http://www.quotesncaptions.com/anne-frank-quotes-2/ The Diary of a Young Girl (better known as The Diary of Anne Frank) was published on the 25th of June 1947. |
Midweek Motif ~ Diary Stories
Your Challenge is to create a poem from an entry in a journal, yours or someone else's. You might also want to reflect on the writer or on the journal. Or write a poem as if it is a journal entry.
Poetic Inspiration:
You are greater than the
Bible
And the Conference of the
Birds
And the Upanishads
All put together
You are more severe
Than the Scriptures
And Hammurabi’s Code
More dangerous than
Luther’s paper
Nailed to the Cathedral door
You are sweeter
Than the Song of Songs
Mightier by far
Than the Epic of Gilgamesh
And braver
Than the Sagas of Iceland
I bow my head in gratitude
To the ones who give their
lives
To keep the secret
The daily secret
Under lock and key
Dear Diary
I mean no disrespect
But you are more sublime
Than any Sacred Text
Sometimes just a list
Of my events
Is holier than the Bill of
Rights
And more intense”
(copied from goodreads Quotes)
an old knuckle baller, he still wears the
cap he wore in high school,
yellow&brown, embroidered LH, faded&nipped in time's toll---it
contrasts his grey temples, face full of whiskers, red rimmed eyes,
still wide, cheeks sagged, creased, work the salt off a peanut, teeth,
tongue shuck the shell & spit it in an ever increasing pile, like
bones at a chicken feast
one hand works the cover of a browned baseball, fingers flipping
around the leather&laces, through the repertoire of pitches he once
threw, the other works a pencil along a score card. he keeps
every hit, strike, ball, foul---every statistic of importance, a scratch,
scratch, scratch of lead, impression on paper, the game reflecting
in his cornea---spits another shell, works the ball, scratch, scratch
sisyphus
man on first, one out, pop, scratch, scratch, double play & it's
over, he folds the card in half, then quarters so it fits neat in
his back pocket, shuffles up the concrete steps between bleachers
to wherever he goes & whatever he does until tomorrow when
he'll be there, in his usual spot, spitting shells, hand running through
the memory of pitches & marking his card,
with one thing that makes sense
leaving me
to sit,
notebook in hand,
scratching away,
just the same
yellow&brown, embroidered LH, faded&nipped in time's toll---it
contrasts his grey temples, face full of whiskers, red rimmed eyes,
still wide, cheeks sagged, creased, work the salt off a peanut, teeth,
tongue shuck the shell & spit it in an ever increasing pile, like
bones at a chicken feast
one hand works the cover of a browned baseball, fingers flipping
around the leather&laces, through the repertoire of pitches he once
threw, the other works a pencil along a score card. he keeps
every hit, strike, ball, foul---every statistic of importance, a scratch,
scratch, scratch of lead, impression on paper, the game reflecting
in his cornea---spits another shell, works the ball, scratch, scratch
sisyphus
man on first, one out, pop, scratch, scratch, double play & it's
over, he folds the card in half, then quarters so it fits neat in
his back pocket, shuffles up the concrete steps between bleachers
to wherever he goes & whatever he does until tomorrow when
he'll be there, in his usual spot, spitting shells, hand running through
the memory of pitches & marking his card,
with one thing that makes sense
leaving me
to sit,
notebook in hand,
scratching away,
just the same
(Used with permission)
Please:
1. Post your diary story poem on your site, and then link it here.
2. Share only original and new work written for this challenge.
3. Leave a comment here.
4. Honor our community by visiting and commenting on others' poems.
(Next Week's Midweek Motif will be Half Year and World UFO DAY)
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Good morning, Poets United!
ReplyDelete(Saying that sometimes makes me flash on Robin Williams.) Thank you, Brian, for permission to use your wonderful poem. Have a great day.
Good morning - and thank you for the prompt..as usual probably obtuse and alluding to the theme..hopefully the sense of paper..and filling it comes through..a diary that is not quite sure of the story it wants to tell
ReplyDeleteYes, all that and more, Jae Rose! Welcome to Midweek. Have a great day.
