.

Take your rubbish home!

Copyright © Written by John Yeo ~ All rights reserved.

NOVEMBER 2015 ~”POEM-A-DAY”~ DAY TWENTY-EIGHT ~ “ IT WAS A (blank) AND (blank) NIGHT,” POEM

Image © John and Margaret

For today’s prompt, take the phrase “It Was a (blank) and (blank) Night,” replace the blanks with a word or phrase, make the new phrase the title of your poem, and then, write your poem. Possible titles include: “It Was a Dark and Stormy Night,” “It Was a Bright and Sunny Night,” “It Was a Calm and Lonely Night,” “It Was a Long and Poetic Night,” “It Was a Short and Sweet Night,” and so on and so forth.

IT WAS A STARRY AND MOONLIT NIGHT

by John Yeo

The block was a surreal concrete kingdom of light,
The window lights went out slowly one-by-one.
The moon shone brightly in a cloudless sky
Set in carpet of a million twinkling bright stars.

 

The breathtaking beauty of a stunning delight,
Shading the graffiti-covered, sheer concrete walls.
Several shrill sirens sounded, in the nearby distance,
Breaking the spell of this beautiful magical sight.

 

Hiding in the shadows the creatures of the night,
Slowly and surely began to emerge from hiding.
A metal container suddenly crashed to the ground,
As a feral cat searched for discarded food scraps.

 

The moonlight and starlight mingled magically
Creating a carpet of light high on the rooftops.
In the shadows below a shrill woman’s voice
Started screaming, echoing around the block.

 

Shouting and screaming as a row developed.
The sad sounds of a Saturday night in the city.
Obliviously continuing with a viral intensity.
Shattering the silence and breaking the spell.

 

Of a sublime, sensual, starry, moonlit night.

 

Copyright © Written by John Yeo ~ All rights reserved.

NOVEMBER 2015 ~”POEM-A-DAY”~ DAY TWENTY-SEVEN ~ “LEFTOVERS ” POEM

Image © Copyright John and Margaret

For today’s prompt, write a leftovers poem. With Thanksgiving in the rear view, many people may have leftover food in their refrigerators. Others may wish they had leftovers. Regardless of the holidays, some folks feel like leftover people or that they live a leftover life.

LEFTOVERS

by John Yeo

The family were gathered to hear the reading,
The distinguished solicitor looked round the room,
He caught the tear-stained eye of a lady in scarlet
In sharp contrast to the universal mourning black.

A moment of silence when the family finally calmed.
The sobbing matriarch and her grieving daughter
Two sons and their wives and families and more,
Waited expectantly as the respected solicitor began.

“This is the last will and testament of a literate man.
‘I lived my life to the full, working long and hard,
I did my best for everyone of you gathered here
I have lived and loved as happily as a writer can.

I was never very wealthy, just comfortably wise,
That I have no fortune should be no surprise.
After I have paid my final accounts,
I leave the leftovers to my very dear friend
Who met and stayed with me right to the end’.”

Copyright (c) Written by John Yeo ~ All rights reserved.

NOVEMBER 2015 ~”POEM-A-DAY”~ DAY SIX~ “WE ARE BEING WATCHED ” POEM

Image supplied and credited by Emilia on WordPress

For today’s prompt, write a “we’re being watched poem.” Humankind has really created a bunch of, umm, interesting things over the past 150 years or so. Some of it has helped save lives; some of it has helped destroy them; and some of it has helped spy on them, whether through phone taps, infrared vision, drones, online hacking, or surveillance cameras. Write a poem that touches on such things.

WE ARE BEING WATCHED

By John Yeo

Supposing mind communication took over from speech
Minds could communicate with minds remotely.
Vast distances would shrink at once.
There would be no secrets anywhere.
All information would be open minded
And available by scanning.
There would be no secrets at all.
The thinkers would be open to plagiarism,
Stealing an unexpressed thought instantly.
Before the idea was fully formed.
How can you copyright pre-thoughts.

Sleeping rough under a surveillance camera
Would actually be preferable than in the dark.
Defenceless and open to abusive behaviour
The watchers would always be around to watch.
Turn off the mikes, close down the cameras
Throw the iPone in the bin.
What would be visible to a drone
If you stuck your head in the sand.

They tell me there is a wiretap
Inserted in every head at birth
Thought control is possible now,
Wherever you are living on Earth.
I have a friend who lives in a shell,
He crawls along very, slowly
It is impossible to read his thoughts
Unless you are also mindless.

They are very dangerous entities
Nameless to all in the vicinity
They are always addressed that way?
If We are We, then They are They! Aren’t They?
They ignore the remote control
And tune in by ultra violet light
Communication by colours is beneath
The mind who controls the establishment.

I called you on my iPhone today,
Ten listeners relayed the news
To ten different estate agents.
I am looking for another house.

Copyright © Written by John Yeo ~ All rights reserved.

NOVEMBER 2015 ~”POEM-A-DAY”~ DAY FIVE ~ “FESTIVE” POEM

Image © Copyright John and Margaret

For today’s prompt, write a festive poem. It doesn’t matter the occasion, and the festivities can just be the backdrop for the poem. Remember that even a sinister story like Poe’s “The Cask of Amontillado” happened during a carnival time. So no matter the mood, write with festivities in mind.

A TWO-FACED REALITY

by John Yeo

“I don’t feel like it, I don’t want to go,
Can’t we make an excuse?
You don’t really like them at all.
They are total snobs, just showing off
By throwing money around.
Don’t be a silly fool!

They’re a family that never mixes,
Why should we pretend?
Just because it’s Christmas.
Let them enjoy their luxurious party
With food and presents in plenty,
Gifts and fine wine by the glass.

