Zero

There are zero days left.
Zero tethers binding me.
Zero tears shed as we
close in on the end.

The month marched forward
but so did our pens.
We traveled all over
with cheese and crusty bread.
We sword fought with crabs —
Earthworthy poets on the shore.
Our fine nibs were no match
In this man versus crustacean
but they grew used to our company,
even deemed us worthy wordsmiths
(though we were lousy at sparring)
and we sat together on the beach
to greet the sun.

Individually wrapped
in our suits of armor
we said our goodbyes
could not justify staying in one place
just yet.
On our way we picked up
the discarded things we loved
keeping them by our bedsides
Each one a memory newly formed
and wet like noodles.

When nights were cold
we’d curl up by the windows
sipping vanilla chai
falling asleep to the
scritch scritch scritch of our pens
only to wake with ink-stained fingers
grasping at the whispers of a riveting dream.

Outside it is raining.
Perhaps when the Sun makes her entrance
there will be a rainbow.
We breathe in the petrichor
and start to feel better.
We gather the rain kissed violets, grape hyacinths and dandelions as we walk.
Weave them into crowns
Our rule never lasts long.

Our journey is coming to a close.
Why does it feel like yesterday
when 30 days have transpired?
With X-many days ahead
and a word count non-zero,
I plan to live every one of them
with a pen in my hand.

~*~

I made it four lines into this poem this morning before deciding to call out all 25 A-to-Z poems I’ve written either by name (like with “Bread”) or some part of the poem (like sipping vanilla chai in Opus No. 1).

I found this poem incredibly satisfying to write and I hope you find it just as satisfying to read.

The poem is written out in Jado Inferno, a Birmingham Pen Company ink. I used the Mariana Trench fountain pen with a stub nib because there was no way I was going to write all 50 lines with the dip pen.

Here’s what the first draft looked like.

Thank you for reading, for commenting and for liking. And I’ll see you for the last to last post, the A-to-Z review.

~*~

Yesterday’s Reading

Yesterday I finished reading a book.
It was an okay book.
I wasn’t sure I could write home about it
but as I stared at its cover
I realized there had to be something
I wasn’t grasping.
I searched for deeper meaning
reading the words left by fellow readers
with more experienced literary palates.
The critics who see the genius
while I’m tipping my head for a different view.
I may not get it 100%
and in this life I probably never will
but I’m a lot closer than when I started
and there’s much more left to be said.

~*~

In addition to being on a writing kick this April, I’m also on a reading kick. I finished reading two novellas — The Vegetarian by Han Kang and Paradais by Fernanda Melchor.

Both were heavy reads in their respective ways and I was left wondering if parts had gone over my head. I usually read escapism literature. These were definitely interpretive and I had no one to discuss with so I turned to reviews and online discussions about both to find what I was missing. It helped and elevated the post-reading experience instead of thinking “okay, that was weird” and shelving the books.

I recommend both but please note that both are adult books and there are sexually explicit parts in both (more so for Paradais).

Written with my Benu Shooting Star fountain pen.

Thank you for reading!

~*~

(Solving for) X

Solving for X
to find what is missing
what I need is ________ in my life
something that cuts
the melancholic monotony
let’s me know I’m still alive
still capable, still worthy
still here.

~*~

X is always a tricky post but I think I resolved it this year.

Written with the Sailor Pro Gear Slim still inked with Diamine Inkvent ink (“Olive Swirl”, perhaps).

We all need something in our lives. If you’ve managed to solve for X, what did X turn out to be?

Thank you for reading.

~*~

Walks

Walks
after work
in the evening
while the sun sets
taking in the fresh air
getting our steps in
around the neighborhood
discussing future plans
holding hands
walking.

~*~

I wrote this poem in Diamine’s “Writer’s Blood” with the dip pen.

It didn’t turn out that great, so I’m leaving this one pictureless.

Three more letters/poems to go!

Thank you for reading!

~*~

Violets and Grape Hyacinths

Purple violets
and grape hyacinths
distract from the lack of grass
in my yard full of weeds
as dandelions warm
their golden faces
in the sun.
I pick them for my spring bouquet
and every year they wilt
leaving me with brown violets
and brown hyacinths
and the ghosts of dandelions.

~*~

Every year I make a small bouquet from the flowers/weeds in my yard.

It never lasts long but enjoy it all the same.

Written with the dip pen and a Diamine Inkvent ink called “Jingle Berry”. (Yes, that’s the name.)

Thank you for reading!

~*~