Poem - metaphor (an extended version)

It's worse than the green-eyed monster
But, there's no term for it.
No metaphor.
No nothing.
It just lives.
And grows.

It just eats away at you.
Slowly but surely, it's trying to kill you.
Trying to take away your desire.
Your fight.
Your will.

It makes everything seem like it is pointless.
Everything is too hard to overcome.
Everything is daunting.

Time goes on.
It gets worse.
It builds.
and Builds.
and BUilds
and BUIlds
and BUILds
and BUILDs
and finally BUILDS
until you SCREAM.

You can't take it anymore.
Something has to give

But what?

Everything is too precious
 -in its own right-
in its own way

So how do you determine what goes away?
What takes precedence?

Time for a list.
It makes me scream again.
Makes me anxious

How will it ever get done?
Nothing will get done.
I'm going to fail.
Let someone down.

Worse - let myself down.

poem - 20 questions

The Journey

Is it time yet? Are we almost there?
Why does it always seem to drag? And why,
when it gets here, do I not want it to end?
 But why do I still crave that fresh start?
Am I the only one? Or do the other bodies
in the room - in the building - desire the same thing?
Why do we always look to the "end"?
Why can't we enjoy the ride?
Isn't that the main goal? To enjoy the ride?
Isn't that what we really learn from?
Why do we rush? Why do we not slow down
and take everything in? Wouldn't that make it
more enjoyable? Wouldn't we be more at peace?
If we always just rush to the end, what are we missing out on?
The real lesson? The real point?
Is anyone listening, thinking about this?

Poem example - simile

Bleak World

The world seems like death
Just a lot of little (and sometimes big) sticks
That's all you see dotting the landscape

They mock me
It's like I can hear Nelson's laugh
"Ha, ha."
Or the Soup Nazi
"No green for you."

It seems to drag on and on
It never wants to end
Just lasts forever
     Much longer than the warmth

But eventually it will lose the battle
Little green will start popping up
No more brown will carpet the ground

And then I can mock it
I can laugh like Nelson
"Ha, ha, winter. You've lost again!"

Poems

Today during your quick writes, I actually wrote a poem for almost every period (until  my head starting hurting so much that thinking didn't help it).  None of them are titled, and the last one is still a work in progress ... I just couldn't get the last stanzas where I wanted them and didn't think I fully finished it.

Head pounding
   it won't stop
Have to keep going
   but just want to sleep
Taken some Tylenol
   No relief
Have drank plenty of water
   Still no relief
Tried some caffeine
   A little better
Still a dull throb
   Right behind the eye
Just want it to stop
   Want to not cringe
Light makes it worse
    Makes me squinty
Movement adds pain
    Sometimes makes me dizzy
Just hoping there's no sick
    It helps - but ick
Head pounding
    Please stop

**********
Darkness never ends
It builds and builds
but never decreases
You're stuck in it
and can't escape
No matter how hard you fight

You don't want
to give in
to its pull.
But its impossible not
to fall into the hole
So, you just tumble down.

The abyss eats at you.
Drowns your soul.
But this never spits you out
It keeps eating
because it has to take it all

***********

It keeps piling on
It never stops
It's not just figuratively
There's stacks and stacks
all around

Many of them
One of me
It doesn't work
Help would be nice
It will never come

Prioritizing takes more time -
time away from the piles
Time I could be lowering them
Instead they just
grow
and grow
and grow

Their growth is:
overwhelming
Scary
Never ending

One day I fear
it will all collapse
and bury me.
No worries then.
Except --
A scary end.

**********

Everything seems brighter
     clearer
     happier
Moods have changed
     improved
     grown
You can see growth
     flowers
     grass
Smells return
     fresh
     *??????
Not everything improves
     nose
     eyes
Pollen flies around
     runny
     scratchy

Mother

When I was little, my mother was a genius and loving.

I remember spending time with her at the library while she worked.

That day, she made sure I stayed busy with books and a dust rag.

It infuriated me when she'd take my books away because I wasn't listening and misbehaving.

When I was a child, life was easy and carefree.

Now, I wish I could see my mom again.

Flying free

Stomach's churning
No longer do I have nerves of steel
I'm scared
    - worried
    - fretty
    - nervous
I don't know if I can do this

But, I know that's the voices
camping out in my head
They worm their way iin
      - uninvited
      -unwelcomed
      - penetrating
I have to shut them out

The only way to fight it
is to just do it
It's time to hit the road
     - lace 'em up
     - take off
     - fly away
I know I can

Even though I know
and have done it
The voices are still there
      - niggling
      - worming
      - penetrating
      - WHINING
I'm not going to listen

I have a reason to succeed
Reasons pushing me to be better
Pushing me forward
      - faster
      - don't stop
      - slog on
      - cross the line
Those reasons will mute the voices

Can't Be Perfect

Sometimes
      I try too hard
      Worry too much
All because
       I care too much


Sometimes
     I think I've lost my mind
     Have no idea what to do
All because
     I want to fix it all


Sometimes
      I stay up too late
      Trying to make it work
All because
      my crown keeps churning


Sometimes
      I realize I have to let it go
       It's not worth it
All because
     I can't do it all

The Shoes

The shoes are worn down
The shoes have blood stains
The shoes represent pain
The shoes have been spit on
The shoes have stepped in doggie doo
The shoes REEK
The shoes have grass stains
The shoes are worn out
The shoes have lost their tread
The shoes remind me of sore muscles
The shoes thud on the pavement
The shoes have been caked with mud
The shoes are part of an unending cycle
The shoes caused blisters
The shoes formed callouses
The shoes have no more padding
The shoes have become discolored
The shoes sit and mock me
The shoes force me out the door
The shoes carried me 12.4 miles
       and therefore, gave me my freedom

The Blanket

The blanket that has always been there
The blanket that was technically stolen
The blanket was comfort
The blanket kept me warm
The blanket has smells of home
The blanket was a good pillow
The blanket was safety
The blanket made a good cave
The blanket kept me dry
The blanket has a lot of memories
The blanket kept me hidden
The blanket blocked the sun
The blanket made a good cape
The blanket became a floor mat to dance on
The blanket could transform into an ice rink
The blanket was slippery
The blanket became mine
The blanket has holes
The blanket was stolen again
The blanket was my woobie
The blanket was security
The blanket wasn't a blanket
It was a poncho liner
Making it a symbol
A symbol for the cause of my dad's demons

Dream Detours

I was shooting for the stars
Ready to face the world
and conquer it like Genghis Khan
  (with less bloodshed)
I would be victorious in my dreams

I was going to make it to DC
There would be hurdles
 - possibly some road blocks -
It was time to beat
and plow over them all

It wasn't easy at first
I cowered with some fear
but soon I was a roaring lion
ready to attack
ready to start my climb

And then everything slowed
things started to veer and shift
 a new dream started to appear
I listened to my heart -
It was time for a new route

A major detour started
I was nervous and unsure
The little mouse returned
taking timid steps toward the new

The new road is smoother now
There's still some bumps
But my steps are surer, more definite
because my dreams merged with another's