DeleteExcellent prompt, Susan; and what a pleasure to see Brian's poem here as well. Looking forward to seeing what others come up with for this prompt.
ReplyDeleteI hoped his poem would surprise you! It's a natural, isn't it? BTW, help desk may have ironed out the kinks in the link.
DeleteGlad to hear that, Susan!
DeleteI enjoyed writing for this prompt . I read Anne Frank when I was in my sixth standard and was overwhelmed by the Diary or the book.... Brian's poem is wonderful :-)..Thanks Susan for the prompt... :-)
ReplyDeleteYou are very welcome Maniparna. Enjoy the day.
Deletegood morning susan...and thank you for the honor of the inclusion...smiles...as you wrote to me, most of my pieces fall into this category....
ReplyDeleteGood to see you here! Grin.
DeleteHow lovely to see Brian's poem here ~ I love the energy and the way the words just seems to spring from his hand, smiles ~
DeleteLovely prompt Susan ~
Thank you Grace! He does fit here well, and right next to Leonard.
DeleteTime to go to Physical therapy. I will be back! Wow! I am moved by your poems and look forward to the rest.
ReplyDeleteIf our diaries could talk...
ReplyDeleteBrian a colorful look at the "armchair" athlete. I am watching the world cup and playing vicariously through the players.
I am so glad that they can not--though it might be interesting if they talked to me alone--more like a sister than like a burning bush!
Deletenice to be here once again...i wrote about a lost piece of childhood for the wonderful prompt you gave us today Susan... :)
ReplyDeleteThank you, Sumana.
DeleteGreat prompt, Susan! I am enjoying what others have written.
ReplyDeleteMe, too. It seems time to pause and think about how we remember and/or use these catch-alls.
DeleteSusan what a nostalgic theme... I used to have so many diaries started at different phases of life and then discontinued at some point... thank you!!
ReplyDeleteThis makes me wonder/warn: "Do you know where your diaries are?" Perhaps at some point, only the poems and publications should survive. Perhaps, like Anne Franks, it is good when they speak. Thank you, Arushi!
DeleteI have an invite to dinner, Poets, so I'm taking a train from this odd little suburb and heading to downtown Philly hoping the storm won't be too horrible. Indian food, a birthday treat. No--it is not my birthday--just an early gift from friend and FUN. I'll check in again before bed-time. Enjoy.
ReplyDeletesmiles...enjoy dinner susan.....indian food...yum...
Deleteyou had me about to sing happy birthday as well...smiles.
Aw ... go ahead Brian!
DeleteHope you had a delightful dinner.
ReplyDeleteI like that you used two of my favorite poets as examples for your great prompt.
I'm submitting mine. It's a little late, but I'm happy to join in.
I'm open until Saturday, Myrna! Glad you could make it.
DeleteHi kids, I'm late because it took me a while to remember it was Wednesday. Hee hee. I had it all ready to go too! Will get around to you all......
ReplyDeletep.s. Brian, I LOVE seeing your poem there for inspiration!!
Deleteha. probably the only time i will be in the same line with cohen...ha...
Deletethank you wild woman...
Amazing action in your poem, Sherry!
DeleteGoodnight!
ReplyDeleteCollected my story a stanza by stanza, day by day....Thanks for inspiration, Susan!
ReplyDeletere very welcome, Humbird. Good to see you here.
DeleteGood day, I've posted a journal entry about a 1967 C-10 Chevrolet Pick Up I owned, please enjoy!!
ReplyDeleteNice. Please visit the rest of us!
DeleteYou are very welcome, Loredana.
ReplyDeleteHappy Friday, Poets United! Poets can join in today and tomorrow too, so if you meet up with a poem and poet that fit the diary motif and would enjoy joining us, give them the link. I have been moved and inspired by this week's poems here and elsewhere. What a week!
ReplyDeleteSusan, this is a wonderful prompt..I enjoyed it very much.Thank You..smiles..
ReplyDeleteYou are very welcome.
DeleteNice one by Leonard Cohen. Love this prompt.
ReplyDelete