Perhaps we should show our faces,
Even though it will be a chore.
We deserve to share the festival
Perhaps we will get some presents
To take back home with us.
It really is Christmas after all.

I suppose we will have to take
A bottle of red and white wine.
Climb in the taxi, mind your dress,
Hello! How are you all? Cheers!
Happy Christmas! Lovely to see you!
It has been such a very long time!”

Copyright (c) Written by John Yeo ~ All rights reserved.

NOVEMBER 2015 ~”POEM-A-DAY”~ DAY TWENTY-SIX ~ “LUXURY” POEM

Luxury Yachts and a Cruise Ship. Image © Copyright John and Margaret

For today’s prompt, write a luxury poem. To tell you the truth, I’m not even sure how I’m coming at this prompt just yet. But luxury can be a good thing for people who experience, though also a bad thing. Plus, luxury often comes at a cost to those who don’t have it. And the dream of it can help some people in dire circumstances.

THE MILLION POUND CHALLENGE

by John Yeo

“Survival of the fittest will be the way to get through
You will be marooned on an isolated island alone.
Life will be tough, limited supples will be provided,
To see you through until we return in a month.

You will be allowed to choose three luxurious items
To remind you of the life you once lived over here.
These will be additional to your basic supplies
What three luxury items would you like to take with you?”

~

“I have given the matter considerable thought ,
What would I miss most from my life, over here?
My dear wife would be at the top of the list,
Sadly I am sure she would never join me.

Next I considered a wind-up gramophone
With a selection of soothing classical music
An unlimited supply of pencils and paper,
A luxurious bathtub with expensive potions.

A selection of books to improve my mind.
A luxurious last meal, a veritable feast.
A selection of garden tools with seeds
Paints for art, or a fishing rod would be fine.

I would be very sad to leave my wife behind.
The love and companionship and free-easy style
With her supporting presence and her smile.
Luxury will always begin and end at home.

Staying behind is the ultimate luxury for me.
Let’s call the whole thing off!”

Copyright © Written by John Yeo ~ All rights reserved 

NOVEMBER 2015 ~”POEM-A-DAY”~ DAY TWENTY-FIVE ~ “ECHO” POEM

Image © Copyright John and Margaret

For today’s prompt, write an echo poem. This could be a poem with a refrain, or a poem that echoes another poem (or poems) written earlier in the month. A remix poem, if you will. Or it could be about the process of echoes, echo location, or any other spin you can think to put on it.

THE STORM

by John Yeo

Clouds speedily gather as darkness descends
The storm takes hold with a vicious vengeance.
A deafening clap of thunder loudly resounds
Echoes and re-echoes with explosive force
Lightning slashes in a jagged flash of fiery fury.

 

Trees bend and sway as the wind rages relentlessly
Stripping off leaves and tearing the branches away.
The pouring rain sweeps and swirls ceaselessly
Severely soaking the storm battered tiny valley.
Repeated lightning bolts light up the night

 

Thunderclaps crash and boom repeatedly
Echoing and re-echoing, endlessly rebounding
From the craggy slopes of the rocky mountain.
As streams rapidly turn into rain-filled rivers.
Lightning strikes with an illuminating power.

 

The wind suddenly drops and the rain gently eases
As the storm slowly passes over the mountains.
A distant booming thunderclap rumbles around
Echoing and re-echoing with a muffled sound.
As the passion of the storm is over and spent.

Copyright © Written by John Yeo ~ All rights reserved.

Image © Copyright John and Margaret

LIFE

by John Yeo

A neurone has fired in an amazing display
Brain-powered ecstasy in an orgasmic release
Powerful minute forces have delivered
An awesome force of pleasurable power
As an ejaculation is repeated and echoes again
And again, and again, and again.
Re-echoing as seeds of a new life begin.

Copyright © Written by John Yeo ~ All rights reserved.

NOVEMBER 2015 ~”POEM-A-DAY”~ DAY TWENTY-FOUR ~ “LOVE AND/OR ANTI-LOVE,” POEM

Image© Copyright John and Margaret

Write a love poem.
Write an anti-love poem.

LOVE

by John Yeo

“Dedicated to Margaret”

The right combination of magic appeal is difficult,
Two minds connecting and relating together.
An almost impossible mix to achieve,
The situation is a conundrum that requires study.

 

And yet? Wham, bam, a pair of blue eyes connect,
With a smile that seems to envelop your mind.
Love comes with a surprising turn of a moment
That changes your life and outlook forever.

 

Two minds coming together and sharing a life,
A mutual love incredibly rich and powerful,
Courtship builds trust and sharing the pleasure.
Then the years of developing a lasting real love.

 

You have fallen for a common illogical state,
Head over heels without a clear answer.
With gratitude you wake up with a smile
Your love is your all, and your life is complete.

Copyright © Written by John Yeo ~ All rights reserved.

Image © Copyright John and Margaret

ANTI-LOVE

by John Yeo

“Fiction”

Father looked at Mother in a state of shock.
When their beloved daughter broke the news
“What do you mean? You can’t be in love,
He is from a different circle than us!”

 

Mother agreed with tears in her eyes. “No!
She screamed, “We will not allow it,
You don’t even know what love really is!
He will never be good enough for you!”

 

Her feelings and her love for him were strong,
Although he came from a town nearby
The hard set customs seemed set in stone.
She was sure her Mother and Father were wrong.

 

The tears ran down her face with angry fear
Disappointment at their strong reaction.
Her calculations had gone horribly wrong.
Love made her blind to this turn of events.

 

Their strong faith in ancient long held custom
That blinded them to this heartfelt situation.

Copyright © Written by John Yeo ~ All rights reserved.