Five Poems from April

My friend Shana Ritter (whom I met at Marge Piercy's workshop on Cape Cod a few summers ago) responded to my open Facebook challenge to pick your five favorite poems that you wrote in April.  She posted them together on her blog last week - they are all really good, and you should check them out here.  I thought that was a good idea, so I'm taking a cue from her and posting my five favorites on today's blog post.  This way, dear reader, you won't have to scroll through thirty days of blog posts to find what I think were my best of the month. Of course, feel free to explore, because you may think there are up to five others that you like better. (And if you wrote five or more poems in April and have a blog, you can do the same as Shana and I.) Anyway, here they are. Not coincidentally, I guess, they all are in some form or other - a terzanelle, a "fourteener", an abecedarian, and two Shakespearean sonnets.


April 16:

Science Fair Volcano

As a teacher, I've seen them many times

the peaks of conical and homemade plaster

backed up by the obligatory signs.

It doesn't take a lot of skill to master

this impressive demonstration - inside

the peaks of conical and homemade plaster,

a vinegar-and-baking-soda bromide

two strong conflicting forces that react -

an impressive demonstration inside

the gym.  Fourth-grader Tyler did, in fact

make a project like this. Under pressure,

two strong conflicting forces did react,

exploding from his model house.  He'd measure

all the damage done, but didn't keep a chart.

He made a science project under pressure

of a home about to blow itself apart.

The damage done, nobody kept a chart.

As a teacher, I've seen it many times,

backed up by the obligatory signs.



April 3:



April 14:

Last Bouquet

Love's promise in cellophane lace
Or dead giveaway?

                - Nick Lowe, "Stoplight Roses"

My dear, come see these flowers that I brought

for you - I thought you'd like a special treat.

I have no love for roses that you bought

from homeless guys who sell them on the street.

How can I gain your trust, how to preserve

the spark of passion both of us could share?

You can't, because I've nothing in reserve;

that spark was snuffed before your last affair.

Will you have  feelings if I go away?

Just  for the flowers, strangely, I feel sorrow.

We'll live to curse and fight another day,

but like our marriage,  they'll be dead tomorrow.

I always thought our love could be much more.

Just leave - and take those roses to your whore.

April 6:

Robin's Aubade

The sun, that warm alarm, has caught me waking -

I see your sleeping form curled in our bed.

The view from here at daybreak is breathtaking -

the budding trees, the pink clouds overhead.

I hear the neighbors too, their music drifting

in on chilly air. So rise, my lovely mate -
I'll sing a morning song, something uplifting.

I'll take you out for breakfast - don't be late! -

a place whose owner puts out quite a spread.

I've got an early flight, and true to form,

I'm all decked out, as usual, in red,

and you've our unborn children to keep warm.

I will return with worms, and straw and string -

I'll spread my wings, but you're my everything.



April 10:

How a Toddler Learns the Alphabet

A

Book

Carried around,

Druidic runes on

Each page,

Fascinates her.

Grandpa reads, she

Hears words.

In time,

Just a little

Knowledge starts to

Loosen the code:

Mmmm goes the M,

Nothing is rounder than

O.

Picking them out,

Quick study,

Reading's not far away:

Snaky S goes ssss,

Tongue-staccato T.

Under the influence of

Vocabulary, growing

Wiser every day.

X marks the spot where a

Young mind consumes with

Zeal.